ERODE SENGUNTHAR ENGINEERING

COLLEGE
THUDUPATHI, ERODE- 638057.

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

PAPER ON

ADVANCEMENTS IN CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY.

DUCTAL CONCRETE
Prepared by:
S.DHARSHINI
P.MANGAIYAR THILAGAM

Final year.
CONTACT NO:
978614540, 9095805354

dharshcivil@yahoo.co.in
mangai.1410@yahoo.in

DUCTAL CONCRETE

ABSTRACT
Now days we are expecting high performance in all the fields of work which
does not exclude concrete also. At an estimated rate of 5 billion cubic yards per year,
concrete is the second most widely consumed substance on earth, surpassed only by
water. Our innovative thinking and modern construction techniques leads to the emerging
of high performance concrete. One such advancement in ultra high performance concrete
is DUCTAL concrete.
What is your idea of the perfect building material? Would it have the strength
of steel? The versatility of concrete? The flexibility of plastic or wood? The durability of
stone? The aesthetic richness of ceramics? What if you could get it all-in-one and
customize the properties to suit your project? With Ductal, you can combine all of these!
Unlike any other material, it combines a superior property that provides engineers,
architects, artists and users with new freedom to design innovative solutions and to DO
MORE WITH LESS. In this paper we discussed about the principles, characteristics,
types, performance and advantages of the ductal concrete compared to conventional one.

Introduction
Ultra-high performance concrete is a new Cementitious material with strength
more than 150 N/mm and other perfect properties. Basic principle to improve the
concrete properties is the reduction of defect places, such as micro cracks and capillary
pores. Ductal concrete is one such high-performance construction material by Lafarge
that may create new possibilities for the world of decorative concrete. Ductal, a
revolutionary, ultra-high-performance material that delivers up to 30,000 psi compressive
strength and rivals the strength of metal. . This is closely related to the material's amazing
ability to bend (within limits) without breaking - a property called "ductility" and the
inspiration for its name. The material's strength enables it to be used in very thin
sections.This, in turn, reduces the self weight of a structure and allows the use of larger
pieces with fewer joints and hence it pays way for the innovative construction.
What is Ductal?
Ductal is a new revolutionary ultra-high performance concrete material that
offers a unique combination of superior characteristics including strength, durability,
aesthetics and ductility. Ductal concrete incorporates strengthening fibers and opens the
horizon to ultra-high performances.
Key Principles of the Ductal Technology
Ductals superior technical characteristics are due to the following four
principles

Reactive Gradation

Ductility

Rheology

Aesthetics

Reactive Gradation Principle

The raw materials in Ductal are selected for their complimentary properties of
size, shape and chemical reactivity. Ductal uses "modified compact grading" to promote a
highly effective fiber-matrix interaction. It is made without large aggregates, and all the
mineral components are in the sand-size range.
Components

Cement

Silica fume

Mineral fillers(nano fibers)

Water

Fibers(metallic or organic)

Sand

Superplasticizer
Microscopic view of ductal concrete

Comparison of gradation
Ductility Principle
Ductal derives its name from the word "ductility" which means that,
unlike other brittle materials, it has the ability to deform while continuing to carry loads even after the first sign of cracking. Its ductile behaviour was developed from a thorough
understanding of the fibre-matrix interaction. The fibre-matrix slippage/breakage ratio
during loading and over-loading provides a ductile behaviour with finely and well
dispersed micro cracking, unlike conventional concrete or fibre-reinforced cements.

Rheology Principle
A key property of Ductal is its ability to have a range of fluidities from
virtually self-placing to dry-cast. Lafarge has developed a formulation model based on
years of research and a thorough understanding of the interactions between cements
Silica Fumes and Superplasticizers. The result is a range of products with properties
specifically formulated to each customers requirements.

