Development Of Ultra High performance Concrete With Low-Density Flexible Fibers For Bridge Applications

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) for bridge elements, repair materials, and other applications often contains 2 % to 3 % by volume of steel fibers to impart resistance to plastic shrinkage, improve its resistance to abrasion and impacts, and to provide additional strength and fracture toughness. However, steel fibers are much heavier than organic fibers such as polypropylene (PP) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), while their stiffness and tensile strength are only modestly greater. UHPC for bridge elements could be made with a lower density and potentially higher strength-to-weight ratio if it could be reliably made with PP or PVA fibers instead of steel. PP and PVA fibers have the additional advantage that they are not susceptible to corrosion, are inert in alkaline environments, have negligible water absorption, impart greater impact resistance and abrasion resistance, and contribute less to greenhouse gas emissions than their steel counterparts. The objective is to determine the compressive strength, fracture toughness, and strength-to-weight ratios of chemically pretreated PP-reinforced UHPC as a function of PP dosage. The property variations with these variables will be linked to fiber dispersion and macro flaws using lab-scale X-ray microcomputed tomography (µCT).

• Record URL:
  • https://abc-utc.fiu.edu/development-of-ultra-high-performance-concrete-with-low-density-flexible-fibers-for-bridge-applications/

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $67,900.00
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348322

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Innovative Bridge Technologies/Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (IBT/ABC-UTC)

  Florida International University
  Miami, FL  United States 

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M University, College Station

  Zachry Department of Civil Engineering
  3136 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3136
• Principal Investigators:

  Bullard, Jeffrey W

• Start Date: 20250101
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge construction; Compressive strength; Fibers; Polypropylene; Tomography; Ultra high performance concrete
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01973291
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Innovative Bridge Technologies/Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (IBT/ABC-UTC)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348322
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 2 2025 3:26PM