Previous events have demonstrated the vulnerability of reinforced concrete infrastructure to blast loading. In buildings, ground-story columns are key structural components, and their failure can lead to extensive damages which can cause progressive collapse. To prevent such disasters, the steel reinforcement in such columns must be properly detailed to ensure sufficient strength and ductility. The use of modern concrete materials such ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is one potential solution to improve the blast performance of columns. UHPC shows high compressive strength, high tensile resistance and superior toughness, properties which make it ideal for use in the blast-resistant design of columns. The combined use of UHPC and high-performance steels can potentially be used to further enhance the blast resistance of columns. This thesis presents an experimental and analytical study which investigated the use of high-performance materials to increase the blast capacity and ductility of reinforced concrete columns. As part of the experimental study, a total of seventeen columns were tested under simulated blast loading using the University of Ottawa Shock-Tube. Parameters investigated included the effect of concrete type (NSC and UHPC), steel reinforcement type (normal-strength, high-strength or highly ductile), longitudinal reinforcement ratio, seismic detailing and fiber properties. The test program included two control specimens built with normal-strength concrete, five specimens built with UHPC in combination with high-strength steel, and ten columns built with highly ductile stainless steel reinforcement. Each column was subjected to a series of increasing blast pressures until failure. The performance of the columns is investigated by comparing the displacements, impulse capacity and secondary fragmentation resistance of the columns. The results show that using high-performance steels increases the blast performance of UHPC columns. The use of sufficient amounts of high-strength steel in combination with UHPC led to important increases in column blast capacity. The use of ductile stainless steel reinforcement allowed for important enhancements in column ductility, with an ability to prevent rupture of tension steel reinforcement. The study also shows that increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio is an effective means of increasing the blast resistance of UHPC columns The thesis also presents an extensive analytical study which aimed at predicting the response of the test columns using dynamic inelastic, single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analysis. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to examine the effect of various modelling parameters on the analytical predictions. Overall, it was shown that SDOF analysis could be used to predict the blast response of UHPC columns with reasonable accuracy. To further corroborate the results from the experimental study, the thesis also presents an analytical parametric study examining the blast performance of larger-scale columns. The results further demonstrate the benefits of using UHPC and high-performance steel reinforcement in columns subjected to blast loading.

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No description available.

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a class of cementitious materials that share similar characteristics including very large compressive strengths, tensile strength greater than conventional concrete and high durability. The material consists of finely graded cementitious particles and aggregates to develop a durable dense matrix. The addition of steel fibers increases ductility such that the material develops usable tensile strength. The durability and strength of UHPC makes it a desirable material for the production of highway bridge girders. However, UHPC's unique constitutive materials make it more expensive than conventional concrete. The cost and lack of appropriate design guidelines has limited its introduction into bridge products. The investigation presented in this thesis developed several optimization formulations to determine a suitable bridge girder shape for use with UHPC. The goal of this optimization was to develop a methodology of using UHPC in highway bridge designs that was cost competitive with conventional concrete solutions. Several surveys and field visits were performed to identify the important aspects of girder fabrication. Optimizations were formulated to develop optimized girder cross sections and full bridge design configurations that utilize UHPC. The results showed that for spans greater than 90 ft UHPC used in the proposed girder shape was more economical than conventional girders. The optimizations and surveys resulted in the development of a proposed method to utilize UHPC in highway bridges utilizing existing girder shapes and formwork. The proposed method consists of three simple calculations to transform an initial conventional design to an initial design using modified UHPC girders. / Master of Science

