1. octobeR 2013 - No.14
Standardization:
UHPCs enter
the industrial age
An Architect’s Vision:
Bernard Tschumi
Mucem designed
by Rudy Ricciotti:
Ductal®
for performance
and creativity
SolutionsThe magazine about UHPCs by Lafarge
2. News - 3 > 6
Standardization > 4
UHPCs enter the industrial age
Insights - 7 > 9
Bernard Tschumi
Architecture invents concepts and
makes them a reality
Markets - 10 > 17
Façade > 10
Giving the envelope new functions
Wind turbines > 13
Resistance, sealing
and flexibility
Bridges & footbridges > 14
Pont de la République (France)
Blandan footbridge (France)
The evolution of Ductal®
Joint Fill (North
America)
Project - 18 > 23
Mucem > 18
Ductal®
combines technical performance
with architectural creativity
contents
PAGE 2 I
Editorial committee:
Editor-in Chief: Jean Martin-Saint-Léon - Editors and contacts: Lisa Birnie - lisa.birnie@lafarge.com; Marie Escaich - marie.escaich@lafarge.com - Photo credits: Lafarge photo
library - Charles Plumey-Faye - Philippe Ruault - Max Lerouge - Patrick Kennedy - Luc Boegly - Hervé Abbadie - Ignus Gerber - Brian Moore, Wapello County - Andy Marshall,
Ricciotti Architecte - Lisa Ricciotti - Martin Mai - Peter Mauss/Esto - Christian Richters - Iwan Baan - J. M. Monthiers - Base - Explorations architecture - Design/Editorial
production: Agence All Write - Translation: TagLine - Printing: TCS/ARCM
Business Contacts
- E-mail: ductal@lafarge.com
- Mailing addresses:
Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East: UHPC / Ductal®
- Lafarge - 2, avenue du Général de Gaulle - 92148 Clamart Cedex - France
North America: UHPC / Ductal®
- Lafarge North America Inc. - 6509 Airport Road, Mississauga, Ontario - Canada L4V 1S7
3. Jean-Bouin stadium (france)
The Pérez Art Museum in Miami, Florida (USA),
designed by award winning architects Herzog &
de Meuron will open to the public in December
2013. The Museum will have 200,000 square
feet of space for works of art, educational
activity, relaxation and dining. To meet the
aesthetic and resilience requirements, Ductal®
UHPC was chosen to produce approximately
100 long-span, precast vertical mullions
to blend with the structure’s cast-in-place
elements and support the large curtain wall
glazing which surrounds the building.
Pérez Art Museum
Miami 2.2km
The new Casa-Port station in Casablanca
(Morocco), designed by AREP and Groupe3
Architectes, will open its doors in 2014. On
its western façade, the station will be clad in
a contemporary moucharaby (latticework) cast
from 840m² of UHPC, exposing the station
to the outside while regulating the amount
of sunlight that filters through to the inside.
Next to the station, an office building will be
protected by UHPC sunshades with a total
length of 2.2km.Architects: Agences AREP et Groupe3 Architectes.
casablanca:
OF SUNSHADES
I PAGE 3
News
Inaugurated on 30 August 2013, the new Jean-Bouin Stadium, designed by the architect, is covered by an asymmetric, curving envelope made from
3,600 light grey, self-supporting triangular panels in Ductal®
. The roof panels create a 12,000m² waterproof roof; and the horizontal façade panels
create a tool surface area of 11,000m². Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
4. PAGE 4 I
Ultra-high performance concretes are the
result of industrial research carried out in
the 1990s and have exceeded previously
unexplored frontiers in terms of performance.
Numerous projects, supported by partnerships
and public research, have confirmed the many
advantages of these materials, validated in
each case by extensive technical research
“Until now, reference documents have reflected
an accepted industry standard rather than an
official standard,” says François Toutlemonde.
“The revolution made possible by UHPCs,
their calculation methods – far removed from
those used for most industrial applications
– led the AFGC (French Civil Engineering
Association) to develop the first provisional
recommendations document for UHPCs in
January 2002, in partnership with government
ministries, large project owners, industrial
companies, supervisory bodies and civil
engineering companies. In June 2013, a new
definitive version of these recommendations
was published, incorporating more than 15
years of feedback. This version was brought
into line with European calculation standards
(Eurocodes)” says Jacques Resplendino. “This
voluntary pre-standardization work was vital to
be able to apply the innovation represented by
these new concretes. Drafted in French and
English, it addressed the initial questions and
expectations of an increasingly global market.”
“Nevertheless, the document is simply a
technical consensus,” explains François
Toutlemonde. “Although risk-taking is reduced
as the amount of reference material increases
and volumes grow, from the perspective of
insurers, as well as international economic
factors, nothing can match the power of an
official standard.”
“Not even the ATEX directive, which involves
a relatively complex procedure and, in relation
to UHPCs, often focuses more on ancillary
questions than specific performances,” adds
Jacques Resplendino.
Standardization is now even more urgent, since
UHPCs have continued to develop and an
increasing number of players are considering
their use in niche applications which were not
necessarily envisioned during the initial R&D.
“This diversification of the product range in
response to new functional requirements
(heightened mechanical resistance, fire-
retardant properties, performances in
aggressive environments, etc.) reflects the more
mature market which now exists,” continues
François Toutlemonde. “In this context,
Industrial companies’ investments in engineering, sustained by the commitment
and innovation of designers and project owners, has enabled ultra-high performance
concretes (UHPCs) to demonstrate their superior capabilities. Today, UHPCs require
a technical and legal framework tailored to their volume growth and diversity of their
applications. The standardization work now in progress should improve projects’
insurability over the short term by providing recognized and shared reference
systems.
