US 20150047533A1

(19) United States

(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. N6.= US 2015/0047533 A1
KASTNER et al.
(54)

(43) Pub. Date:

ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

Feb. 19, 2015

Publication Classi?cation

AND CONCRETE COMPONENT PRODUCED

THEREFROM

(71) Applicant: Europoles GmbH & Co. KG, Neumarkt

(DE)

(72) Inventors: Roland KASTNER, Sengenthal (DE);

(51)

Int- Cl
C04B 20/04

C04B 14/48
3203 1/20
C04B 16/06
(52) us CL

Helmut LIEB, Neumarkt (DE); Frank

(2006.01)
(2006.01)

(2006.01)
(2006.01)

CPC ........... .. C04B 28/04 (2013.01); C04B 16/0633

DITTMAR, Neumarkt (DE); Jianxin

(2013.01); C043 14/40 (2013.01); 3203 1/20

MA, Magdeburg (DE)

(2013.01)
USPC .............. .. 106/644; 106/737; 524/8; 264/311

(21) Appl.No.: 14/460,722

(22) Filed:
(30)

Aug. 15, 2014

Foreign Application Priority Data

57

ABSTRACT

( )
Ultra-high performance concrete produced from cement,
aggregate, water, ?llers, and additives, Wherein the aggregate
comprises 800-1,300 kg of an igneous rock in the form of

Aug. 15, 2013

(DE) .................... .. 10 2013 108 836.8

crushed stone per cubic meter of concrete.

Patent Application Publication

Feb. 19, 2015

US 2015/0047533 A1

US 2015/0047533 A1

ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

AND CONCRETE COMPONENT PRODUCED
THEREFROM

[0001] The invention pertains to an ultra-high performance

concrete produced essentially from cement, aggregate, water,
?llers, and additives. The term ultra-high performance con
crete is also used in this application for the associated con
crete mix from which the concrete is produced.
[0002] When prefabricated components are used in build
ing construction, normal concrete of strength classes C40/50

C60/75, for example, together with reinforcement of grade

B500B (normal steel), is usually used. Higher-strength con
cretes up to strength class C100/ 1 l 5 are used for certain

applications in the area of slender columns and highly

stressed bridge components. Steel composite columns are
often used for structures with very slender or highly loaded
columns such as those found in parking garages, business

towers, and hotel towers, for example, or for conspicuous

public buildings. Nevertheless, these suffer from the disad

vantage that a very large amount of steel is required, and in
addition this large amount of steel leads to considerable pro
duction costs.

[0003]

A concrete with a compressive strength of at least

140 N/mm2 is usually designated an ultra-high performance

concrete (UHPC).
[0004] In addition, self-compacting concrete (SCC) and
form-vibrated concrete are also known.

[0005] The previously developed ultra-high performance

concretes (UHPCs) are used only rarely in practice, because
these concrete mixes are extremely expensive; typically, the
cost is about 10 times that of normal concrete. Conventional

ultra-high performance concrete contains very expensive ?ll

ers and additives, among other things, which results in the
high price. In addition, these ?llers or additives must be
screened with extremely high precision in order to achieve a

high density (bulk density).

Feb. 19,2015

[0012]

Of course, a mixture of volcanic rock and plutonite

can also be used. Gneiss can also be present.

[0013] The igneous rock is used in processed form, i.e.,

after it has been processed into crushed stone of a de?ned

grain size. The invention is based on the fact that, in spite of

the broken materials processed into crushed stone, the con
crete mix can still be handled and processed, because the
grading curve of the admixtures (?llers and additives) is of a

similar, compatible type.

[0014] The ultra-high performance concrete preferably
contains crushed stone, especially crushedbasalt, with a grain
size of 0-8 mm.
[0015] Additives can be present at a rate of 25% of the
cement mass.

[0016]

In the ultra-high performance concrete according to

the invention, it is preferred that one cubic meter of concrete

or of the associated concrete mix contain 450-650 kg of
cement. The exact quantity can be varied within these limits
as a function of the desired properties.
[0017] It also lies within the scope of the invention that one

cubic meter of the ultra-high performance concrete according

to the invention or of the associated concrete mix contains

120-160 kg of water. The exact quantity of the water added

lies between these limit values.
[0018] One cubic meter of the ultra-high performance con
crete according to the invention or of the associated concrete

mix preferably contains 500-l,000 kg of sand.

