National Academies Press: OpenBook
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

CRP SPECIAL RELEASE 3

Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance
Concrete Connections

Amanda Walsh
Michael Gallaher
Benjamin Fein-Smolinski
RTI INTERNATIONAL

Research Triangle Park, NC

Subject Areas
Bridges and Other Structures • Materials • Research (about research)

images

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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CRP SPECIAL RELEASE SERIES

The Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) Special Release series publishes the findings of projects managed by CRP upon request by organizations outside of CRP’s core research programs.

CRP SPECIAL RELEASE 3

Project TFPE-03

ISSN 2831-4670

ISBN 978-0-309-68708-9

© 2022 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein.

Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, NHTSA, or TDC endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP.

NOTICE

The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors.

The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.

The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Cooperative Research Programs do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.

Published reports of the

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

are available from

Transportation Research Board
Business Office
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

and can be ordered through the Internet by going to

https://www.mytrb.org/MyTRB/Store/default.aspx

Printed in the United States of America

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non-governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president.

The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.

The three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.

Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.


The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.

Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

CRP STAFF FOR CRP SPECIAL RELEASE 3

Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs

Lori L. Sundstrom, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs

Ann M. Hartell, Senior Program Officer

Andrew C. Lemer, Senior Program Officer (retired)

Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications

Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications

CRP PROJECT TFPE-03 PANEL

Kimberly L. Webb, Michigan Department of Transportation, Southfield, MI (Chair)

Christina Janet Freeman, Florida Department of Transportation, Tallahassee, FL

Bijan Khaleghi, Washington State Department of Transportation, Tumwater, WA

Hani Nassif, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ

Bala Sivakumar, T. Y. Lin International, New York, NY

Mary Huie, FHWA Liaison

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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Image

FOREWORD

By Ann M. Hartell

Staff Officer

Transportation Research Board

CRP Special Release 3 presents an evaluation of FHWA’s Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Research and Development Program. The report will be of interest to those responsible for highway bridge designs and materials testing. The report also addresses the broader topics of technology transfer, diffusion of innovation, and methods to quantify the value of research.


This report documents an evaluation of FHWA’s Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Research and Development Program. The UHPC Program was initiated in 2002 and is housed at the FHWA Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). UHPC is a cementitious composite material with higher compressive, tensile, and flexural strength; lower permeability; and improved durability compared with conventional concrete. UHPC is used in highway bridges, particularly for bridge-deck-level connections for prefabricated bridge elements. Program activities include large-scale structural testing along with activities to promote broader implementation of UHPC connections (UHPC-C) for highway bridges.

The UHPC Research and Development Program was assessed under the TRB-FHWA Program Evaluation (TFPE) effort, which is part of a second stage of FHWA’s R&T Evaluation Program. For Project TFPE-03, “Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections,” RTI International was tasked to evaluate the management of the UHPC Program, assess the effectiveness of activities to encourage implementation of UHPC-C, and estimate the benefits and costs of adopting UHPC-C. The effort included an assessment of the business case for adoption of UHPC-C and the barriers to adoption by transportation agencies and other stakeholders in the bridge delivery supply chain.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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ABOUT THE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that supports state and local governments in the design, construction, and maintenance of the nation’s highway system (Federal Aid Highway Program) and various federally and tribally owned lands (Federal Lands Highway Program). A significant portion of FHWA’s research activities, evolved over many years in response to successive legislative initiatives, is managed by agency staff from the Research and Technology (R&T) Program housed at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia, and other locations. The aim of FHWA’s R&T activities is to support FHWA’s mission through deployment of innovations that address current issues and emerging challenges, create efficiencies in the highway and transportation sector, and provide information to support policy decisions.

The FHWA Research and Technology Evaluation Program seeks to assess and communicate the benefits of FHWA’s R&T efforts; ensure that the organization is expending public resources efficiently and effectively; and build evidence to shape and improve policymaking. FHWA partners with State transportation departments, local agencies, industries, and academia to conduct research on issues of national significance and accelerate adoption and deployment of promising research products.

To ensure that R&T activities are effectively and efficiently contributing to FHWA’s mission, R&T staff apply leading practices in research management and occasionally undertake formal evaluations of select activities, projects, or programs. In addition, FHWA’s R&T staff solicit advice from the Transportation Research Board (TRB), particularly the Research and Technology Coordinating Committee (RTCC). The RTCC issues annual reports commenting on R&T programs generally and suggesting adjustments to program strategies and approaches to improve program relevance, effectiveness, and impact.

In 2014, FHWA initiated the R&T Evaluation Program with two core objectives:

  1. To evaluate the selection process by which research is funded, and
  2. To assess the effectiveness of selected projects within the R&T portfolio, in terms of both research outcomes and technology transfer activities.

Under the R&T Evaluation Program’s initial phase, 16 evaluations conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center were completed or in progress at the end of calendar year 2019.

FHWA has asked TRB to undertake management of evaluations under a second stage of the R&T Evaluation Program. TRB’s activities under this TRB-FHWA Program Evaluation (TFPE) effort comprise a series of projects evaluating research activities designated by FHWA and conducted by RTI International under TRB’s direction and oversight. To date, the following projects have been completed:

  • TFPE-01, Asphalt Binder Quality Tester
  • TFPE-02, Exploratory Advanced Research
  • TFPE-03, Ultra High-Performance Concrete Connections

These evaluations are intended to generate evidence and provide data-driven assessments that substantiate the contributions of FHWA’s R&T Program to fulfilling the agency’s mission and strategic goals. The evaluations are focused on estimating and forecasting the socioeconomic returns from investments in R&T Program activities to inform future research plans and improve technology transition outcomes. To this end, the evaluations include quantitative estimates of impact metrics. In addition, the evaluations provide input on data collection, tracking, and monitoring for ongoing program evaluation and improvement.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26634.
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Beginning in 2019, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requested that TRB be directly involved in managing evaluations of selected projects undertaken by the agency.

The TRB Cooperative Research Program's CRP Special Release 3: Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Connections presents an evaluation of the UHPC Research and Development Program. UHPC is used in highway bridges, particularly for bridge-deck-level connections for prefabricated bridge elements.

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