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International Perspective on UHPC in Bridge Engineering

Article  in  Journal of Bridge Engineering · September 2020

DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0001630

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 International Perspective on UHPC in Bridge Engineering
Benjamin Graybeal, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE1; Eugen Brühwiler, Ph.D.2; Byung-Suk Kim, Ph.D.3;
François Toutlemonde, Ph.D.4; Yen Lei Voo, Ph.D., P.E.5; and Arash Zaghi, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., M.ASCE6

Abstract: Ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) offers significant potential to address a variety of needs in bridge design, construction,
and performance enhancement. Bridge owners have shown willingness to embrace novel solutions that could address specific challenges
related to the cost, speed of construction, durability, and service life of their projects. There are hundreds of bridges worldwide that, largely
in the past decade, have utilized UHPC. These applications range from minor field-cast closures to precast segments for long-span bridges to
kilometer-long bridge deck overlays on a signature structure. The objective of this paper is to promote the application of this class of cemen-
titious material in bridge engineering by presenting the progress that has been made in different regions of the world in the past two decades.
Today, UHPC is being widely used in Malaysia to design and construct many bridges of different types and spans as they build out their
roadway network. In South Korea, the unique characteristics of UHPC are being utilized to advance the state-of-the-art in long-span brid-
ges. The French were early adopters and pioneers in building a strong foundation for using UHPC in a variety of bridge applications. In
Switzerland, UHPC is employed to address major bridge rehabilitation needs. The United States bridge sector has embraced UHPC for a
variety of field-cast connections. Current research and development efforts are promoting the use of UHPC in major rehabilitation projects
and construction of primary bridge components. The adoption of UHPC solutions into the bridge sector is progressing rapidly because of
the unique opportunities provided by the strength and durability of the material. It is expected that additional innovations and refinements
of solutions will occur as knowledge of the material proliferates. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0001630. © 2020 American So-
ciety of Civil Engineers.
Author keywords: Ultrahigh-performance concrete; UHPC; UHPFRC; Worldwide adoption; Bridge; Prefabrication; Girders;
Rehabilitation; Field-cast connections; Accelerated bridge construction.

Introduction based on the mechanical and durability properties of conventional

Ultrahigh-performance concrete has proven to be a class of cemen-
titious material capable of addressing a variety of needs in the
bridge sector. For decades, bridge engineering has mainly relied
on conventional concrete and steel as primary construction materi-
als. Reinforced concrete structural design is a mature field; the de-
sign concepts and structural configurations are mainly optimized
1 120 MPa (17.4 ksi); (2) a disconnected pore structure that signifi-
Team Leader—Bridge Engineering Research, U.S. Federal Highway
Administration, McLean, VA 22101 (corresponding author). Email:
benjamin.graybeal@dot.gov
2
Professor and Director of the Structural Maintenance and Safety Lab-
oratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne
CH-1015, Switzerland. Email: eugen.bruehwiler@epfl.ch
3
Senior Research Fellow and Chairman of Korean Peninsular Infra-
structure Special Committee, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and
Building Technology (KICT), Gyeonggi-do 10223, South Korea. Email:
bskim@kict.re.kr
4
Gen. Civ. Eng., Res. Dir., Deputy Head, Materials and Structures De-
partment, Paris-Est-University, French Institute of Science and Technology
for Transport, Development, and Networks (IFSTTAR), Marne-la-Vallée
F-77454, France. Email: francois.toutlemonde@ifsttar.fr
5
CEO and Executive Director—Dura Technology Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
31200; Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney 2351, Australia. Email:
vooyenlei@dura.com.my
6
Associate Professor, Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269. ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2246-2911. Email: arash.esmaili_zaghi@uconn.edu
Note. This manuscript was submitted on December 20, 2019; approved
on June 9, 2020; published online on September 3, 2020. Discussion period
open until January 3, 2021; separate discussions must be submitted for in-
dividual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Bridge Engineering,
© ASCE, ISSN 1084-0702.
concrete. Thus, it is necessary to revise these design specifications
and benefit from opportunities to devise new configurations when a
material with a different set of mechanical and durability character-
istics enters the field.
UHPC-class concretes have performance characteristics that
far exceed those of conventional concretes. Although no strict
definition of UHPC exists worldwide, it is commonly accepted
that UHPC will have (1) a compressive strength greater than
cantly reduces permeability and thus enhances durability; and
(3) sufficient fiber reinforcement to allow for sustained postcrack-
ing tensile resistance that exceeds a minimum cracking strength
of 5 MPa (0.72 ksi). The dry constituents of UHPC are normally
well graded with a high content of cementitious materials and
minimal, if any, aggregates larger than fine sand. UHPC is usually
self-consolidating although this property can be modified with
thickening admixtures (Lowke et al. 2012). As with all concretes,
UHPC must be cured through a method that facilitates the attain-
ment of the desired hardened properties; UHPC curing can range
from ambient field curing to postset steam treatment depending
on the project requirements.
In some parts of the world, UHPC is referred to as ultrahigh-
performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) (Brühwiler
2019), explicitly noting the key role that fibers play in the behavior
of UHPC. UHPC generally contains high-strength steel fibers with
a large length-to-diameter ratio in quantities at or greater than 2%
by volume. Fig. 1 shows example uniaxial stress–strain responses
for a suite of different UHPC formulations reinforced with different
steel fiber types and volumes. The tensile response of UHPC, cap-
tured here through a direct tension test method (Graybeal and Baby
2013), is fundamentally different as compared to the behavior of a

© ASCE 04020094-1 J. Bridge Eng.