Standardization
UHPCs enter the industrial age
The objective of developing a standard
is to facilitate the specification of UHPCs
and their acceptance by the supervisory
authorities.
François Toutlemonde
Scientific representative at IFSTTAR
(the French Institute of Science and Technology for
Transport, Development and Networks)
THREE-FOLD
STANDARDIZATION WORK
In line with existing standards,
the current approach to
standards has three main
focuses in relation to UHPCs,
as identified in the AFGC
recommendations from June
2013:
- a standard for the material,
including characterization
tests,
- a standard for calculation
methods,
- an implementation standard.
Although it is too early to
announce publication dates,
for the first part concerning
materials, a working version
(draft) is likely to be produced in
2014 and a standard compatible
with Eurocode 2 should be ready
within two years.
News
UHPFRC 2013
International symposium
In Marseille at the MuCEM
October1-3,2013
under the aegis of AFGC, this meeting is
dedicated to engineers, architects, contractors,
industries, laboratories, universities, building
owners...
The objective is to review the complementary
experience and knowledge in the use of UHPC,
oriented on research and development.
5. I PAGE 5
the objective of developing a standard is to
facilitate the specification of UHPCs and their
acceptance by the supervisory authorities. The
standard, which is far more enforceable than
existing documents, offers a range of reference
systems, a guaranty and an insurability which
serve to reassure project managers regarding
their choice of construction solution.”
The development of a standard addresses
technical as well as economic challenges.
“It is therefore vital for this work to involve all
stakeholders, so that the final text results from a
transparent and responsible consensus,” says
François Toutlemonde. “And these aspects are
obviously very important to us at IFSTTAR.”
“Another factor adding to the urgency of this
standardization process is the international
perspective,” says Jacques Resplendino. “The
technological and documentary advantage
achieved by France has supported work carried
out in many countries (China, Switzerland,
Australia, Germany, the USA, etc.) and inspired
others to produce their own recommendations.
It is therefore urgent to give France a reference
system to firmly establish the standards we
have become used to working with and which
make us a driving force within international
standardization organizations.”
“At the end of the day, the main purpose
of standardization work is to consolidate a
technology’s quality and safety. The move from
a system of patents to a system of standards is
a guaranty of higher quality. All experts agree
that the standard should promote this quality
aspect, which provides a strict framework for
both the technical and economic approach.
Through this standardization work, France is
committed to maintaining this advantage and
spirit of innovation.”
What challenges are presented by the switch
from professional rules to a UHPC standard?
Juan Carlos López Agüí: These standards will
represent an extension to the use of UHPC. It
is crucial that they maintain the levels of quality
and professionalism established in France,
since these have prevented disputes, something
vital to the development of any innovation. With
the extension of UHPC and the establishment
of these standards, the challenge will also be to
move from spectacular reference worksites to
standard worksites which are just as convincing.
I am confident that this task has been entrusted
to the very best project participants and
technicians.
What are the main elements of the 2013
recommendations?
J.C.L.A.: I was struck by the global approach
and the coordination between all aspects of the
project, from materials to execution. In particular,
the reliable description of the orientation of
fibers is something new and essential, especially
for non-reinforced structures. The method may
be further improved, with an even stricter and
more carefully researched safety margin. But,
even applied in their current form, the 2013
recommendations guarantee a high level of
reliability.
How does the UHPC standardization approach
differ from the standardization of concrete
under EN 206?
Michel Delort: The standardization approach
dedicated to UHPCs stands out in at least three
key ways:
- Standard EN 206 sets out categories of
reinforced or non-reinforced concrete
designed for structures calculated according
to Eurocode 2, while our work focuses on
concretes reinforced only with fibers, which
are designed, specified and implemented
according to AFGC recommendations;
- With UHPCs, there is a jump in categories
of resistance. While standard EN 206 covers
concretes with maximum resistance of
100 MPa, for UHPCs we are dealing with
structural concretes with resistance greater
than 130 MPa;
- Finally, our standardization work aims to
include a performance-based component,
which is not yet the case with standard
EN 206.
Juan Carlos López Agüí,
former chairman of the CEN (European
Committee for Standardization) from 2007
to 2012 and an expert in the reliability of
concrete structures
Michel Delort,
Products and Applications Director at
ATILH (Technical Association for the
Hydraulic Bonding Agents Industry)
and coordinator of the AFNOR/P18B
standardization committee’s UHPC working
group
EXPERT NOTES
This standardization work was vital to be able
to apply the innovation represented by these new
concretes.
Jacques Resplendino
South-East Director of Ingeneering organization with Setec
Tpi, coordinator of the AFGC working group on UHPCs
News
6. PAGE 6 I
News
To develop and report information on UHPC – that is the mission
of the ACI 239 Committee chaired by Tess Alhborn
What is the mission of the ACI 239 committee?
Tess Ahlborn: ACI 239 is a technical committee established
in 2009 and supported by ACI to work towards a common
definition for UHPC - that is comprehensive and inclusive.
Our mission is: “To develop and report information on
UHPC”. Currently, there is no common definition in the US,
nor in the world. All of us on the committee are experts on
UHPC, but of course we have different opinions.
