Development of Design Guidelines for Structural Components of Novel UHPC Bridge Structure

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Many existing bridges in Canada are built with traditional concrete (also known as cement), which has a low strength of 25-40 MPa. Such concrete also lacks durability properties and hence, bridges made of traditional concrete perform poorly when exposed to winter salt spray and the extreme weather of Canada. Hence, bridges built with traditional concrete are susceptible to damages resulting in frequent traffic interruptions for repairs, a high maintenance cost, and a reduced service life. The industry partner of this NSERC research project is Facca Inc., a leading Canadian company for bridge construction and bridge repair. Facca has developed an ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), which is much stronger (strength of 150-160 MPa) and has superior durability properties compared to traditional concrete. Facca has successfully used this UHPC for smaller demonstration projects such as for overlay (top thin layer) of bridge decks and bridge repair works. Facca would like to extend the use of the UHPC for developing a novel and revolutionising UHPC bridge construction technology that will give Facca a competitive edge and the opportunity to win more bridge construction projects. Hence, the outcomes of this NSERC project will help Canadian company, Facca Inc. to grow, create new jobs, and boost Canadian economy. This new bridge construction technology will also open a new door for all Canadian engineers in constructing UHPC bridges that will be resilient and offer much better quality control and a better aesthetic. This new technology will also reduce the construction time and require less materials and thus, will reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions improving Canada's air quality. This new bridge construction method will also make Canadian bridges less susceptible to damages and extend the service life of these bridges, saving Canadian taxpayers' money. This research work will be executed in four years by three students at the University of Windsor under the supervision of Dr. Sreekanta Das at the University of Windsor and Mr. Philp Loh at Facca Inc.