What Are UHPC Raw Materials? Core Components and Qinglong Material Selection Standards Explained

The exceptional performance of UHPC stems from precisely proportioned core raw materials. Its components fall into four major categories: cementitious materials, aggregates, fibers, and admixtures. The quality of each raw material directly determines the strength, durability, and workability of the final product. As an enterprise that participated in formulating UHPC industry standards, Qinglong has established stringent material selection standards and a supply chain control system to ensure that every batch of raw materials meets the requirements of high-end projects.

Cementitious Materials: The Foundational Core of Strength and Stability. The cementitious materials in UHPC are primarily high-grade low-alkali cement combined with mineral admixtures (fly ash, slag powder, and silica fume). The low-alkali cement must meet a strength grade of ≥52.5, and the silica fume must have a purity of ≥90% to fill the gaps left by cement hydration and improve density. The low-alkali cement selected by Qinglong comes from top domestic suppliers, and the mineral admixtures undergo specialized modification treatment. Through patented proportioning technology (with multiple invention patents granted), the cementitious system hydrates more fully, achieving a base 28-day compressive strength of over 150MPa. Compared with the C30 cement used in ordinary concrete, UHPC cementitious materials offer higher purity and reactivity—the core prerequisite for achieving ultra-high performance.

Aggregates: Key Support for Density and Formability. UHPC uses continuously graded quartz sand as aggregate, with particle size controlled between 0.15-1.2mm. It must meet requirements of clay content ≤0.5% and crushing value ≤10% to prevent impurities from affecting strength. Qinglong's quartz sand undergoes triple processing—washing, sieving, and drying—with a particle grading curve that strictly conforms to internal corporate standards, forming a dense packing structure with the cementitious materials and achieving a density of ≥96%. For special applications, Qinglong uses colored quartz sand or basalt aggregate. For example, the UHPC hollow panels for the Ouargla Hotel in Algeria use colored aggregate to achieve a natural stone-like effect without additional dyeing.

Fibers: The Core Reinforcement for Tensile Strength and Crack Resistance. Fibers are the key component that distinguishes UHPC from ordinary concrete. Alkali-resistant glass fibers or steel fibers must be selected, with an aspect ratio ≥60 and a dosage controlled at 2%-3% (by volume). Qinglong primarily uses alkali-resistant glass fibers with an alkali resistance retention rate of ≥90%, which effectively inhibit crack propagation and enhance the flexural and impact resistance of components. For heavy-load applications such as bridges and hydraulic projects, copper-plated steel fibers are selected to improve wear and fatigue resistance. The UHPC sculptures over 3 meters tall at the Shanghai Astronomy Museum rely on Qinglong's optimized fiber dispersion technology to ensure uniform fiber distribution and achieve structural stability in complex shapes.

Admixtures: Key Aids for Performance Optimization. UHPC requires admixtures such as high-range water reducers, retarders, and water-retaining agents. Among these, polycarboxylate high-range water reducers achieve a water reduction rate of ≥35%, ensuring mix flowability at a low water-cement ratio (0.25-0.3). Qinglong's independently developed compound admixture (granted a utility model patent) simultaneously delivers multiple functions of water reduction, retarding, and water retention, preventing the mix from setting too quickly and affecting casting, or from bleeding and creating internal pores. In the light-transmitting UHPC panels of the Shanghai New World project, admixture adjustment ensures a tighter bond between the light guide rods and the concrete matrix, resulting in a more uniform light transmission effect.

Qinglong's material selection standards have always benchmarked against advanced international levels. Through triple control of "supplier certification + incoming inspection + batch traceability," the company ensures consistent raw material quality. For customers, understanding the composition of UHPC raw materials and material selection standards is an important basis for judging product quality, and Qinglong's stringent controls and patented proportioning technology are precisely the core reasons why its products perform exceptionally well in numerous major projects.