The following proposed definition, which is very generic
and simple, is currently in the process of ACI review and
pending acceptance:
“Concrete, ultra-high performance - concrete that has
a minimum specified compressive strength of 150 MPa
(22,000 psi) with specified durability, tensile ductility and
toughness requirements; fibers are generally included to
achieve specified requirements.”
How will ACI 239 contribute to the development of
UHPC in the US?
T.A.: Our goal is to educate and gain acceptance of UHPC
and establish guides. This is long overdue as there is a
lack of awareness by owners, designers and precasters of
the benefits and potential of UHPC in the US; how and
why to use it, etc. It is a challenge for companies who
want to generate a market for the material, therefore we
are working on two documents: an Emerging Technology
report, a short-term document to introduce UHPC into
practice by providing basic information for implementation
and performance and; a State-of-the-Art report, which will
be a comprehensive document regarding development,
deployment and recommendations for broader use of
UHPC in the concrete industry.
What do you think of the UHPC design guidelines and
recommendations published in France, Japan, and
Australia?
T.A.: It is important to learn from our colleagues worldwide,
and similar documents should be generated for US
construction purposes. We must provide the necessary
technical and construction guidance and evaluate current
codes and standards in order to make recommendations
on required changes for UHPC in the precast US market.
What are the challenges for the ACI 239 committee?
T.A.: We are faced with many challenges, both short- and
long-range. All of us are working on a voluntary basis, so
the biggest challenge at the moment is to find sufficient
time to work on these reports. Long-range activities include
identification of gaps in knowledge and research, as well
as development of guides for mix proportioning, design,
placement, and certification.
Do you expect Lafarge to play a role in this process?
T.A.: Yes; of course, Lafarge can’t write the standards for
the US market, nor should they, but the first UHPC testing
methods I used were written by Lafarge. We need codes
and standards written and approved by the industry, such
as ACI and ASTM, not on a single product but on UHPC
as a whole.
What is the next step?
T.A.: Several members of ACI 239 are co-organizing a
“Symposium on UHPC” with ASTM (American Society
for Testing and Materials) International on December
8th, 2013, in Jacksonville, Florida. The purpose of the
Symposium is to provide a forum to discuss where
current ASTM material specifications and test methods for
concrete are inadequate for UHPC, propose new tests for
UHPC, and exchange ideas as to where new specifications
and methods need to be developed. It will be a very
important event, as we will discuss the development of new
standards, new subcommittees and/or expanded roles for
existing ATSM subcommittees.
North America
ACI 239: Defining UHPC
The Hodder Avenue Underpass in Thunder Bay, Canada has field-cast UHPC connections and precast
elements including 3 pier columns shells and a large pier cap. Engineer: Hatch Mott MacDonald.
Canopies, Chester, United Kingdom, Architect: Donald Insall
Associates Limited.
Tess Alhborn
Associate professor
of civil and
environmental
engineering
at Michigan
Technological
University (USA)
with a research
program in the
area of innovative
concrete
materials related
to prestressed
concrete bridges,
including UHPC
applications;
Director of
the Center for
Structural Durability
with the Michigan
Tech Transportation
Institute; founding
member of the
“North American
UHPC Working
Group” and;
founding member of
one of the American
Concrete Institute’s
newest committees,
“ACI 239 – UHPC”.
7. I PAGE 7
Insights
Bernard Tschumi
Architecture invents concepts
and makes them a reality
What does Lafarge’s new signature “Building better cities” evoke; how does
it fit in with its architecture and urban planning work; and what links can be
forged between the architectural concept and materials innovation? These
questions are addressed by Bernard Tschumi, recipient of the French Grand
Prize for Architecture in 1996.
This French-Swiss
architect lives
and works both in
Paris, France and
New York, USA. He
studied architecture
at ETH Zurich,
taught at AA in
London and then
headed the Faculty
of Architecture at
Columbia University
in New York.
His theoretical
essays include
“The Manhattan
Transcripts”,
“Architectural
and Disjunction”,
“Event-Cities”,
and more recently;
“Architecture
Concepts: Red is
Not a Color”. He
designed and built
the Parc de la
Villette in Paris, the
Acropolis Museum
in Athens, the
Alésia MuséoParc,
Le Fresnoy in
Tourcoing, and the
Zénith stadiums
in Rouen and
Limoges. His
personal exhibitions
include MoMA in
New York (1994)
and the Venice
Biennale (2006).
He also won the
French Grand Prize
for architecture
(1996).
8. PAGE 8 I
What does Lafarge’s new signature, “Building
better cities”, evoke for you?
Bernard Tschumi: It is strange to observe that
for almost half a century, architects and urban
planners have come up with very few ideas and
proposals to invent or transform cities. After
the CIAMs (International Modern Architecture
Conferences) in the 1930s and 40s, Team X
in the 1950s, the inventions of the Metabolists
and Yona Friedmann in the 1960s, and
recommendations for a return for the past with
Aldo Rossi and Colin Rowe in the 1970s, there
is almost nothing today. With a few very rare
exceptions, there are no more creative projects,
despite the fact that we are experiencing the
most intense period of urbanization since the
start of humanity. Look at the cities that are
springing up in a few years in China and the
Middle East – there is no concept and almost
no new ideas.
That is why the emphasis placed recently
by Lafarge on “Building better cities” may
be important. We remember the arguments
put forward by Le Corbusier and his “Plan
Voisin” (named after a car manufacturer) to
revolutionize Paris. When will Lafarge come up
with a plan to build a new type of city in several
places in the world?
What are the main innovations in the field of
building materials which you have noticed
recently; and how do you see the relationship
with the manufacturers of these materials in
relation to your areas of consideration?
