Robust Methods for UHPC Early-Strength Determination and Quality Control for ABC

Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) is one of the most commonly used or desired solution for ABC connections nowadays. With large initiatives for developing non-proprietary UHPC mixes (e.g. ABC-UTC ongoing imitative), the applications and use of UHPC for ABC are further expanding in the US and international markets. Given the ABC nature, many projects considering UHPC for connections and early bridge opening for traffic or following construction phases are hinging on reaching a desired early age strength. For example, bridge owners have recently specified Ductal JS1212 for projects requiring that 12 ksi strength is achieved at 12 hours. While robust mixes can accomplish this requirement, a reliable quality control method to verify such requirement on-site is still lacking. In remote sites, it becomes harder to verify the UHPC early age strength using the current state-of-practice, i.e. preparing cylinders by cutting and grinding the ends then testing them within 10-12 hours. In consultation with Caltrans among UHPC vendors and experts in relevant ACI committees, there is big interest in using two of the well-established methods for conventional concrete strength characterization for UHPC. These are using cubes as opposed to cylinders, and relying on strength maturity for quality control. No documented efforts have yet showed the feasibility of such methods for early strength determination of UHPC, which is the motivation of this project.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $65000
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747121

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC)

  Florida International University
  10555 W. Flagler Street
  Miami, FL  United States  33174

  University of Nevada, Reno

  1664 N. Virginia Street
  Reno, Nevada  United States  89557

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Moustafa, Mohamed

• Principal Investigators:

  Moustafa, Mohamed

• Start Date: 20210101
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge construction; Quality control; Ultra high performance concrete
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01768944
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747121
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Mar 31 2021 9:06PM