Adjacent box beam bridges are economical bridge systems for accelerated bridge construction. The box beams are constructed at precast plants and are traditionally connected by a shear key filled with grout. This system is ideal for short spans with low clearance restrictions. However, due to the grout deteriorating and debonding from the precast concrete in the shear key, reflective cracking propogates through the deck allowing water and chemicals to leak down into the joints. This can lead to the prestressing steel inside the precast member and the transverse tie steel corroding. This necessitates the bridge being rehabilitated or replaced which shortens the life-span of the bridge system and negates the economical value it had to begin with. This research project aimed to design a rehabilitation plan for an adjacent box beam bridge with deteriorated joints using Very High Performance Concrete (VHPC). VHPC was chosen as an economical alternative to the proprietary Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and extensive material tests were performed. The results of the material testing of VHPC and grout revealed that VHPC had higher compressive and tensile strengths, a higher modulus of elasticity, gained strength faster, bonded better to precast concrete, was more durable over time, and shrank less than conventional grout. The results of this research project were applied to rehabilitate the Buffalo Branch Bridge and further testing will be completed to determine the effectiveness of the rehabilitation. / Master of Science

O presente trabalho avaliou a influência dos concretos de ultra-alto desempenho com fibras (UHPFRC) e sem fibras (UHPC) no reforço de pilares curtos de concreto armado de seção transversal circular e quadrada. Avaliou-se também a adição de armaduras adicionais de reforço e de polímeros reforçados com fibras de carbono (PRFC) em alguns pilares reforçados. Para a avaliação deste novo sistema de reforço optou-se pela realização de um programa experimental e simulações numéricas. É importante ressaltar que no programa experimental, nenhum pilar reforçado possuía seção transversal maior que a seção do pilar de referência. Foi verificado por meio do programa experimental, que as camisas de UHPC apresentaram ruína de natureza frágil e não se recomenda a sua utilização a menos que acompanhada de mecanismos que garantam adequado confinamento do pilar reforçado. Nos pilares circulares e quadrados reforçados com UHPFRC foram verificados, respectivamente, incrementos de resistência de 106,4% e 83,6% onde o concreto do cobrimento foi substituído por UHPFRC, 154,3% e 111,7% onde além da substituição do cobrimento foram inseridas armaduras adicionais e 160% e 85,6% onde houve a colocação de PRFC após a substituição do cobrimento. Todos os pilares reforçados com UHPFRC não apresentaram destacamento da camisa de reforço. Foram realizadas simulações numéricas variando a espessura da camisa de UHPFRC e do número de camadas de PRFC tanto nos pilares de seção circular como nos pilares de seção quadrada. Por meio destas simulações, notou-se que a adição de pequenos incrementos de espessura da camisa de UHPFRC, proporciona elevados incrementos de resistência ao pilar reforçado, ao passo que o aumento do número de camadas de PRFC não influenciaria significantemente no incremento de resistência e sim na ductilidade do conjunto. / The present work evaluated the influence of ultra-high performance concrete with fibers (UHPFRC) and without fibers (UHPC) on the strengthening of short columns of reinforced concrete of circular and square cross section. It was also evaluated the addition of additional reinforcement and carbon fiber reinforced polymers (PRFC) on some strengthened columns. For the evaluation of this new system of strengthening we opted for the realization of an experimental program and numerical simulations. It is important to note that in the experimental program, no strengthened columns had a larger cross section than the reference column section. It was verified through the experimental program that the UHPC shirts presented ruin of a fragile nature and their use is not recommended unless accompanied by mechanisms that guarantee adequate confinement to the strengthened columns. In the circular and square columns strengthened with UHPFRC, respectively, resistance increments of 106.4% and 83.6% were verified, where the cover concrete was replaced by UHPFRC, 154.3% and 111.7%, in addition to the substitution of additional reinforcement were inserted and 160% and 85.6% where PRFC placement was performed after the replacement of the cover. All strengthened columns with UHPFRC did not present detachment of the strengthening jacket. Numerical simulations were performed by varying the thickness of the UHPFRC jacket and the number of PRFC layers on both the circular section columns and the square section columns. Through these simulations, it was noted that the addition of small thickness increments of the UHPFRC jacket would provide high increments of strength to the strengthened columns, while increasing the number of PRFC layers would not significantly influence the increase in strength but rather ductility of the assembly.