J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094


Fig. 1. Uniaxial tensile response of a variety of UHPC formulations
with different fiber reinforcements.
conventional concrete. The characteristics and potential applica-
tions of UHPC reinforced with nonmetal fibers have also been in-
vestigated in several studies (Zohrevand and Mirmiran 2011;
Hannawi et al. 2016). Nevertheless, mixes with nonmetal fibers
have not realized usage within the bridge sector.
Bridge owners have proven that they are willing to embrace
novel solutions that address specific challenges. These challenges
vary depending on the climate, population density, traffic demands,
and age and maturity of the bridge infrastructure within a region.
In regions where the transportation network is forming new con-
nections, UHPC presents opportunities to span longer distances
with robust superstructures while requiring a lesser number of sub-
structures, and prefabricated UHPC components are more easily
transported and assembled, offering advantages in both urban
and remote locales. In regions where increasing traffic demands
overburden the existing network, UHPC presents opportunities to
rebuild bridges with novel solutions that address multiple compet-
ing needs for clearance, capacity, and longevity, while reducing the
cost and time of construction. In regions where the aging and dete-
rioration of bridges is resulting in the need to rehabilitate existing
bridges with minimal disruption to service, UHPC is the source
of novel reconstruction and retrofit solutions that enable extending
the service life of bridges beyond what is currently achievable
using traditional approaches.
This paper synopsizes UHPC-based advancements in bridge en-
gineering in five countries around the world. Each country has been
an advocate of UHPC solutions in tackling local challenges and op-
portunities faced by the bridge owners. Applications range from
minor field-cast closures to precast segments for a long-span bridge
to kilometers-long bridge deck overlays on a signature structure.
The adoption of UHPC solutions into the bridge sector is progress-
ing rapidly, and it is expected that additional innovations and re-
finements of solutions occurs as knowledge of the material
proliferates.
Objective and Scope
The objective of this paper is to synopsize and raise awareness of
the breadth of worldwide advancements in the implementation of
UHPC-class materials in bridge engineering. The dissemination
of this knowledge within the bridge design and construction com-
munity promotes the application of UHPC to advance novel solu-
tions to the challenges in the field of bridge engineering. The five
following sections are dedicated to the countries of Switzerland,
South Korea, France, Malaysia, and the United States of America.
Each section includes background information about the material,
past and current implementations of the UHPC material, and future
challenges and opportunities in the advancement and use of UHPC
© ASCE 04020094-2
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
that are relevant to the region of interest. A brief discussion of
bridge engineering advancements in other countries along with an-
ticipated research and development efforts to address recognized
challenges with UHPC then follows.
UHPC in Bridge Engineering—The Experience in
Switzerland
Background
Implementation of UHPFRC in Switzerland
In Switzerland, the first site application of UHPFRC was the reha-
bilitation of the deck slab of a 10-m (32.8-ft) span road bridge in
2004. Over the following 15 years, the number of UHPFRC appli-
cations has risen to about 150, mostly in the bridge domain. More
than 25 projects are currently in the design or tendering stage.
Based on the area and population of Switzerland, this UHPFRC ap-
plication density may be the highest in the world.
The competitive construction cost compared to traditional meth-
ods is the main reason for these UHPFRC applications, although
increased technical efficiency and improved durability of structures
also are recognized to add value. The following conditions led to
the introduction of UHPFRC in the Swiss bridge construction prac-
tice: (1) high-quality education of both engineers and craftsperson
provides the necessary competence and confidence to follow and
implement novel technological developments, (2) the Swiss Stan-
dard SIA 2052 “UHPFRC” (SIA 2016) provides a regulatory
framework that sets the design and construction requirements in
a concise and easy-to-understand form while leaving enough
room for further developments, and (3) incentives of personal
and financial nature are stimulating. The application of UHPFRC
technology is professionally and personally rewarding.
UHPFRC Material Properties
In Switzerland, UHPFRC refers to a tensile strain hardening,
impermeable, fiber reinforced, cementitious composite material.
UHPFRC has an elastic limit stress and tensile strength of at
least 7 MPa (1.0 ksi) and 9 MPa (1.3 ksi), respectively, with a
strain hardening of at least 0.002. The minimum required compres-
sive strength is 120 MPa (17.4 ksi), while most UHPFRC mixes
have 150 MPa (21.7 ksi). In Switzerland, the market currently of-
fers four different UHPFRC products that exceed these minimum
requirements.
UHPFRC is exceptionally water resistant due to the extremely
high packing density of the particles composing the cementitious
matrix. Tensile strain hardening is provided through the inclusion
of at least 3% (by volume) of straight steel fibers [usually of 13–
15 mm (0.5–0.6 in.) length] with a length-to-diameter ratio of 65
or greater. Strain-hardened UHPFRC remains crack-free under ser-
vice conditions. Consequently, robust UHPFRC layers protect the
severely exposed reinforced concrete elements. UHPFRC is used in
conjunction with reinforcing and prestressing steel to deliver the
requisite structural resistance.
Swiss Standard SIA 2052
By 2013, the number of applications of UHPFRC had increased
significantly in Switzerland, raising the need for a formal set of de-
sign and construction guidance. A working group developed the
UHPFRC standard SIA 2052 that was published in 2016. Two fun-
damental concepts are covered in this standard: (1) enhancement of
existing concrete structures by adding a layer of UHPFRC; and
(2) construction of new structures in UHPFRC.
J. Bridge Eng.
 (a) (b) (c)

Fig. 2. Basic configurations of enhancement of RC bridge decks: (a) UHPFRC layer with protective function only; (b) R-UHPFRC layer with struc-
tural and protective functions; and (c) R-UHPFRC layer is also used to rehabilitate corrosion-damaged existing rebars.

SIA 2052 focuses on tensile strain hardening UHPFRC, and

thus UHPFRC is classified in accordance with its tensile properties.
UHPFRC properties are defined (including test methods for
UHPFRC characterization), basic design provisions are delineated,
and structural detailing and main construction features, including
quality assurance, are specified. Fiber-reinforced concretes, includ-
ing UHPC-class materials with minimal or no fiber reinforcement
or engineered cementitious composites (ECC) are not within the
scope of SIA 2052.
All UHPFRC applications in Switzerland with the enhancement
of structural resistance and durability of bridges have been realized
using tensile strain-hardening UHPFRC. Because of its compara-
tively high labor and machine costs, the UHPFRC material may
cost 30% of the total construction cost. This explains why the in-
creased cost associated with the high fiber content is acceptable
in light of the superior technical performance and marginally in-
Fig. 3. Enhancement of the 330-m-long post-tensioned concrete
creased costs.
road bridge over the Rhine river at Kriessern between Switzerland
and Austria. UHPFRC casting using a finisher. (Image by Eugen
Novel Applications of UHPFRC Brühwiler.)
Enhancement of Existing Bridges by Adding a Layer
of UHPFRC Construction of New UHPFRC Bridges
Reinforced concrete (RC) bridges often show insufficient perfor- The basic approach in designing new bridges in UHPFRC is to
mance in terms of structural resistance and durability when ex- combine assets of steel construction and reinforced concrete con-
posed to severe environmental influences and mechanical struction in order to realize lightweight structures. Targeted use
loadings. Interventions to improve deteriorated RC bridges are of rebars and prestressing tendons, optimized prefabrication or
a heavy burden from a socioeconomic viewpoint. Conventional cast-on-site construction, as well as rapid construction methods,
retrofitting using concrete and repair mortar often is not durable, support attainment of this threshold and limit the construction
and, therefore, novel concepts for the rehabilitation of RC bridges cost to a level that UHPFRC elements now compete with traditional
are needed. construction methods.
The targeted addition of a layer of strain-hardening UHPFRC In addition to three UHPFRC pedestrian bridges recently built
to bridge members enhances the structural resistance and durabil- in Switzerland, the 6-m (19.7-ft) span railway bridge Unterwalden
ity of existing RC bridges (Brühwiler et al. 2015). The basic con- built in 2017 may be the first UHPFRC railway structure (with pas-
cepts as applicable to bridge decks are shown in Fig. 2. This sive reinforcement bars) worldwide on a main railway line (Fig. 4).
application has led to the structural system of composite The main reasons for the use of UHPFRC for this double-track rail-
R-UHPFRC—RC elements. In Switzerland, this rehabilitation way bridge slab were geometric constraints and the possibility to
technology is well proven and accepted by the profession, in design a relatively stiff structure, as well as accelerated construction
part due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of construction since ac-
process and durability. This first application in the railway bridge
celerated interventions are possible.
domain provided valuable experience for future projects. The val-
The UHPFRC bridge deck rehabilitation concept has been dem-
idation process involving several reviewing engineers and thor-
onstrated on many smaller and medium-span bridges as well as
ough suitability testing was more demanding than the bridge
some large-span bridges of common design, i.e., massive slabs,
construction itself.
box girder, and multigirder cross sections (Fig. 3). Rehabilitation
and strengthening of the Chillon Viaducts have received worldwide
attention (Brühwiler and Denarié 2013). Simple analytical formulas Future Research and Development Needs
according to SIA 2052 are sufficient to validate the intervention
concept for a reliable preliminary design. Conventional structural In the field of UHPFRC mixes with steel fibers, the improvement
analysis software is used to validate the design of bridge retrofit of the bond between the steel fibers and the cementitious matrix
projects. These applications show that the significant tensile strain- represents a next step in improving mechanical properties. In addi-
hardening and high tensile strength of the UHPFRC are critical as- tion, additives to reduce shrinkage of the cementitious matrix may
pects of the overall performance of the deployed system. be effective in reducing residual tensile stresses in the UHPFRC

© ASCE 04020094-3 J. Bridge Eng.

