Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197

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Case Studies in Construction Materials

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cscm

Case study

Ultra-high performance concrete: From fundamental to

applications
N.M. Azmee*, N. Shafiq
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Perak, Malaysia

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Article history: Over the last twenty years, remarkable advances have taken place in the research and
Received 3 May 2018 application of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), which exhibits excellent
Received in revised form 30 August 2018 rheological behaviors that include workability, self-placing and self-densifying properties,
Accepted 3 September 2018
improved in mechanical and durability performance with very high compressive strength,
and non-brittleness behavior. It is the ‘future’ material with the potential to be a viable
Keywords: solution for improving the sustainability of buildings and other infrastructure components.
Ultra-high performance concrete
This paper will give an overview of UHPC focusing on its fundamental introduction, design,
Fundamental
Application
applications and challenges. After several decades of development, a wide range of
Challenge commercial UHPC formulations have been developed worldwide to cover an increasing
number of applications and the rising demand of quality construction materials. UHPC has
several advantages over conventional concrete but the use of it is limited due to the high
cost and limited design codes. This paper also aims to help designers, engineers, architects,
and infrastructure owners to expand the awareness of UHPC for better acceptance.
© 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1. Introduction

UHPC is an advanced cementitious material with high strength and excellent durability. It offers the potential to
become a practical solution to improve the sustainability of buildings and other infrastructure components [1]. For the
past two decades, UHPC is gaining increased interest in many countries with the usage ranging from building
components, bridges, architectural features, repair and rehabilitation, vertical components such as windmills towers and
utilities towers to oil and gas industry applications, off-shore structures, hydraulic structures and overlay materials [2].
Among all these applications, road and bridge constructions are the most popular for UHPC application [3]. The usage of
UHPC for bridges and bridge components can been seen in various countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, China,
Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland
and the United States (US) [2]. Most projects in the mentioned countries have been motivated by government agencies as
initial demonstration projects intended to encourage further implementation. However, for most of the countries, these
demonstration projects did not create the anticipated acceptance with slow follow-up implementation [4]. It appears
that the lack of design codes, limited knowledge on both the material and production technology, and high costs limit the
implementation of this outstanding material beyond the initial demonstration projects [2]. Both private and
governmental bodies are now increasing their attention and pushing for more efforts towards utilizing this innovative
and promising material.

* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: norzaireen@gmail.com (N.M. Azmee), nasirshafiq@utp.edu.my (N. Shafiq).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2018.e00197
2214-5095/© 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/
4.0/).
2 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197

The German Research Foundation initiated a s12 million (USD$15 million) research program back in 2005, which
involved 34 research projects at more than 20 local research institutes [5]. The main objective of this program was to expand
the awareness of UHPC to make it a reliable, commonly available, economically feasible, and regularly applied material.
Major research initiative on UHPC can also be seen in South Korea. In 2007, Korean Institute of Construction Technology
funded an USD$11 million Super 200 program to study the use of UHPC in cable-stayed bridges [6]. Introduction of UHPC in
Malaysia started back in 2006 by Dura Technology (DURA) with its first bridge application in 2010. During several years of
intensive research and development, DURA together with The Malaysia Public Work Department collaborated in designing
and building UHPC bridges focusing on rural area [4]. After its inception, DURA has dominated the UHPC market in Malaysia.
From 2010 until now, a total of 90 UHPC bridges have been completed with over 20 in construction stages [2].
Successful achievements on the application of UHPC can be seen throughout the world. However, there are still barriers
limiting its applications. Ongoing research and investigation efforts are filling up knowledge gaps in order to commence
innovative, affordable, sustainable, feasible and economical UHPC in the future, as it will be a great impact on increasing its
acceptance. In this paper, general introduction on UHPC is provided with the latest information on its definition,
development, applications and challenges.

2. Definition and development of UHPC

2.1. Definition of UHPC

UHPC is a relatively new generation of cementitious material with very high strength, ductility and durability [7]. Fig. 1
shows that, UHPC strengthened with fiber can be treated as a combination of three concrete technologies of self-compacting
concrete (SCC), fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) and high-performance concrete (HPC) [8]. French interim recommendations
(AFGC 2002) [9] defined UHPC as a concrete with a characteristic compressive strength of at least 150 MPa with the use of
steel fiber reinforcement to ensure ductile behavior under tension. UHPCs with compressive strength of 130 MPa – 150 MPa
strengthened with either steel or other fibers are considered as lower strength UHPC [9]. Normally, the term UHPC is used to
describe a fiber reinforced, superplasticized, silica fume-cement mixture with a very low water to cement ratio (W/C),
characterized by the presence of a very fine quartz sand that ranges from 0.15–0.60 mm in diameter, instead of the ordinary
aggregate.
In fact, some researchers have suggested that UHPC is not a concrete, due to the absence of coarse aggregate in the
mixture [10,11]. However, the term ‘concrete’ is selected rather than ‘mortar’ to describe UHPC added with fine steel fibers to
enhance the ductility [12–14].
To date, there are several types of UHPC that have been developed in different countries and by different manufacturers
such as Ceracem1, BSI1, compact reinforced composites (CRC), multi-scale cement composite (MSCC), and reactive powder
concrete (RPC) [15–17]. In Malaysia, UHPC started its industrial-commercial penetration as a sustainable construction
material in late 2010 under the name Dura1 [17].

