The structure-property relationships of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) were quantified using imaging techniques to characterize the multiscale hierarchical heterogeneities and the mechanical properties. Through image analysis the average size, percent area, nearest neighbor distance, and relative number density of each inclusion type was determined and then used to create Representative Volume Element (RVE) cubes for use in Finite Element (FE) analysis. Three different size scale RVEs at the mesoscale were found to best represent the material: the largest length scale (35 mm side length) included steel fibers, the middle length scale (0.54 mm side length) included large voids and silica sand grains, and the smallest length scale (0.04 mm side length) included small voids and unhydrated cement grains. By using three length scales of mesoscale FE modeling, the bridge of information to the macroscale cementitious material model is more physically based.

An analytical and experimental investigation on the shear strength of High Performance Concrete (HPC) beams with vertical shear reinforcement or stirrups was carried out. The analytical work involved developing a theory based on the truss analogy, capable of predicting the response and shear strength of such beams subjected to combined bending moment and shear force.The experimental work comprised forty-eight beam specimens in eight series of tests. Most of the beams were 250 mm wide, 350 mm deep and had a clear span of approximately 2 metres. The largest beam was 250 mm wide, 600 mm deep and had a clear span of 3.1 metres. Test parameters included the concrete cover to the shear reinforcement cage, shear reinforcement ratio, longitudinal tensile steel ratio, overall beam depth, shear span-to-depth ratio and concrete compressive strength. The loading configurations included using one, two or four symmetrically placed concentrated loads on simply supported spans.The theory predicted the shear strength of the beams in the present study well. When beams from previous investigations were included, the theory also gave good prediction of the shear strength. Apart from this, comparisons of shear strength were also made with the predictions by the shear design provisions contained in the Australian Standard AS 3600 (1994), American Concrete Institute Building Code ACI 318-95, Eurocode EC2 Part 1 and Canadian Standard CSA A23.3-94. The AS 3600 method was found to give the best correlation with the test results among all the code methods.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the current design specifications for use on prestressed, High Performance Concrete (HPC) bridge girders. An AASHTO Type IV and modified BT-56 girders were constructed with a 10,000 psi HPC to which a composite 7000 psi HPC deck was cast on top. The composite girders were tested in flexure, with the Type IV being tested to failure. The results of the flexure tests showed that the current AASHTO Specification for cracking moment and ultimate capacity are conservative. In addition to flexural testing, each composite girder was studied with respect to the deck contraction induced girder deflection. Each deck and girder were instrumented with strain gauges and string potentiometes. The results of the study indicated the induced deflections are significantly greater than deflections from the deck dead load, and should be considered to accurately predict bridge deflection.

This research was undertaken to study the effects of high performance concrete (HPC) mix design modifications on the propensity of early-age cracking. Seven mixtures were tested: one 35 MPa conventional concrete (CC) mixture made with ordinary Portland cement with blended slag; one typical 50 MPa HPC mixture containing slag and silica fume; and five modified HPC mixtures using extra set-retarder, increased slag replacement, shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), pre-saturated lightweight aggregate (LWA), and decreased cement paste content to improve thermal and/or shrinkage properties. The mixtures were tested for durability, mechanical, thermal, and shrinkage properties. All modified HPC mixtures showed reduced shrinkage relative to the HPC control mixture, and the most shrinkage mitigation was observed in the mixture containing LWA. While SRA reduced restrained shrinkage in HPC to the magnitude of CC, it provided very low rapid chloride penetrability, and using LWA in HPC resulted in significant restrained shrinkage reduction compared to CC.