B.T.: Architecture invents concepts and makes
them a reality. By that I mean that there is no
architecture without an idea or a concept, and
that an idea or a concept is more important than
a form. But architecture differs from philosophy
or mathematics in that this concept always
refers to a potential reality, a real object. So
there is a close relationship between concept
and material. For example, a material may
suggest an idea. Bricks for the Romans, iron
architecture in the 19th century, concrete in the
early 20th century, and glass from the 1970s
were all drivers of architectural innovation.
Lafarge knows a thing or two about fibrous
concrete. Conversely, an idea may generate
research into a new material. These are the
two types of relationship which can exist with
industrialists.
Insights
Alésia MuséoParc, France. Architect: Bernard
Tschumi.
Entrance lobby, Zénith in Limoges, France. Architect:
Bernard Tschumi.
Blue Tower, New York, United States. Architect: Bernard Tschumi.
...a material
may suggest
an idea.
Bernard Tschumi
9. I PAGE 9
What are the two major production focuses
of your current work as an architect or urban
planner?
B.T.: The relationship between concept and
material has always been crucial in my team’s
architectural production. That is why, for each
new building, we have tried to develop a concept
based on the choice of a specific material,
whether traditional or innovative.
Projects have found their expression in the
red enameled steel follies of the Parc de la
Villette, the concrete and steel double envelope
of the Zénith in Rouen (followed by the wood-
polycarbonate double envelope of the Zénith in
Limoges), the colored glass of the Blue Tower in
Manhattan, and the wooden envelopes in Alésia
and for the Vincennes Zoo. Not to mention the
concrete at the Acropolis Museum and now
our ANIMA Center in Italy made entirely from
solid concrete poured in situ, 80cm thick on
the southern façade and 24m high. For this
last building, on which construction will begin
in 2014, we chose not to use the lightness and
translucent qualities of a Ductal®
for example,
focusing instead on solidity and weight, firmly
anchoring the building in its site by playing on
various types of perforation for each of the five
façades.
Which of your projects do you think best
illustrates the phrase “Building better cities”?
B.T.: Since 2006 we have been working on a
brand-new city at a previously unused site near
Santo Domingo, to house 40,000 inhabitants.
We call it “Elliptic City” and the first buildings
are due to be delivered in 2015. The concept is
radical and seeks to preserve the forest covering
the site by creating a series of functional and
spatial clearings, each containing homes,
offices, schools, stores, etc. The project is
innovative in the sense that it is inventing high-
density pockets of development, but in a forest,
allowing the city to breathe…
The
relationship
between
concept and
material has
always been
crucial in
my team’s
architectural
production
Bernard Tschumi
Follies in the Parc de la Villette, France.
Architect: Bernard Tschumi.
Insights
Entrance lobby, Zénith in Rouen, France. Architect: Bernard
Tschumi.
Interior, Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece. Architect: Bernard Tschumi.
10. PAGE 10 I
What is your analysis of changes in the façade
market?
Guillaume Aelion: That question should be
addressed in the broader context of the current
economic environment. We are currently
seeing a cyclical change whereby the prosperity
we experienced previously no longer applies.
We cannot allow ourselves to proceed by trial
and error and backtrack when necessary.
Remember that construction methods have
changed little in 30 years. But regulations
have intensified considerably in the meantime,
significantly driving up construction costs.
This means we face a transformation in
construction methods, involving radical
changes – particularly in the façades market.
As well as being the best representation of a
building’s image, façades are now fulfilling
more and more functions. This presents a
number of challenges to materials, to ensure
that façades’ project economics are more in
line with the budgetary and environmental
constraints faced by our society.
What are Betsinor’s responses to these changes?
G.A.: Betsinor specializes in the design,
production and installation of architectural
elements made from cement-matrix
composites. We offer several types of solutions,
although all are focused on the objective
To offer façade elements
which provide greater
functionality – that is the
challenge facing new UHPCs.
As well as the technological
ambition, project economics
have changed.
Guillaume Aelion, chairman
of Betsinor, explains how
these new-generation UHPCs
offer a wide range of solutions
for addressing contemporary
construction challenges.
Façade
Giving
the envelope
new functions
Markets
Textured panels, Thiais bus depot, France. Architect: Agence ECDM (Emmanuel Combarel - Dominique Marrec).
Betsinor,
prefabricator
of architectural
components, and a
member of Lafarge’s
network of UHPC
licensees since
2004.
11. I PAGE 11
of offering lighter, more efficient functional
façades.
For instance, both wall systems we offer (BEPIV
and WOODIV) have complex characteristics,
including passive sealing which is already in
line with the likely requirements of the RT 2020
thermal regulations.
Their total thickness ranges
from 15cm to a maximum
of 35cm, one of the major
advantages of UHPCs. This
results in considerably lower
consumption of materials,
therefore lighter buildings,
less pollution (caused by
transportation) and faster
construction, while at the
same time offering greater
functionality and durability.
This means that UHPC façade solutions
can offer a virtuous construction circle that
responds to the transformation mentioned
earlier.
So light façades are the future?
G.A.: Studies show that it is hard to estimate the
moment when the traditional market reaches
its limits. However, in the exterior thermal
insulation segment, which has been steadily
growing in recent years, the sub-segment that
is developing fastest is customized, attached
facades.
What is the objective of the partnership you
have with Lafarge?