[0019] 60-100 kg of microsilica powder per cubic meter of
the ultra-high performance concrete or of the associated con
crete mix can be added if desired. The addition of the micro

silica powder has the effect of improving the properties of the

concrete produced and also its processability.
[0020] It is also possible to add 50-200 kg of quartz powder
per cubic meter to the ultra-high performance concrete or to
the associated concrete mix. Polypropylene micro?bers in a
quantity of 0.5-2.5 kg per cubic meter can also be added to the
concrete.

[0006] A disadvantage of working with ultra-high perfor

[0021]

mance concrete is its stickiness, which means that it cannot be

less than 5% can also be added to the ultra-high performance

pumped in the conventional way. It is therefore usually intro

duced into the form by hand, which increases the amount of

processing work.

Optionally, additives in a proportion by weight of

concrete according to the invention or to the associated con

crete mix. The additives can comprise lique?ers in particular.

[0022]

The ultra-high performance concrete according to

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the goal of pro

viding an ultra-high performance concrete which can be pro

the invention is characterized in that it has a compressive

duced at low cost and is easy to process.

N/mm2 and/or a modulus of elasticity of at least 56,000

[0008] To achieve this goal in the case of an ultra-high

performance concrete of the type described above, it is pro
vided according to the invention that the aggregate comprises
800-l,300 kg of an igneous rock in the form of crushed stone

N/mm2.
[0023] The ultra-high performance concrete according to

per cubic meter of concrete.

[0009] The invention is based on the realization that a low

cost, ultra-high performance concrete can be produced when,

instead of the previously used, very expensive chemical
admixtures, an igneous rock in the form of crushed stone is
used as hard aggregate. This material is obtainable at low cost

and is available practically everywhere. The crushed stone

strength (cylinder test compressive strength) of at least 140

the invention preferably has a modulus of elasticity of at least

55,000 N/mm 2, and preferably of 65,000 N/mm2 or more.

[0024]

The invention also pertains to a concrete structural

component produced by centrifugal casting. As a result of the

centrifugal forces in effect during the casting process, an
especially high density or bulk density of the structure is
achieved. The concrete structural component according to the
invention is characterized in that it consists of ultra-high
performance concrete of the type described and is produced

can be quarried near the production site, which means that

from the concrete mix described. Because of its higher com

there is no need for long and thus expensive transport opera

tions.

pressive strength, the concrete structural component accord

[0010] The igneous rock is preferably a volcanic rock, pref

erably basalt and/or andesite and/or trachyte.

also comprise abyssal rock (plutonite), preferably granite

tional concrete components. The greater stiffness of the

structural components results in reduced deformation under
load.
[0025] The concrete structural component according to the

and/ or diorite and/ or syenite.

invention can be con?gured preferably as a column or mast

[0011]

Alternatively or in addition, the igneous rock can

ing to the invention can be much more slender than conven

US 2015/0047533 A1

and comprise non-prestressed or prestressed steel reinforce

ment. Concrete structural components according to the inven
tion which are produced by centrifugal casting are character
ized by a smaller proportion of steel reinforcement in

Feb. 19,2015

uncured strength, that is, it retains the geometric form which

it has acquired during the centrifugal casting process and does
not slump down the form.

[0038] The compressive strength of the ultra-high perfor

comparison to conventional concrete components, especially

masts or columns; furthermore, the comparatively cheap
ultra-high performance concrete according to the invention,

mance concrete produced from the mix described above is at

the cost of which is comparable to that of normal concrete, is

used for their production. The invention thus makes it pos
sible to produce especially slender masts and columns out of

described in this exemplary embodiment requires no expen

sive chemical additives; instead, a considerable proportion of
crushed basalt is used as the aggregate, which is available
practically everywhere, which means that the ultra-high per

ultra-high performance concrete by centrifugal casting with

out leading to higher costs.
[0026] The invention is explained below on the basis of an
exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings:
[0027]

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a concrete structural

component according to the invention con?gured as a col

umn; and
[0028] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the column
shown in FIG. 1.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a column 1, which has been produced

least 140 N/mm2, and the modulus of elasticity is at least

55,000 N/mm2. The ultra-high performance concrete

formance concrete can be produced at low cost.

