On Tuesday, June 16, Symposium attendees can choose one of three technical tours. These tours offer the opportunity to witness in-service UHPC bridges and overlays, and to explore emerging uses of the material.

All tours begin with a visit to Iowa State University for a UHPC shotcrete demonstration. Attendees will also gain first-hand experience with architectural components and building cladding systems.  The three tours will then progress as described below.

UHPC Tour “W”: The Bridges of Wapello County

This tour showcases how well UHPC can perform when used in primary bridge elements and as an armoring layer on a bridge deck.

• Mars Hill Road Bridge over Little Soap Creek: This was the first bridge constructed with UHPC in the United States. Opened to traffic 20 years ago, this pretensioned I-girder bridge maintains a superstructure condition rating of “8 – Very Good Condition.”
• Dahlonega Road Bridge over Little Cedar Creek: This bridge’s deck features precast panels made from UHPC using a waffle configuration as well as field-cast UHPC connections. Opened in 2011, it maintains a deck condition rating of “8 – Very Good Condition.”
• Highway 163 Bridge over Walnut Creek: This bridge received a UHPC overlay in 2020. Carrying more than 5,000 cars per day, this application not only preserves the superstructure, but also delivers a smooth ride on this mainline route east of Des Moines.

UHPC Tour “B”: The Bridges of Buchanan County

Examine a unique UHPC superstructure system and the first UHPC bridge deck overlay installed in the United States.

• Jakway Park Bridge: Constructed in 2008, this “pi-girder” bridge uses three double-tee pretensioned girders with bulbs at the base of the legs. This innovative design enabled rapid construction and continues to perform well to this day.
• Laporte Road Bridge over Mud Creek: This is a three-span continuous concrete slab bridge, the first bridge in the US to receive a UHPC overlay. Installed in 2016 in lieu of a more invasive rehabilitation, the overlay allows this 60-year-old bridge to continue to serve the local community.

UHPC Tour “L”: UHPC Mixing, Research, and Symposium Student Competition

Dive deeper into UHPC research and innovation, including topics such as additive manufacturing.

Tour Highlights:

• Interactive Research Showcase: Join a one-on-one discussion session featuring UHPC large-scale mixing, large-scale UHPC 3D printing, AI-enabled UHPC materials and structural design, and UHPC applications in energy systems.
• Live Demonstrations: Observe UHPC mixing and 3D printing demonstrations in a laboratory setting.
• Student Competition: Visit and audit the UHPC symposium student competition and engage with university teams showcasing their work.