Autogenous Shrinkage Research Articles

Combined Impact of Nano-SiO2 and Superabsorbent Polymers on Early-Age Concrete Engineering Properties for Water-Related Structures

High-performance concrete (HPC) is currently widely used in water-related structures. The incorporation of nano-silica (nano-SiO2, NS) can further refine its pore structure, thereby enhancing the compressive strength and durability of HPC without necessitating a reduction in the water-to-binder (w/b) ratio. However, the addition of nano-materials significantly increases the autogenous shrinkage (AS) of concrete, leading to elevated tensile stresses and making the concrete more susceptible to early-age cracking. To mitigate AS, superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can be introduced to internally cure the concrete, thereby improving the internal relative humidity (IRH) and reducing the AS in NS-reinforced concrete. In this study, we experimentally investigate the setting behavior, pore structure, compressive strength, IRH, and AS properties of concrete with a w/b of 0.3, incorporating both NS and SAP. The results demonstrate that the addition of NS advances setting time, significantly densifies the pore structure, markedly enhances compressive strength, accelerates the decline in IRH, and increases AS strain. Conversely, the incorporation of SAP exhibits opposite effects on these properties, particularly in substantially mitigating AS strain. The combined incorporation of 1.5% NS and 0.15% (or 0.30%) SAP achieves both higher compressive strength and lower AS strain compared to plain concrete at 28 days. These findings suggest that the simultaneous introduction of NS and SAPs into concrete formulations is recommended to achieve an optimal balance between shrinkage and strength properties. Such advancements are particularly beneficial for applications in hydraulic and water-related structures, where enhanced durability and reduced cracking are critical for maintaining structural integrity and ensuring longevity.

Impact of Metakaolin to Partially Replace Granulated Blast Furnace Slag on the Performance of Alkali-activated Slag Grouting Materials and Evaluation of Grouting Effectiveness

Abstract In recent years, alkali-activated slag materials have garnered widespread attention in the construction field due to their environmental friendliness and excellent mechanical strength. However, optimizing their composition to reduce autogenous shrinkage remains a pressing issue. This study aims to explore the effects of partially replacing granulated blast furnace slag with metakaolin on the performance of alkali-activated slag grouting materials and evaluate its grouting effectiveness. By setting different replacement levels of metakaolin for granulated blast furnace slag, the study systematically investigates the fluidity, autogenous shrinkage, and mechanical properties of alkali-activated slag grouting materials. The experimental results show that as the amount of metakaolin increases, the fluidity of the grouting material significantly decreases, while the autogenous shrinkage rate reduces; however, the mechanical properties exhibit a complex variation trend. Specifically, when the metakaolin content is at 10%, the comprehensive performance is optimal with excellent grouting effect. This finding provides new insights and methods for optimizing alkali-activated slag grouting materials.

Evaluating Full and Partial Internal Curing in Terms of Internal Relative Humidity, Hydration and Performance

Internal curing is being increasingly considered for use in concrete pavements. Internal curing frequently uses prewetted lightweight aggregate (LWA) to provide water to the cement paste as it hydrates. While internal curing has many benefits, many of these benefits can be traced to the additional hydration or a reduction in autogenous shrinkage that occurs as a result of the water that is stored in the aggregate. Many times internally cured mixtures are designed to provide a volume of internal curing water that is equivalent to the volume of chemical shrinkage; some have asked if there are benefits to only supplying a portion of this water. If only a portion of this water is needed it would reduce the volume of LWA used and make the pavement more cost-efficient. This paper examines the additional hydration that occurs in internally cured concrete systems with varying levels of internal curing (i.e., varying volumes of water that are equal to chemical shrinkage as well as partial volumes of this water) at early ages using isothermal calorimetry. In addition, internal relative humidity and the densification of the ITZ are measured for the plain and internally cured concrete. Internal curing is beneficial as the additional hydration can improve strength and reduce fluid transport. Internal curing, relative humidity, cement hydration, degree of hydration, calorimetry, SEM, Scanning Electrical Microscopy

Effect of Fine Lightweight Aggregate on Curling Behavior of Concrete Beams

Addition of saturated lightweight aggregate fines to concrete have demonstrated the ability to enhance hydration, reduce autogeneous shrinkage and permeability, and increase strength. However, no study has yet been conducted on the impact of employing saturated lightweight aggregates in concrete mixtures to reduce concrete moisture curling under external drying conditions. In this study, a set of paving mixtures was cast with and without saturated fine lightweight aggregates. Saturated fine lightweight aggregates were found to reduce the moisture curling of a concrete specimen up to 50% when compared to an identical mixture without fine lightweight aggregates. As the curing duration increased, the moisture curling deformations were also higher albeit with a higher concrete strength. Overall, the addition of saturated fine lightweight aggregates had a substantial and beneficial impact on the moisture curling of concrete slabs.

