Bridges

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a class of concrete that achieves a high compressive strength and improved durability outcomes when compared to conventional concrete currently used in Australia. UHPC is accompanied by fibre reinforcement and has a high binder content, and minimal and fine aggregate in the form of fine sands and ground quartz.

To allow UHPC to be used within Australia, the development of both a technical specification and design standard is underway. A sub-committee (BD-090-10) has been established by Standards Australia to develop a new section of AS5100 (Part 10) and the Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria is developing technical specification.

This paper will outline the various material properties that are influential in the performance and behaviour of UHPC. This includes design properties and material models necessary to provide sufficient design guidance for engineers including the tensile and compression behaviour, modulus of elasticity, density, poisson’s ratio, coefficient of thermal expansion and shrinkage strain.