An ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) including empty quarter desert sand (EQS) and micro-steel fibers (HyTUHPC). The ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) can have a high viscosity due to the presence of EQS.

Polymer concrete and polymer mortar compositions and related methods of producing the same are disclosed. The compositions and methods produce economical, ready-mixed polymer concrete(s) and mortar(s) using a combination of thermoset polymers and emulsified polymers, hardeners, coarse and/or fine aggregates, fillers, shrinkage control agents, and other additives. The polymer concrete and polymer mortars utilize recycled materials.

A hydraulic binder includes, as percentage by mass: from 17 to 55% of a Portland cement, the particles of which have a D50 of from 2 ?m to 11 ?m; at least 5% of silica fume; from 36 to 70% of a mineral addition A1, the particles of which have a D50 of from 15 to 150 ?m; the sum of these percentages being from 80 to 100%; the sum of the percentages of cement and of silica fume being greater than 28%; the mineral addition A1 being selected from slags, pozzolanic additions or siliceous additions such as quartz, silico-calcareous mineral additions, calcareous additions such as calcium carbonate or mixtures thereof.

Concrete that exhibits increased flexibility (i.e., low modulus of elasticity) and high compressive strength is described. High aspect ratio structures as may be formed of the concrete are described. Structures formed of the concrete can have the same high compressive strength as similar structures formed from a more conventional concrete, but can be significantly more flexible, which can allow for better load distribution in the structure and associated assembly. The concrete includes a weathered granite as course aggregate. The materials can be particularly beneficial in forming concrete components of a rail infrastructure, such as railroad ties and slabs.

In various embodiments, a process is described for the preparation of a concrete mixture in a Ready-mix or for an installation. A quantity of amorphous silica is added with an average particle size in the range of from about 1 to about 55 nanometers and/or wherein the surface area of the particles of the amorphous silica is in the range of from about 50 to about 900 m2/g. The amorphous silica may be added in colloidal form or otherwise, and is added at a particular stage to ensure efficacy.

A railway tie being constructed of an engineered cementitious composite (ECC) material having: (1) a minimum of 2% tensile ductility of ECC, (2) complete absence of alkali-silica reaction (ASR), (3) high fatigue resistance of ECC at least five times that of normal concrete, (4) self-healing ability of ECC requiring only water and air, and (5) customization of ECC for lower stiffness in the tie (60% that of normal concrete) and higher abrasion resistance in the seat (three times that of normal concrete).

In various embodiments, a process is described for the preparation of a concrete mixture in a Ready-mix or for an installation. A quantity of amorphous silica is added with an average particle size in the range of from about 1 to about 55 nanometers and/or wherein the surface area of the particles of the amorphous silica is in the range of from about 50 to about 900 m.sup.2/g. The amorphous silica may be added in colloidal form or otherwise, and is added at a particular stage to ensure efficacy.

There is provided a fiber-reinforced brittle matrix composite. The fiber-reinforced brittle matrix composite comprises a brittle matrix material (for example, a cementitious or ceramics material) and a coated fiber embedded in the brittle matrix material, wherein the coated fiber comprises a fiber (for example, polyethylene fiber, glass fiber, silicon carbide fiber, alumina fiber, mullite fiber) and a coating material (for example, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes), which is non-covalently disposed on the fiber. A method for producing the fiber-reinforced brittle matrix composite is also provided. The method comprises providing a fiber, disposing a coating material on the fiber to form a coated fiber, wherein the coating material is non-covalently disposed on the fiber, and embedding the coated fiber in a brittle matrix material to obtain the fiber-reinforced brittle matrix composite.

There is provided a Ultra-high performance glass concrete (UHPGC) including between 300 and 1000 kg/m.sup.3 of cement, between 0 and 1400 kg/m.sup.3 of glass sand (GS), between 0 and 300 kg/m.sup.3 of reactive pozzolanic material, between 150 and 900 kg/m.sup.3 of glass powder (GP), between 0 and 600 kg/m.sup.3 of fine glass powder (FGP), between 5 and 60 kg/m.sup.3 of superplasticizer, between 50 and 300 kg/m.sup.3 of fiber; and, between 130 and 275 kg/m.sup.3 of water, wherein the content of GP is of at least 3 wt % of the UHPGC, and/or the content of GS is of at least 19 wt % of the UHPGC and/or the content of FGP is of at least 0.5 wt % of the UHPGC.

A hydraulic binder includes, as percentage by mass: from 17 to 55% of a Portland cement, the particles of which have a D50 of from 2m to 11 m; at least 5% of silica fume; from 36 to 70% of a mineral addition A1, the particles of which have a D50 of from 15 to 150 m; the sum of these percentages being from 80 to 100%; the sum of the percentages of cement and of silica fume being greater than 28%; the mineral addition A1 being selected from slags, pozzolanic additions or siliceous additions such as quartz, silico-calcareous mineral additions, calcareous additions such as calcium carbonate or mixtures thereof.