J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094

layer of a composite element cast with conventional concrete and
UHPFRC. The next generation of UHPFRC materials may signifi-
cantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption.
Novel UHPFRC mixes are under development; these include re-
placement of a significant part of cement by other powders like
Fig. 4. Railway underpass Unterwalden with a superstructure in
R-UHPFRC resting on concrete abutments. (Image by Eugen Brühwiler.)
Fig. 5. World’s first cable-stayed UHPC pedestrian bridge, constructed
in 2009. (Image by Byung-Suk Kim.)
Fig. 6. World first cable-stayed UHPC road bridge. (Images by Byung-Suk Kim.)
© ASCE
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
limestone filler and the use of synthetic fibers with high modulus
of elasticity (Hajiesmaeili and Denarié 2018).
Future Opportunities Presented by UHPFRC
In the domain of existing bridges, traditional retrofitting of rein-
forced concrete by means of concrete and mortar may be consid-
ered an outdated concept. Today, the UHPFRC technology is
sufficiently developed to rehabilitate, repair, and strengthen dam-
aged RC bridges. The enhancement of existing bridges by
UHPFRC is also more economical and sustainable compared to
the replacement of concrete decks or entire bridges.
Today, UHPFRC technology offers the proven potential to
eliminate the traditional weak points of the still dominant rein-
forced concrete construction. Experience gained through many
completed UHPFRC applications is enabling the reliable applica-
tion of UHPFRC on current and future projects. This potential
shall be exploited for new UHPFRC road and railway bridges.
UHPC in Bridge Engineering—The Experience in
South Korea
Background
In South Korea, UHPC is a cementitious composite containing dis-
crete fibers for postcracking ductility, having minimum characteristic
compressive and tensile strengths of 120 MPa (17.4 ksi) and 7 MPa
(1.0 ksi), respectively. In 2002, South Korea started the development
of UHPC. Since then, it has succeeded in improving its fluidity, ten-
sile strength, and shrinkage performance of the material, as well as its
economic efficiency, to see its application in no less than 16 bridges
by 2020. The world’s first UHPC pedestrian cable-stayed bridge was
erected in 2009 (Fig. 5). In 2012, the design of a UHPC cable-stayed
road bridge was reflected in the turnkey tender of a long-span bridge
to link an island with the continent on the Southern coast of South
Korea. In 2012, a UHPC road bridge was constructed for the very
first time in South Korea. In 2015, the Hawkeye UHPC Bridge
was built in Iowa, USA, concurrently with the Ka Thae Myaung
Bridge in Myanmar using the UHPC technology developed in
South Korea. Finally, the access bridge to the Legoland Theme
Park connected to the Chuncheon Legoland Theme Park, which is
expected to open in May 2021, was completed in 2017 as the first
UHPC cable-stayed road bridge in the world (Fig. 6).
04020094-4 J. Bridge Eng.
 The most important requirements for the application of UHPC
in bridges in South Korea are the economic efficiency and ease
of component fabrication. The economic efficiency is secured by
reducing the fabrication cost of UHPC as well as through the opti-
mal design of the bridge with an economically efficient section. In
addition, the bridge members are fabricated by producing UHPC
through improved methods tailored to the material and specific pro-
ject requirements.
Novel Applications of UHPC
Korea Institute of Civil Engineering & Building Technology
(KICT) started research and development focusing specifically on
the application of UHPC to cable-stayed bridges in 2007, aiming
to overcome the challenge posed by the traditional cost of
UHPC. In a cable-stayed bridge, the cables account for a substantial
part of the construction cost. The size of the cables and foundations
can be dramatically reduced if the weight of the superstructure is
lightened by using UHPC. However, such saving are likely to be
counterbalanced by the additional cost brought by the application
of UHPC. A comparatively small pedestrian bridge was considered
in 2009 in the early stage of the research, and this bridge became
the very first cable-stayed UHPC bridge to be designed and erected
(Fig. 5). The bridge links two buildings of KICT. The bridge was
designed as a cantilevered structure to minimize the demands
placed on the connected buildings. Tuned mass dampers were in-
stalled at the free ends of the cantilevers to improve its serviceabil-
ity in terms of deflection and acceleration. Four UHPC segments
were manufactured in the form of an edge girder with a width of
2.5 m (8.2 ft), a length of 7 m (23 ft), a girder height of 0.3 m
(1 ft), and a deck thickness of 70 mm (2.75 in.) using a UHPC-
specific batch plant. Each of the two cantilevered parts was con-
nected to the buildings by assembling two UHPC segments, and
the equilibrium of the structure was realized by counter blocks
made of normal concrete cast-in-place on the deck. The bridge con-
stitutes the first cable-stayed UHPC bridge in the world, even
though it is a pedestrian bridge having a span length of 18 m (59 ft).
Through continuing research and development on cable-stayed
bridges using UHPC, KICT promoted site applications resulting in
the erection of the Chuncheon Bridge (Fig. 6). The Chuncheon
Bridge, part of the access road to a theme park, was designed to
have a circular pylon that gives it a symbolic significance. The fea-
sibility of this circular pylon relied on the degree of lightening of
the weight of the superstructure. The application of UHPC to ad-
dress this need made it possible to give birth to the first cable-stayed
UHPC road bridge in the world. The bridge has a total length of
970 m (3,182 ft) of which the cable-stayed bridge section occupies
200 m (656 ft) with a width of 29.5 m. A total of 47 segments were
fabricated by match-casting 4-m (13.1-ft) long edge girders with a
height of 1.85 m (6-ft) and a deck thickness of 150 mm (5.9 in.). A
total volume of 2,000 m3 (2,616 yd3) of UHPC was used with
about 40 m3 (52.3 yd3) for each segment. The cable-stayed road
bridge was completed in 2017 after 2 years of construction.
Future Research and Development Needs
Several challenges need to be addressed to facilitate the broader use
of UHPC in bridge construction. First, technology facilitating effi-
cient handling of longitudinal slope or transversal super-elevation
of the superstructure road surface is necessary. When constructing
a relatively thin layer of UHPC on a bridge deck, the thixotropic
characteristics can be exploited; however, the control of the gradi-
ent becomes difficult when large quantities are involved such as for
the construction of the entire deck of the bridge. Moreover,
© ASCE 04020094-5
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
additional research on the loss of the advantage of the tensile
strength of UHPC at the joints in cast-in-place or precast segmental
construction is needed to develop optimal solutions that address the
discontinuity of the steel fibers or the loss of bond strength at
the segment interface. Finally, the critical research should focus
on developing brand-new technology or conceptual forms tailored
to this innovative material, overcoming the current design and con-
struction preconceptions since UHPC is a new material with char-
acteristics drastically different from existing materials. These
efforts will not only secure additional economic advantages but
also create new bridge technologies that engage the advantages
of UHPC.
The Structural Design Guideline of Fiber-Reinforced SUPER
Concrete (KCI 2019) provides designers with provisions and fun-
