National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

The emergence of ultra-high strength ultra-high ductility cementitious composites such as ultra-high performance Engineered Cementitious Composites (UHP-ECCs) for construction application are promising for the future of civil infrastructure as these materials overcome important weaknesses of conventional concrete materials including their low tensile strength and brittle nature. However, these materials use large amounts of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), which limit their sustainability. The objective of this study is to develop novel Ultra-High Performance Engineered Geopolymer (GP) Composites (UHP-EGC) as materials for repair and new construction of transportation infrastructure in Region 6. The developed composites will be mainly made utilizing locally available resources (kaolin clays, natural sand, etc.) to enhance practicality and cost-effectiveness of these materials. To achieve this objective, a multidisciplinary team from Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University will develop several high-strength GP matrices reinforced with functionalized Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) microfibers. Material properties will be thoroughly evaluated to identify composition-microstructure-property relationships necessary for systematic design of the novel composites. Furthermore, UHP-EGCs’ cracking characteristics, dimensional stability, and bonding properties with regular concrete will be assessed to determine the feasibility of the developed composites for repair applications.