The properties improvement of UHPC incorporation cellulose fiber and the autogenous shrinkage reduction mechanism with internal curing effect

The properties improvement of UHPC incorporation cellulose fiber and the autogenous shrinkage reduction mechanism with internal curing effect

Improvement of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Matrix with Nanocellulose for Reduced Autogenous Shrinkage and Enhanced Mechanical Properties

Despite its numerous benefits and considerable potential, ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) faces challenges in wider application due to significant autogenous shrinkage deformation. Typically, efforts to inhibit UHPC autogenous shrinkage may compromise its mechanical properties through the utilization of various internal curing agents, presenting a contradictory situation. To overcome this situation, we explored the utilization of nanocellulose materials, which led to improvements in reducing autogenous shrinkage and enhancing mechanical properties. Experimental findings reveal that incorporating a cellulose nanofiber-2 suspension presents a significant improvement, even at minimal dosages. Specifically, relative to the control group, autogenous shrinkage diminishes by at least 62.2%, while mechanical properties at 28d are increased by nearly 10% in NC-3 group. The potential microscopic mechanisms were investigated, revealing that the cellulose nanofiber-2 suspension acts by decelerating the initial hydration rate (before the acceleration period) and subsequently enhancing the nucleation and growth of hydration products (after the acceleration period). In addition, capillary pressure can be effectively decreased by reducing the volume of nanopores and surface tension of the pore solution. Combined with the rigid support and bridging effects after water release, the incorporation of a cellulose nanofiber-2 suspension can significantly inhibit the development of autogenous shrinkage while improving mechanical properties. This novel nano-engineering strategy not only promotes wider industrial applications of UHPC but also holds considerable promise for future advancements.

Multi-scale characterization of lightweight aggregate and superabsorbent polymers influence on autogenous shrinkage and microstructure of ultra-high performance concrete

This study investigates the effects of internal curing agents on the autogenous shrinkage, hydration, and microstructure of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Lightweight aggregate (LWA) and superabsorbent polymers (SAP) were examined across various dosages as representative internal curing agents. Measurements were taken for the mechanical properties, autogenous shrinkage, and internal relative humidity of the UHPC. The mechanisms of internal curing were analyzed using thermogravimetry, pore structure, and microstructural evaluations. Additionally, porosity and microhardness in the matrix around the fibers and internal curing agents were tested to quantitatively assess their impact on the properties of the UHPC matrix. Results indicate that high dosages of LWA or SAP negatively affect the compressive strength of UHPC. A dosage of 15 % LWA increased flexural strength by 11 %, whereas SAP showed no significant improvement in flexural strength. LWA effectively reduced autogenous shrinkage by 49.4 %-88.8 %, while a SAP dosage of 0.3 % reduced autogenous shrinkage by 82 %. Both LWA and SAP increased porosity by 33.9 %-55.9 %. SAP released water within the matrix, forming voids filled with calcium hydroxide. The interface between LWA and the matrix was dense, with porosity near the LWA and SAP interfaces being 23.5 %-53.9 % and 26.0 %-38.2 % lower, respectively, compared to other areas. The microhardness in the LWA and SAP interface regions was 20 % and 16.2 % higher than in different places. The LWA pre-saturated method can effectively reduce autogenous shrinkage, and 15 % LWA has no adverse effect on mechanical strength.