This research was undertaken to study the effects of high performance concrete (HPC) mix design modifications on the propensity of early-age cracking. Seven mixtures were tested: one 35 MPa conventional concrete (CC) mixture made with ordinary Portland cement with blended slag; one typical 50 MPa HPC mixture containing slag and silica fume; and five modified HPC mixtures using extra set-retarder, increased slag replacement, shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), pre-saturated lightweight aggregate (LWA), and decreased cement paste content to improve thermal and/or shrinkage properties. The mixtures were tested for durability, mechanical, thermal, and shrinkage properties. All modified HPC mixtures showed reduced shrinkage relative to the HPC control mixture, and the most shrinkage mitigation was observed in the mixture containing LWA. While SRA reduced restrained shrinkage in HPC to the magnitude of CC, it provided very low rapid chloride penetrability, and using LWA in HPC resulted in significant restrained shrinkage reduction compared to CC.

Este trabalho fornece uma visão geral sobre a aplicação, o dimensionamento e o detalhamento de elementos fletidos de concreto de alto desempenho (CAD), armados ou protendidos, com particular atenção para estes últimos. Procurou-se, sempre que possível, realçar as situações nas quais os atuais procedimentos normalizados permanecem válidos, ou não, para o cálculo das vigas de CAD. Na introdução, apresenta-se a viabilidade econômica da aplicação do concreto de alto desempenho nas vigas. No capítulo referente à retração e à fluência, abordam-se procedimentos válidos para o CAD, os quais apresentam melhor correlação com os resultados experimentais que a obtida através do ACI 209 (1982) ou do CEB-FIP (1990). No que se refere à flexão, apresenta-se um diagrama tensão-deformação retangular, e comparam-se os seus resultados para concretos usuais e de alto desempenho, com os obtidos pelo diagrama parábola-retângulo, em termos de consumo de armadura. No capítulo referente ao cisalhamento, apresentam-se recomendações para a utilização do Método Padrão e do Modelo de Treliças de Diagonais de Inclinação Variável para o cálculo da armadura transversal em vigas de CAD. Para o cálculo dos deslocamentos causados por ações de curta duração, confirma-se a validade da metodologia de Branson para as vigas de CAD. Os deslocamentos adicionais causados por ações de longa duração também são considerados, incluindo-se metodologias para as vigas de concreto armado e para as pré-moldadas protendidas. Exemplos de dimensionamento são feitos para todos os itens apresentados, considerando-se uma viga pré-moldada de 30 m de comprimento, seção \"T\", com pós-tensão e fck = 70 MPa. / This work provides an overview of use and design of the high performance concrete (HPC) flexural members, reinforced or prestressed, with particular attention for the last ones. Cases in which procedures of the modern codes for calculation of HPC beams remain valid were enhanced. In the introduction, the economic viability of high performance concrete beams is presented. In the chapter about shrinkage and creep, valid procedures for HPC are presented. These procedures have better correlation with the actual results than those relative to ACI 209 (1982) or CEB-FIP (1990). A rectangular stress block is presented, and its results for usual and high performance concrete are compared with those from the parabolic-rectangular stress block, in terms of consume of steel. In the chapter about shear, recommendations for use of Standard Method and Variable Angle Truss Model for HPC beams are presented. For the calculation of short term deflections, the validity of Branson\'s Method for high performance concrete beams is confirmed. Sustained load deflections are also considered, and including procedures for reinforced beams and for precast prestressed ones. For all the considered topics, examples are presented for a 30 m span precast post-tensioned beam, \"T\" cross section and fck = 70 MPa.

