Simultaneous Structural and Environmental Loading of an Ultra-High Performance Concrete Component

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cementitious composite material which tends to exhibit superior properties such as increased durability, strength, and long-term stability. This experimental investigation focused on the flexural performance of a UHPC component subjected to a simultaneous combination of structural loading and aggressive environmental conditions. This situation is commonly present in transportation structures subjected to frequent transient loads and deicing chemicals. The UHPC component was cyclically loaded beyond its elastic limit in the presence of a 15% NaCl solution. Although UHPC tends to exhibit a larger number of small width, tightly spaced cracks, any ingress of liquids into the UHPC component along crack faces raises the possibility of steel fiber reinforcement degradation and a resulting loss of UHPC tensile capacity. The simultaneous application of structural and environmental loadings to a UHPC flexural member did not result in any apparent degradation of the member's flexural capacity. The structural and environmental loading was conducted for 154 days during which 500,000 cycles were applied. NaCl solution ingress occurred, but no fiber reinforcement degradation was observed. Additionally, uniaxial tensile testing of UHPC prismatic sections was demonstrated as a viable means of assessing the tensile properties of this fiber-reinforced concrete.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Project Managers:

  Graybeal, Benjamin

• Performing Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Principal Investigators:

  Graybeal, Benjamin

• Start Date: 20080901
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20100630
• Source Data: RiP Project 26665

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearing capacity; Composite materials; Cracking; Fiber reinforced concrete; High performance concrete; Steel fibers; Ultra high performance concrete
• Uncontrolled Terms: Crack sealing; Loading
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01461355
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Files: RiP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 1:44PM