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Buildings
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Theory and Innovative Applications of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)
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Theory and Innovative Applications of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 2124

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xiangguo Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Lab of Structures Dynamic Behavior and Control of the Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Interests: ultra-high performance concrete; composite concrete structure
Prof. Dr. Yunchao Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523000, China
Interests: robotics; high performance concrete
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Junping Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
Interests: ultra-high performance concrete; steel structure; steel–concrete composite structure

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge developments in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), with particular emphasis on its theoretical foundations and innovative applications, especially in wind power structures. We aim to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers, engineers, and practitioners to share their latest findings and insights in this rapidly evolving field.

We welcome original research papers, review articles, and case studies covering, but not limited to, the following topics:

Materials and Mix Design:

  • Advanced cementitious materials and supplementary materials;
  • Optimization of fiber reinforcement systems;
  • Novel admixtures and their effects on UHPC performance;
  • Sustainable UHPC incorporating recycled materials.

Structural Behavior and Design:

  • Mechanical properties and constitutive modeling;
  • Fatigue and dynamic response;
  • Durability and long-term performance;
  • Design methods and the development of standards;
  • Numerical simulation and experimental validation.

Intelligent Detection Methods:

  • Implementation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for structural inspections and monitoring;
  • Advanced image recognition techniques for detecting cracks and assessing damage in UHPC structures;
  • Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with sensor data for predictive maintenance and anomaly detection.

Wind Power Applications:

  • UHPC towers for wind turbines;
  • Hybrid tower systems;
  • Connection details and structural optimization;
  • Construction methods and quality control;
  • Life-cycle assessment and cost analysis.

Innovative Applications:

  • Prefabricated UHPC elements;
  • Bridge engineering applications;
  • Marine and offshore structures;
  • Repair and strengthening solutions.

We particularly encourage submissions that address the following topics:

  • Multi-scale modeling approaches;
  • Advanced experimental techniques;
  • Sustainability aspects and carbon footprint reduction;
  • Industry 4.0 integration in UHPC production;
  • Performance-based design methodology.

This Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of UHPC technology and promote its wider adoption in sustainable construction, particularly in wind energy infrastructure.

Prof. Dr. Xiangguo Wu
Prof. Dr. Yunchao Tang
Prof. Dr. Junping Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ultra-high-performance concrete
  • wind power structures
  • sustainable construction
  • advanced materials
  • UAV image
  • artificial intelligence
  • deep learning

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 4194 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on Punching Shear Behavior of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Slabs
by Junping Liu, Baochun Chen, Hamdy M. Afefy and Khaled Sennah
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1656; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101656 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 535
Abstract
This study assesses the punching shear characteristics of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) slabs in two phases. The initial phase involved experimental tests to determine the critical thickness differentiating punching shear failure and flexural failure modes. Subsequently, the second phase further explored the punching shear [...] Read more.
This study assesses the punching shear characteristics of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) slabs in two phases. The initial phase involved experimental tests to determine the critical thickness differentiating punching shear failure and flexural failure modes. Subsequently, the second phase further explored the punching shear behavior of UHPC slabs by analyzing various key parameters. The experimental findings indicated that as the thickness of the slabs increased, the punching shear capacity exhibited nearly linear enhancement, surpassing the improvement seen in bending capacity. Thus, a critical thickness of at least 100 mm was identified as the threshold distinguishing punching shear failure from flexural failure. Additionally, an increase in slab thickness significantly elevated the cracking load of the UHPC slabs. While a higher reinforcement ratio of 3.5% slightly increased the first cracking load, it greatly enhanced the ultimate capacity. The addition of steel fibers also contributed to improvements in both cracking and ultimate loads, albeit to a limited extent. The use of a granite powder substitute, comprising 10% of the mass of silica fume, had minimal impact on the punching shear capacity of the UHPC slabs. Finally, a comparison is drawn between the experimental results for punching shear capacity and those obtained from various theoretical models. This comparison highlights significant discrepancies in the results, stemming from the differing parameters employed in the proposed theoretical models. Among the prediction models, the JSCE model provided the most balanced and conservatively accurate estimation of punching shear capacity, effectively incorporating the effects of slab thickness, reinforcement ratio, and fiber content, thus highlighting its potential as a reliable reference for future design recommendations. This information will serve as a valuable reference for future research and practical applications related to UHPC bridge decks and slabs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Theory and Innovative Applications of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC))
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Review

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24 pages, 3511 KiB  
Review
A Review on the Behavior of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Under Long-Term Loads
by Nermin Redžić, Nikola Grgić and Goran Baloević
Buildings 2025, 15(4), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040571 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1290
Abstract
This paper provides a research review regarding the creep of ultra-high-performance concrete with or without the addition of fibers. Unlike other similar studies that mainly considered influential factors and their effects on the creep behavior, this research focuses more attention on the analysis [...] Read more.
This paper provides a research review regarding the creep of ultra-high-performance concrete with or without the addition of fibers. Unlike other similar studies that mainly considered influential factors and their effects on the creep behavior, this research focuses more attention on the analysis of UHPC creep models. For the creep strain assessments of these concretes, the creep models given in the latest standards cannot be used, but it is necessary to modify them to give reliable results, given the rather complex composition of UHPC. Several proposed creep models for UHPC are presented with comparative analysis. The observation is that by varying key parameters such as compressive strength, relative humidity, cross-sectional dimensions, and temperature, there may be major discrepancies between models, so additional experimental investigations are necessary to perform their calibration. In this paper, the parameters α1, α2, and γ of FIB Model Code 2010 have been modified in order to obtain a match with other proposed models in terms of the final value of the creep coefficient and the creep curve. The creep coefficient of the UHPC decreases when steel fiber content increases, but it is important to consider the excessive fiber addition because very often it causes an increase in creep strain. The application of thermal treatment at a temperature of 90 °C for 48 h significantly improves the time-dependent properties of UHPC. An analysis of the impact of the steel fiber content, fiber type, thermal treatment, and the age of the concrete under load on strains of UHPC specimens and beams under long-term loads is performed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Theory and Innovative Applications of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC))
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