KING Construction Products Group Launches Ultra High-Performance, Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC)
UP-FX Poly is the result of an excellent research and development program conducted by Montreal Polytechnique, a proud partner of King Packaged Materials Company. UHPFRC possesses superior mechanical properties and outstanding durability, and by using this technology UP-FX Poly pushes the limits of building materials and opens the door for innovation.
UP-FX Poly differs from conventional concrete, and even from high performance concrete (HPC), due to the enhanced durability and remarkable mechanical properties of the material. With a compressive strength of 120 MPa, UP-FX Poly is four times stronger than conventional concrete. Moreover, the direct tensile strength of UP-FX Poly can reach 11 MPa, approximately 5 times more than conventional concrete. The ductility and extremely high durability of UP-FX Poly can be attributed to the denseness of the material and the presence of high-performance, steel fibres. The range of UP-FX Poly products includes three products (UP-F2 Poly, UP-F3 Poly and UP-F4 Poly), which each contain different dosages of steel fibre (2%, 3% and 4%) selected according to the direct tensile strength required.
The dense internal structure in conjunction with the steel fibres used in UP-FX Poly increase cracking resistance, tensile strength, flexural strength, toughness, impact and abrasion resistance, as well as shear strength and load-carrying capacity. When UP-FX Poly is selected as the material to be used to produce prefabricated structural segments or connect prefabricated structural segments, it can significantly reduce the number of steel reinforcing bars used in the prefabricated structural segments themselves or in the connection detail between segments and in certain cases even exclude them altogether. The mechanical properties of UP-FX Poly also allow for the design of thin structural components, creating lighter structures that require less material.
UP-FX Poly possesses outstanding durability due to the denseness of the cementitious matrix, but also in part to the cracking resistance of the material that is significantly higher than that of conventional or high performance concrete. The microstructure of UP-FX Poly has been optimized to minimize the volume of pores and voids between the solid particles and steel fibres. These characteristics make it possible to achieve an extremely low degree of permeability and a very high cracking resistance, which prevent the penetration of aggressive chemicals. Therefore, UP-FX Poly is extremely resistant to chloride ion penetration, freeze-thaw cycling, sulphate attack and the possibility of delamination caused by de-icing salts. UP-FX Poly is an ideal solution designed to increase the life expectancy of concrete structural components exposed to numerous environmental conditions.
A planetary mixer is used to mix UP-FX Poly on-site and four constituents are used in the batching procedure including: the cementitious pre-mix bagged material, water or ice, a plasticizing admixture and steel fibres. A KING Representative will be present on-site to oversee the batching procedure and the implementation of UP-FX Poly to ensure compliance and quality of the final product.
The unique rheological properties of UP-FX- Poly ensure a homogeneous dispersion of steel fibres throughout the mix, and the self-consolidating characteristics of UP-FX Poly provide a very fluid material that requires no vibration during placement. UP-FX Poly has opened a new era in building materials! To learn more about these new products, view the Technical Data Sheet for each product or contact your KING Technical Sales Representative.