Aesthetic Principle
Like a chameleon, Ductal has the ability to replicate the surface texture and
shape of the mould. This feature is a result of the use of very fine powders and the
fluidity, combined with Ductals ability to be colored, gives artists and architects a new
material with superior surface aspect and high aesthetic appeal.

Ductal concrete in different colors and textures

History and Evolution
Ductal is a story of change and innovation. Researchers at Lafarge and partners,
Bouygues and Rhodia developed Ductal, a material that provides a unique combination
of superior strength, ductility, durability and aesthetics compared to traditional materials
like concrete, steel, wood and plastics. Following more than a decade of research by a
large multi-discipline team, four patents have been taken between 1994 and 2001.
Ductal is constantly breaking new ground with architectural and engineering
firms in Europe and prototypes were first introduced to North America in 1998. Today,

this ultra-high performance ductile material is providing new, innovative solutions to old
problems; solutions that reduce the global cost of construction by using less materials,
faster construction, reduced labour, reduced maintenance and increased usage life.
Typical Characteristics
Ductal is an ultra-high performance material with ductility, utilizing metallic or
organic fibres. It is mouldable in the form of dry-cast, fluid or self-consolidating with
properties adaptable to the demands of each application. Available in custom-blended 80
lb paper bags or 1,000 - 2,000 lb bulk bags, depending on the type of fiber required
(metal or organic).
Strength
Compressive *

24,000 - 33,000 PSI

160 - 230 MPa

Flexural *

4,500 - 7,200 PSI

30 - 50 MPa

Youngs Modulus (E)

8 - 8.5 x 10 PSI

55 - 60 GPa

Total Fracture Energy

1,300 - 2,000 lb (F)-ft/ft2

20,000 30,000 J/m2

Elastic Fracture Energy

1.4 - 2.1 lb (F)-ft/ft2

20 - 30 J/m2

* For characteristic design properties

Rheology
Fluid to self-compacting:
Flow (Abrams cone)
Flow (ASTM shock table)
Durability

20 - 30 inches
10 inches

Chloride ion diffusion (C1)

0.02 x 10-11 ft2/s

Carbonation penetration depth

<0.02 inches

Freeze/thaw (after 300 cycles)

100%

Salt-scaling (loss of residue)

<0.0025 lb/ft2

Abrasion (relative volume loss index)

1.2

50 - 70 cm
25 cm

Other Characters
Density
Entrapped air content
Capillary porosity (>10 mm)
Total porosity
Post cure shrinkage
Creep coefficient
Pre-Mix

2.45 2.55
2 - 4%
<1%
2 - 6%
0
0.2 - 0.5

Ductal can be mixed in a normal industrial concrete mixer. The use of a pre-mix
simplifies the batching sequence and the length of mixing time.
Placing
Ductal is adaptable to any placing technique such as Cast-in-place, pumping,
injection, extrusion etc
Curing
Normal curing at 70 F (20 C) produces the following performances:
24 hours after initial set:

fc> 15,000 PSI

100 MPa

at 28 days:
fc> 25,000 PSI
180 MPa
A thermal treatment of 195 F (90 C) applied after final set produces up to 33,000 PSI
(230 MPa) in 4 days.
Moulding
Texture: The fineness of the materials and the fluidity of the mix provides a
material with a high ability to replicate the micro-texture of the form surface or special

mould textures. it can be moulded in to any shape depending on our requirement as it has
the ability to bend which makes it unique in its character when compared to other.
Colors
Light grey to black and available in a variety of colors upon request. It is just
like a chameleon what ever we apply to it we will get back the same. it has the ability to
absorb what ever the color we apply.
Pre-Stressing
There is no need to reinforce with passive reinforcing bars normally used in
reinforced concrete. Ductals mechanical properties are even further increased by the use
of pre-stressing (pre or post-tension). The strength of Ductal allows for solutions to be
designed with smaller elements, without the use of passive reinforcement (reinforcing
steel) and, in most applications, without pre-stressed or post tensioned reinforcement.
Types of ductal concrete
Ductal an ultra high performance concrete is basically classified in to
Ductal with organic fibres
Ductal with metallic fibres
Organic fibers are typically used where human contact is expected
because the steel fibers are extremely small (0.2 mm diameter, 13 mm long) and
can easily puncture human skin.
COMPARISON BETWEEN DUCTAL WITH ORGANIC FIBRES AND
METALLIC FIBRES
ORGANIC FIBRES

