Mix design and early-age mechanical propertiesof ultra-high performance concrete

Abstract

It is known from the literature that there are relatively few studies on the engineering properties of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) in early age. In fact, in order to ensure the safety of UHPC during construction and sufficient durability and long-term performance, it is necessary to explore the early behavior of UHPC. The test parameters (test control factors) investigated included the percentage of cement replaced by silica fume (SF), the percentage of cement replaced by ultrafine silica powder (SFP), the amount of steel fiber (volume percent), and the amount of polypropylene fiber (volume percentage). The engineering properties of UHPC in the fresh mixing stage and at the age of 7 days were investigated. These properties include freshly mixed properties (slump, slump flow, and unit weight) and hardened mechanical properties (compressive strength, elastic modulus, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength). Moreover, the effects of the experimental factors on the performance of the tested UHPC were evaluated by range analysis and variance analysis. The experiment results showed that the compressive strength of the C8 mix at the age of 7 days was highest of 111.5 MPa, and the compressive strength of the C1 mix at the age of 28 days was the highest of 128.1 MPa. In addition, the 28-day compressive strength in each experimental group increased by 13%-34% compared to the 7-day compressive strength. In terms of hardened mechanical properties, the performance of each experimental group was superior to that of the control group (without fiber and without additional binder materials), with considerable improvement, and the experimental group did not produce explosive or brittle damage after the test. Further, the flexural test process found that all test specimens exhibited deflection-hardening behavior, resulting in continued to increase carrying capacity after the first crack.