G.A.: One of the changes imposed by the
current economic climate is to move on from
a system which only offered one solution. Our
joint ambition is to offer formulas tailored to
manufacturing processes, making it possible
to respond to the problems
of each type of project and
therefore promote façades
which benefit from the
performances of UHPCs
and offer ever greater
functionality, creativity and
durability.
As an example of this approach, UHPC was
required to provide air-sealing with self-
supporting elements in order to hold insulation
and door and window frames – which no
sprayed product currently allows.
That is the revolution offered by the future,
sprayed applications of UHPC. This technology
makes it possible to break free of backing
molds – often required for elements with
complex geometry – and, at 20mm thick, will
offer functions equivalent to 20cm of sprayed
concrete.
The main focus of our work is always on
product quality, experience and expertise in
innovation, which has always given Lafarge
the technological advantage that Betsinor has
relied on for many years.
The virtuous
construction
circle
A UHPC solution
for each type
of project
Markets
Perforated panels, in a continuation of the stamped concrete, Musée d’Art Moderne in Lille, France. Architect: Manuelle Gautrand.
Curtain wall, Rotman School
of Management in Toronto,
Canada. Architect: KPMB
Architects.
13. I PAGE 13
Alternative energy sources,
particularly wind farms, are
enjoying a fair wind these
days - judging by the rapid
increase in calls for tenders.
Feedback on the first masts
built from steel has revealed
the limited life-span of this
choice of technology for off-
shore installations.
Could UHPCs provide a
sustainable alternative?
The masts of most wind turbines have so
far been constructed from stainless steel.
Early models required a significant sacrificial
increase in the thickness of the steel to ensure
a structural lifespan of around 25 years. Many
consider this insufficient given the investment
and complex construction involved.
Alternatively, the proven performance
characteristics of UHPC indicates that for
the same mass as steel (a decisive factor for
this type of structure), this material could be
used to construct masts that last up to 4 times
longer.
The inability to penetrate UHPCs with marine
salt has been observed during repairs to
several structures in a marine environment,
thereby suggesting that these materials could
provide an excellent alternative in the future.
“The repair of a beacon off the coast of Lorient
(France), by pouring Ductal®
into forms from a
helicopter, demonstrated the possibilities and
performance benefits of using this material,
even in the open sea,” says Dominique Corvez,
Head of UHPC-Ductal®
for North America.
This experience reinforces the idea that
partnerships between general contractors,
turbine operators, energy companies and
UHPC manufacturers are capable of paving
the way for a global market, inresponse to
the growing energy challenges faced by all
countries.
Wind
turbines
Resistance,
sealing
and flexibility
Markets
Successful application of pouring at sea
Illustrating the possibilities offered by UHPC
products for the wind farm market and
offshore structures, the partnership between
Lafarge, the CETMEF (French center for
maritime and river technical studies) and the
EPFL (Lausanne Federal Polytechnic School,
Switzerland) led to the development of a UHPC
specifically formulated for the repair of a badly
deteriorated turret in Lorient harbor (France).
The operation involved complete cladding of
the Cabon turret by pouring UHPCs in situ to a
depth of 6cm. In response to the configuration
of the structure, this innovative UHPC formula
offers reduced shrinkage and hardened
traction resistance due to a high level of metallic
fibers, and reduced shrinkage to absorb drag
forces. Its self-placing characteristics (EN 206-
9 standard, class SF2) are also essential for
pouring in confined spaces.
Ultra-high performance concretes are
well-suited for extremely harsh marine
environments, since they offer excellent
durability (5.10-20
permeability) encouraging
resistance to external aggressions (chlorides,
freezing/thawing, erosion, etc.). The product’s
implementation was also very specific since
the mixing was carried out at a concrete
batching plant to ensure rapid production of
large quantities of UHPC, i.e. 5m³ of UHPC in
two hours. The formula, with long rheological
consistency (three hours) was transported in
mixer trucks and then by helicopter to the top
of the turret.
The strengths demonstrated on this project
show that, as well as their impressive
mechanical performances, UHPCs also benefit
from durability and flexibility of use. They are
therefore particularly well suited for remote or
difficult-to-access locations such as offshore
sites.
Pouring UHPC by helicopter at the Cabon turret in the
bay of Lorient, France.
Imagine new solutions with UHPC for wind turbine masts.
14. Fine Y-shaped legs made of UHPC support the bridge deck of Pont de la République. Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
PAGE 14 I
The Pont de la République, designed by the architect Rudy Ricciotti and the
Lamoureux et Ricciotti engineering office – the new bridge to span the Lez
river in France, which flows through the newer districts of Montpellier – won
over the municipal committee due to “its elegance and the finesse of its
architectural approach”.
These aesthetic characteristics are attributable to a new Ductal®
formulation
blended with stainless steel fibers, with no signs of corrosion on the 34 white
piers that support the deck.
Bridges & footbridges
Connecting the new districts of Montpellier’s
Hôtel de Ville and the Odysseum, the Pont
de la République carries a two-lane highway,
cycle paths and sidewalks.
Above the Lez (a bucolic river with potential
flooding), the bridge needed to be extremely
resistant to chemical corrosion and humidity.
The structure, made from UHPC, is 17m
wide and 74m long. It includes 3 sections of
equal length, each comprising precast beams
supported by 17 precast piers and tilting
piers made from Ductal®
, prestressed (post
-tensioned) in the plant. The beams were
assembled crosswise on site by prestressing.
“One of the challenges of this project, which
was launched last May, was to respect the
periods of high water to avoid postponing
everything for a year,” says Alexandro Guitton,
Lafarge project management engineer.
