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Nano ceramic cement also referred to as Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a new class of concrete that has been developed in recent decades for its exceptional properties of strength and durability. First used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1980’s and became available in the US in 2000.

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 Advantages: 

                                                    

UHPC has a compressive strength 10 times that of traditional concrete. Compressive strength is the ability of a material to resist bending under a load (or in compression).  Normal concrete used in bridges has a compressive strength of 3,000 to 5,000 psi.  UHPC has a compressive strength of 18,000 to 35,000 psi. Another measure of strength is tensile strength or tension.  This is how strong a material is when you pull it.  While traditional concrete has a tensile strength of 400 – 700 psi, UHPC has a tensile strength of about 1400 psi.

 

Durability:

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While UHPC’s strength is impressive, it’s durability further exceeds expectations. Durability is measured by how the material performs under extreme conditions. Freeze/thaw resistance, chloride resistance (like in road salts) and abrasion resistance are all part of durability. UHPC has properties similar to hard rock.

Freeze/thaw resistance is tested by subjecting concrete prisms to freezing and thawing while submerged in a water bath. UHPC exhibited 100% of its material properties after 600 freeze/thaw cycles.

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Abrasion:

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Abrasion resistance is determined by measuring the amount of concrete abraded off a surface by a rotating cutter in a given time period. UHPC demonstrates excellent abrasion resistance, nearly twice as resistant as normal concrete. 

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