Ultra-High-Performance Concrete

Ultra-high-performance concrete, abbreviated UHPC, is an advanced cementitious material developed in France in the 1990s that combines a very low water-to-cement ratio, fine reactive powders and steel or synthetic fiber reinforcement to achieve compressive strength several times that of ordinary structural concrete, along with much greater tensile strength and durability. Its density and low porosity give it strong resistance to water penetration and freeze-thaw damage, and its strength allows architects and engineers to design thinner, lighter structural and cladding elements than conventional reinforced concrete permits, making it attractive for slender facade panels, bridges and long-span structural members. Its cost, well above ordinary concrete, has so far confined its use mainly to prestige and infrastructure projects rather than everyday construction.