Trwalsze obiekty mostowe dzięki połączeniu UHPFRC i betonu (Towards more efficient structures with composite UHPFRC-concrete construction)

The premature deterioration of reinforced concrete road 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" new or existing reinforced concrete structures in critical zones subjected to an aggressive environment and to significant mechanical stresses. Composite UHPFRC-concrete structures provide a long-term durability, which helps avoid multiple interventions on structures during their service life. This presentation gives an overview of the conceptual approach for the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures with UHPFRC, developed, validated and first applied during European project SAMARIS (Sustainable and Advanced MAterials for Road InfraStructures). Recent applications of this concept in Switzerland, as well as the first results obtained within the ARCHES project, aiming at implementing this very promising technology in CEEC countries, are also presented.