Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is considered a sophisticated concrete construction solution for infrastructure and other structures because of its premium mechanical traits and superior durability. Fibers have a special effect on the properties of UHPC, especially as this type of concrete suffers from high autogenous shrinkage due to its high cementitious content, so the properties and volume fraction of fibers are more important in UHPC. This study will describe previous related works on the mechanical behavior of UHPC specimens reinforced with micro- and nanoscale fibers, and compare of the behavior of UHPC reinforced with microfibers to that reinforced with nanofibers. The compressive strength, flexural behavior, and durability aspects of UHPC reinforced with nanoand/or microscale variable types of fibers were studied to highlight the issues and make a new direction for other authors.

In light of the effort for decarbonization of the energy sector, it is believed that common geopolymer binding materials such as fly ash may eventually become scarce, and new geological aluminosilicate materials should be explored as alternative binders in geopolymer concrete. A novel, tension-hardening geopolymer concrete (THGC) that incorporates high amounts of semi-reactive quarry wastes (Metagabbro) as a precursor and coarse quarry sand (granite) was developed in this study using geopolymer formulations. The material was optimized based on the particle packing theory and was characterized in terms of mechanical, physical, and durability properties (i.e., compressive, tensile, flexural resistance, Young’s Modulus, Poisson’s ratio; absorption, drying shrinkage, abrasion, and coefficient of thermal expansion; chloride ion penetration, sulfate, and salt-scaling resistance). The developed THGC with an air-dry density of 1,940 kg/m³ [121 lb/ft³], incorporates short steel fibers at a volume ratio of 2% and is highly ductile in both uniaxial tension and compression (uniaxial tensile strain capacity of 0.6% at an 80% post-peak residual tensile strength). Using DIC, multiple crack formation was observed in the strain-hardening phase of the tension response. In compression the material maintained its integrity beyond the peak load, having attained 1.8% compressive strain at 80% post-peak residual strength whereas upon further reduction to 50% residual strength, the sustained axial and lateral strains were 2.5% and 3.5%, respectively. The material exhibited low permeability to chloride ions and significant abrasion resistance due to the high contents of Metagabbro powder and granite sand. The enhanced properties of the material, combined with the complete elimination of ordinary Portland cement from the mix, hold promise for the development of sustainable and resilient structural materials with low CO₂j, emissions while also enabling the innovative disposal of wastes as active binding components.

This study evaluates the potential to use shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) and pre-saturated lightweight sand (LWS) to shorten the external moist curing requirement of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), which is critical in some applications where continuous moist curing is challenging. Key characteristics of UHPC prepared with and without SRA and LWS and under 3 days, 7 days, and continuous moist curing were investigated. Results indicate that the combined incorporation of 1% SRA and 17% LWS can shorten the required moist curing duration since such mixture under 3 days of moist curing exhibited low total shrinkage of 360 µε at 56 days and compressive strength of 135 MPa (19,580 psi) at 56 days and flexural strength of 18 MPa (2,610 psi) at 28 days. This mixture subjected to 3 days of moist curing also had a similar hydration degree and 25% lower capillary porosity in paste compared to the Reference UHPC prepared without any SRA and LWS and under continuous moist curing. The incorporation of 17% LWS promoted cement hydration and silica fume pozzolanic reaction to a degree similar to extending the moist curing duration from 3 to 28 days and offsetting the impact of SRA on reducing cement hydration. The lower capillary porosity in the paste compensated for the porosity induced by porous LWS to secure an acceptable level of total porosity of UHPC.

A compressive laboratory testing program, field testing program, numerical analysis, and life-cycle cost analysis were conducted to evaluate the beneficial effects of incorporating shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), polymeric microfibers (PMF), and optimized aggregate gradation (OAG) into an internally cured concrete (ICC) mix for rigid pavement application. Results from the laboratory program indicate that all ICC mixes outperformed the standard concrete (SC) mix. All ICC mixes showed a decrease in drying shrinkage compared to the SC mix. Based on the laboratory program, three ICC mixes and one of the SC mixes were selected for the full-scale test subjected to a heavy vehicle simulator for accelerated fatigue testing. Extensive testing and analysis have shown that ICC mixes incorporating SRA, PMF, and OAG can be beneficially used in pavement applications to achieve increased pavement life.

The creep and drying shrinkage of two alkali-activated concretes produced with low-calcium fly ash and rice husk ash (RHA) were investigated over a period of 1 year. The compressive strength of 100% low-calcium fly ash (100NFA) concrete and the concrete having 10% RHA replacement (10RHA) decreased from 49.8 to 37.7 MPa (7.22 to 5.47 ksi) and 30.2 to 18.3 MPa (4.38 to 2.65 ksi), respectively, between 28 and 365 days. The imbalance in the dissolution rate of the raw materials in the blended system (10RHA) could negatively influence the strength properties, which leads to poor matrix integrity and a highly porous structure when compared with 100NFA. The presence of the micro-aggregates due to the block polymerization provides the effect of increasing the aggregate content in the 100NFA concrete compared with the 10RHA concrete, which is hypothesized as one of the reasons creep and shrinkage properties deteriorated in 10RHA.