Design of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete Bridges : A Comparative Study to Conventional Concrete Bridges

Abstract: The use of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) in the construction industry started in the 1990s and has since then been used for bridges all over the world. The mechanical properties and the dense matrix result in lower material usage and superior durability compared to conventional concrete, but the implementation of UHPFRC in the Swedish industry has been delayed. The most evident explanation, based on interview with industry representatives, as to why UHPFRC is not commonly used in Sweden are due to the lack of standards and knowledge. UHPFRC also has a high cement content and the cement industry contributes with high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the total CO2 emissions in the world. This MSc Thesis looks into if a UHPFRC bridge is a feasible alternative to a conventional reinforced concrete structure bridge from design and material usage perspectives, regarding reduction of CO2 emissions. The project’s overall goal is to increase the knowledge in Sweden about the material, regarding the production, mechanical properties and behaviour of UHPFRC, and the design, regarding the difference in design between UHPFRC and conventional concrete bridges. To examine the material, a UHPFRC mixture with short straight steel fibres was developed. Specimens were tested to see how the different fibre contents affect the mechanical properties and which fibre content that is most favourable. Three different fibre contents were tested: 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5% of the total volume of the mixture. The tested and evaluated mechanical properties were workability, flexural strength, tensile strength, fracture energy, compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. This study does not contain tests of durability of UHPFRC, however trough the literature review it was investigated to what extent the fibres affect the durability. It was concluded that an increase in fibre content results in improved mechanical properties, except for workability and in some cases when using a fibre content of 2.5%. The increase in the mechanical properties is due to the increased cracking resistance and the bond strength between the fibres and the matrix. The decrease in the mechanical properties, e.g. characteristic tensile strength and compressive strength of cylinders, for 2.5% in fibre content can be due to uneven fibre distribution and higher amount of air in the specimens which result in less strength. It was concluded that 2.0% in fibre content is most favourable. It was possible to conclude that the degradation of the fibres takes a long time, however not to what extent the fibres will affect the durability. To evaluate if UHPFRC is a viable economical and environmental alternative to regular concrete bridges, three cases of bridge design are considered. Two cases with UHPFRC (different thickness) and one case with conventional concrete. Up to 2017 only technical guidelines and recommendations for design with UHPFRC existed, but in 2017 the first approved standards in the world were published. The French national standards cover material (NF P18-470, 2016) and design (NF P18-710, 2016) and were used for the design process. The material usage regarding the amount of reinforced UHPFRC/concrete and steel reinforcement as well as the amount of CO2 emissions from the production of cement and steel (fibre and steel reinforcement) used for the bridges in the mid-span and at the support were investigated. The design process was also evaluated. It was concluded that the UHPFRC bridge with an optimized thickness was 47% lighter than the conventional concrete bridge, but the amount of CO2 emissions was still higher (e.g. 23% from the support). To be able to determine if a UHPFRC bridge is a feasible alternative to a conventional concrete bridge, with regards to the reduction of CO2 emissions, the CO2 emissions have to be observed in a wider perspective than only from the production of cement and steel, e.g. fewer transports and longer lifetime.