2.2. Development of UHPC

Being the most popular manmade material in the world, concrete is the basic building material that will continue to be in
demand far into the future. It is estimated that the world concrete production is about 6 billion cubic meters per year with
China currently consuming about 40% of the world’s concrete production [18,19]. Superior qualities of concrete such as
strength and its durability, ability for it to be placed in many forms, and its low price have made concrete to be considered as
the most famous and important material in the construction industry. Concrete is primarily used for its strong compressive

Fig. 1. Different types of special concrete [8].

 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197 3

strength [20]. Over the last decades, large progress has been taking place on the field of concrete development. Intensive
research efforts began in 1930s to improve concrete compressive strength. Fig. 2 shows the significant concrete technology
achievements for the last 40 years [21].
From the graph, it can be seen that the concrete technology progressed slowly during the 1960s with the maximum
compressive strength of 15 MPa to 20 MPa. The concrete compressive strength tripled to 45 MPa to 60 MPa over a period of
about 10 years. Concrete strength reaches its plateau at about 60 MPa in early 1970s believed due to the technological barrier
of the existing water reducer. The available water reducer at that particular time failed to reduce the water to binder ratio (W/
B) any further [13]. During 1980s, it is realized that the high-range water reducers, called superplasticizers (SP), can be used
to progressively reduce W/B down to 0.30. Reducing the W/B below this was considered a taboo until Bache [22] reported
that, with high dosage of SP and silica fume (SF), it was possible to reduce W/B to 0.16. Concrete compressive strength of up to
280 MPa was achieved through compacted granular materials by optimizing the grain size distribution of the granular
skeleton. These resulted in the creation of a material with a minimum number of defects, such as micro cracks and
interconnected pore spaces, to achieve ultimate strength and durability enhancement.
These technological breakthroughs together with some fundamental knowledge on low-porous materials have led to the
development of ultra-high performance Portland cement-based materials that present remarkable mechanical properties
[1,14,23]. In general, the developments of UHPC are best described in four stages which are before 1980s, 1980s, 1990s, and
after 2000.
Before 1980s; Due to the lack of advanced technology, producing UHPC is only limited in the lab and it required special
methods such as vacuum mixing and heat curing. At this time, researchers tried different kind of methods to achieve denser
and more compact concrete to improve its strength. It was reported that, with vacuum mixing together with a temperature
curing, the compressive strength of concrete could go up to 510 MPa [24]. Although high compressive strength of concrete
can be achieved, the preparation was very difficult and energy-consuming.
In the early 1980s; The micro defect free cement (MDF) was invented [25,26]. The MDF approach uses polymers to fill up
the pores and to remove all the defects in cement paste. This process requires specific manufacturing conditions, including
laminating of the material by passing it through rollers. MDF concrete can have compressive strength of 200 MPa. However,
expensive raw material, complicated preparation process, large creep, and brittleness had limit its applications [26]. After
the invention of MDF, dense silica particle cement (DSP) was prepared in Denmark by Bache [22]. Unlike MDF, the
preparation of DSP does not require extreme manufacturing conditions. Improving the particle packing density eliminated
the defects in DSP. DSP concrete contains high amount of SP and SF, it also uses heat and pressure curing. The maximum
compressive strength of DSP can reach up to 345 MPa. However, despite the ultra-high strength increase, these materials
become more ‘brittle’. Steel fibers have been introduced in the 1980s to improve the brittleness issue of DSP concretes. This
type of steel fiber supplemented concrete can be considered as a relatively new material. It can be characterized by an
extremely dense micro structure, very high strength, superior durability, and high ductility. Two good examples are CRC and
slurry infiltrated fiber concrete (SIFCON), which occurred right after DSP. Both CRC and SIFCON exhibit excellent mechanical
properties and durability. However, due to the lack of effective SP, both CRC and SIFCON have workability issues, which
hinder in-situ applications [26,27].
In 1990s; Richard et al. [7] used components with increased fineness and reactivity to develop RPC via thermal treatment.
RPC is a major milestone in the development of UHPC. Its concept was based on the placement of different particles in a very
dense arrangement. RPC is the most commonly available type of the UHPC used in laboratory and field experiments and it is
characterized by high binder content, very high cement content, very low W/C, use of silica fume (SF), fine quartz powder,
quartz sand, SP and steel fibers [7,23,28]. These steel fibers are generally 12.5 mm in length and 180 mm in diameter [7]. The
coarse aggregates are eliminated for homogeneity enhancement of the matrix. The compressive strength of RPC ranges from
200 MPa to 800 MPa. The typical composition and mechanical properties of the RPC as suggested by Richard & Cheyrezy [7]
are presented in Table 1. Unlike its predecessors, RPC shows very excellent workability. This workability property is an

Fig. 2. The development of concrete compressive strength for over 100 years [21].
4 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197

Table 1
Typical composition and mechanical properties of UHPC [7].