METALLIC FIBRES

Compressive 17000-22000 psi

Compressive 23000-33000 psi

Flexural 2200-3600 psi

Flexural 4000-7200 psi

Youngs Modulus (E) 6,500 - 7,200 ksi

Youngs Modulus (E) 8 - 8.5 x 106 PSI

Density 2.2 2.4

Density 2.45 2.55

Capillary porosity <1%

Capillary porosity <1%

Total porosity 3 6%

Total porosity 2 6%

PERFORMANCE
Under extreme load, this ductile concrete behaves similar to steel by bending
rather than cracking. Its ductile behavior comes from well-dispersed micro-cracking
which makes good use of the fiber-matrix interaction and its slippage/breakage ratio.
Simply put, the micro-cracking of the more brittle cement matrix engages the more
ductile fibers in resisting the load.
Because of the modified compact grading used in Ductal formulations, its
surface is very dense, which also reduces its porosity and improves its resistance to
abrasion, scratching, and pollution. To further enhance its durability, increase mechanical
properties, and maximize dimensional stability, Ductal can be heat-treated.
INNOVATIVE FEATURES:
Ductals unique combination of superior properties enabled the designer to create
thinner sections and longer spans for a tall structures.
This is the first known use of UHPC used in a long-span roof system.
No need of use of steel reinforcements
The lightweight system did not impact the foundation design.
Reduction in non-renewable resources: due to a reduction in the total quantity of
materials consumed and the use of recycled materials in Ductal (such as Silica Fume).
The Ductal is air and water-tight, thereby resulting in reduced environmental impact
and reduced maintenance.
Due to the lightweight design, the precast panels were easily transported
The ductile behavior of this material is a first for concrete. It has the capacity to deform
and support flexural and tensile loads, even after initial cracking.

DUCTAL PROJECTS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

To date, Ductal has been used for a number of innovative solutions including
projects such as: acoustic sound panels, seawall and bridge anchor plates and beams for a
power plant cooling tower. In Seoul, Korea, a pedestrian bridge named The Footbridge
of Peace, has a 425 (130 m) arch constructed entirely with Ductal. Considered a
building feat, the bridge has no middle supports and a platform thickness of just 3cm.
In North America, Ductal products are supplied by Lafarge and custom
formulated for each new application or project. Currently the team is focusing efforts on
priority target markets with a medium to long-term strategy geared towards applications
such as structural wall panels, leave-in-place forms, poles/piles, seismic elements and
bridges.
CASE STUDY ON DUCTAL MADE SHERBROOKE BRIDGE
Project Location: Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Contractor: Pomerleau
Precaster: Bton Bolduc
Ductal Volume: 42 m3

Constructed with Ductal, this pedestrian bridge spans 60 m (190 ft) with a deck thickness
of just 3 cm (1").
This project features several technological innovations:

Absence of passive reinforcements

Miniaturized pre-stressing

diagonals in confined ductal

Conclusion
Clearly, this ductile concrete will be the exciting news for leading-edge
structural engineers and architects who challenge themselves to "do more with less." It
should be exciting news, too, for everyone interested in decorative concrete. That's
because the performance of the new material demands a reassessment of the aesthetic and

functional possibilities of concrete construction. And it is so durable that it can be used

without fear of the elements for enduring structures and monuments. Further research is
going on this and it will surely make revolution in concrete world.

Reference
www.imagineductal.com
www.lafragenorthamerica.com
Journal of New construction and building materials.