Applications of UHPC and UHPFRC Composites in Civil Engineering
1RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
2Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
3South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
Applications of UHPC and UHPFRC Composites in Civil Engineering
Description
Concrete is a type of quasi-brittle material in which the brittleness of the material generally increases with an increase in its compressive strength. Plain high-strength concrete always fails in an explosive way due to its inherent brittle nature. Incorporation of randomly distributed, discrete non-metallic or metallic fibres into the conventional concrete mixes has now been well-recognized as a feasible solution for the problem associated with the lower ductility of concrete. Ultra-high performance concrete/composite (UHPC) is characterized by a very high compressive strength and superior durability. Incorporations of a small amount of discrete non-mantellic and metallic fibre with UHPC yields a novel concrete that not only has superior mechanical properties and also exceptional durability-related properties. This leads to the creation of a novel hybrid composite material, namely ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete/composite (UHPFRC), which is a particular type of fibre reinforced concrete (FRC).
The presence of the internal fibres in UHPFRC not only prevents wider cracks but also effectively acts as reinforcement to resist shear and torsion seen on structures with non-orthogonal shapes. Further, the denser matrix of UHPFRC creates a feasible solution for the problem associated with concrete deterioration caused by inner steel reinforcement corrosion. Moreover, the use of UHPFRC materials in buildings and infrastructure can also effectively address the shortcomings of conventional construction work which is rather labour-intensive and time-consuming.
This Special Issue invites researchers working in this field to submit original research and review articles and will collect cutting-edge knowledge and recent advances in the application of UHPC and UHPFRC materials in civil, mechanical, and multidisciplinary engineering.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Design and analysis of UHPC and UHPFRC components and structures
- Applications of UHPC and UHPFRC materials in structures under the marine environment
- Recent advances in designs, manufacture and applications of UHPC and UHPFRC materials
- Durability and fatigue performance of reinforced UHPC and UHPFRC structures
- Overall performance of UHPC and UHPFRC materials and structural systems under extreme loading conditions
- Advanced numerical modelling and analysis, at a micro- and macrolevel, of UHPC and UHPFRC structural elements
- Applications of UHPC and UHPFRC as emerging technologies for retrofitting and repairs of existing structures
- Precast and prestressed structural elements using UHPC and UHPFRC materials in different forms
- Applications of UHPC and UHPFRC in bridge engineering
- Life-cycle and reliability analyses of UHPC and UHPFRC materials and structures