UHPC piles - the sustainable bridge foundation alternative-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation explores ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) piles as a potentially sustainable alternative to conventional steel H-piles. UHPC reaches high compressive and tensile strengths, offers strong durability and low chloride penetration, and can support more efficient structural shapes. Using less material, extending service life, and reducing transport and installation demands may help lower environmental impacts.<br /><br />A custom UHPC H-shaped pile was developed with Iowa State University. Its stiffness and estimated axial capacity are comparable to a steel H-pile of similar size, while its larger footprint may provide greater geotechnical resistance. At the Lily River bridge replacement in Northern Ontario, UHPC piles were driven on a batter and achieved the required resistance in soil above bedrock at shallower depths than the steel piles. Test-pile inspections showed that driving damage depended on installation conditions and shoe design: one pile was visibly damaged, while another showed no visible damage.<br /><br />The project also developed and tested a welded “dry” steel splice intended to enable quick installation of longer piles. Early environmental analysis by UBC found promising potential to reduce climate-change impacts, though cement production remains the largest source of embodied carbon. The presenters emphasize that these preliminary results need further independent scrutiny and a fuller life-cycle assessment.<br /><br />Ongoing research will optimize the concrete mix and splice, conduct further material and pile-load testing in different soils, and produce an independently audited Environmental Product Declaration. The presentation concludes that UHPC piles are feasible and may offer environmental and, in some cases, economic benefits, but additional testing and cost and life-cycle analysis are needed to identify where they outperform alternatives.

Keywords

ultra-high-performance concrete

UHPC piles

steel H-piles

sustainability

durability

chloride penetration

geotechnical resistance

bridge replacement

environmental impact

life-cycle assessment