Constituent (kg/m3) RPC 200 RPC 800

Portland cement 955 1000
Fine sand (150–600 mm) 1051 500
Ground quartz (d50 = 10 mm) – 390
Silica fume 239 230
Superplastisizer (Polyacrylate) 15 19
Steel fibers 168 630
Total water 162 190
Compacting pressure – 50 MPa
Heat treatment 20
C/90
C 250
C – 400
C
Compressive strength (MPa) 170 – 230 490 – 680
Flexural strength (MPa) 25 - 60 45 - 102

advantage and the most essential requirement for large-scale applications of cement-based materials. In the late 1990s, the
first UHPC developed through RPC technology was commercialized under the name Ductal1. In 1997, the world’s first RPC
structure as shown in Fig. 3 was built for pedestrian bridge in Sherbrooke, Canada [1,12,29–31]. It was the first time that RPC
had been used for building up the whole structure. Despite the successful of RPC structures, the applications are still limited
due to its expensive material and production cost.
From year 2000 onwards, much progress has been made on the development of UHPC. With further developments of the
concrete technology, engineers realized that the advanced concrete, besides the high strength, should also have other
excellent properties, which led to the term UHPC and UHPFRC [29]. A wide range of new concrete formulations has been
developed to cover an increased number of applications. At present, sustainable UHPC formulations are proposed by various
researchers aimed to lower both its material and initial cost [32–40]. Supplementary cementitious materials, such as fly ash
(FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), rice husk ash (RHA) and SF, are used for replacing part of cement in the
effort of producing sustainable UHPC and reducing its current cement usage. Furthermore, it is also reported that UHPC can
be prepared with normal temperature curing without sacrificing its properties. Because of the emergence of environmental
friendly UHPC with relatively low cost, the applications of UHPC are gaining interests. From the 2000s, several countries have
engaged in various applications of UHPC. In France, a lot of structures such as bridges, facades and slabs have been built with
UHPC [41]. UHPC also has growing applications in maintenance and development of US highway infrastructures [42]. In
Australia, significant activities on UHPC development have been carried for bridge structures [43]. In Switzerland, UHPC has
been mostly applied to in-situ reinforcement of structures [44]. UHPC bridges have been built in the Netherlands and Spain
[45–47]. In Malaysia, UHPC has been used for bridge structures as an effort for sustainable bridge construction initiative. To
date, a total number of 113 UHPC bridges have been constructed or under construction in Malaysia since 2010 [4]. Fig. 4
shows one of the completed UHPC bridges in Malaysia, located in Perak.

3. UHPC principles and compositions

3.1. UHPC production principles

Over the past 15 years of concrete remarkable advances, many researchers have developed UHPC up to a level where they
are ready for applications. The compressive strength for designed UHPC could reach up to 200 MPa. The basic idea of
producing a concrete with a very high strength and dense microstructure had already been put forward in the 1980s [22].
However, the practical breakthrough came after the development of efficient SP that enabled the production of easy flowing
concrete with a high proportion of optimally packed ultrafine particles to minimize the composite porosity using extremely
low W/B.

Fig. 3. Sherbrooke pedestrian bridge in Canada [29].

 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197 5

Fig. 4. Completed UHPC bridge in Malaysia [17,48].

Several researchers [1,7,21,35,34,37,49] have identified the basic principle in designing UHPC, which can be summarized
as follows:

1 Minimizing composite porosity by optimizing the granular mixture through a wide distribution of powder size classes and
reducing the W/B.
2 Enhancement of the microstructure by the post set heat treatment to speed up the pozzolanic reaction of SF and to
increase mechanical properties.
3 Improvement of homogeneity by eliminating coarse aggregate resulting in a decrease in the mechanical effects of
heterogeneity.
4 Increase in ductile behaviour by adding adequate volume fraction of small steel fibers.

Application of the first four principles leads to a concrete with a very high compressive strength and the addition of the
steel fibers helps to improve both tensile strength and ductility of the concrete [7].

3.2. UHPC mixture compositions

The key factor in producing UHPC is to improve the micro and macro properties of its mixture ingredients in order to
ensure mechanical homogeneity, maximum particle packing density and minimum size of flaws [1,23,50, 51–53]. The
selection of UHPC compositions should not focus solely on the relative proportions of different grain sizes, but also on the
appropriate selection of materials with proper physical and chemical properties. Some commercially available UHPC
mixtures are shown in Table 2. From the table, it can be observed that high volume of cement content, SF, and sand are
normally used in UHPC. The initial cost of UHPC far exceeds the conventional concrete (CC), great efforts have been made on
minimizing material cost without sacrificing the beneficial properties of UHPC.

