Ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC): A mini-review of the challenges

Abstract

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is a cement-based material that can be used to build new buildings or fix up old ones to make them last longer. It is a revolutionary composite material that may serve as a viable substitute for concrete construction in hostile environments. After decades of research and development, a broad variety of commercial UHPC compositions have been created across the globe to meet the expanding number of uses and demand for high-quality building materials. The usage of ultra-high performance concrete is restricted because of its exorbitant cost and restricted design standards. Therefore, a thorough examination of the durability properties of UHPC is necessary to offer vital data for material testing criteria and methods and to broaden its practical uses. It is hoped that this article will help people understand UHPC better and encourage more research and applications.

Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete: Applications

“…ˑThe ˑlack ˑof ˑdesign ˑcodes, ˑinadequate ˑknowledge ˑof ˑboth ˑthe ˑmaterial ˑand ˑproduction ˑtechnology, ˑand ˑexpensive ˑcosts ˑappear ˑto ˑbe ˑlimiting ˑthe ˑimplementation ˑof ˑthis ˑexcellent ˑmaterial ˑbeyond ˑthe ˑearly ˑdemonstration ˑprojects ˑ [8, ˑ20-22]. ˑBoth ˑthe ˑbusiness ˑand ˑpublic ˑsectors ˑare ˑincreasingly ˑpaying ˑcloser ˑattention ˑto ˑand ˑpushing ˑfor ˑgreater ˑefforts ˑto ˑmake ˑuse ˑof ˑthis ˑnovel ˑand ˑpromising ˑmaterial [23][24][25][26][27][28]. Several varieties of "UHPC ˑhave ˑbeen ˑdeveloped ˑto ˑdate ˑin ˑvarious ˑcountries and by various manufacturers, ˑincluding ˑCeracem+, ˑBSI+, ˑcompact ˑreinforced ˑcomposites ˑ(CRC), ˑmultiscale ˑcement ˑcomposite ˑ(MSCC), ˑand ˑreactive ˑpowder ˑconcrete ˑ(RPC) ˑ [29][30][31][32][33][34].…”

Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete: Fresh Properties

“…ˑThe ˑquantity ˑof ˑmicromechanical ˑfeatures ˑof ˑconcrete, ˑsuch ˑas ˑinner ˑcracking, ˑdegradation, ˑhoneycombing, ˑand ˑmaterial ˑcomposition ˑdifferences, ˑcan ˑbe ˑused ˑto ˑassess ˑhomogeneity ˑin ˑcement-based composites. The addition of the W/C ratio, which ˑresults ˑin ˑa ˑsignificant ˑvolume of ˑpores ˑinside ˑthe ˑconcrete, ˑcan ˑimprove ˑthe ˑworkability ˑof ˑsteel ˑfiber-reinforced ˑconcrete ˑduring ˑcasting [71][72][73][74][75][76][77]. ˑExtra ˑwater ˑin ˑthe ˑfresh ˑstage ˑof ˑconcrete ˑcan ˑmove ˑover ˑthe ˑsmooth ˑsurface ˑof ˑsteel ˑfibers, ˑincreasing ˑthe production of longish air spaces following concrete hardening [78] [79-82].…”

“…ˑOne ˑmethod ˑof ˑavoiding ˑparticle ˑmigration ˑis ˑto ˑremove inaccurate data, ˑwhich ˑmay ˑbe ˑassessed ˑusing ˑthe relationship between ˑthe ˑthickness ˑof ˑthe ˑsheared zone ˑand ˑthe ˑmaximum ˑparticles ˑzone. ˑSignificant ˑparticle ˑmigration ˑmay ˑoccur ˑif ˑthe ˑthickness ˑof ˑthe ˑsheared ˑzone ˑis ˑless ˑthan ˑor ˑclose ˑto ˑthe ˑmaximum ˑsize ˑof ˑsolid ˑcomponents ˑin ˑthe ˑcombination[60,61,71,72].…”

Mine tailings-based geopolymers: Mechanical and physical properties

“…ˑWhen ˑthe ˑgeopolymerization ˑprocess ˑwas ˑdone, ˑthe ˑresultant ˑspecimens had good immobilization ˑof ˑZn ˑand ˑPb, ˑbut Cu was more mobile because of ˑthe ˑhigh ˑpH ˑlevel in the water. ˑPaiva, et al [79] ˑemployed ˑhighsulfidic mine tailings as a fine aggregate of metakaolin-based geopolymer composite (metakaolingeopolymer) ˑor blast furnace slag-based ˑgeopolymer ˑcomposite ˑ(BFS-geopolymer) ˑto ˑcreate ˑa ˑfine ˑaggregate ˑof ˑgeopolymers [80][81][82]. ˑA ˑstronger ˑcompressive ˑstrength ˑ(> ˑ20 ˑMPa) and a more ˑrapid ˑreactive nature were observed ˑin ˑmetakaolin-based ˑgeopolymers ˑcompared ˑto ˑBFS-based ˑgeopolymers.…”

“…ˑThe ˑaluminosilicate ˑframework ˑof ˑthe ˑgeopolymer ˑis ˑdefined ˑby ˑthe ˑinteraction ˑof ˑthe ˑprecursor's ˑmineral ˑconstituents ˑin ˑan ˑalkali-activated solution, as well as the structure ˑand ˑproperties ˑof ˑthe ˑgeopolymer ˑitself. ˑIn ˑgeneral, ˑthe ˑalkaline ˑinteraction ˑof ˑmine ˑtailings ˑis ˑlow, ˑand ˑthis ˑis ˑthe ˑmost ˑsubstantial ˑfactor to consider when incorporating mine tailings into geopolymers [88][89][90].…”