Do ponto de vista reológico, o concreto fresco flui como um líquido. Sendo assim, o seu comportamento no estado fresco deve ser estudado a partir dos conceitos da reologia, ciência voltada para o estudo das deformações e escoamento de um fluido sob a influência de tensões. As estruturas bem planejadas, dependendo do processo adotado para sua confecção, são executadas em tempo muito pequeno após a mistura dos materiais que irão constituir os concretos. Assim, a trabalhabilidade do concreto é um parâmetro importante a ser estudado, tanto por facilitar o lançamento do material quanto pelas decisões relacionadas com a forma desse lançamento. Tradicionalmente, a trabalhabilidade do concreto está associada à sua consistência, expressa em termos de abatimento obtido no ensaio de tronco de cone, que, apesar de ser um método de ensaio bastante utilizado, não a quantifica totalmente. Isto porque o concreto se comporta como um fluido binghamiano, sendo, então, caracterizado por dois parâmetros reológicos: a tensão de escoamento e a viscosidade plástica. Assim, o presente trabalho determina alguns parâmetros de medida, a partir de conceitos reológicos, para a verificação do comportamento de alguns tipos de concreto de alto desempenho no estado fresco, com adição de sílica ativa. Para isso, foram usados tanto os métodos de ensaios tradicionais - ensaio de abatimento de tronco de cone e consistômetro de Ve-Be - quanto equipamentos mais modernos - reômetro. Uma modificação do ensaio de abatimento tradicional também foi usada como uma tentativa de simplificar a determinação dos parâmetros reológicos que caracterizam o comportamento dos concretos frescos. A capacidade dos concretos escoarem sob influência do seu peso próprio foi avaliada através do ensaio da caixa L. A identificação da natureza reológica dos concretos foi feita com o auxílio de um reômetro. A trabalhabilidade dos concretos foi avaliada a partir dos métodos de ensaio que medem os dois parâmetros reológicos e sua perda ao longo do tempo foi associada à evolução dos parâmetros medidos. Apesar de terem sido classificadas como misturas fluidas, nenhum concreto apresentou escoamento suficiente que o caracterizasse como um material auto-adensável, porém apresentou bom escoamento sob a energia de um vibrador. A natureza reológica dos concretos foi identificada como sendo realmente semelhante a um fluido binghamiano. A trabalhabilidade, bem como sua perda ao longo do tempo, foram associadas à evolução dos parâmetros reológicos: observou-se um aumento da tensão de escoamento (ou torque de escoamento), enquanto a viscosidade plástica (ou viscosidade de torque) permaneceu praticamente constante durante os 60 minutos em que o comportamento foi acompanhado. Conclui-se que para a trabalhabilidade dos CAD, há inúmeros outros fatores importantes a serem considerados no prosseguimento da pesquisa, os quais deverão levar em conta parâmetros associados à produção, ao transporte e ao lançamento do material. / From the rheological point of view, the fresh concrete flows as a liquid. In such case, its fresh behavior should be studied from the concepts of rheology, the science which concerns the study of deformation and flow of a fluid under stress influence. The well designed structures, depending on the process considered in their production, are performed in a very short time after the mixture of the materials that will constitute the concretes. Thus, the concrete workability is an important parameter to be studied, even for facilitating the material placement and for the decisions related with the method of this process. Traditionally, the concrete workability is associated to its consistency, expressed in terms of the slump value measured by the slump test that, in spite of being a quite used test, does not quantify it totally. It happens because the concrete behaves as a Bingham fluid, being described by two rheological parameters: the yield stress and the plastic viscosity. Thus, the present research determines some measure parameters from rheological concepts to verify the behavior of some types of fresh high performance concrete (with silica fume addition). For this, both traditional test methods - slump test and Vebe consistometer - and more recent equipments - rheometer - were used. A modification of the traditional slump test was also used as an attempt to simplify the determination of the rheological parameters that describe the fresh concretes behaviors. The capacity of the concretes flow under the influence of their own weight was evaluated by the L-box test. The identification of the concretes rheological behavior was made with a rheometer. The concretes workability was evaluated from test methods that measure the two rheological parameters and its loss over time was associated to the evolution of the measured parameters. In spite of being classified as fluid mixtures, none of the concretes presented enough flow to describe it as a self-compacting material; however they presented a good flow under vibration energy. The concrete rheological behavior was identified as being similar to a Bingham fluid. The workability, as its loss over time, was associated to the evolution of the rheological parameters: an increase of the yield stress (or flow resistance) was observed, while the plastic viscosity (or torque viscosity) stayed practically constant during the 60 minutes in which the behavior was followed. It is concluded that for the high performance concretes workability, there are other several important factors to be considered in the research pursuit, which should consider the parameters associated to the material\'s production, transport and placement.