[0039] The high strength resulting from the centrifugal

casting process is attributable to the fact that small cavities
between the components of the as-yet uncured concrete are

?lled by ?ner material, especially by the crushed basalt, so

that a high density is obtained. The column according to the

invention is characterized by good ?re resistance properties,

because no physically bound water is present. Concrete struc

tural components produced from the ultra-high performance

by centrifugal casting from an ultra-high performance con

concrete have a life-span of at least 150 years in the conven

crete. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, it can be seen that

the column 1 comprises a helical reinforcement 2 and a num

tional exposure classes.

ber of prestressed reinforcing bars 3, 4 arranged in the longi

tudinal direction. In the exemplary embodiment shown here,
the diameter of the reinforcing bars 3 is twice as large as the

diameter of the reinforcing bars 4; the reinforcing bars 3, 4

alternate with each other. This exemplary embodiment, how
ever, is not to be understood as a limitation, because the exact

dimensions of the reinforcing bars will be determined within

the scope of the engineering design process. In the interior of
the column 1 there is a cavity 5, which is formed during the

centrifugal casting process.

[0030] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and
2, only about 80 kg of steel per meter is required, whereas a
conventional column of the same load-bearing strength
requires nearly 400 kg of steel per meter.
[0031] In the ultra-high performance concrete used for this
exemplary embodiment, one cubic meter has the following

composition:
[0032] 550 kg of cement (Portland cement),
[0033] 140 kg ofwater,
[0034] 700 kg of sand,
[0035]
[0036]

1,000 kg of crushed basalt as aggregate,

80 kg of microsilica powder, and

[0037]

120 kg of quartz powder.

The crushed basalt used in this example is an igneous rock

and belongs to the volcanic group. A small amount of lique?er
can also be included as an additive. The ultra-high perfor
mance concrete prepared according to this mix formula can

be easily processed, because it is less sticky and can be

introduced easily into the centrifugal casting form. The form,

furthermore, can be easily removed from the cured concrete
component, because the concrete does not stick to the form, as
is frequently observed in the case of conventional UHPC
concrete mixes. The concrete according to the invention is
characterized by a soft consistency of the fresh concrete,

which facilitates processing, especially the introduction into

1. An ultra-high performance concrete produced from

cement, aggregate, water, ?llers, and additives, wherein the
aggregate comprises 800-l,300 kg of an igneous rock in the
form of crushed stone per cubic meter of concrete.

2. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim

1, wherein one cubic meter of concrete is produced with
450-650 kg of cement.

3. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim

1, wherein one cubic meter of concrete is produced with
120-160 kg of water.

4. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim

1, wherein one cubic meter of concrete is produced with

500-l,000 kg of sand.
5. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim
1, wherein one cubic meter of concrete is produced with

60-100 kg of microsilica powder.

6. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim
1, wherein one cubic meter of concrete is produced with

50-200 kg of quartZ powder.

7. An ultra--high performance concrete according to claim
1, wherein one cubic meter of concrete contains 0.5-2.5 kg of

polypropylene micro?bers.
8. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim
1, wherein it comprises a compressive strength of at least 140

N/mm2.
9. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim
1, wherein it comprises a modulus of elasticity of at least

55,000 N/mm2, and preferably of 65,000 N/mm2.

10. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim
1, wherein it comprises a density of 2.6-2.7 tons/m3, prefer
ably of approximately 2.65 tons/m3 .

11. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim

1, wherein the igneous rock comprises volcanic rock, prefer

ably basalt and/ or andesite and/ or trachyte.

12. An ultra-high performance concrete according to claim

the centrifugal casting form. The ?owable concrete ?lls even

the small intermediate spaces around the reinforcing ele

1, wherein the igneous rock comprises abyssal rock (pluto

nite), preferably granite and/or diorite and/or syenite.

ments. After the centrifugal casting process, during which

high centrifugal forces are used to bring about the desired
high density, the still uncured concrete comprises a high

trifugal casting process, wherein it consists of ultra-high per

13. A concrete structural component produced by the cen

formance concrete according to claim 1.

US 2015/0047533 A1

Feb. 19, 2015

14.A concrete structural component according to claim 13,

Wherein it is con?gured as a column or mast and comprises

non-prestressed or pretensioned steel reinforcement.

*