damental principles necessary for the design of structures. It is
based on substantiated material and member performances using
UHPC with specified compressive strength of 120, 150, and
180 MPa (17.4, 21.75, and 26.1 ksi) and customized for low-cost,
long-life, and improved performance. This guideline was structured
with reference to the KCI Concrete Design Code (2012) and re-
flects the achievements of the project “SUPER Structure 2020”
(KICT 2019) led by the KICT SUPER Concrete Research and
Development Center. Moreover, the guideline was prepared by
comparing and analyzing the latest contents of worldwide research
on UHPC and the structure design codes dedicated to UHPC. The
final version of the guideline was published in 2019 but the interim
version developed by the R&D Center was already applied success-
fully in several projects like the 2015 replacement work of a bridge
in Iowa, USA, the 2015 construction of the Ka Thae Myaung
Bridge in Myanmar, the Chuncheon Bridge in 2017, and the build-
ing of Healing Stay KOSMOS Resort on Ulleung Island in 2017 in
South Korea.
Future Opportunities Presented by UHPC
The construction market in South Korea experienced steep growth
since the early 2000s with the erection of long-span bridges with
main span length longer than 200 m (650 ft) starting with Seohae
Bridge (470 m, 1,542 ft) in 2001 and followed by Incheon Bridge
(800 m, 2,625 ft) in 2009, Geoga Bridge (475 m, 1,558 ft) in 2010,
Mokpo Bridge (500 m, 1,640 ft) in 2012, and Cheonsa Bridge
(650 m, 2,132 ft) in 2019. However, the recent stagnation of the
global economy resulted in some shrinking of the market due to
the reduction of new infrastructure construction in South Korea.
The South Korean long-span bridge market which grew fivefold
from 0.5 trillion KRW (South Korean Won) in the 1990s to 4.5 tril-
lion KRW in the 2000s is expected to be one trillion KRW in 2025.
In this bridge market forecast, SUPER Concrete (UHPC) technol-
ogy has the strong potential for satisfying the growing public de-
mand for safety while meeting the aesthetic sense of the
population in terms of functionality, durability, slenderness, and
artistry. In such a point of view, UHPC is likely to share more
than 20% in the whole long-span bridge market.
SUPER Concrete solves the inconvenience of maintenance and
aesthetic limitations of the traditional steel and concrete materials
and is an innovative technology that can satisfy the demand of es-
thetics, accelerated construction, longevity, spatial availability,
minimal maintenance, and carbon reduction to be a major consid-
eration for future bridge structures. The application of SUPER
Concrete technology is envisaged for the hypothetical construction
of the Bridge of Peace to cross the demilitarized zone between
South and North Korea. In such circumstances, SUPER Concrete
bears a new meaning as a symbol of reconciliation and peace
through the exchange of construction technology in the Korean
J. Bridge Eng.
peninsula. Going further, SUPER Concrete will also contribute to
enhancing the image of construction technology and in securing
the performance of aging infrastructure via the application of accel-
erated strengthening and replacement technologies using SUPER
Concrete in the retrofit of the degraded infrastructure anywhere
that it is needed.
UHPC in Bridge Engineering—The Experience
in France
Background
In France, ultrahigh-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC)
emerged through combined research and development efforts of sev-
eral contractors, intensive collective trends at the French national
level to extend and improve concrete science and technology, and
benefits of a French national R&D consortium. After the act of
birth proclaimed by Richard and Cheyrezy (1994) to the American
Concrete Institute, UHPFRC was first deployed in France in the
1996–1998 timeframe. This first application consisted of over
2,600 prestressed beams for a refurbishment operation of the support-
ing structure of cooling exchange devices in the Cattenom nuclear
power plant (Birelli 2011). Shortly after, UHPFRC applicability in
typical bridge structures was demonstrated for two overpasses at
Bourg-lès-Valence, the durability of which has been checked after
10 years (Toutlemonde et al. 2013b). With this prototype road bridge
implementation, built within the frame of a competition launched by
the French Direction des Routes (National Highways Authority), two
major achievements were reached: optimization of the deck consist-
ing of thin prestressed Pi-shaped beams, and demonstration of the
fiber capacity within UHPFRC to substitute conventional transverse
reinforcement. From this experience and the associated R&D back-
ground, Interim Recommendations were published by the French As-
sociation for Civil Engineering in 2002 (AFGC 2002), providing the
basic principles for the structural use of UHPFRC and facilitating the
further exploration of UHPFRC for use in bridge engineering.
Henceforth, UHPFRC mixes appropriate for structural applica-
tion in France were defined to have a characteristic compressive
strength higher than 150 MPa (21.7 ksi), a sufficient postcracking
capacity given by metallic fibers that provide at least to a character-
istic hardening response under bending, thus possibly dispensing
with secondary reinforcement, and durability characteristics at
least one order of magnitude better than the best concrete mixes
covered by present design codes, typically 110-MPa (16-ksi) con-
cretes. This combination corresponds to the type-S UHPFRC,
(a)
Fig. 7. Passerelle des Anges (Angels’ Footbridge), with (a) overall structure (Image courtesy of Agence Rudy Ricciotti); and (b) segment before
installation and post-tensioning. (Image courtesy of Lafarge France.)
© ASCE 04020094-6
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
which constitutes the scope of the NF P18-710 (AFNOR
2016b) standard Eurocode national addition for the design of con-
crete structures—specific rules for UHPFRC. The NF P18-470
(AFNOR 2016a) and NF P18-451 (AFNOR 2018) standards for
material specification and execution of structures, respectively,
also cover lower strength UHPFRC [yet still above 130 MPa
(18.9 ksi) compressive strength], or UHPC with organic fibers
for nonstructural use (although the nonbrittleness rule still ap-
plies) whose development and first application took place some
10 years after the type-S UHPFRC class of materials.
Novel Applications of UHPFRC
Structural applications of UHPFRC for bridges have explored record-
breaking slender shapes for footbridges, such as braced post-tensioned
side-beams for the Passerelle des Anges (Mazzacane et al. 2011)
(Fig. 7), and for the MuCEM (Mazzacane et al. 2013) in Marseille
or at the Cannet-des-Maures (Pastor et al. 2017). Lightness, simple ex-
ecution, and architectural appeal and versatility appear as decisive ad-
vantages; however, control of vibrations may become critical. The
feasibility of optimized conventional shapes was demonstrated for
road bridges, such as the prestressed box-girder bridge known as La
Chabotte, overpassing A51 motorway without requiring any central
support (Delauzun et al. 2011). Concomitant studies of optimized two-
way ribbed slabs (Tavakoli et al. 2011), which could constitute the
deck of light steel–concrete composite bridges turned out technically
successful; however, cost-efficiency has still not been demonstrated
due to possibly expensive molding requirements.
The most noticeable structural optimization that has been re-
peatedly deployed in a cost-efficient manner consists of ITE®
beams (inverted T-shaped beams with widened flange) (Hajar
et al. 2011), which form the lower part of a bridge deck with advan-