Revealing the effect of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose ether on rheological characteristics and hydration kinetics of Ultra-High Performance Concrete with high thixotropy

In this study, the effects of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose ether (HEMC) content and molecular chain on rheological characteristics and hydration kinetics of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) with high thixotropy are detailed investigated. The results showed that with an increase of HEMC content, the air content of UHPC can be increased, and the mechanical properties and durability of UHPC could be simultaneously deteriorated. In addition, although a higher air content may reduce the mechanical properties and durability of UHPC, the added HEMC with longer molecular chain is also helpful to increase the yield stress by 312.2 % and decrease the plastic viscosity by 46.5 % for UHPC slurry, which is important to improve the spray-ability of UHPC. At the same time, the HEMC with short molecular chain can reduce the early autogenous shrinkage of the UHPC by about 30 %, which is also important to improve the volume stability of sprayed Ultra-High Performance Concrete (SUHPC). Therefore, in practice, to develop a SUHPC with advanced properties, the type and content of HEMC should be well chosen by simultaneously considering the requirements of rheological properties, mechanical properties and durability at least.

Hybrid effects of carbon nanotubes and nano-rubber on the mechanical properties and microstructure of oil well cement paste cured at different temperatures: Experimental studies and a micromechanical model

A ductile oil well cement paste (OWCP) with lower autogenous shrinkage is of paramount importance to the integrity of cement sheath under downhole condition. Taking advantage of multiple experimental tests and a micromechanical model, the hybrid effects of nano-rubber (NR) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical properties, autogenous shrinkage, hydration behavior and microstructure of OWCP were investigated in this study. Results show that the hybrid addition of NR and CNTs effectively enhances the mechanical properties and ductility of OWCP, 7-day tensile strengths of OWCP incorporated with 4 wt% NR and 0.04 wt% (N4C4) cured at 30 °C, 60 °C and 90 °C exhibit 1.4%, 13.7%, 13.0% strength gain with respect to those of plain OWCP (P) at the similar curing temperature; T/E ratios (tensile strength/Young’s modulus) of 7-day N4C4 cured at 30 °C, 60 °C and 90 °C exhibit 82.3%, 39.3% and 40.8% increase as compared to that of P at the similar curing temperature; the hybrid addition of NR and CNTs suppresses the autogenous shrinkage of OWCP, leading to about 31.9%, −12.8%, and 20.8% reduction of 72-hour autogenous shrinkage of OWCP at 30 °C, 60 °C and 90 °C, respectively. The developed micromechanical model is capable of well quantifying the hybrid effects of NR and CNTs on the mechanical/poroelastic properties of OWCPs. The present work is anticipated to shed light on the development of a ductile OWCP with lower autogenous shrinkage under harsh downhole conditions.

Perforated cenospheres used to enhance the engineering performance of high-performance cement-slag-limestone ternary binder

Slag-limestone-cement ternary mixed binder is a new type of cementitious material. There are 1137 published literatures on this new type of cementitious material in the Scopus database, but so far, no papers have been published on the research of reactive internal curing of this new type of cementitious material. One kind of fly ash is called a cenosphere with a very thin outer shell and a hollow center. Cenospheres generate pores through chemical etching, thereby achieving the effect of self-curing. This article conducted multiple experimental studies to ascertain the impact of perforated cenospheres regarding the execution of cement-slag-limestone binder. The mixture samples with different dosage of perforated cenospheres and cenospheres are numbered C0 (control group), P3.3 (content of perforated cenospheres in the binder is 3.3 %), P6.6 (content of perforated cenospheres in the binder is 6.6 %), and C6.6 (content of perforated cenospheres in the binder is 6.6 %). Based on the results of autogenous shrinkage and compressive strength, perforated cenospheres as an internal curing agent not only reduces the autogenous shrinkage of cement-slag-limestone concrete, but also avoids a significant decrease in strength of cement-slag-limestone concrete. In fact, because of volcanic ash reactivity of advanced cenospheres and the internal curing effect, the compressive strength of P3.3 mixed mortar increased by 0.7 and 4 MPa compared to C0 mixed mortar at 7 and 28 days of age, achieving a dual effect of reducing shrinkage and improving strength. Secondly, the experimental results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that perforated cenospheres can undergo volcanic ash reaction with calcium hydroxide. The scanning electron microscope images indicate that the P3.3 and P6.6 mixed paste with added perforated cenospheres exhibit better and denser bonding between the perforated cenospheres and the matrix. In summary, the microscopic reactions of perforated cenospheres can enhance concrete's macroscopic qualities, which can be utilized as reactive internal curing materials.