O presente trabalho avaliou a influência dos concretos de ultra-alto desempenho com fibras (UHPFRC) e sem fibras (UHPC) no reforço de pilares curtos de concreto armado de seção transversal circular e quadrada. Avaliou-se também a adição de armaduras adicionais de reforço e de polímeros reforçados com fibras de carbono (PRFC) em alguns pilares reforçados. Para a avaliação deste novo sistema de reforço optou-se pela realização de um programa experimental e simulações numéricas. É importante ressaltar que no programa experimental, nenhum pilar reforçado possuía seção transversal maior que a seção do pilar de referência. Foi verificado por meio do programa experimental, que as camisas de UHPC apresentaram ruína de natureza frágil e não se recomenda a sua utilização a menos que acompanhada de mecanismos que garantam adequado confinamento do pilar reforçado. Nos pilares circulares e quadrados reforçados com UHPFRC foram verificados, respectivamente, incrementos de resistência de 106,4% e 83,6% onde o concreto do cobrimento foi substituído por UHPFRC, 154,3% e 111,7% onde além da substituição do cobrimento foram inseridas armaduras adicionais e 160% e 85,6% onde houve a colocação de PRFC após a substituição do cobrimento. Todos os pilares reforçados com UHPFRC não apresentaram destacamento da camisa de reforço. Foram realizadas simulações numéricas variando a espessura da camisa de UHPFRC e do número de camadas de PRFC tanto nos pilares de seção circular como nos pilares de seção quadrada. Por meio destas simulações, notou-se que a adição de pequenos incrementos de espessura da camisa de UHPFRC, proporciona elevados incrementos de resistência ao pilar reforçado, ao passo que o aumento do número de camadas de PRFC não influenciaria significantemente no incremento de resistência e sim na ductilidade do conjunto. / The present work evaluated the influence of ultra-high performance concrete with fibers (UHPFRC) and without fibers (UHPC) on the strengthening of short columns of reinforced concrete of circular and square cross section. It was also evaluated the addition of additional reinforcement and carbon fiber reinforced polymers (PRFC) on some strengthened columns. For the evaluation of this new system of strengthening we opted for the realization of an experimental program and numerical simulations. It is important to note that in the experimental program, no strengthened columns had a larger cross section than the reference column section. It was verified through the experimental program that the UHPC shirts presented ruin of a fragile nature and their use is not recommended unless accompanied by mechanisms that guarantee adequate confinement to the strengthened columns. In the circular and square columns strengthened with UHPFRC, respectively, resistance increments of 106.4% and 83.6% were verified, where the cover concrete was replaced by UHPFRC, 154.3% and 111.7%, in addition to the substitution of additional reinforcement were inserted and 160% and 85.6% where PRFC placement was performed after the replacement of the cover. All strengthened columns with UHPFRC did not present detachment of the strengthening jacket. Numerical simulations were performed by varying the thickness of the UHPFRC jacket and the number of PRFC layers on both the circular section columns and the square section columns. Through these simulations, it was noted that the addition of small thickness increments of the UHPFRC jacket would provide high increments of strength to the strengthened columns, while increasing the number of PRFC layers would not significantly influence the increase in strength but rather ductility of the assembly.

