High-Performance Concrete

 

The Conco Companies have extensive experience using different types of concrete to meet the demands of a project.  One form of concrete we use is high-performance concrete (HPC).  It is specifically designed to be more durable and/or stronger than standard concrete.  The American Concrete Institute (ACI) defines high-performance concrete as “meeting special combinations of performance and uniformity requirements that cannot always be achieved routinely using conventional constituents and normal mixing, placing, and curing practices.” 

 

While a mixture for HPC basically contains the same materials as conventional concrete, the difference is in the proportion of the materials added to give the concrete the required strength and durability.  HPC mixtures must meet structure demands as well as the environmental conditions of the project and typically use materials other than just cement to achieve the desired results.  The materials used for the mixtures are flyash, ground blast furnace slag, or microsilica fume.

 

Not all high-strength concrete is high performance.  Since HPC is used in the construction of bridge decks and highways it must contain properties such as high density, low permeability and resistance to environmental conditions.  The Federal Highway Administration says that the performance benefits of HPC are ease of placement and consolidation without affecting strength, long-term mechanical properties, early high strength, volume stability, and longer life in severe environments.  They add that the cost benefits are less material and fewer beams reduced maintenance, and an extended life cycle.   

The ACI states that HPC has a specified compressive strength of 8000 psi (55 MPa) or greater.  They add that, “The value of 8000 psi (55 MPa) was selected because it represented a strength level at which special care is required for production and testing of the concrete and at which special structural design requirements may be needed.”

Sources:

concrete.org/topicsinconcrete/topicdetail/high%20performance%20concrete

cement.org/for-concrete-books-learning/concrete-technology/concrete-design-production/ultra-high-performance-concrete

fhwa.dot.gov/research/resources/uhpc/index.cfm

Conco is one of the leading commercial concrete contractors in the Western United States.  We have four regional offices serving California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado.  We are experts at creating cost-effective solutions that take advantage of the most up-to-date techniques.  Our concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.