Ultra-high performance concretes

Cementitious high-tech materials for industrial applications

Fig. 1 10 mm thick TAKTL^© panel using the Quantz technology, integrally colored blue material.

Fig. 2 Goosenbridge in Utrecht, Precast elements: Romein Beton, NL, material design: G.tecz, Kassel

Fig. 3 “Hedgehog” facade produced for Saxony-Anhalt Art Foundation (Kunststiftung Sachsen-Anhalt).

Today, the superior strength and surface properties of UHPC and its high degree of sustainability [4] make it the material of choice not only for major solitary structures on the basis of individual approvals but also for the serial production of components. However, the production of ultra-high-performance concretes from locally available raw materials is worth a closer look from an environmental and, in particular, economic perspective. Such a production scheme makes the precast plant largely autonomous in terms of the composition of the material and its handling.

During its four years of existence, G.tecz has already managed more than 50 research and development projects for using ultra-high performance concretes in industrial applications. This article presents some of these UHPCs, with varying scopes of application.

In this contribution, the term of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is also used for concretes that do not provide a mean minimum compressive strength of 150 N/mm² but have, for example, a lower compressive strength but significantly higher tensile strength whilst providing a lesser degree of brittleness combined with a significantly...