O presente trabalho fornece uma visão geral sobre a aplicação, o dimensionamento e o detalhamento de pilares confeccionados com concreto de alto desempenho (CAD), cujo principal atributo analisado é a resistência do concreto à compressão. A ênfase do estudo é dada à aplicação do CAD em pilares de edifícios. São apresentadas as principais diferenças entre pilares de CAD e pilares confeccionados com concretos de baixa resistência (fck < 40 MPa), sendo abordados, com base em códigos vigentes e em resultados experimentais, os diagramas tensão-deformação mais indicados, as formas de consideração das não-linearidades física e geométrica, as excentricidades a serem consideradas no dimensionamento, as causas e a forma de prevenção do fenômeno da perda do cobrimento (característico de pilares de CAD), a importância e a forma de consideração do confinamento e algumas disposições construtivas necessárias para o bom desempenho do pilar. Procurou-se, sempre que possível, apresentar os aspectos que não necessitam de alterações, ou seja, que podem ser considerados da mesma forma para concretos de baixa e de alta resistência. Finaliza-se com a apresentação de alguns exemplos de dimensionamento de pilares de CAD, abordando os tópicos analisados ao longo do texto. / The present work provides an overview of use and design of columns made with high performance concrete (HPC), whose main analyzed attribute is the compression strength of the concrete. The emphasis of the study is given to the application of HPC in columns of buildings. The main differences are presented among columns of HPC and columns made with low strength concrete (fck < 40 MPa), being approached, on base in effective codes and in experimental results, the more suitable stress-strain diagrams, the forms of consideration of the physical and geometrical non-linearities, the eccentricities to be considered in the design, the causes and the form of prevention of the phenomenon of the spalling of the concrete cover (characteristic of HPC columns), the importance and the form of consideration of the confinement and some necessary constructive dispositions for the good performance of the column. It was sought, whenever possible, to present the aspects that don\'t need alterations, that is to say, that can be considered in the same way for low and high strength concretes. It concludes with the presentation of some examples of design of HPC columns, approaching the topics analyzed along the text.

This PhD thesis is divided into two parts. Part one dealswith the development of the material and the mechanicalproperties of Steel Fibrous Cement Based Composites (SFCBC) forimproving bridge design and construction. It familiarizes thehydration mechanisms of the high performance concrete with thehelp of Powers´ and Jensen´s models. Concretes withdifferent water-cement ratio were compared with each other withrespect to degree of hydration and hydration products. Thisanalysis showed that high performance concrete has higherstrengths not because it has more gel solid, but due to ithaving less porosity and higher filler content compared toordinary concrete. A number of experiments were performed to achieve a mixdesign method for a SFCBC, which has good workability, highearly and long-term strength and good durabilitycharacteristics. A Self-compacting and self-leveling fibrouscomposite, which has ultra high strengths (Compressive strengthfc= 180 ~ 220MPa and flexural tensile strengthfföi= 14 ~ 32MPa depending on the volumefraction of fibers) was produced. This composite was alsotested under different curing conditions in order toinvestigate the effect of curing on hydration andself-desiccation shrinkage. These tests showed that SFCBCshould not be water-cured under a long period andself-desiccation influences the compressive strengthnegatively. Test of scaling at freezing showed that SFCBC hasvery good durability characteristics. Part two deals with the behavior of SFCBC in the anchoragezones of prestressed bridges. The prismatic composite specimenswere tested for different volume fractions of fibers underdifferent concentrations ratios of strip loading. The resultsof these tests showed that the ultimate strength of the SFCBCspecimens was approximately twice that of ordinary concretewith the same size (fc= 60MPa reinforced with stirrups). Therefore,SFCBC has good possibility to replace the traditional rebars inthe anchorage zones of prestressed bridges. This composite has different behavior than the traditionalconcrete e.g. crack formation, failure criteria, effectivestrength and angle of friction. A vertical crack on thecenterline was occurred while wedge developed under the loadingplate. In contrast to ordinary concrete, the cracks could notreach to the bottom of the blocks. The tests results gave the ideas of that this material actslike metals or plastics in the high fiber content. Thismaterial is neither very brittle as concrete nor very ductileas metals but it is somewhere between them. Upper-bound plasticity solutions were utilized for modelingthe bearing capacity of SFCBC. Predictions of this method aregood enough to estimate the bearing capacity of SFCBC in theanchorage zones of prestressed bridges. <b>Keywords:</b>Process improvement of bridges, Prestressedconcrete, High performance concrete, Ultra high performanceconcrete, Hydration, Cement based composites, Fibers,Self-compacting concrete, Bearing capacity, Anchorage zones,Tests