tages of stiffness, durability, and ease of erection. These factors are
highly appreciated when the operation of the passageway below the
bridge is critical. A remarkable implementation has been done for
the La République Bridge in Montpellier (Ricciotti et al. 2017),
where this solution for a light deck has been associated with thin
slant legs giving a sense of elegance and transparency (Fig. 8).
The structural capacity of thin UHPFRC slabs has been investi-
gated for rehabilitation operations of degraded steel bridges. This
may constitute a significant market due to age and condition of
this infrastructure asset segment. This solution could be used as a
stiff overlay to reduce fatigue sensitivity of an orthotropic deck
(Hajar et al. 2013) or as prefabricated slabs replacing (with reduced
weight) degraded brick vaults and pavement layers in a bridge deck
rehabilitation operation (Jaffrelo 2017) (Fig. 9).
(b)
J. Bridge Eng.
Future Research and Development Needs
Given the availability of French UHPFRC recommendations (from
2002, revised in 2013) and of French standards (from 2016 to
2018), which cover structural design, material specification, and
execution of structures, restrictions to UHPFRC application in brid-
ges may not be first caused by the lack of research results and the
technical reference frame. To be considered are also owners’ and
designers’ education, which may still take time for dissemination,
difficulties in the supply chain efficiency—especially for small
quantities, missing integration of cost-efficient placement, and con-
trol processes in relation to optimized structural shapes. Successful
(a)
(b)
Fig. 8. La République Bridge in Montpellier, France, with (a) overall
structure (Image courtesy of Agence Rudy Ricciotti); and (b) slant col-
umns and ITE® beams from below. (Image courtesy of François
Toutlemonde.)
(a)
Fig. 9. Thouaré-sur-Loire Bridge re-decked using UHPC slabs, with (a) completed bridge; and (b) precast slab positioning. (Images courtesy of Loire
Atlantique Council.)
© ASCE 04020094-7
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
UHPFRC application often requires control of early-age issues,
which may have more critical consequences than for conventional
concrete. While understanding and control of these early-age cou-
pled chemical and mechanical phenomena may be common (Sorelli
et al. 2012), they may still be insufficiently recognized and ac-
counted for among the stakeholders.
Moreover, further research is needed concerning structural duc-
tility and associated detailing provisions for the use of UHPFRC in
seismic engineering (Marchand et al. 2019). Nonconventional
placement techniques, such as shotcreting that are specially devel-
oped for steel culverts rehabilitation (Huynh et al. 2017) or 3D
printing, could also lead to fruitful solutions for structural repair.
Documented durability under realistic, especially under severe
and long-term exposure conditions (Toutlemonde et al. 2010)
and verified relationships between such results and durability indi-
ces measurable from short-term laboratory tests would be of high
value to further encourage UHPFRC application in aggressive
civil engineering environments. Finally, although it may be more
beneficial toward UHPFRC application in buildings, clarified sci-
entific knowledge of UHPFRC response to fire would constitute
an important advancement (Pimienta et al. 2011).
Future Opportunities Presented by UHPFRC
The present UHPFRC market in France is dominated by building
components such as façade cladding elements or roofing panels.
An increasing domain concerns urban furniture and equipment.
Mineral aspect, durability, low deformability, architectural versatil-
ity, lightness, and limited aggregate consumption are key advan-
tages. Extension of this semistructural domain to bridges may
include noise or safety barriers and panels, hollow piles or profiles
for foundations, or precast external components for easy-to-assemble
light bridges (Brugeaud 2013). The availability of such components
may help advance cost-efficient and durable solutions for bridge con-
struction, even though these applications may be perceived as less
sophisticated than the use of UHPFRC in primary bridge elements.
Lightness, made possible by the intrinsic load-bearing capac-
ity, and inducing reduced erection costs and limited impact on ex-
isting structures is a decisive advantage of UHPFRC solutions for
structural renovation (Thibaux 2011), including bridge strength-
ening and/or widening. Typical high-profile applications, which
concern important and sensitive parts of the roads and railways
infrastructure network, include a combination of UHPFRC with
additional post-tensioning for concrete viaducts (Cousin et al.
2017) and the stiffening of fatigue-sensitive steel bridges
(Toutlemonde et al. 2013a). Moreover, while construction of
(b)
J. Bridge Eng.
new road bridges may tend to be limited given the mature nature (19.6 ksi) for cubes. Hardened UHPC has excellent durability in
of roadway and railway network construction, increasing terms of freeze–thaw resistance, water absorption, chloride perme-
development of urban mobility may lead to new opportunities ability, and abrasion resistance. Fig. 10 shows the common types of
for UHPC in terms of mass transport infrastructure, e.g., metro UHPC bridge beams used in Malaysia. They are four types: Type 1,
viaducts (Montens et al. 2017), as well as building structures UHPC decked I-beam; Type 2, UHPC I- or U-beam with conven-
overcrossing intensively operated highways or railway lanes. tional concrete composite deck; Type 3, UHPC box girder; and
One other notable concept is the use of UHPFRC for roofing of Type 4, UHPC trough U-girder.
large halls (Mimram et al. 2017) and complex buildings, for
which bridge engineering techniques in combination with
Novel Applications of UHPC
UHPFRC performance could find extended applications.
Fig. 11 illustrates the historical count of UHPC bridges constructed
in Malaysia. The first UHPC composite road bridge was con-
structed in 2010 crossing Sungai Linggi. It had a 50-m (164-ft)
UHPC in Bridge Engineering—The Experience in
long precast/prestressed U-girder that was made composite with a
Malaysia
4.5-m (14.6-ft) wide, 200-mm (7.9-in.) thick reinforced concrete
(RC) deck, as shown in Fig. 10 as Type 2A. It was followed by
Background the Sungai Nerok Bridge at Perak, which had three 30-m (98-ft)
spans and a 15-m (49-ft) width. Thirty UHPC decked bulb-tee
Malaysia appears to be the country with the largest number of com-
pleted UHPC bridge superstructures in the world. More than 120
UHPC bridges have been built since the year 2010. The UHPC ma-
terial used in Malaysia is a structural grade, intended for use in pre-
cast, pretensioned, or post-tensioned concrete flexural members.
This UHPC is a proprietary product produced by a company that
provides engineered solutions. The UHPC consists of portland
cement-based materials optimized using particle packing theory
to develop a 28-day minimum characteristic compressive strength
of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi) for cylinders or 155 MPa (22.5 ksi) for
cubes, and with high strength, high aspect ratio steel fibers that re-
sult in a minimum characteristic first and postcracking tensile
strengths 7 MPa (1 ksi) and 8 MPa (1.16 ksi), respectively. The
material has excellent postcracking strain hardening, ductility,
and toughness. Cast-in-place UHPC, which is generally used to
fill connections between precast components, has been produced
Fig. 11. Cumulative number of UHPC bridges and bridge deck area
as well. It has a 28-day minimum characteristic compressive
(1 m2 = 10.8 ft2).
strength of 120 MPa (17.4 ksi) for cylinders and 135 MPa

