Application of High Strength and High-Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete

to Precast Concrete Elements

Hideki Kimura
Senior Chief Researcher
R & D Institute Takenaka Corporation
e-mail: kimura.hideki@takenaka.co.jp
Although Japan is an earthquake prone country, more than 500 high-rise RC buildings
with height exceeding 60m have been designed and constructed since early 70's. Most of them
are condominiums and the number of stories sometimes exceeds 50. In such buildings,
high-strength or ultra-high-strength materials are used and precast concrete systems are
applied. The specified concrete strength has reached 200 MPa or more in recent years. The
building height, nowadays, is almost three times
that of the early 70's and the concrete has become
seven times stronger during 40 years.
The building on the right side in Photo 1 shows
an RC condominium in which 150 MPa concrete is
used. The building holds a worldwide record for the
first practical application of concrete strength
exceeding 150 MPa. Construction of high rise RC
buildings using high strength concrete has
definitively gained a growing importance in Japan.
Furthermore, research related to fiber
reinforced concrete to improve the tensile behavior
of concrete has achieved remarkable growth. The
knowledge and know-how of the conventional Fiber
Reinforced Concrete (FRC) with tension softening
response, High Performance Fiber Reinforced
Cementitious Composite (HPFRCC) with strain
hardening and multiple cracking behavior, and
Ultra High-strength Fiber Reinforced Concrete
(UFC) with increased tensile strength have crossed
the threshold of basic research and laboratory Photo 1 RC Condominium Using 150 MPa
testing and are now in the hands of leading Concrete (Right side building)
designers and contractors.
While the use of HPFRCC is expected to be of a
wide range, retrofit is considered one of its most
beneficial applications. UFC has mainly been
applied for bridges, taking advantage of its high
strength.
Sakata-Mirai Bridge shown in Photo 2 is the
first pedestrian bridge using UFC in Japan. UFC is
also applied as external layer where UFC precast
(a) Panoramic view
panels or forms are adopted to protect the surface of
concrete structures against environmental actions
such as salt attack, wearing and impact.
Research advances and applications associated
with high-strength concrete and high performance
fiber reinforced concrete will be presented. Special
focus will be on applications to precast concrete
(b) Section of precast element
elements of building structures, civil works and
Photo 2 Pedestrian Bridge using UFC
bridges.
(http://pcductal.com/case/sakatamirai.html)