4. Mixture design and standard

4.1. Mixture design for UHPC

Mixture design is a selection of raw materials in optimum proportions to provide concrete with required properties in
fresh and hardened state for particular applications. The design of UHPC aims to achieve a densely compacted cementitious
matrix with good workability and strength. However, complex material in hardened state of UHPC is anticipated due to its

Table 2
Compositions of commercial UHPC [26,54,55].

Materials (kg/m3) BCV1 BSI1 Cemtec1

Portland cement 2115 1114 1050 712 911

Fine sand (Premix) 1072 514 1020 911
SF 169 268 231 225
Ground quartz – – 211 –
Accelerator – – – 30 –
Steel fibers 156 234 858 156 173
SP 21.5 40 44 30.7 38
Water 159 211 180 109 200
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higher number of possible constituent combinations. In recent years, several studies have been conducted aiming at
optimizing the mixture proportion of UHPC [36,39,53,56–59].
Various models have been reported for the mixture design of UHPC. For instance, Larrad and Sedran [56] proposed a linear
packing density model (LPDM) for the mixture design of UHPC. However, this model was limited as it was unable to address
the relationship between materials proportions and packing density due to its linear nature. This model was later improved
considering the virtual density theory known as solid suspension model (SSM) [56]. This new model allows the production of
a fluid mortar with a 0.14 W/B and a compressive strength of 236 MPa with a 4-day curing at 90
C [56]. De Larrad and his
team once again did further improvement on the latter model based on the compaction index concept and virtual packing
density. This third generation of packing models known as compressible packing model (CPM) was proposed for UHPC
design [60]. Richard & Cheyrezy [7] have successfully developed two UHPC products, namely RPC 200 and RPC 800 by
optimizing the granular mixture using CPM.
Geisenhansluke and Schmidt [61] designed a locally produced UHPC mixture based on particle shape, size, and density.
They reported that utilizing multi-grained fine particles could lessen the cement content. In another study, Fennis et al. [57]
developed an ecological UHPC mixture based on particle packing technology. With the adopted approach, they reported a
cement content reduction by more than 50%. Lohas and Ramge [58] proposed a robust UHPC mixture based on SP water
demand (SWD) approach for achieving desired workability depending on the water to powder ratio.
Park et al. [62] developed an UHPC with a compressive strength of 180 MPa, by considering the effect of W/B, type, and
replacement proportion of filler. Wille et al. [53] presented an UHPC with a compressive strength exceeding 200 MPa, which
was obtained through local materials without any special type of mixer and heat treatment. Their design was based on the
spread flow properties obtained from mini slump measurement. It was found that the variation in spread results of UHPC
mixtures caused the variation of air content. In order to predict the compressive strength of UHPC, a statistical relationship
was proposed by considering the combined effect of air voids and W/C.
Under the guidance of CPM density model, Gong [63] studied the dense packing effect of the gradation of mineral
powders and found that the filling effect became more prominent with the decrease of W/C. Yu et al. [39] developed an eco-
friendly UHPC by using the modified Andreasen & Andersen particle packing model (shown in Eq. (1)) to achieve a densely
compacted cementitious matrix produced with a relatively low binder dosage of about 650 kg/m3. In this study, they have
successfully developed an UHPC with 28 days compressive and flexural strengths of 150 MPa and 30 MPa, respectively.
Details on the particle packing concept will be further discussed in the next section.