Fig. 10. Typical UHPC bridge types used in Malaysia. (Dimensions in millimeters. 25.4 mm = 1 in.)

© ASCE 04020094-8 J. Bridge Eng.

J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094

girders (Type 1 in Fig. 10) were used. The bridge was completed in
2012. The Rantau-Siliau Bridge had a single span of 52 m (171 ft)
and a width of 18.3 m (60 ft). Five pieces of UHPC U-beams (Type
2A in Fig. 10) were used. The bridge was completed in 2014. The
longest single-span road bridge using UHPC segmental box girder
(Type 3 in Fig. 10) was the 100-m (328-ft) span crossing Sungai
Perak that was built in 2015. The current longest bridge is a
10-span UHPC road bridge crossing an estuary between Kampung
Baharu and Kampung Teluk at Ayer Tawar, Perak, that is a 420-m
(1,378-ft)-long U-girder bridge (Type 2A in Fig. 10). This bridge
was completed in 2016. Early endeavors in the exploitation of
UHPC bridge technology have been motivated by government
agencies as demonstration projects intended to encourage further
implementation. Recently, the governmental bodies from multilev-
els and the private sector are increasingly adopting UHPC as stan-
dard practice, in the belief that UHPC technology embraces a more
complete solution for sustainable construction with favorable life
cycle values.
Since 2016, the number of UHPC bridges has continued to in-
crease steadily (see Fig. 11, dotted line). Interestingly, the sizes
of the UHPC bridges have increased exponentially (see Fig. 11,
solid line). This indicates new bridges built in recent years are get-
ting larger and longer, implying increasing confidence in the tech-
nology. Statistics show that, since 2010, approximately 96.8% (by
size) of the UHPC bridges are owned by government agencies
whereas the remaining 3.2% are privately owned. The Public
Works Department (PWD) has the biggest share at 56.7%, fol-
lowed by the Water and Irrigation Department at 11.4%, and the
remaining 28.7% is owned by other government agencies. The
pie chart in Fig. 11 shows the most popular type of UHPC bridge
used in the country is Type 2, where the precast/prestressed girders
are manufactured using structural Grade 140/155 UHPC and the
bridge deck is cast in situ with Grade 32/40 conventional concrete.
Among all the precast/prestressed UHPC beams, 61% have been
segmental girders which were assembled near the job site using
post-tensioning. The remaining 39% were precast pretensioned
beams which were prefabricated in a factory.
In 2017, the Malaysia PWD through its road department and
bridge design teams designed and tendered a UHPC-RC composite
bridge named Kampung Manong Bridge crossing Sungai Perak lo-
cated at Perak State. Construction of the Manong Bridge started in
Fig. 12. Completed Manong Bridge in Malaysia. (Image by Yen Lei Voo.)
© ASCE 04020094-9
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
the middle of 2017 and was completed in 2019 (Fig. 12). The Man-
ong Bridge consists of five spans with a total length of 308 m
(1,010 ft) and a total width of 11.5 m (37.7 ft). Each span consists
of three UHPC U-girders and topped with a 200-mm (7.9-in.)-thick
cast in-situ RC deck. The RC deck will be covered with 50-mm
(2-in.)-thick asphalt wearing surface. The first and fifth spans are
45-m (148-ft) long, whereas the second to fourth spans are 70-m
(230-ft) long. The UHPC used for the U-girder has a characteristic
compressive strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi) and a characteristic
postcracking tensile strength of 8 MPa (1.16 ksi). The composite
bridge was designed as a simply supported span and is supported
on elastomeric bearing pads. The RC deck was continuous through-
out the five spans. Each 70-m (230-ft) precast UHPC post-
tensioned U-girder consists of 12 segments: 2 anchorage end seg-
ments, 5-m (16.4-ft) long and weigh 15.7 t each; 2 anchorage
end-internal segments, 6-m (19.7-ft) long and weigh 18.2 t each;
and 8 internal segments, 6-m (19.7-ft) long and weigh 15 t each.
The U-girder consists of two 125-mm (4.9-in.)-thick webs and a
100-mm (3.9-in)-thick bottom flange. They are post-tensioned
with six external tendons of 27K15 strands and two internal ten-
dons of 7K15 strands at the top flanges to ensure the joints are al-
ways in compression during prestress transfer and service stages.
No tensile stress is permitted in any of the joints. The strands
used are a seven-wire, low-relaxation type with a diameter of
15.24 mm (0.6 in.) with a minimum breaking load of 260 kN
(58.5 kips) per strand. All the tendons were stressed to 75% of
the breaking load. 5% of the prestressing force is taken as immedi-
ate losses during stressing.
Unlike conventional concrete beams, UHPC girders do not have
any shear reinforcement at any part of their thin webs. There are
only busting rebars at the anchorage zones and horizontal shear re-
inforcement at the interface between the top flanges and to the cast
in situ deck.
Future Research and Development Needs
Ten years have passed since the start of UHPC bridge construction
in Malaysia. The track record is very positive. However, there is a
need to further optimize the design and performance of the current
UHPC U-girder sections. The current precast and post-tensioned
girders were mainly assembled with internal tendons, which were
J. Bridge Eng.
grouted and then formed a full bonding with the UHPC section. It
seems feasible to reduce the bottom flange thickness of the current
U-girder by 50%, from the current thicknesses that range from 200
to 250 mm (7.9 to 9.8 in.). The current thickness of the flange is
needed to provide sufficient cover for the internal tendons. The cur-
rent design shows that under the service limit state condition, the
maximum compressive stresses due to the full post-tensioning
forces at the bottom flange are approximately 30 MPa (4.4 ksi),
whereas the allowable stress limit in compression is 0.6 times the
characteristic compressive strength, which is equal to 84 MPa
(12.2 ksi). Designers have yet to fully utilize the high compressive
strength of UHPC. By reducing the bottom flange thickness by
50%, the stresses increase to approximately 60 MPa (8.7 ksi),
which still remains below the allowable stress limits.
If the tendons are placed outside the bottom flange, a separate
issue may arise. Under the current code requirements, the design
moment resistance of a composite section with unbonded external
tendons loses about 15%–20% of the capacity compared to a sec-
tion with fully bonded/grouted internal tendons. This is a signifi-
cant drawback as more tendons may be needed in order to
achieve the equivalent flexural capacity. Research is underway to
ensure that the external tendons can achieve near the full capacity
of bonded tendons. The work focuses on special detailing of the de-
viators along each girder segment. The deviator spacing is 6 m
(19.7 ft) according to design standards to ensure that the external
tendon meets the vibration survivability requirements. For a
70-m (229.6-ft) span, 11 internal deviators are required, which
could potentially be utilized as full anchorage points when the de-
tailing takes full advantage of UHPC properties.
In Malaysia, guidelines from Europe are commonly accepted for
design. Local guidance is developed from a mix of international
recommendations and the domestic experience from full-scale test-
ing. Government agencies have adopted these methods and used
them for internal designs.
UHPC in Bridge Engineering—The Experience in the
United States
Background
The highway bridge community in the United States has been
central to the broader advancement in the use of UHPC throughout
the country. Since the early 2000s, research, development, and
technology transfer activities have steadily advanced the state of
knowledge and deployment of UHPC technology. With prior expe-
riences in Europe as the springboard and the importation of com-
mercial UHPC-class materials that were developed elsewhere, the
critical path activities initially focused on assessing basic structural
performance attributes and working with bridge owners to deter-
mine how UHPC-class materials could address their needs
[FHWA-HRT-06-103 (Graybeal 2006a); FHWA-HRT-06-115
(Graybeal 2006b)].
By 2008, it was clear that UHPC had great potential in the
bridge sector, but that the potential was unlikely to be realized un-
less a broad cross section of the community became technically
proficient in fundamental aspects of UHPC materials, structural
design, construction, and performance assessment. Expectedly,
most bridge owners perceived an objectionable level of risk in
association with the optimized use of UHPC in primary structural
elements. To capture the opportunity and advance the requisite
