Sources: Steelike Inc., Springfield, Va.; CP staff
Steelike Inc., developer and supplier of a namesake ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and formerly operating as Kulish Design Co. LLC, has announced a $2 million seed investment, led by a Chicago group. The funding will expedite research and development of mixes and production methods, while positioning staff to continue building contractor, engineer, agency and precast producer relationships.
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Advanced Concrete Technologies (ACT) marks 30 years of delivering German engineered concrete mixing and batch plant solutions to the North American precast industry in 2020. Some of the most important material technology advances in the past three decades include the adoption of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and, more recently, development of Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) mix designs that can achieve upward of 30,000-psi compressive strength.
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Sources: Lehigh White Cement Co. LLC, West Palm Beach, Fla.; CP staff
Lehigh White Cement is promoting two formulations from the Aalborg InWhite Solution family of pre-mixed, ultra-high performance concrete materials developed by parent company, Cementir Group of Italy. Aalborg Excel and Aalborg Extreme are self-levelling, fast flowing mortars, conducive to pigment and fiber combinations and achieving very smooth surface finishes. Flowability, extended set time and durability characteristics, plus compressive strength in the range of 17,000 psi to 20,000 psi, make the materials well suited to architectural concrete with thin and complex geometries.
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Cor-Tuf, the exclusive licensed producer of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-patented ultra-high performance concrete, has formalized an agreement with Virginia-based Precast Systems Engineering, LLC. Under the partnership, Cor-Tuf will help PSE develop the UHPC mixing technology for project-specific uses, utilizing local supplemental constituents. Additionally, PSE will support Cor-Tuf as a structural engineering resource to advance the technology and promote the continued development of Cor-Tuf UHPC.
Read MoreSources: Cor-Tuf, Manassas, Va.; CP staff
Cor-Tuf UHPC has secured a worldwide license for production of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-patented ultra-high performance concrete, which develops up to 28,000 psi compressive and 2,700 psi tensile strengths. The Corps researched and formulated the product (US patent No. US 8016938 B2) to address the Defense Department’s demand for a strong, resilient material suited to blast- or intrusion-prone personnel and weapons facilities.
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Indianapolis-based Brizo Kitchen & Bath Co. bills the single-handle Vettis Concrete faucet as a first of its kind fixture and “a feat of engineering and craftsmanship, innovative in both design and material … [blending] the finest quality of raw materials and an exquisite geometric form to create architectonic harmony.”
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Sources: Brizo Kitchen & Bath Co., Indianapolis; CP staff
Brizo Kitchen & Bath presents its new single-handle Vettis Concrete faucet, meticulously cast by British Columbia Christopher Shannon, as a first of its kind fixture: “A feat of engineering and craftsmanship, innovative in both design and material … [blending] the finest quality of raw materials and an exquisite geometric form to create architectonic harmony.”
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A two-year collaboration between LafargeHolcim Ltd. and Dresden, Germany-based Heliatek GmbH has netted a photovoltaic concrete façade product capable of generating double the amount of energy typical of roof-based solar panel arrays. At 60 percent of the exterior, the cladding has the potential to generate 30 percent of a 10-story building’s annual energy requirements. Unveiled at Batimat 2017 in Paris, it combines LafargeHolcim’s Ductal ultra-high performance concrete, suited to architectural applications in ½-in. or greater thickness; and, Heliatek’s flexible, ultra-light HeliaFilm, weighing 1 kilogram/square meter (2.2 lbs./10.75 sq. ft.) and produced in shades of blue, gray and green.
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The National Precast Concrete Association recently published an overview of ultra high performance concrete (UHPC), a material on the leading edge of innovation with potential to expand producers’ architectural and structural offerings. UHPC mix designs vary. Reinforced with high-carbon metallic fibers, structural product formulation can achieve compressive strengths up to 29,000 psi and flexural strengths up to 2,900 psi. UHPC for architectural elements typically incorporates polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, and can achieve compressive strengths up to 17,000 psi and flexural strengths up to 2,900 psi. Due to the material’s superior compressive and flexural properties, the need for passive reinforcing can be eliminated or greatly reduced, depending on the application. UHPC is also highly moldable and replicates form materials with extreme precision.
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