Global Ultra-high Performance Concrete Market - 2021-2028

Global Ultra-high Performance Concrete Market - 2021-2028

Market Overview

The ultra-high performance concrete market size was worth US$ XX million in 2020 and is estimated to reach US$ XX million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of XX % during the forecast period (2021-2028).

Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is considered as a cementitious concrete material with a minimum compressive strength of 17,000 pounds per square inch with specified durability, tensile ductility and toughness requirements. Ultra-high performance concrete is formulated by combining portland cement, supplementary cementitious materials, reactive powders, limestone, fine sand, high-range water reducers and water. Fiber types often used in UHPC include glass, high carbon steel, PVA, carbon or a combination of these types or others.

While ultra-high performance concrete has remained under research and development for a long time, it is a comparatively new material technology compared to conventional concrete. Due to the excellent properties of UHPC, it is gradually gaining acceptance in numerous applications, such as bridges, security, water / waste-water, architectural products, building elements and others throughout the world. The absence of UHPC specific codes and standards and a common agreement on what exactly is UHPC are some of the influential factors in slowing the implementation of this technology.

Market Dynamics

The global ultra-high performance concrete market growth is driven by the need for high-performance construction materials.

Need for high-performance construction materials

Concrete is prone to numerous issues that may result from poor construction or normal weathering. Many defects can be bypassed by proper mixing and placement, but others remain likely to occur within a typical service life. Concrete spalling is one of the major problems that has troubled contractors for years, affecting numerous structures, including buildings, bridges, tanks, dams and waterfront structures such as docks, sea walls and jetties. If the failing concrete is not fixed, an entire structure can fail.

The unfortunate failing of buildings in Miami recently and the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in Washington, DC and the closure of the I-40 Mississippi River bridge are recent cases of the results when concrete structures fail. Hence, these scenarios are highly creating the demand for ultra-high performance concrete in the market. UHPC available in the market is non-porous concrete, which is impervious to water and chemicals. It is highly idolized to repair traditional, failing concrete and develop structures that significantly outlast traditional concrete. It is composed of an optimized gradation of cementitious materials, granular constituents and reinforcing fibers that can be used to repair these structures, making them even stronger than the original. The demand for UHPC has been growing to construct roadway bridges in Japan, France and Malaysia; pedestrian bridges in Venezuela and Canada; roof panels and architectural facades in France and Canada.

High cost of the material

The high cost of the material impacts the growth of the ultra-high performance concrete market. At present, pre-bagged UHPC is being sold for over US$ 2000 per cubic yard. Commercially available UHPC is nearly 20 times more expensive than conventional concrete, which is sold at around US$ 100/yd3 (US$ 130/m3). Also, additional fibers cost between US$ 250 and $500 per cubic yard, depending on dosage and source of fibers. It is, therefore, sometimes difficult to justify utilizing materials that cost approximately $3000 per cubic yard. The UHPC usage has been limited to joints in various projects, where low volume is used.

However, recent studies have confirmed that the adoption of UHPC is economical, even though its initial cost is higher than conventional concrete. The use of HPC in construction enhances the structure's service life as it will suffer less damage, which would reduce the overall costs.

Covid-19 Impact Analysis

The ultra-high performance concrete industry has declined during the covid-19 with most of the ongoing construction projects being delayed. The pause in the construction activities across the globe has hampered the supply and demand of ultra-high performance concrete. For instance, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association report, almost $9.6 billion worth of projects have been delayed or cancelled.

Moreover, various countries have to face a cement shortage with less supply and more demand for cement after the restrictions are over. For instance, the UK construction market economy has started to grow in 2021 but is restrained by construction material shortages. In April 2021, Construction Leadership Council added cement and plastics to its existing lists of products in short supply.

Segment Analysis

By fiber type, the ultra-high performance concrete market is segmented into PVA, glass, carbon and others.