knowledge base, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) embarked on a multiyear effort to, through research-based
solutions, advance the use of UHPC as a field-cast grout to create
© ASCE 04020094-10
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
robust connections between prefabricated bridge elements. There
was, and remains, a significant need for accelerated bridge con-
struction methodologies with prefabricated elements coming into
common usage; however, the existing connection systems for
these elements tended to be difficult to construct and less robust
than the connected components. UHPC offered an opportunity to
create simple connections whose performance would not be the
weak link in the long-term performance of the structure. Key find-
ings of these efforts are presented in Graybeal (2014) and Haber
and Graybeal (2018a).
Central to the use of UHPC in field-cast connections are the
short reinforcing bar development lengths associated with UHPC
and the exceptional durability that UHPC delivers. The tensile re-
sponse of UHPC, with high cracking strength and sustained post-
cracking strength, allows UHPC to provide passive confinement
around embedments and thus reduce the need for long embedments
or supplemental confinement. The durability of UHPC addresses a
weakness common to traditional field-cast grouts wherein these
grouts are more permeable and less resilient than the prefabricated
components that they connect.
Through working with early adopters, most notably the
New York State Department of Transportation, and building on
the work of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, FHWA devel-
oped connection design and construction guidance in 2014 and up-
dated the guidance in 2019 [FHWA-HRT-19-011 (FHWA 2019)].
To date, more than 250 bridges in the U.S. use UHPC in their struc-
ture, and more importantly, more than 30 State Departments of
Transportation have begun integrating UHPC into their toolbox
of solutions. A map showing North American bridges containing
UHPC is provided in Fig. 13. As a result of this effort, materials
experts, designers, consultants, construction contractors, and own-
ers across the U.S. are becoming experienced in the nuances of
UHPC. This was a necessary step in the progression toward the
widespread use of UHPC in more sophisticated applications.
Although there is no established set of required characteristics
for UHPC in the U.S., this material is traditionally referred to as
a cementitious material with an optimized gradation of granular
constituents with a water-to-cementitious materials ratio less than
0.25 that includes a high percentage of discontinuous fiber rein-
forcement. The discontinuous pore structure of the material reduces
permeability, which significantly enhances the durability of the
material. The expected mechanical properties of UHPC include
compressive strength greater than 150 MPa (21.7 ksi) and sus-
tained postcracking tensile strength greater than 5 MPa (0.72 ksi)
(FHWA 2019).
Emerging Solutions
The initial promise of UHPC technology has remained intact, and
the growth of use has created opportunities to advance other bridge-
related applications. Two notable emerging solutions are the use of
UHPC for the rehabilitation of deteriorated bridges and the use of
UHPC for the construction of primary structural components. Re-
habilitation solutions address one of the most significant needs in
the U.S. bridge sector: robust, rapid repairs that can extend the ser-
vice life of the overall structure. Primary structural components,
e.g., bridge girders, piles, and pier caps, are a compelling solution
given the changes to structural configuration that can come from
the use of the unique mechanical and durability properties of UHPC.
One rehabilitation solution gaining traction in the U.S. adopts
the bridge deck overlay concept advanced in Switzerland and dis-
cussed elsewhere in this paper. Four overlays have been installed in
the U.S. to date with the first being in Iowa (Haber et al. 2018b)
(Fig. 14). Owners, particularly those who are dissatisfied with
J. Bridge Eng.
 Fig. 13. UHPC bridges in the U.S. and much of Canada through 2019. (Map data from Esri, HERE, Garmin, NGA, USGS.)
Fig. 14. One of the early implementations of UHPC overlay repair in
2016 in Iowa. (Image by Benjamin Graybeal.)
Fig. 15. Detail of UHPC link-slab developed by the New York Depart-
ment of Transportation.
© ASCE 04020094-11
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
existing options for bridge deck replacements and the associated
construction and user costs, are beginning to specify UHPC over-
lays to rehabilitate decks that would otherwise be rehabilitated
through conventional means or replaced within a few years. An-
other promising rehabilitation solution is the replacement of exist-
ing expansion joints with UHPC link slabs (Graybeal 2017). The
high maintenance costs of expansion joints in simple-span bridges,
along with the structural degradation that comes from expansion
joint failures, are pushing bridge owners to consider the use of
UHPC as a semistructural element that spans the expansion joint
location without attracting significant load or exhibiting objection-
able distress (Fig. 15). New York State DOT has constructed more
than a dozen link slabs (Scarlata 2019). A third rehabilitation sol-
ution stems from the need to repair deteriorated steel girder ends
located under failed expansion joints (Fig. 16). Encasing the
corrosion-damaged girder ends in UHPC allows for an alternate
load path that bypasses the localized corrosion; this solution offers
simplicity and cost-competitiveness as compared to traditional steel
beam end repair techniques (Zmetra et al. 2017; Hain et al. 2019;
McMullen and Zaghi 2020).
The concept of using UHPC in primary structural components is
gaining traction in the U.S. The most significant hurdle has always
been the lack of structural design guidance for this class of material.
Due to the higher cost of constituent materials, UHPC-class prod-
ucts are more expensive than conventional concrete. Thus, struc-
tural applications requiring large volumes of UHPC must afford
quantifiable advantages that offset the higher direct initial mate-
rial costs. It is commonly expected that the UHPC component
would be structurally optimized to make use of the unique tensile
and compressive strengths of UHPC and reduced need for
durability-related cover concrete. Advantages can also be ob-
tained from the optimal design of components that facilitate
more efficient construction through benefits such as easier trans-
portation to site and easier installation.
In recent years, FHWA has been building on its earlier work on
UHPC structural components [Graybeal 2006b; PB2009-115496
(Graybeal 2009)] to advance the state of the practice through exe-
cution of research aimed at developing structural design guidance
for prestressed and reinforced concrete elements. This effort is
J. Bridge Eng.
 (a) (b)
Fig. 16. Use of UHPC for the repair of deteriorated bridge girder ends in Connecticut in 2019: (a) girder end preparation; (b) formwork; and (c)
completed repair. (Images by Arash Zaghi.)
Fig. 17. Shear testing of a pretensioned UHPC bridge girder at the U.S.
Federal Highway Administration. (Image by Benjamin Graybeal.)
being completed in conjunction with the American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Commit-
tee on Bridges and Structures, with the goal being to draft a guid-
ance specification that allows for the use of UHPC in bridge
components. To support these analytical proposals, FHWA and
others are executing full-scale component tests to assess structural
performance in relation to flexure, beam shear, interface shear, re-
inforcement and strand development, girder end zone stresses, and
common fabrication considerations (Graybeal and El-Helou 2019;
El-Helou and Graybeal 2019). Fig. 17 shows a pretensioned bridge
girder being tested in shear. It is anticipated that the design guid-
ance will be delivered to AASHTO for approval in early 2021.
Outlook
As UHPC knowledge has become more widespread, the breadth of
innovative concepts and applications has begun to expand. The
bridge sector in the U.S. is large, with over 610,000 bridges, a
wide range of climatic conditions, a largely complete road network
with bridges whose average age is nearing the projected service
life, and a decentralized decision-making process that can facilitate
the experimental use of novel solutions. It is fully expected the
UHPC will continue to be used in field-cast connections and will
© ASCE 04020094-12
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
(c)
become a common tool to address specific bridge rehabilitation
needs. The formal structural design guidance will facilitate broader