Ce travail thèse a pour objet une méthode expérimentale combinant un essai de traction indirect par écaillage et une mesure de champs à partir d’images obtenues par caméra ultra rapide, ceci à des fins d’identification des propriétés de rupture du béton sous chargement de traction dynamique. Cette méthode, proposée dans la littérature peu de temps avant le démarrage de ces travaux, fait ici l’objet d’une étude approfondi ainsi que d’une série de développements et d’amélioration. Les images obtenues sont traités par une technique de grille et la méthode des champs virtuels est appliquée pour identifier le comportement local des matériaux quasi-fragiles soumis à de hautes vitesses de déformation (plusieurs 100 1/s}). Dans un premier temps, afin de valider la technique de traitement maus aussi d’étudier l’incertitude de mesure associée, un simulateur de la chaîne de mesure complète a été mis au point. Il a été ainsi possible d’étudier l’influence de différentes sources potentielles d’erreurs qui peuvent être rencontrées dans le protocole expérimental. Cette étude a permis de retenir des recommandations sur les conditions de réalisations réelles de l’essai afin d’améliorer la fiabilité des mesures obtenues. D’un point de vue expérimental, différents capteurs ultra haute vitesse ont été utilisés afin d’étudier leur performances vis-à-vis des mesures réalisées. Ainsi, les campagnes d’essais ont été réalisées sur un matériau aux caractéristiques bien identifiées permettant l’étude des performances métrologiques de toute la chaine d’identification, pour chaque modèle de capteur. Enfin, le protocole expérimentale a été mis en place pour étudier le comportement de plusieurs types de béton soumis en traction dynamique. L’objectif, ici, est d’identifier leur comportements mécaniques ainsi que leur caractéristiques de rupture et fragmentation sous traction dynamique. En ce qui concerne la résistance à la traction, les valeurs identifiées dans cette étude sont inférieures, pour chaque cas, à celles rapportées dans la littérature et obtenues, pour la plupart, à partir du traitement de la vitesse matérielle mesurée en face arrière de l’échantillon. Pour ce qui est de l’énergie spécifique de rupture, les valeurs obtenues dans ces travaux sont égalements inférieures à celles publiées dans les revues scientifiques. / In this thesis a recently proposed photomechanical spalling experiment has been used in light of identifying concrete failure properties under dynamic tension.The experimental technique uses ultra-high speed imaging, the grid method and the virtual fields method.First, in order to investigate the accuracy and validate the processing technique, a methodology of using simulated experiments has been developed by numerically simulating the entire identification process.In this way, several potential sources of errors have been investigated allowing to place guidelines on how to perform the experiment in a more reliable manner.Second, several latest ultra-high speed acquisition systems have been used in order to investigate their contribution to a possible measurement refinement.In this case, the trial experiments have been conducted on a material of known characteristics which allowed investigating the metrological performance of the acquisition system on the entire identification chain.Finally, the experimental methodology has been applied to testing several grades of concrete in light of identifying the material constitutive response as well as their fracturing characteristics under dynamic tension.The identified tensile strengths in this work were found to be consistently lower than those obtained from the standard processing of the rear-face velocity profile.Moreover, the values of the identified specific fracture energy were also found to be markedly lower than the ones often reported in the literature.

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. / Användningen av ultrahögpresterande fiberbetong (UHPFRC) i anläggningsindustrin började på 1990-talet och har sedan dess använts till broar i hela världen. De mekaniska egenskaperna och den täta UHPFRC matrisen resulterar i lägre materialanvändning och bättre beständighet i jämförelse med konventionell betong, men användningen av UHPFRC har inte slagit igenom i den svenska industrin. De största förklaringarna till varför UHPFRC sällan används i Sverige är för att det inte har funnits kunskap och standarder. UHPFRC har också en hög cementhalt och cementindustrin bidrar med höga koldioxid (CO2) utsläpp till de totala CO2 utsläppen i världen. Den här masteruppsatsen skrevs för att undersöka om en UHPFRC bro är ett möjligt alternativ till en konventionell betongbro ur dimensionering- och materialanvändningssynpunkt med avseende på