Need for improved bending strength and ductility in ultra-high performance concrete is boosting the sales for carbon steel

Ultra-high-performance concrete is rapidly emerging as a superior material for precast concrete construction. Carbon steel is added to the UHPSC for providing superior quality, higher compressive strength, better durability, sustainability and reduced weight. Fibers are usually used in high-performance Concrete with the purpose of improving bending strength and ductility. Important properties are the peak value of bearing stress and post-cracking behavior of the bent element.

UHPC is reinforced by steel fibers, which improve the material's tensile strength and energy dissipation capacity. Moreover, ductility is also enhanced by the introduction of steel fibers. Steel fiber reinforcement is combined to obtain elastic-plastic or strain-hardening behavior in tension as the matrix is very brittle. UHPC applications include highway bridges, rehabilitation, field cast connections and façades.

Geographical Analysis

Expanding ultra-high performance concrete production lines in the North American countries

North America holds a significant market share for the ultra-high performance concrete market globally and is expected to continue its dominance in the forecast period. In the U.S, spending on construction makes up a vital portion of the country's gross domestic product and public construction. For instance, in 2018, a total of around US$ 302 billion was spent on new public construction alone. UHPC has been used in prestressed concrete girder simple-span bridges, field-cast connections between prefabricated bridge components and precast concrete deck panels.

Various countries are expanding their products portfolio with the rising adoption of ultra-high performance concrete in the construction sector. For instance, in 2020, TAKTL announced working on a second manufacturing plant to support the western U.S and Canadian markets with locally sourced and manufactured products after high growth in its Pittsburgh facility. Moreover, in 2020, Steelike Inc., creator, producer and supplier of Steelike ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), announced that it raised $2 million in seed investment. As part of the deal, its predecessor, Kulish Design Co. LLC, changed its name to Steelike Inc.

Ultra-high Performance Concrete Competitive Landscape

The ultra-high performance concrete market is consolidated with the presence of global companies. The ultra-high performance concrete is still not used commercially used in all the countries, which is the major reason for the consolidation of the market. In addition, some of the key players contributing to the market's growth are Cor-Tuf, TAKTL, R-Tec Creations, Cementir, Lafarge Corporation, Cemex S.A.B. De C.V, Lehigh White Cement, Vicat, Ceentek Pte Ltd, Gulf Precast Concrete, Mc-Bauchemie and others. The major players are adopting various new strategies to dominate the market, such as launching new products, acquisitions, and collaborations, contributing to the global growth of the ultra-high performance concrete market.

Cor-Tuf

Overview: Cor-Tuf was founded in 2016 and is the licensed producer of Cor-Tuf ultra-high performance concrete in the U.S and the world. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed Cor-Tuf UHPC (patent US 8016938 B2) in response to the need for a tougher yet lighter material for protecting personnel and weapons facilities.

Product Portfolio: The company manufactures CT25, a highly versatile mix that can be used as a replacement for standard concrete. It is cooperative with industry-standard production techniques, ranging from large-scale precast facilities to small, cast-in-place applications.

Key Development: In 2019, Cor-Tuf UHPC announced formalizing an agreement with Precast Systems Engineering, LLC to help advance the Ultra-High Performance Concrete sector.

Why Purchase the Report?
• Visualize the segmentation of the ultra-high performance concrete market by fiber type, mixture, application, end-user and region, highlighting the key commercial assets and players.
• Identify commercial opportunities in the ultra-high performance concrete by analyzing trends and co-development deals.
• Excel data sheet with thousands of data points of ultra-high performance concrete market-level 4/5 segmentation.
• PDF report with the most relevant analysis cogently put together after exhaustive qualitative interviews and in-depth market study.
• Product mapping in excel for the key product of all major market players

The global ultra-high performance concrete market report would provide an approximate 69 market data table, 71 figures and 180 pages.

Target Audience
• Service Providers/ Buyers
• Construction Companies
• Raw Material Providers
• Fiber Providers
• Governments
• Industry Investors/Investment Bankers
• Education & Research Institutes
• Research Professionals
• Emerging Companies
• Distributors