design and construction of UHPC components.
The expansive opportunities in the U.S., combined with the
willingness to innovate, are already generating novel concepts
that may prove to be disruptive to the existing market. Two exam-
ples are in friction piles and segmental bridge construction. In some
jurisdictions with marginal soils and deep bedrock, friction piles are
used in large quantities and their installation becomes a major cost
on bridge construction projects. The use of UHPC, even if only
used as a one-for-one replacement of conventional concrete in a
prestressed pile, can allow for significantly faster driving due to im-
proved mechanical properties to say nothing of the increased pile
longevity as a result of the durability of UHPC. On projects with
thousands of piles in a wet construction site, increased pile driving
efficiency could change manpower and equipment calculations to
the extent that UHPC is the first-cost preference.
The use of segmental concrete bridges, although a market leader
for certain span lengths, has been hampered by the heavy segments
and congested reinforcement configurations required by the perfor-
mance attributes of conventional concrete in these dead load domi-
nant structures. UHPC could revolutionize the design of these
segments such that they are lighter, contain less reinforcing bars,
and require less post-tensioning. Collectively, these design refine-
ments could create pathways for longer, lighter, and more cost-
efficient segmental bridges. It is also possible that concepts being ad-
vanced in Malaysia and discussed elsewhere in this paper could
allow segmental bridge usage to penetrate shorter span ranges that
have traditionally been filled by girder bridges in the U.S.
Other Notable Worldwide Uses of UHPC in Bridge
Engineering
Beyond the five countries previously discussed in greater detail, a
number of other countries are embracing UHPC technology as a
solution to myriad opportunities in bridge engineering. The paths
toward implementation and the progress to date vary widely, as
demonstrated by the following examples. The Canadians, after pi-
oneering work with the Sherbrooke footbridge (Aïtcin and Richard
1996), led early innovative efforts in using UHPC for field-cast
J. Bridge Eng.
connections (see Fig. 13) and have recently published material and
structural design guidance as part of their bridge design specifica-
tion [CAN/CSA A23.1:19 (CSA 2019a); CAN/CSA S6:19 (CSA
2019b)]. The Japanese also developed structural design guidance
(JSCE 2006) and have completed unique bridge and bridge-like
projects (Tanaka et al. 2011) including using UHPC for strengthen-
ing and rehabilitation of existing bridges (Saito et al. 2019). In
Colombia, the focus has been on engaging the unique properties
of UHPC to allow the construction of initial pedestrian and
highway bridges (Núñez et al. 2019).
In addition to Switzerland and France, UHPC has been applied
in bridge construction in several other European countries. In
Germany, a multispan pedestrian bridge (Fehling et al. 2011), a
railway bridge (Schramm and Fischer 2018), and a road bridge
have been constructed (Pelke et al. 2018), and a major investment
by their national-level research funding agency led to the comple-
tion of a suite of fundamental studies (Schmidt et al. 2017). In the
Czech Republic, the deck of the 242-m (794-ft)-long cable-stayed
pedestrian bridge over the Labe River near Prague has been built in
UHPC in 2014 (Coufal et al. 2016), and several smaller bridge ap-
plications have been realized including an original double curva-
ture structure for a footbridge (Kolisko et al. 2017). In Spain,
several footbridges have been built, including a 245-m
(804-ft)-long pedestrian bridge (Lopez et al. 2016). In Austria,
the 70-m (230-ft) span arch of the Wild Bridge (Reichel et al.
2011) and the truss-like through girder Paulifurt Bridge (Olipitz
2015) were constructed with UHPC. A number of novel bridge
construction and bridge rehabilitation projects, including UHPC
overlays to strengthen orthotropic steel decks and UHPC deck pan-
els to replace a wooded deck, have been completed in the Nether-
lands (Nalta and Graaff 2017; Buitelaar 2017).
Some of the most rapid proliferation of UHPC usage in the
bridge sector is occurring in China (Chen et al. 2016). An example
is the use of UHPC in a composite steel-UHPC decking system of
the type commonly used on long-span bridges. Beginning in 2011,
this concept has been deployed at least 30 times on a variety of
bridge types across 12 provinces (Shao et al. 2019). Additionally,
research-based efforts in China are advancing new superstructure
solutions with UHPC girder and deck systems (Qiu et al. 2020;
Qi et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2018).
Research and Development to Address Current
Challenges
The worldwide advancement of UHPC technology has been collec-
tively supported by numerous relatively independent, local re-
search, and development efforts. As this technology matures and
is engaged by a broader audience, significant applied engineering
research efforts will be necessary both to standardize the usage of
UHPC and to refine emerging solutions. The emerging solutions
are traditionally easier to address since they have inherent champi-
ons willing to invest in the required research with the expectation of
a near-term return. Standardization of UHPC usage requires greater
foresight and coordination since the return on investment is shared,
and the time horizon is longer. It is envisioned that research-based
standardization efforts over the next decade will emphasize the de-
velopment of test methods that define key UHPC parameters, as-
sessment of structural-scale responses that are key to the design
of any structure, and refinement of construction methodologies
that enable efficient use of UHPC. Through research and develop-
ment activities, challenges such as anisotropic mechanical proper-
ties associated with fiber dispersion and orientation, the transition
to strain-based structural design concepts for reinforced concrete,
© ASCE 04020094-13
J. Bridge Eng., 2020, 25(11): 04020094
and the conservative detailing of structural elements to ensure ap-
propriate behavior at service and ultimate limit states can be ad-
dressed. Additional challenges related to the durability and
service life prediction of UHPC in aggressive environments, as
well as the near and long-term cost–benefit relationship of UHPC
solutions, can also be addressed since UHPC can enhance bridge
construction in terms of sustainability.
Summary and Conclusions
UHPC has proven to be a compelling solution that addresses varied
needs in the bridge sector worldwide. Bridge engineering and con-
struction are mature and relatively stable, yet are facing significant
challenges related to limited funding and a public expectation that
bridges can be constructed quickly with minimal impact to users
and will last almost indefinitely without the need for significant
maintenance. UHPC, with its unique mechanical and durability
properties that far exceed those commonly available with conven-
tional concrete, creates opportunities for novel structural designs
and robust rehabilitation solutions.
The bridge sectors of five countries were discussed herein. Each
has progressed differently based on varied needs, perceived chal-
lenges, regulatory requirements, and recognized opportunities.
Switzerland has placed greater emphasis on rehabilitation solu-
tions, while France has focused on creating a strong technical foun-
dation for any solution that the sector may need. South Korea is
emphasizing signature bridge solutions, while Malaysia is embrac-
ing UHPC for the new construction of medium-span bridges. The
U.S. has systematically grown a knowledge base among owners
through the use of field-cast bridge component connections; it is
now moving toward the use of UHPC in primary components
and in rehabilitation scenarios. As the use of UHPC advances
worldwide, bridge owners and users will continue to benefit from
the unique solutions that are developed and refined.
Data Availability Statement
Data supporting the findings of this study are available from the
corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The drafting of this paper was led by Graybeal and Zaghi. The
Swiss portion was authored by Brühwiler. The South Korean por-
tion was authored by Kim. The French portion was authored by
Toutlemonde. The Malaysian portion was authored by Voo. All au-
thors acknowledge that, although serving as informal representa-
tives of their respective countries, the knowledge that they have
presented is indicative of broader advancements efforts in their
local regions.
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