Ultra high performance fiber reinforced concretes for rehabilitation

The extremely low permeability of Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concretes (UHPFRC) associated to 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 repair layers, as reinforcement layers combined with reinforcement bars, or as prefabricated elements such as curbs. This document gives a short overview of the research and development activities performed during the first half of the European project SAMARIS (Sustainable and Advanced MAterials for Road InfiaStructures), in view of the application of UHPFRC for the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures.