A review on ultra high performance ‘ductile’ concrete (UHPdC) technology

One of the significant breakthroughs in concrete technology in the 20th century was the development of ultra high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHP-FRC) or reactive powder concrete (RPC) more commonly known as ultra high performance ‘ductile’ concrete (UHPdC) with compressive strength over 150 MPa and flexural strength over 30 MPa; and enhanced durability compared to conventional concrete. In brief, UHPdC is a cementitious based composite material that consists of the distinctive characteristics of the ultra-high performance concrete and high tensile strength steel fibers. UHPdC is a sustainable construction material with considerable amount of durability, ductility and tensile capacity which is mostly appropriate for use in the fabrication of precast members in civil engineering, structural and architectural applications. This paper presents a review on the UHPdC technology including an overview of material characteristics of a Malaysian UHPdC blend (i.e. Dura®), the principles of UHPdC development, its mix design, its advantages, and its applications.