In the early 2000s, a new class of cementitious materials—known as Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)—emerged. UHPC is a highly durable material characterized by low or discontinuous porosity, which significantly reduces water and chemical ingress. These properties help mitigate concrete deterioration, thereby supporting the FHWA’s goal to “Get in, Get out, and Stay out” in bridge construction and lowering maintenance costs.

With support from the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB) and the Iowa DOT, several projects have explored the application of UHPC in various bridge components over the past two decades. These applications include girders, waffle decks, piles, and deck overlays. Additionally, UHPC has been used to connect prefabricated elements and to repair damaged structural members.

Recognizing the significant potential of UHPC in both the rehabilitation of existing bridges and the design of new bridges in the United States—and building on its involvement in earlier projects—a group of interested individuals came together to establish an organization that would bring together academia, government agencies, and industry to promote the use of UHPC in bridge applications. Following the 2019 UHPC International Symposium, an initiative to advance the understanding and application of UHPC was launched at Iowa State University. This initiative, known as the UHPC Initiative (or UHPCi), is dedicated to advancing UHPC for civil infrastructure by supporting both fundamental and applied research. It also maintains an active program of knowledge and technology transfer among academic institutions and partner organizations. The mission of UHPCi is to provide a collaborative forum that fosters the sharing of knowledge and promotes research, innovation, and the development of specifications to increase the understanding and use of UHPC.

Despite the progress achieved, further work is needed to advance the use of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in bridge applications. Key areas for advancement include identifying the most suitable applications, reducing material and construction costs, and enhancing bridge longevity with minimal maintenance. Recent inspections conducted by both the Iowa DOT and personnel on past UHPC projects have revealed some concerns, which should also be investigated as part of this ongoing effort. A persistent challenge is the high cost of UHPC. Promising strategies to address this include reducing the metallic fiber content or partially substituting metallic fibers with non-metallic alternatives. These approaches could be explored on an application-specific basis to optimize performance and cost-effectiveness.

Given the aforementioned challenges and opportunities, this pooled fund project—conducted in collaboration with the UHPCi—aims to consolidate current knowledge and develop a strategic roadmap to enhance the use of UHPC in both bridge rehabilitation and new bridge construction. The effort will focus on identifying the most promising applications (e.g., bridge decks), where UHPC can offer the greatest impact.

The objectives of this pooled fund study are:

1. Facilitate communication and information sharing among member states on the project topic, as well as with participants of the Fourth International Interactive Symposium on UHPC.
2. Establish a forum for technology and knowledge exchange to enhance the practical understanding of UHPC implementation among member states.
3. Develop a strategic roadmap for future UHPC use and advancements, including the identification of research needs and the formulation of research ideas to be pursued through NCHRP, Pooled Funds, grants and other funding mechanisms.

The anticipated benefits of this pooled fund are:

1. Minimized disruption to the traveling public by reducing the frequency and duration of bridge deck repairs.
2. Lower maintenance costs resulting from the enhanced durability and performance of UHPC wearing surfaces.
3. Improved worker safety through reduced exposure to on-site repair activities due to less frequent maintenance needs.

The participating DOTs will provide input throughout the project and benefit from shared insights into technologies used to date, as well as lessons learned from past projects across various regions. Additionally, they will gain exposure to the latest advancements to be presented at the Fourth International Interactive Symposium on UHPC, which will cover topics including UHPC material innovations, recent applications, and the long-term performance of UHPC-designed structures. Pooled fund participants will attend the symposium free of charge.

With input from each participating member state, a comprehensive list of bridge projects that utilized UHPC in construction or rehabilitation will be compiled, along with key lessons learned. This information will be synthesized and shared with participating DOTs to gather feedback and input for future directions of UHPC applications in bridge infrastructure. The collective insights and project goals will serve as the foundation for developing a strategic roadmap that outlines research needs and implementation strategies for future UHPC applications. To support this effort, three hybrid meetings and one in-person meeting are planned. The hybrid meetings will be held in conjunction with UHPCi meetings to incorporate industry perspectives. The in-person meeting will coincide with the Fourth International Interactive Symposium on UHPC, scheduled for June 15–17, 2026 (https://www.regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/uhpc/).

Participating in this study requires a minimum commitment of $8,000 for one DOT representative, with an additional $2,000 for additional extra participant from the same DOT. Each participating DOT is encouraged to include at the minimum a technical specialist and a management team representative. The funding commitment for the project includes the costs to attend the Fourth International Interactive Symposium (i.e., registration, travel and room & board) in Des Moines, Iowa.

A 100% SPR Part II waiver will be pursued.

This pooled fund is always accepting new member organizations. Please inquire with the Lead Study Contact noted above to join this effort.