THE EVOLUTION OF CONCRETE

摘要

Multiple technologies developed over the latter half of the 20th century to improve the compression strength, tensile strength, ductility, and durability of concrete converged in the early 1990s to form a new class: ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Since its formation, this material advancement has catalyzed potential infrastructure solutions across the United States and continues to revolutionize possibilities as its usage and standardization grows. Early adoption of UHPC first took off in Europe, where multiple companies commercialized the technology with propriety mixes. It was initially used for facades due to its unique mechanical properties, and in the offshore oil industry. By 2000, Canada and South Korea had incorporated UHPC into bridge construction, with others following, including the United States, but slowly. Between 2009 and 2012, engineers with the New York State Department of Transportation adopted UHPC to connect precast prestressed concrete deck bulb tee girders and connect precast concrete deck panels for the rapid replacement of bridge decks, constructing 13 bridges with this technology. More projects would follow, including the rehabilitation of the 3.5-mi Pulaski Skyway, which is to date the largest project in the United States to use UHPC.