Engineers have created a system that allows ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to be sprayed directly onto structures for quick fixes to walls and pipes.
The team from Florida International University (FIU) believes its process could transform bridge repairs, which are typically complex and costly operations.
More than 40,000 bridges in the US are deemed structurally deficient, with as many as 221,000 in need of some form of repair, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.
UHPC is many times stronger and more water-resistant than regular concrete, but its use in the US has been limited mainly due to high cost.
“UHPC has historically been very expensive to use, mainly because most of those available [mixes] on the market have been commercial versions. Even a very thin layer of UHPC can drastically improve the strength of a structure and protect it from water,” said Atorod Azizinamini, a professor of civil engineering at FIU.
“We have developed an affordable...