SAMARIS D22 - Full scale application of UHPFRC for the rehabilitation of bridges – from the lab to the field

The premature deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is a heavy burden for society. In order to manage structures effectively and to reduce this burden to the minimum, the number and extent of interventions have to be kept to the lowest possible level. The extremely low permeability of Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concretes (UHPFRC) associated with their outstanding mechanical properties make them especially suitable to locally "harden" reinforced concrete structures in critical zones subjected to an aggressive environment and to significant mechanical stresses. Composite UHPFRC-concrete structures promise a long-term durability which helps avoid multiple interventions on structures during their service life. UHPFRC materials can be applied on new structures, or on existing ones for rehabilitation, as thin watertight overlays in replacement of waterproofing membranes, as reinforcement layers combined with reinforcement bars, or as prefabricated elements such as kerbs. This document gives an overview of the conceptual approach, and provides detailed informations on the first application performed during the European project SAMARIS (Sustainable and Advanced MAterials for Road InfraStructures), in view of the application of UHPFRC for the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures.