Implementation of High/ Ultra high-Performance Concrete in Design & Production of Conventional Bridge Structures

Sammanfattning

Concrete has been used in various applications in civil engineering projects for a long time, and it has also developed over time regarding its strength, durability and performance. The development of concrete technology could achieve new types of concrete, such as high-performance and ultra high-performance concrete (HPC)/(UHPC). Since the 1980s, HPC/UHPC has been widely used in bridge construction worldwide because of its superior properties compared to normal strength reinforced concrete in terms of strength and durability. HPC/UHPC could provide bridges with substantial savings such as longer service life, more slender, higher cross-section capacity, and better durability. However, HPC/UHPC are delayed in Sweden, where only two bridges are built with HPC while no application of UHPC can be found. The lack of standards and experience are among the reasons behind this delayed. This thesis aims to give a general overview of HPC/UHPC to increase the knowledge about HPC/UHPC from material and design perspectives in Sweden. HPC/UHPC will be used to design a concrete bridge to compare the differences in design between HPC/UHPC and an exciting bridge made from conventional concrete C35/45. The calculation will consider the gaining of moment capacity that can be provided to the cross-section using HPC/UHPC respectively while keeping the same reinforcement. Moreover, the cross-section will be optimised by reducing the thickness and comparing the amount of reinforcement, crack width and deflection. Two case studies are carried out to make a comparison. Case 1 considers the design with HPC (C 90/105) and compares the results with the existing bridge, while case 2 considers the design of UHPC.