Dq  Dq min
PðDÞ ¼ ð1Þ
D max  Dq min
q

Where: P(D) represents the weight percentage of sand passing the sieve with size D, Dmax is the maximum particle size (mm),
Dmin is the minimum particle size (mm), and q is the distribution modulus which is related to the sand particle size. For fine
particles, q can be set at 0.23 (q < 0.25).
Beside empirical methods, statistical experimental design methods based on artificial neural networks (ANN) are used in
optimizing both products and processes for UHPC [64]. These methods have already been adopted in different studies on
concrete behavior to optimize the UHPC mixture in achieving the desired performance [65]. Taghados et al. [66] proposed
the use of an adaptive neuro- fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) to predict the compressive strength of UHPC, based on the mix
design and curing conditions. In addition to cement dosage, the cost and the availability of steel fibers adopted in UHPC
mixture are major concerns. Ghafari et al. [67] developed a statistical model using response surface methodology (RSM) for
predicting the maximum flexural strength of self-compacting steel fiber-reinforced UHPC with varying steel fiber contents.
With this model, optimization of fiber content can be predicted. In another study [59], used a statistical mixture design
(SMD) model for optimizing the mixture design of UHPC. The effect of individual ingredients and their interactions were
studied for predicting the compressive strength of UHPC using minimum cement content of less than 670 kg/m3 and without
applying heat curing [59].
As discussed earlier, curing condition of UHPC has a major impact on its compressive strength. However, the
aforementioned models have not addressed this effect. Ghafari et al. [67,68] recommended several ANN models for
predicting the performance of UHPC under different curing conditions. Compared with SMD model, this ANN model can
predict the compressive strength and the slump flow with higher accuracy, due to its distributed and nonlinear nature. Based
on this model analysis, the optimum amount for cement and silica fume was found to be at 24% and 9% by volume of concrete
respectively [68].
In the past 25 years, the outcome in concrete technology has allowed the production of UHPC with excellent rheological
behavior, which includes workability, self-placing and self-densifying properties, improved in mechanical and durability
performance with very high compressive strength and non-brittleness behavior [69]. The development of UHPC usually
starts with the design of the granular structure of the aggregates; of which the selection and characterization of suitable fines
for optimum packing density are of key importance. The design of UHPC aims to achieve a densely compacted cementitious
matrix with good workability and strength [70]. In short, to gain the desired properties of a UHPC, well-chosen raw materials
and sophisticated technical procedures are typically required. In most publications, the mixture designs for UHPC are based
on the benchmark mixture developed by Richard and Cheyrezy [7]. Compared to CC, a high binder amount and SP dosage are
normally utilized in the production of UHPC. With appropriate combination of cementitious materials, adequate sand
gradation, and incorporation of fiber reinforcement and SP, UHPC can be produced to deliver high flowability with improved
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mechanical properties and durability [7,60]. However, these outstanding mechanical properties come with costly and
sophisticated technology preparation. The high material cost, complex fabrication technique together with the limited
available resources severely limits its commercial development and application in modern construction industry, especially
in the developing countries [39,44,71,72]. These restrictions further motivate the development of cost-effective UHPC using
alternative materials with similar functions to substitute the expensive composites of UHPC to increase its acceptance level.

4.2. UHPC standards

In mid 2016, two French national standards for UHPC known as NF P18-470 and NF P18-710 were published for UHPC to
replace the technical guidelines and professional recommendations generally used in designing UHPC. Before these
standards were developed, several recommendations and guidelines are referred to for designing and producing UHPC.
Below are some of the available guidelines that have been commonly referred by researchers in producing UHPC [69,74].

1 French Interim Recommendations [75]

2 German Recommendations [76]
3 Japanese Recommendations [77]

However, these technical guidelines and professional recommendations have been found to be inadequate, as the
documents did not have an “official” status, which made referencing and using them in projects difficult. Availability of the
new standards allows clear and codified specifications, which helped further acceptance of UHPC at the international level.
The standardization process of UHPC in France was launched in December 2012. These standards were technically elaborated
based on the earlier French AFGC recommendations [75,78] and technical feedback of more than 15 years of UHPC projects
and realizations [79]. These standards served as provisions for an appropriate material purchasing, developing and adjusting
mixture design, and controlling the production processes. Complying with these documents shall help in achieving quality
UHPC and promote widened acceptability. Similar standardization efforts can also be seen in other countries such as
Switzerland, China, Canada, and Japan [79].
As suggested in NF P18-470 [73], UHPC refers to a material with a cement matrix and a characteristic compressive
strength of about 150 MPa, containing metallic fibers in order to achieve ductile behaviour under tension. Due to the use of
admixtures such as SP, UHPC mixes generally have a low W/B. Special attention should be paid in controlling the quantity of
water added to the concrete by the different ingredients of mixing water, water in aggregate and admixtures. All UHPC
materials must satisfy the requirements stated in NF P18-470 [73] as tabulated in Table 3. The mix design of UHPC should
obey the following procedure as stated in NF P18-470 [73]:

1 Establish the nominal mix design.

2 Confirm the mix design by suitability tests.
3 Follow-up manufacture by routine checks.

The nominal mix design includes:

1 Descriptions and weight of each class of aggregates (dry ingredients), cement, admixtures and additions used in the UHPC.
2 Total water added including in the form of ice, pre-existing water on the surface of the aggregates, water in the admixture,
water in additives and additions.

5. Applications of UHPC

The excellent performance of UHPC offers new opportunities for infrastructure works, building constructions and many
niche markets with increasing number of applications seen in the recent years. According to the market research reported by
Grand View Research (GVR), the UHPC global market size was valued at USD$ 892 million in 2016 and this number is
expected to grow by 8.6% to USD$ 1867.3 million in 2025 [3]. UHPC has become a worldwide attention with its

Table 3
UHPC materials requirement as per NF P18-470 [73].

