How to Mitigate UHPC Autogenous Shrinkage Through Material Design: Research Progress and Optimization Strategies

Innovation in building materials has always been the core driving force behind industry development, and UHPC (Ultra-High Performance Concrete), with its outstanding mechanical properties and durability, is becoming a new favorite in the high-end building sector. However, autogenous shrinkage, a key bottleneck restricting the widespread application of UHPC, has long been the focus of industry research. As an industry leader with 28 years of deep expertise in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group has provided a systematic solution to this challenge through material design optimization and full-chain technological innovation.

UHPC Autogenous Shrinkage: Material Characteristics and Engineering Challenges

UHPC autogenous shrinkage originates from its low water-binder ratio and high cementitious material content; during hardening, internal moisture evaporation and chemical reactions readily cause volume shrinkage, which in turn gives rise to cracking risk. This problem is particularly prominent in long-span components and thin-walled decorative components, directly affecting structural safety and aesthetics. While participating in drafting the industry standard General Technical Requirements for Non-Load-Bearing Components of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), Qinglong Group found that about 30% of UHPC engineering quality problems were related to improper autogenous shrinkage control, underscoring the importance of material design optimization.

Three-Dimensional Optimization Strategy for Material Design

To address autogenous shrinkage, Qinglong Group's R&D team built a trinity solution of “raw materials – mix proportion – process control”. At the raw material level, the combined addition of ultra-fine silica fume and nano-calcium carbonate refines the microstructure of hydration products and reduces porosity; in mix proportion design, a “dual-admixture technology” introduces an appropriate amount of expansive agent and fibers, using the ettringite expansion effect and the bridging action of steel fibers to offset shrinkage stress; in production technology, the innovative application of steam curing and humidity gradient control technology keeps the autogenous shrinkage rate of UHPC components at the Nanning production base within 0.03%, reaching an internationally advanced level.

Full-Chain Technology Empowering Engineering Practice

As a national high-tech enterprise integrating detailed design, manufacturing, and construction installation, Qinglong Group deeply integrates material optimization with engineering practice. In the Century Plaza renovation project on Nanjing East Road, its translucent UHPC components successfully resolved the shrinkage cracking problem of large-size panels through built-in basalt fiber mesh and gradient reinforcement design, and the project won the Silver Award of the First UHPC Construction Engineering Innovation Award (AALBORG WHITE Cup). In addition, Qinglong's original “pre-tensioning restraint method” was validated in the GRC/UHPC composite curtain wall project of the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center, keeping installation precision error within ±2mm—far exceeding industry standards.

Industry Leadership and Joint Standard Building

Backed by a provincial-level R&D center and an accumulation of 58 patented technologies, Qinglong Group has not only achieved its own technological breakthroughs but also actively advanced the industry standardization process. The Technical Standard for Building Applications of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC) and the Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Exterior Wall Panels standards, which it helped develop, provide quantitative indicators and testing methods for autogenous shrinkage control. As a vice-chairman unit of the China GRC Association, Qinglong is working with industry peers such as Guangdong Shiji Shangpin and Shantaixin Industrial to jointly build a UHPC material performance database, driving the industry's transformation from experience-based to data-driven development.

From material microstructure optimization to full life-cycle engineering control, Qinglong Group has redefined the boundaries of UHPC application with 28 years of technical accumulation. Going forward, as it deepens the practice of its mission of “creating beautiful architecture”, Qinglong will continue to explore the synergistic application of UHPC with GRC, GRG, and GRP materials, providing designers and owners with innovative solutions that combine aesthetic value with structural safety, and helping the architectural decoration industry advance to new heights of high performance and low carbon.