Study on the hydration kinetics and microstructure of the sulphate-alkali composite activated slag pastes

In this study, the phosphogypsum (PG) was successfully applied to prepare the sulphate-alkali activated slag (SAAS) pastes to reduce carbon emissions and production costs. The set-hardening properties of SAAS samples with PG were optimized using response surface methodology. Then, several in-situ measurements and several characterization methods were applied to monitor the hydration behavior and study the microstructure evolution. Furthermore, the hydration kinetics were analyzed to further reveal the new insight into the activation mechanism of the sulphate-alkali composite. The results showed that the optimized ratio was obtained at 2.7 % alkali dosage (AD) and 11.8 % PG, where the initial setting time and 28d strength valued 162 min and 56 MPa, respectively. It was also found that heat flow was accelerated but mitigated, and autogenous shrinkage was gradually mitigated with increasing PG content due to its additional activation effect as sulphate. Samples with 5 % PG require a higher AD to obtain a sufficient degree of hydration. While lower AD would produce more ettringite and CASH gels with higher degree of polymerization for samples with 15 % PG. Hydration kinetic analysis showed that addition of 5 % PG would make the nucleation process of CASH gels difficult. While the addition of 15 % PG would increase the nucleation density by almost 10 times, the growth rate would be greatly reduced, resulting in a slower but continuous development of the microstructure. Thus, it was demonstrated that the use of PG in SAAS pastes is reasonable and has great potential.

Incorporating Limestone Powder and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag in Ultra-high Performance Concrete to Enhance Sustainability

While ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) offers numerous advantages, it also presents specific challenges, primarily due to its high cost and excessive cement content, which can pose sustainability concerns. To address this challenge, this study aims to develop cost-effective and sustainable UHPC mixtures by incorporating ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and limestone powder (LP) as partial replacements for portland cement. Eight fiber-reinforced UHPC mixtures were investigated, with a water-to-cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio of 0.15. In four of the UHPC mixtures, 25% of the cement was replaced with GGBFS, and further, LP was added as a mineral filler, partially substituting up to 20% of the cement. In the remaining four mixtures, cement was replaced with only LP up to 20% (without GGBFS). The 28-day compressive strength of the UHPC mixture with 25% GGBFS and 20% LP was 149 MPa, 3.50% lower than the mixture without GGBFS. Its 28-day flexural strength decreased by 30%. Increasing LP replacement reduced drying and autogenous shrinkage, with a 29% shrinkage reduction at 20% LP replacement. Moreover, UHPC mixtures with GGBFS exhibited lower shrinkage compared to those without GGBFS for all LP replacements up to 20%. For evaluating the sustainability of UHPC mixtures, the cement composition index (CCI) and clinker to cement ratio (CCR) were determined. For 20% LP replacement with 25% GGBFS, CCI was 3.6 and the CCR was 0.5, 38% decrease from the global clinker to cement ratio. Overall, 20% LP replacement UHPC mixtures with and without GGBFS can produce UHPC class performance and reduce the environmental impact.

Application of porous luffa fiber as a natural internal curing material in high-strength mortar

This study explores the potential of renewable plant fibers as internal curing (IC) materials, analyzing their potential in high-strength mortar (HSM) applications. Experiments involving the incorporation of different volumetric ratios of luffa fiber into concrete assessed impacts on autogenous shrinkage (AS), mechanical properties, and microstructure. The research found that the addition of luffa fibers extended both the setting times of the mixture, and after final setting, continued the hydration reaction by releasing internally stored water. Compared to the control group, luffa fibers significantly reduced AS by up to 56.87 %, primarily due to their high-water absorption capacity (211 %), which mitigates the internal capillary pressures during the cement hydration process. Moreover, the inclusion of luffa fibers significantly affected the concrete's mechanical properties: a 1 % luffa addition enhanced the compressive strength at 28 days by 7.6 % over the control; concrete with 2 % luffa fiber exhibited the highest flexural strength at 28 days, showing a 9.4 % increase over the control. Microstructural analysis revealed that luffa fiber not only promoted continued hydration but also increased the content of hydration products and enhanced the compactness of the cementitious matrix. Overall, luffa fibers effectively reduce HSM’s AS and enhance its mechanical properties and microstructure, showing potential to improve concrete performance.