Properties Recommended value

Maximum aggregate size 10 mm
Concrete density 2200–2800 kg/m3
Tensile strength at 28 days 6 MPa
Water porosity at 90 days 9 %
Diffusion coefficient of chloride ions at 90 days 0.5  1012 m2/s
Apparent gas permeability at 90 days 9.0  1019 m2
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commercialization available in many countries, such as Australia and New Zealand [80], Austria [81], Canada [12,82], US
[83,84], Germany [5], France [85], Italy [86], Japan [77], Malaysia [87], Netherlands [88], Slovenia [89], and South Korea [90].
Within the last two decades, extensive research projects had been conducted by the academics and engineers around the
world in order to industrialize UHPC technology as the future sustainable construction material [91]. A complete search of
the literature has identified more than 200 completed bridges constructed using UHPC in one or more of their components
[2]. Other applications of UHPC can also be seen in buildings, structural strengthening, retrofitting, precast elements and
some special applications [15,85]. Both private and governmental bodies are currently turning their attention and initiative
towards utilizing UHPC as the future sustainable construction material [92,93].

5.1. Infrastructures

First research and development aiming at the application of UHPC in constructions started around 1985 [1]. Since then,
different technical solutions and UHPC formulations were made available to meet the specific requirements of an individual
designs, constructions, and architectural approaches. Breakthroughs in UHPC application include the very first prestressed
hybrid pedestrian bridge over the Magog River in Sherbrooke, Canada (Table 4) built in 1997 [12], the replacement of
corroded steel beams in the aggressive environment of Cattenom and Civaux nuclear cooling towers in France [29,94] and
Bourg-les-Valence bridge made for cars and trucks in France constructed in 2001 [95]. The advanced mechanical properties
and durability of UHPC make it possible to reconsider the conventional design methods for many common bridge
components. Many investigations had been conducted on the optimal designs with UHPC elements, resulting in the
development and construction of the UHPC bridges all over the world. In 2002, the Seonyu footbridge in South Korea was
constructed using UHPC with a main span of 120 m and was completed in 2004 (Table 4) [96]. Being the world’s longest span
bridge constructed using UHPC, the construction of Seonyu footbridge structure required only about half the material
amount that would have been used in traditional concrete construction and yet provides equivalent strength properties [48].
In Japan, the 50 m-span Sakata-Mirai footbridge was completed in 2003. The bridge demonstrated how a perforated web in a
UHPC superstructure can both reduce the structure’s weight and at the same time can be aesthetically pleasing [97].
Following to the success of these constructions, UHPC bridges for pedestrian traffic have been constructed in Europe, North
America (US and Canada), Asia and Australia [98].
The first road bridges to be constructed using UHPC technology make its presence in 2005, with four bridges were
constructed around the same time. The Shepherd’s Gully bridge located in Australia [88,99], Bourd-les-Valence bridge in
France [100] and Horikoshi C-ramp bridge in Japan [97]. Mars Hill Bridge in Wapello Country Iowa was the first UHPC road
bridge constructed in the US in 2006 (Table 4) [101]. Tokyo Monorail and Taisei Corporation constructed a 40 m-long
monorail UHPC girder in 2007 [97]. In 2008, the world’s first segmental UHPC composite deck road bridge was constructed at
Tokyo International Airport making it the largest UHPC road bridge in the world [97].
According to the United States Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report published in 2013, a total of 55 bridges
using UHPC have been built or are under construction in the US and Canada. There are about 22 UHPC bridges in Europe and
27 UHPC bridges throughout Asia and Australia [42]. In these applications, UHPC can be used as beams, girders, deck panels,
protective layers, field-cast joints between different components and etc. [102–107]. Compared to traditional reinforced
concrete bridges, most bridges built with the UHPC components or joints exhibit slender appearance with significant
reduction in the volume and self-weight, simplified implementation, and better durability [54]. Most UHPC structures
require only half the section depth of the conventional reinforced or pre-stressed concrete members, which reduces its
weight by up to 70% [108]. This lighter weight construction and materials efficiency used in UHPC structures leads to a
sustainable structure through its lower carbon footprints [93].
UHPC was used to manufacture acoustic panels for the Monaco underground train station [109]. The thin and light UHPC
panels were cast with small holes to aid in their acoustic properties. The non-flammable panels are resistant to impact and
create an aesthetically pleasing and bright environment for passengers. Acoustic panels have also been used along a roadway
in Châtellerault, France, due to their resistance to car pollution and deicing salts [109]. Other potentials of UHPC applications
are in security infrastructure used as barrier protection systems or as inherent portions of the critical infrastructure.
Extensive researches focusing on security applications were carried out on the mechanical properties of UHPC subjected to
high strain loading rate [110–115], blast resistance [112,117–119] and penetration resistance [118–120].

