UHPC Ultra High Performance Concrete is a concrete of the future. An extremely dense cement stone microstructure in conjunction with selected mineral substances and steel fibres allows ductile material properties to be created that increasingly resemble those of steel. Concrete is formable and has advantages over steel in terms of fire behaviour. Gigantic skyscrapers like the ‘Burj Dubai’ are only possible in concrete design. However, the economically most important factor is its durability, which is ensured in the long-term after reaching its final strength without sealing or a protective coating. Up to now, the manufacture of UHPC has been extremely complex and barely manageable in conventional precast works – in ready-mix concrete works it is well-nigh impossible. Dyckerhoff has now developed a standardised cement that significantly facilitates the manufacture of Ultra High Performance Concrete in addition to allowing the use of conventional mixing plants and even usual aggregates. The following article initially reports on premium cements with microdur technology on the basis of the latest high performance concretes implemented successfully in practice. Through the selection of particular puzzolans, this conception of a standardised cement with extraordinary properties has now been further developed into the first application-ready special cement without silica dust for UHPC: Nanodur CEM II/B-S 52.5 R.
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