“Prefabrication therefore saved us valuable
time on site.”
One of the reasons this
structure, designed (by
Rudy Ricciotti) “in the style
of a millipede”, appealed to
the local authorities, is the
immaculate elegance which
makes it so original.
“By coating all the prestressed
elements, UHPC not only reinforces durability”
explains Alexandro Guitton, “the new
formulation of this White Ductal®
incorporates
stainless steel fibers – a first – avoiding any
possibility of rust development and contributing
to achieving the specific aesthetic desired by
the designers.”
Pont de la République in Montpellier:
immaculate elegance
A major
aesthetic
challenge
74m long
17m wide
2 rows of
17 Y-shaped piers
with 9m range and
30cm in diameter,
made from stainless
steel white Ductal®
Pier compression
resistance upper
150 MPa after heat
treatment
A new formulation:
made from White
Ductal®
with stainless
steel fibers
Markets
15. I PAGE 15
Blandan Park, planned as the third green space in
the city of Lyon, is situated on the site of a former
army barracks with architectural features that the
city wanted to preserve as part of its 19th-century
military heritage.
“To support this major historical project, the BASE
landscaping agency – the main contractor
through which we became involved –
suggested a pathway to represent military
defense systems from the ramparts to the
present day,” explains Yves Pagès from
Explorations architecture, designer of the
footbridge crossing the park.
“The site’s topography made it possible
to symbolize this ‘attack on the walls’ via
a footbridge connecting to them after a
100m path, while offering an alternative
view of the park, particularly for those with
reduced mobility.”
“In this very sophisticated landscape, we
felt it would be interesting to incorporate
a mineral structure presenting the thinness and
durability of concrete, while blending with the
architectural heritage contained in the park.
Additionally, the footbridge would be uniform,
discreet and integrated as best as possible within
these green spaces.”
Composed of a 5cm-thick, dark gray Ductal®
deck
and a 40cm-thick side rail supported by steel
posts, the 100m-long and 2.30m-wide footbridge
overlooks the park while gently rising 4m in height.
“Our goal is to demonstrate that UHPCs are
not reserved for large symbolic sites. Their
performances and capacities cover an extremely
wide range of applications, enabling them
to respond equally well to the most modest
specifications, both in terms of scale and budget.
The durability and total lack of maintenance
helped convince the local authorities of this
elegant and discreet project,” says Yves Pagès.
“Produced from Ductal®
, the structure enjoys a
level of durability which was very reassuring for
the project owner,” explains Dominique Corvez,
Head of UHPC-Ductal®
for Lafarge North America.
“Combined with the prefabrication by Bonna Sabla
of 10 railings using just 2 molds and 2 backing
molds, we managed to achieve project economics
in line with the city’s budgetary requirements.”
Blandan footbridge:
UHPC enhances heritage
Located on a former military site, the 42-acre Blandan Park will offer
a green space bordering three districts in the center of Lyon, France.
Including various leisure facilities – landscaped green areas, solarium
and play wall – the park will feature a walkway “attacking the old
barriers” on a footbridge constructed from UHPC. This reveals what
happens when an extraordinary material becomes widespread to offer
inhabitants a discreet and durable aesthetic.
The
thinness
of steel
and the
durability
of
concrete
Markets
Monolithic and discrete, the footbridge in Ductal®
is integrated with green spaces.
Architect: Explorations architecture.
The Ductal®
footbridge provides a 100 meter pedestrian promenade that connects
directly to the ancient walls. Architect: Explorations Architecture.
16. PAGE 16 I
It has been almost a decade since Lafarge and the Ministry of Transportation
of Ontario (MTO) embarked on a collaboration that led to the development
of a revolutionary, ultra-high performance concrete solution called “Ductal®
Joint Fill”. Since then, this highly durable UHPC solution (which is field-cast
and primarily used for the connection of precast bridge elements) has been
used on numerous projects. With these proven successes and significant,
validated research studies now behind us, the momentum in North America
is growing rapidly.
The world’s first Ductal®
Joint
Fill project was completed
for the MTO in 2006 on a
small, single span (24.4m
long x 11m wide) highway
bridge over the Canadian
National Railway at Rainy
Lake, Ontario. Successful
completion of this project
proved that multiple benefits could be realized
for precast bridge systems with Ductal®
Joint
Fill connections: superior strength, durability,
fluidity and increased bond capacity. The
material’s fiber matrix is significantly stronger
than conventional concrete and performs
better in terms of fatigue, abrasion and
chemical resistance, freeze-thaw, carbonation
and chloride ion penetration. Testing has
proved that after 10 million equivalent wheel
load cycles, there is no leaking through the
joint and, when used with precast concrete
bridge elements, fabrication and installation
processes are simplified, full deck continuity is
achieved and the bridge deck joint is no longer
the weakest link.
Today, Ductal®
UHPC Joint Fill is being used
on much larger, high-profile structures. Earlier
projects were small, simple span bridges
requiring an average of 5m³. More recently,
multiple span, larger projects have been
completed and new projects awarded that are
designed to incorporate up to 500m³.
The Mackenzie River Twin Bridge project
in Ontario, Canada is the largest Ductal®
Joint Fill project to date. Each bridge has 2
lanes and 3-spans for a total length of 180m.
Altogether, 130 precast deck
panels were used; the transverse
joints (between panels) are filled
with Ductal®
as well as the shear
pockets and haunches (between
panels and steel girders). The
precast approach slabs also have
Ductal®
connections. All precast
elements for this project were
manufactured by Lafarge Precast in Winnipeg,
Manitoba. Ultimately, it took just ten days to
cast the 175m³ of material required for this
project.