5.2. Buildings

In the last decade, UHPC has also gained interest on the field of building components, such as sunshades, cladding, and
roof components. UHPC was selected due to its ability to produce slender, light, durable, and aesthetic structures.
Among the latest buildings adopting UHPC technology is the Foundation Louis Vuitton pour la Creation in Paris as shown
in Table 4 [30,121]. Completed in 2014, this project is characterized by its high geometric complexity. The cladding is created
from prefabricated UHPC panels, with each of them uniquely designed through vacuum filling moulds. Another great
example is the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MUCEM) [122] as shown in Table 4, located at the port
area of Marseille in France. It is the first building in the world to make such extensive use of UHPC. As mentioned earlier,
UHPC can also be used in roofs and canopies as seen in Shawnessy LRT station in Canada (Table 4). There are other examples
of similar applications, such as precast thin curve shells in wastewater treatment plant constructed in France [123]; roof of
 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197 9

Table 4
Completed UHPC projects worldwide.

Location Application Year Advantages Image

Sherbrooke, Pedestrian 1997  1st UHPC structure
Canada bridge

Bourg-les- Road 2005  90 % reduction on steel reinforcement

Valence, bridge  Lighter structure with 66 % weight reduction than CC
France

Seonyu, Seoul, Footbridge 2004  Arch bridge with reduced segments

South Korea

Mars Hill Bridge, Road 2006  1st UHPC highway bridge in US

United States bridge  Simple construction
 No shear reinforcement

Foundation Cladding 2014  Innovative design

Louis Vuitton, UHPC
France panels

MUCEM, Column & 2013  Unique design

Marseille, Façade  Y-shaped column
France  ‘Transparent’ façade

Shawnessy LRT Roof 2004  Little maintenance

Station,  Light weight
Canada  Easy construction

Jean Bouin Roof & 2013  Precast UHPC elements

Stadium, Paris Façade  Waterproof roof and façade
 Slender structure with unique design
10 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197

Jean Bouin stadium in Paris seen in Table 4 [122]; roof of the Olympic museum in Lausanne, Switzerland [124]; cladding for
the Qatar National Museum [125]; and façade at Terminal 1 of Rabat airport in Morocco [126].

5.3. Non-structural products

Due to its excellent properties, UHPC has been widely used as an overlay to repair existing concrete structures, improving
its mechanical and durability properties for lesser maintenance work [127,128]. The first application on UHPC overlay was
reported on a bridge over the La Morge River in Switzerland [129]. The severely damaged bridge deck and curbs were
replaced with UHPC. No cracks were observed on the prefabricated UHPC curb after 1 year of its application. The successful of
these materials in repair and rehabilitation applications paved the way for similar technology to be used on deteriorated
bridges. The hydraulic structures repair and rehabilitation using UHPC was done at the Hosokawa River Tunnel in Japan
[130], Caderousse and Beaucaire Dams in France [131].
UHPC has the potential to be used for special conditions due to its excellent properties of high flexural strength and dense
microstructure. It has been reported that, UHPC was used for cover plates along the high-speed railways in China [132,133],
and for the retrofit of the nuclear reactor containment walls in France [134]. UHPC usage has also been seen in marine areas
for its great resistance to the aggressive agents. Several windmills in the sea have been successfully designed as reported by
previous researchers [135–138], and rejuvenation of maritime signalization structures with UHPC also has been proved to be
very effective [116]. In Japan, the Haneda Airport was extended by using a huge UHPC slab constructed over the sea [97]. To
date, this construction is the largest UHPC project realized. The excellent performance of UHPC is responsible for its large
potential in various applications, however many have yet to be discovered to utilize its increased strength, durability, and
flexural capacity. UHPC provides economical and innovative solutions in areas where CC struggles. UHPC is the future
construction material, it is here to stay and will grow continuously throughout the world.

6. Further potential applications

The chloride-induced corrosion has always been the major threat to reinforced concrete structures in marine areas. The
high durability and resistance to chloride of UHPC makes it an ideal material for use in outdoor or severely exposed
environment. Using UHPC in marine structures is one of the solutions to prevent corrosion of the reinforcement because of
its excellent durability allowing great resistance to chloride. Applications of UHPC in marine structures have been reported
with promising results [97,116,122]. Most cross-sea bridges built with UHPC exhibit much lower weight, better durability,
lower maintenance, and simplified implementation with less cross-section members. UHPC also has the potential for
construction, overlays, repairing and strengthening of marine structures, such as piers and oil platforms. Besides chlorides,
UHPC also has great resistance to most chemical and physical attacks. This gives the possibilities of UHPC to be applied in
more severe environmental conditions.
The ductile behavior of UHPC makes it possible to be used for buildings and structures in seismic regions [139–141]. It has
been reported that, the reinforced UHPC columns or beams were able to dissipate higher energy compared to normal reinforced
concrete during the earthquakes, preventing it from collapsing. Effort in reducing the high cost of UHPC was done by introducing
the usage of hybrid element, which combines the UHPC with CC or other materials in structures to resist seismic load. The high
impact resistance of UHPC was also studied and the potential of it to be used in piles was investigated; Two H-shaped precast
concrete piles were successfully driven into clay soils and tested under both vertical and lateral loads [15,142].
The excellent workability enables UHPC to be cast into any shapes. Hence, UHPC blocks with different shapes could be
precast. These blocks could be assembled into a structure, just like a jigsaw puzzle. Much time and labor can be saved to build
this kind of UHPC structure. Japan has started the fundamental studies on this concept in the effort to revolutionizing the
construction industry [143]. Since UHPC shows very good application prospects, more and more innovative UHPC
applications will be seen in the near future.

