Ultra-High Strength Concrete or better Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is finding increasingly more applications in real construction projects. However, mostly the focus is on the outstanding mechanical properties of this special concrete. But strength is just one side of this multifunctional material. Apart from that, it also comes along with distinguished durability properties which make it attractive to be used in construction projects despite a very high cost price. This paper refers to a real-scale application of UHPC used for the production of two bridge decks. The UHPC was produced in a ready-mixed concrete plant and delivered by concrete mixing trucks to a pre-cast plant. During the production, samples were made and later analysed regarding theirmechanical properties and durability performance. This research is focusing on the latter and shows by means of porosity measurements, freeze-thaw resistance tests, carbonation tests and chloride diffusion and migration tests, that UHPC is a very dense and durable material that will allow for much longer service life periods and low maintenance and repair costs compared to structures made from conventional concrete.
Banik et al. (Thu,) studied this question.