Mechanical properties and early-age shrinkage of ultra-high performance concrete mortar with recycled fine aggregate

This study focuses on the shrinkage behavior of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) incorporating recycled fine aggregates (RFA). The effects of RFA content (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %) and different moisture states of RFA were investigated through mechanical properties, autogenous shrinkage, drying shrinkage, and restrained shrinkage. The results showed that the incorporation of RFA generally reduced the mechanical properties of UHPC, although marginal improvements were seen with the use of oven-dried or air-dried RFA. Saturated surface-dry (SSD) RFA effectively reduced autogenous shrinkage of UHPC through internal curing. However, the autogenous shrinkage in UHPC increased with the increase of RFA content. RFA also increased the drying shrinkage. Microstructural analysis revealed that the increase in the shrinkage with increasing RFA content were due to the increase in pores smaller than 50 nm, and the decrease in micromechanical properties resulting from the incorporation of RFA. In terms of restrained shrinkage, the circumferential strain, basic tensile creep, and cracking potential of UHPC were related to autogenous shrinkage. Reducing the moisture content of RFA led to an increase in autogenous shrinkage while concurrently decreasing drying shrinkage.

Multiscale prediction model for autogenous shrinkage of early-age concrete incorporating high volume fly ash

High volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC) manufacture is an effective strategy to mitigate the autogenous shrinkage, achieve green production and low cost in building engineering. Nevertheless, a reasonable and robust multiscale prediction model of autogenous shrinkage of HVFAC and relative input parameters remains lacking. Thus, the objective of present study is to make up the missing gap. The research offered the input parameters dataset of microscopic pore structure, internal relative humidity (IRH) and validation dataset of autogenous shrinkage of cement pates and concretes with a water to binder ratio of 0.30/0.40, with fly ash in cement mass replacing-levels of 0, 30 %, 50 % and 70 %. The multiscale autogenous shrinkage prediction model was established by three parts of bulk modulus homogenization, capillary pressure calculation and composite models. The needed volumetric ratios of multi-phases were obtained by VCCTL software; bulk modulus was homogenized by Mori-Tanaka method, the proposed prediction models of IRH and LF-NMR-based microscopic pores characterization were used for capillary pressure calculation at cement paste level; composite models for autogenous shrinkage transformation from paste level to concrete level. The results show that HVFAC is capable of improved shrinkage-related pore structure, IRH and low autogenous shrinkage, which backs up the application potential of HVFAC in building engineering, and the input parameters dataset is confirmed to be reasonable. The proposed multiscale model was validated to be robust via comparing with test results and references dataset. The achievement of this study bear significance for HVFAC design and application in early-age cracking prevention in building engineering.

Influence of fiber shapes on the compressive behaviors of ultra-high performance concrete containing coarse aggregate

The addition of coarse aggregate in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC-CA) has the potential to reduce autogenous shrinkage and improve mechanical properties. However, it also affects the fiber distribution and crack propagation, thereby compressive relationship of UHPC. This study investigated the effects of different fiber shapes on the compressive behaviors of UHPC-CA. Three fiber shapes (straight fiber, hooked fiber, and hybrid fiber) and six coarse aggregate content (0–1200 kg/m3) are the main variables. The test results have indicated that the addition of coarse aggregate in UHPC rendered wider main cracks. Hybrid fiber was preferred over the hooked-end and straight fibers to optimize ductility in UHPC-CA. An increase in compressive strength of up to 17.7 % and elastic modulus of UHPC of up to 23.7 % after moderate addition of coarse aggregate contents, The fiber shape affected peak strain and ultimate strain values for UHPC-CA. Their peak and ultimate strains were improved by 12.8 %–15.3 % and 38.2%–127.4 % with the inclusion of 2 % hooked and hybrid fibers. Based on the experimental data and relevant equations, a proper rational equation from the existing literature is used to generate the complete compressive stress-strain curves of UHPC-CA with different fiber shapes. In summary, this study establishes that hybrid fiber shapes significantly enhance the compressive properties of UHPC-CA. The high elastic modulus and ductility of the UHPC-CA with hybrid fiber are particularly promising for blast and impact applications.