7. Challenges

In the last two decades, UHPC has been used for both structural and non-structural precast components in many
countries. However, this outstanding technology has struggled to become a mainstream technology for everyday use due to
its high initial costs and the lack of design codes. Moreover, the high UHPC material cost and high energy consumption makes
it hard to compete with CC designs thus restricting its application. Researches on reducing the cost and improving the
sustainability of UHPC are what is needed to allow its future wider implementation. Several studies were performed to
modify the material mixtures with the use of local raw materials and waste products in the effort of reducing the amount of
Portland cement, steel fiber and SP [144]. With a lower cost and impact on the environment, UHPC will be much easier to be
accepted by the infrastructure market and arouse the interests from the infrastructure owners.
Another issue concerning the cost is the life cycle cost of UHPC structures. One of the primary advantages of UHPC is its
excellent durability. Structures made with UHPC will have much longer service life with lower maintenance and repair cost
in the future compared to CC or HPC structures [145]. With the applications of UHPC in the past few years, empirical skills
and knowledge on the design and construction of UHPC structures have been gained. However, for some reasons they may
not be easily shared [85]. The dissemination of this information is extremely important to encourage its applications.
 N.M. Azmee, N. Shafiq / Case Studies in Construction Materials 9 (2018) e00197 11

Guidelines for design and construction of UHPC structures must be developed based on the previous experiences and
knowledge obtained from the field, experimental researches, and scientific computations. International recommendations
are difficult to be produced due to a significant variety of UHPC experience in the different countries [85]. Due to the growing
interest and applications on UHPC, countries like France, Japan, China, German, and Switzerland have made standardization
efforts. In mid-2016, France published their first national standard on UHPC [73].
The design and construction methods for the UHPC structures are different from the traditional provisions for
conventional reinforced concrete. To date, the number of skilled architects, engineers, and experts in the UHPC design and
construction is still limited. Since wide application prospect can be seen for UHPC, skilled teams which are familiar with
UHPC technology and specific design issues are needed [85]. At present, only around five major players for global UHPC
market could be identified, with products mainly distributed in Europe and North America [133]. In Malaysia, only one
locally blend UHPC are commercialized under the name Dura1 since 2006 [48]. Although this product has successfully been
used in local bridge construction, more studies are required for material optimization in producing locally blends UHPC to
further improve its properties and to reduce its cost and minimize the environmental impact. The researchtrend on UHPC is
now related to nanotechnology. Experimental explorations have been performed to modify its properties using nano-
particles such as nano-silica and nano-fibers. Moreover, some researchers have tried to study the structure of hydration
products in UHPC at nano-scale level [146]. Nanotechnology might be a solution to the drawbacks of UHPC, such as the
shrinkage problem, and thus may improve the general performance of UHPC.

8. Conclusions

UHPC is a fascinating new material featuring outstanding properties with extraordinary strengths and excellent
durability achieved through homogeneity and packing density improvements. Since its introduction in the early 1990s, a
great accumulation of knowledge on the material, design, and construction of UHPC structures have been gained with
various countries having attempted to introduce it to building and bridge applications. Technical recommendations have
been published in France, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland. Two French national standards were published in 2016 for UHPC
to replace the technical guidelines and professional recommendations that have been generally referred in designing UHPC.
These new standards allow clear and codified specifications, which is anticipated to help further acceptance of UHPC at the
international level. Some applications in Europe, North America and Asia have shown proven benefits on UHPC technology
focusing on the sustainability and service life. Over 10 years journey of UHPC constructions in Malaysia, more than 90 bridges
have been constructed, with another 20 at various stages of tender, design, and construction.
Successful achievements on the application of UHPC can be seen throughout the world. However, UHPC is seeing slow
with barriers limiting its applications. High initial cost, limited codes, design difficulties, and complex fabrication technique
together with the limited available resources severely hampered its commercial development and application in modern
construction industry, especially in the developing countries. In order to make use of the large potential of UHPC, the
industry should cooperate in a much better way with academic institutions, governmental bodies, owners and end users. The
knowledge and practical experiences on this new material should be laid on the table and shared between all parties. Due to
the material sensitivity of UHPC, local recommendations and design standards should be established. More studies on the
development of sustainable and cost-effective UHPC using alternative materials with similar functions to substitute the
expensive composites of UHPC and to minimize the environmental impact are needed for greater UHPC acceptance.
Designers, architects and engineers should be more open to this new material and technology. With all these efforts
mentioned, UHPC may turn to be the construction material for both present uses and future exploitation with more complete
solution for sustainable constructions.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia for sponsoring this research work.

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