The use of this solution, together with precast
concrete bridge elements, has dramatically
increased in recent years, with several bridge
owners now specifying Ductal®
Joint Fill. The
MTO and the New York State Department of
Transportation (NYSDOT) continue to lead
the way with repetitive use of UHPC on their
bridge projects; the majority requiring quick
rehabilitation or replacement of existing,
deficient structures. Previously, the NYSDOT
would not consider closing an interstate
highway due to high traffic volumes. Now
however; thanks to experiences gained from
Changing
Scope
Superior
Performance
The evolution of Ductal®
Joint Fill
From humble beginnings to significant growth
Little Cedar Creek Bridge, Iowa - The first bridge in North America
constructed with a Ductal®
UHPC waffle deck, girders and joints.
Engineer: Wapello County.
Markets
17. I PAGE 17
The largest Ductal®
Joint Fill project so far - Mackenzie River Twin Bridges near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Engineer: McCormick Rankin Corp.
previous successes in rural areas,
they have the ability to replace bridge
decks during weekend closures.
In North America, the Ductal®
Joint Fill business has become
self-perpetuating, indicating an
opportunity for enormous growth.
In 2010, 5 bridges were completed
with Ductal®
UHPC Joint Fill. In the summer of
2013, 36 projects were slated for completion
by year-end. With projects now completed
in Ontario, New York, Iowa, Montana,
Massachusetts and Oregon, acceptance is
increasing at a rapid pace. By the end of 2014,
it is expected that Ductal®
Joint Fill projects
will also be completed in Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Manitoba, Nebraska, New Jersey, Utah and
South Carolina.
Precast UHPC and HPC bridge solutions work
extremely well when used in combination
with field-cast UHPC connections, creating
sustainable, durable, more resilient bridge
structures that are built to last. In remote
areas, this solution is especially valuable where
access to ready-mix concrete is not available
and post-tensioning can be eliminated, thereby
simplifying the construction process.
Ductal®
UHPC Joint Fill is also an excellent
solution for Accelerated Bridge Construction
(ABC). For example, some projects have been
successfully completed during closures of just
one month, one week or even one weekend.
Ultimately, by utilizing UHPC’s combination
of superior properties in conjunction with
precast bridge elements, bridge performance
is advanced, accelerated and improved.
Adding
Value
awards
The following is a list of awards for Ductal®
Joint Fill projects:
> Portland Cement Association (PCA) Concrete Bridge Award - Hawk Lake Bridge,
Ontario, Canada (2010);
> Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Design Awards, Honorable
Mention/Special Solution - Route 31 Bridge over Canandaiga Outlet, New
York, USA (2010); Little Cedar Creek Bridge, Iowa, USA (2012) and Hodder
Avenue Underpass, Ontario, Canada (2013);
> Ontario Concrete Awards - Whitemans Creek Bridge, Ontario, Canada (2012);
> PCI Harry H. Edwards Industry Advancement Award - Hodder Avenue Underpass,
Ontario, Canada (2013).
Pouring Ductal®
UHPC into a joint on a precast deck panel system.
Markets
19. I PAGE 19
MuCEM
DUCTAL®
COMBINES
TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
WITH ARCHITECTURAL CREATIVITY
Project
The official opening of the
new Museum of European and
Mediterranean Civilizations
(MuCEM) is a major event in
Marseille (France), this year’s
European Capital of Culture
that showcases the amazing
performance delivered by
UHPC.
Created by Rudy Ricciotti,
MuCEM uses the structural
strength and aesthetic
properties of Ductal®
to
create an architectural
masterpiece that introduces
new construction methods
and new opportunities for
creativity. From post-tensioned,
prestressed anchors to the
lattice canopy and footbridge
(linking the museum to the
stone ramparts of Fort Saint-
Jean), Ductal’s ductility,
durability and mechanical
strength properties are fully
exploited in this beautiful,
lightweight building that is
resistant to the ocean and its
salty atmosphere.
Take a guided tour of this new
technological and aesthetic
benchmark.
20. PAGE 20 I
TESTED AND PROVEN
TECHNICAL PROWESS
Using UHPC for the
structural elements of a
public building meant that
the material formulation
had to be adjusted,
especially in terms of its
seismic and fire resistance.
For this purpose, adding
the optimum quantity of
polypropylene fibers gave
the UHPC the required
level of resistance to
high temperatures. The
assembly techniques were
customized and dictated
by the systematic use of
prefabrication, not only
for the building’s UHPC
elements but also for its
floors. Close collaboration
between Lafarge, Bonna
Sabla, Dumez-Freyssinet
and Lamoureux & Ricciotti
(architect and structural
engineers), made it
possible to overcome
all these obstacles.
The prefabricated
elements for MuCEM
were the subject of 5 ATex
(Technical Experimentation
Assessments) conducted
by the CSTB (the French
Scientific and Technical
Center for Building).
Suspended between the sea, land and sky, MuCEM occupies Pier J4 of the former city docks, and is almost
unobtrusive by comparison to the Fort Saint-Jean and Old Port of Marseille. Nevertheless, with its prestressed
vertical structures and lattice envelope, this 15,000 square meter building is immediately striking because of its
technological achievement. Architect, Rudy Ricciotti, wanted to create ‘an ethereal project that was very feminine,
but also very muscular with clearly defined tendons and nerves’. The result is a building that is uncluttered to the
point of being stripped almost bare. The choice of UHPC enabled the dimensions to be reduced “to the point
where all that remains are skin and bones.” MuCEM exploits all of the architectural and structural performances of
Ductal®
to create the signature elements that make it so distinctive including: pedestrian footbridges, arboresque
style columns and a lattice roof and facade.