The corrosion of the reinforcing steel in concrete by de-icing salts is one of the major issues concerning the durability of reinforced concrete. Different methods have been used to protect the reinforcing steel, but still corrosion of reinforced structures continues to be a big problem causing enormous costs in their restoration and rehabilitation. The continuity of the pores of concrete plays a crucial role in the corrosion of the reinforcing steel. The ingress of corrosive species, such as chloride ions, oxygen and water, through the pores of the concrete cover cause the breakdown of the passive layer formed on the steel by the high pH of the concrete. The use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) in the production of high performance concrete (HPC) improves its resistance to corrosive species as a result of the pozzolanic reaction which forms more calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H). Most of the studies about the corrosion of the reinforcement in HPC have been carried out in sound concrete. However, very few works have been reported on the corrosion of steel in cracked concrete. The crack pattern on HPC is very distinct from that formed on ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete, which may result in different corrosion mechanisms of the reinforcing steel. The objective of the present work consisted in the evaluation of the corrosion of reinforcing steel in cracked HPC and OPC concrete under different exposure and loading conditions. For that purpose, two sets of beams of HPC (containing fly ash or slag) and two sets of OPC concrete were cast. The difference between the OPC concretes was the date of casting. Three sets of reinforcing steel probes were embedded in each beam at different locations. All the beams were cracked at midspan by the four-point method. Eight beams of each concrete were coupled in pairs and partially immersed in a solution of de-icing salts every two weeks. In this way, one set of the corrosion probes was non-submerged (top) while the other two were completely submerged (one at the crack level and the other at the bottom). Two pairs of beams were subjected to static loading whereas the other two were under cyclic loading. The corrosion potentials readings were taken daily by a data acquisition system, whereas the corrosion rates were determined by the Linear Polarization technique using a corrosion monitoring system. According to the results obtained, the corrosion rates of the submerged and non-submerged probes are very low. This behaviour is observed for the four concretes and for both loading conditions. The type of loading did not influence the corrosion rates of these probes, which were in the same range for all the concretes. On the other hand, the probes close to the crack showed higher corrosion rates, especially those under cyclic loading. In general, the OPC concrete cast during the winter presented the highest corrosion rates for both loading conditions, followed by the OPC concrete cast in the summer (as were both HPCs), then by HPC-Slag and HPC-Fly Ash, which showed the lowest values. In most of the cases there was a good agreement between the corrosion potentials and the corrosion rates, so that the OPC concretes exhibited the most negative values. The lower corrosion of the probes in the HPC-Fly Ash and HPC-Slag beams was ascribed to the continued pozzolanic activity, which may result in the self-healing of the crack with time. The probes close to the crack in the dynamically loaded beams experienced higher corrosion than those in the static beams. In some cases the corrosion rate reached values above 100 mm/year. The lower corrosion of the probes in the static beams was attributed to the self-healing of the crack. The formation of additional microcracks in the dynamic beams during cyclic loading may be responsible for their higher corrosion. The corrosion potential of the rebar cage shifted to more negative values during cyclic and static loading. This change in the potential was associated with stress concentration of the reinforcement surface, making it more active. Although the shift in the potential was not really significant, this may have important consequences in practice where the concrete is subjected to higher loads.