An investigation into the microstructural evolution and shrinkage control in internally cured mortars with milkweed fibres

This study presented a significant advancement in the use of Milkweed (MW) fibres as internal curing agents in low water-to-cement (w/c) cementitious materials. The research focused on how different pre-treated MW fibres, with different composition, can impact internal curing efficacy in reducing autogenous shrinkage of cement mortars. In addition, the hydration behaviour and microstructural development were revealed using a series of tests including setting time, compressive strength, flexural strength, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG). A key finding of this study is the remarkable reduction in autogenous shrinkage, with using 0.1 % wt. pre-treated MW fibres leading to up to 28 % reduction at 7 days, compared to plain mortars. Furthermore, internal curing effect resulted in narrowing the compressive strength gap between the reference mixes and those with pre-treated MW fibres in the later stages of hydration. It was also found that the removal of hemicellulose through hybrid treatment can reduce the delay in the final setting time of cement from 45 minutes to 18 minutes. Additionally, while the incorporation of N- and HT-treated MW fibres had negligible effects on drying shrinkage, the inclusion of HY-treated MW fibres led to a 15 % increase in drying shrinkage at 7 days. This difference in behaviour was attributed to the presence of lignin in N- and HT-treated fibres. Lignin was found to play a crucial role in influencing the drying shrinkage, microstructural development, and mechanical properties of MW fibre-incorporated cementitious mixes. Acting as a protective barrier, lignin shielded the MW fibres from cement infiltration into their lumina. Moreover, it served as both a physical and chemical barrier, reducing moisture transport through the capillary network during drying. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential of using pre-treated MW fibres as internal curing agents to effectively reduce autogenous shrinkage, with minimal compromise in terms of the compressive strength of cementitious composites.

Autogenous shrinkage and cracking of ultra-high-performance concrete with soda residue as an internal curing agent

Autogenous shrinkage and cracking of ultra-high-performance concrete with soda residue as an internal curing agent

Effects of superabsorbent polymer and natural zeolite on shrinkage, mechanical properties, and porosity in ultra-high performance concretes

The low water-to-binder ratio of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) often causes shrinkage and cracking due to early-age self-desiccation. This leads to significant initial dimensional instability, which may compromise structural integrity. As a promising solution, internal curing agents such as superabsorbent polymers (SAP) and natural zeolite have the potential to mitigate shrinkage and achieve self-stressing properties. This research aims to provide a comprehensive comparison between SAP and zeolite's effects within a consistent UHPC formulation. Six UHPC mixtures (including the reference mixture) were designed: three with SAP dosages of 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% by cement mass, and two with zeolite replacing silica fume at 25% and 50% by mass. Various testing methods, including autogenous and drying shrinkage assessment, heat of hydration and thermogravimetric analysis, compressive strength evaluation, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), were employed to assess the mixtures at different stages of curing. The result reveals that the incorporation of SAP and zeolite in the mixtures significantly reduces UHPC's early-age autogenous shrinkage. Moreover, SAP and zeolite additions impact mechanical properties, demonstrating that a balance between shrinkage control and compressive strength can be reached, through an optimization of the additions to achieve the desired performance. Microstructural analysis through MIP and NMR reveals increased overall porosity of the UHPC with SAP and zeolite, suggesting that low-field NMR can be a valuable tool for complementing conventional test methods. The outcome of this study provided valuable insights into optimizing the balance between durability and mechanical performance, paving the way for more sustainable and cost-effective applications of UHPC in modern construction practices.

Optimization design of ultra-fine supplementary cementitious materials ultra-high performance concrete mix proportion based on orthogonal experiment

Traditional ultra-high performance concrete has problems such as high viscosity, high early-age autogenous shrinkage, and high heat release during early hydration. In recent years, with the development of ultra-fine grinding technology, ultra-fine supplementary cementitious materials (USCMs) have received widespread attention, which have higher pozzolanic activity than traditional supplementary cementitious materials. This study investigated the effects of water-binder ratio, silica fume content, and ultra-fine supplementary cementitious materials (USCMs) content on the workability, mechanical properties, and early-age autogenous shrinkage of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) based on orthogonal experiments. In orthogonal experiments, multiple factors and levels were introduced, and a combination of range analysis, variance analysis, and multi-factor interaction analysis were combined to determine the optimization level range of each factor. The results showed that the water-binder ratio had the greatest impact on the fluidity, compressive strength, and autogenous shrinkage of UHPC; The content of silica fume had the greatest impact on the flexural strength of UHPC. Compared with the control group, USCMs can significantly improve the workability and rheological properties of UHPC, reduce early hydration heat release, and inhibit the autogenous shrinkage of UHPC.