Project
UHPC elements
1 Lattice walls
2 Footbridge linking
the museum to Fort
Saint-Jean (135
meters with return)
3 Arboresque columns
4 Lattice roof
5 Anchor points
1
2
3
4
5
Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
21. I PAGE 21
BUILDING
ON PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCE
The footbridges
The longer of the two footbridges is constructed from 25 prefabricated segments that are assembled with post-tensioned cables and a deck consisting of 4cm slabs laid over
the segments. The specification demanded construction tolerances of between 0.3 and 0.4mm between components. Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
From the Panier district of the city,
visitors approach Pier J4 over a
succession of two footbridges. One of
the bridges is 69 meters long and links
the Esplanade Saint-Laurent to Fort
Saint-Jean. The other is
even longer, reaching
out over the sea below
like a stretched thread
connecting the Fort with
Pier J4, and spanning
76 meters between
abutments (135 meters
with return). “In terms of
their design, construction,
method and foundations,
these two footbridges are based on
the same concept as the Passerelle
des Anges in France’s Hérault valley,”
explains Patrick Mazzacane, project
leader at Bonna Sabla, and Romain
Ricciotti, co-founder of Lamoureux
& Ricciotti. These footbridges are
constructed in individual precast
UHPC segments, each 4.60 meters
long and cast from a single mold. They
are assembled by prestressing and
post-tension with no buttressing and
no bracing stays. “UHPC was the only
material that would allow us to use such
high compression ratios,” says Romain
Ricciotti. What makes the segments of
these footbridges particularly special
is that their webs contain no passive
reinforcement.
135
THE LENGTH (in
meters) OF THE
FOOTBRIDGE LINKING
MUCEM TO FORT
SAINT-JEAN
4.6m
THE LENGTH OF EACH
SEGMENT CAST FROM
THE SAME MOLD
0.3Mpa
THE PRESSURE USED
TO ASSEMBLE THE
SEGMENTS
4cm
THE THICKNESS OF THE
FOOTBRIDGE DECKS
Project
22. PAGE 22 I
Inside the building, a second, 52-meter square
space, houses the museum’s exhibit halls.
Between this core and the service spaces,
voids surround the central square to create
communicating walkways. The walls of the
building created on Pier J4 contain 308
structural arboresque style
columns. Like individual
sculptures, 80 different
configurations are created
from three types of columns
that are Y-, I- and N-shaped.
“The prestressed UHPC
columns were cast vertically
and within a millimeter
of accuracy tolerance,” explain Patrick
Mazzacane and Romain Ricciotti. A specially
developed fiber counting technique was used
to check fiber orientation and distribution
throughout the full length of each column, and
to ensure that there was no fiber segregation
present.
After the molds were removed, the columns -
like the footbridge segments and lattice panels
- were sprayed with waterproof sealant and heat
treated to achieve their required mechanical
performance. Contrary to conventional
construction techniques, and for reasons of
project phasing, the prestressed concrete
floors were installed first on substructures
completely independent of the columns.
MILLIMETER
ACCURACY
The columns
In order to control
deflections, such as
buckling under load in
the event of fire, and to
assist with component
assembly, cables were
run through vertical
ducts in each column
and tightened using
jacks at either end.
These columns are also
engineered to withstand
seismic risk through the
use of Freyssinet ball-
and-socket joints top and
bottom.
Project
3 types of columns and 80 different configurations.
Architect: Rudy Ricciotti. Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
23. I PAGE 23
The second footbridge leads to the roof terrace
of the building: a perfect square with sides
that are 72 meters long and 18 meters high. A
UHPC lattice panel system envelopes two sides
of the building and its roof. Its purpose is to
protect the interior
against very high
levels of sunlight,
while allowing the
sea air to penetrate
the building. Two
different types of
lattice systems
were created for
this project, using
horizontal panels
for the roof, and
vertical panels for
the facade. “We achieved all of that with a
thickness of only 7 centimeters for the roof
and 10 centimeters for the facade; that’s totally
unprecedented for horizontal applications,”
continues Patrick Mazzacane. The 384 lattice
panels were fabricated using a vertical mold to
ensure a smooth finish on both sides.
Installation began with the roof panels, which
are supported on UHPC T-beams. The self-
supporting panels were then stacked to create
the full height of each facade, retained in
position and secured to the main structure
using metal connectors.
Fromeverypointofview,theuniqueconstruction
techniques used to create MuCEM are very
different from those used in traditional concrete
structures. In the words of Romain Ricciotti:
“UHPC buildings are now more like metal
structures than concrete structures in terms of
their conception and design. The problems lie
not in the dimensions of a particular element,
but in the way they function interactively.” That
is one of the great challenges to which MuCEM
responds so successfully.
PROTECTING
THE
INTERIOR,
WHILE OPEN
TO THE
EXTERIOR
The lattice
facade
and roof
With nine different types of lattice panels to create, each with perforations accounting for more than 50% of their
surface, fabrication required the development of a vertical molding process to guarantee a smooth finish inside
and outside. Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
The façade lattice panels are secured to the main structure using stainless steel stays. Architect: Rudy Ricciotti.
Project