reduktion av CO2 utsläpp. Projektets övergripande mål är att öka kunskapen om materialet, med avseende på tillverkningen, de mekaniska egenskaperna och beteendet av UHPFRC, och dimensionering, med avseende på skillnaden i dimensionering mellan UHPFRC broar och konventionella betongbroar. I materialdelen utvecklades ett UHPFRC recept med korta raka stålfibrer. Provkroppar testades för att se hur olika fiberinnehåll påverkade de mekaniska egenskaperna och vilket fiberinnehåll som var mest gynnsamt. Tre olika fiberinnehåll testades: 1.5%, 2.0% och 2.5% av total volym av blandningen. De mekaniska egenskaperna som testades och utvärderades var bearbetbarheten, böjhållfasthet, draghållfasthet, fraktur energi, tryckhållfasthet och elasticitetsmodul. Beständigheten av UHPFRC testades aldrig men i vilken omfattning fibrerna påverkar beständigheten undersöktes i den litteraturstudie som skrevs inför testerna och tillverkningen av UHPFRC. Det konstaterades att en ökning i fiberinnehåll resulterade i en ökning av de mekaniska egenskaperna, förutom för bearbetbarheten och i vissa fall när ett fiberinnehåll av 2.5% användes. Ökningen av de mekaniska egenskaperna berodde på det ökande sprickmotståndet och bindningsstyrka mellan fibrerna och matrisen. Minskningen av de mekaniska egenskaperna, till exempel den karakteristiska drag- och tryckhållfastheten, när ett fiberinnehåll på 2.5% i cylindrar användes kan bero på ojämn fiberfördelning och större mängd luft i provkropparna vilket resulterar i lägre hållfasthet. Det konstaterades att ett fiberinnehåll på 2.0% var det mest gynnsamma. Det kunde inte konstateras i vilken omfattning fibrerna påverkar beständigheten men det kunde konstateras att nedbrytningen av fibrerna tar lång tid. I dimensioneringsdelen utformades tre slakarmerade balkbroöverbyggnader, i två fall var överbyggnaden med UHPFRC (olika tjocklekar) och i ett fall var den med konventionell betong. Fram till 2017 fanns det bara tekniska riktlinjer och rekommendationer för UHPFRC men 2017 publicerades de första godkända standarderna i världen. De franska nationella standarderna täcker material (NF P18-470, 2016) och dimensionering (NF P18-710, 2016) och användes vid dimensioneringen. Materialanvändningen med avseende på mängd armerad UHPFRC/betong och slakarmering och mängd CO2 utsläpp från produktionen av cement och stål (fibrer och slakarmering) som användes till broarna i mittenspannet och vid stöden undersöktes. Även dimensioneringsprocessen utvärderades. Det konstaterades att UHPFRC bron med optimerad tjocklek var 47% lättare än betongbron men mängden CO2 utsläpp var fortfarande högre (till exempel 23% högre från stödet). Det konstaterades att om det ska vara möjligt att fastställa att en UHPFRC bro är ett möjligt alternativ till en konventionell betongbro, med avseende på reduktion av CO2 utsläpp, måste CO2 utsläppen ses från ett bredare perspektiv än från bara produktion av cement och stål, till exempel mindre transporter och längre livslängd.

Användandet av betong som ersättare för stål vid produktionen av vindkraftverkstorn har ökat den senaste tiden. Betongtorn är betydligt billigare än ståltorn men problem som sprickbildningar, frostsprängningar och följaktligen armeringskorrosion har uppstått bl a på grund av vibrationer från rotorn. I fundamentet i vindkraftverk kan ovan nämnda problem också uppstå och det uppfyller således inte alltid funktionskraven. Det här examensarbetet undersöker möjligheten att eliminera dessa problem genom att använda en sorts högpresterande betong kallad UHPC 2.2 med syntetfiberarmeringen, STRUX. Jämförelser mellan tidigare empiri om högpresterande betong och laborativa tester på UHPC 2.2 visar att den senare är beständigare och ger möjligheter till en större sprickfrihet. Sammanfattningsvis har den högpresterande betongen med fiberarmeringen STRUX visat sig vara en konkurrenskraftig möjlighet på marknaden. / The use of concrete has recently increased as a replacement to steel for the construction of towers for wind power plants. However there are problems such as cracking or frost scaling and finally corrosion of reinforcement, partly due to vibrations caused by the power plants' blades. In the foundation of power plants, the above problems also occur and do not always fulfill the functional requirements. This thesis investigates the possibility to eliminate these problems by using a special kind of high-performance concrete called UHPC 2.2 with synthetic fiber reinforcement, STRUX. When comparing previous empirics about regular concrete with laboratory tests on this high-performance concrete, we find that the later is more durable. In summary, the high-performance concrete with fiber reinforcement STRUX is shown to be a competitive market opportunity.