UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., June 26 -- Pennsylvania State University issued the following news release:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Concrete, although the most common building material in the world, is brittle and can easily crack under tension. Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is a special class of concrete known for its dense structure and extreme durability. This class uses internal metallic fibers to flex and resist cracking - the downside being these fibers can lead the material to cost up to 30 times more than traditional concrete. A team of researchers, led by engineers from Penn State, is laying the foundation to help builders get more bang for their buck when using this specialized compound.
The team used a series of tests to measure...