Get Real with Cor-Tuf: Certification Class Brings UHPC to the Real World

Get Real with Cor-Tuf: Certification Class Brings UHPC to the Real World

We have written in the past about some of the revolutionary uses for Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in bridges, overlays, and other major infrastructure projects. While these are still valuable applications for UHPC, we want to shift our attention and expand your view on when UHPC is an ideal choice. 

The unique characteristics of Cor-Tuf UHPC make it appropriate for a wide variety of applications, ranging from walls to airport runways. Additionally, our team is committed to spreading deep knowledge about the product by providing certification classes to installers.

The bottom line is we want you to become knowledgeable ambassadors of Cor-Tuf UHPC. Learn more about the Cor-Tuf UHPC certification class—created for real people in real-world situations—and join us in increasing the number of ways that UHPC is put to use. 

The great divide: What separates Cor-Tuf UHPC from the competition

There are several characteristics of Cor-Tuf UHPC that make it a better choice than other UHPC products on the market. We have written about these in detail before, but the main qualities that set Cor-Tuf UHPC apart are:

  • It can be mass produced using conventional methods.
  • It is pumpable.
  • You get a consistent batch with each mix.
  • It has a shorter mixing time than conventional UHPC.
  • You can use standard machinery to mix, pour, and transport Cor-Tuf UHPC.
  • It has a working time of approximately one hour. 
  • Strict quality control procedures are in place. 
  • Mixes can be customized to meet your strength and project needs. 
  • It does not sacrifice flexural or tensile strength to achieve its high compressive strength value.

Thanks to these qualities, Cor-Tuf UHPC is already being used in many bridge construction and other infrastructure projects. But these same characteristics also make it an ideal choice for a wide array of applications, opening up the possibilities for when UHPC makes sense. 

Use cases include:

  • Blast-proof buildings
  • Walls
  • Barriers
  • Planters
  • Airport runways
  • Weather-proofing (hurricane and earthquake resistance; freeze/thaw resistance)

Cor-Tuf UHPC turns something that may look quite ordinary into a heavily fortified defensive structure. It’s a proprietary mix of UHPC that is ideal for just about any real-world, everyday use case. But since 80 percent of our proprietary mix is the same as traditional concrete, it behaves very similarly to the product you’re used to working with. It’s the additional 20 percent that makes us unique. Cor-Tuf UHPC is simply a more highly evolved version of the same concrete you have always used. 

Become an ambassador: The Cor-Tuf UHPC certification class

It’s not just the qualities of Cor-Tuf UHPC that set us apart. It’s also our attitude and our goals. We want to share the keys to the kingdom with other contractors and installers, so UHPC can become a mainstay in the construction world. As our President Rich Burgess says, “When the sea rises, all the boats rise with it.”

As part of our commitment and excitement to bring UHPC to the masses, we offer certification classes to contractors and installers. At the end of this 4-day class, you will become a fully certified Cor-Tuf representative, with the authority to handle materials applications, installation, and representation. 

Certification class in progress with Miles Zeman, Head of R&D and New Product Development

The certification is good for three years upon completion of the class. We provide a detailed course manual to educate you on all aspects of the product. Our goal is to make sure you come out knowing just as much about how the product works as we do. You will be fully equipped to sell and install Cor-Tuf UHPC in your own projects. 

Step-by-step instruction on using Cor-Tuf UHPC on the job

We will still send a Cor-Tuf company representative to project sites, but we are not there to police you. We prefer to stay in the background, playing a supporting actor role. If your team of installers has questions, we are there to help. But you are our representative, a true ambassador for this revolutionary UHPC concrete mix. 

Hands-on application of Cor-Tuf UHPC

Our team is comprised of materials scientists, engineers, and technical experts. But we are contractors at heart. We take a contractor-first approach to our product and our business, which is why these certification classes are so important to us. We want to share all that Cor-Tuf UHPC can do with other contractors and installers. We set you up for success, so together we can spread Cor-Tuf UHPC around the world. 

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PRODUCT DATA SHEET

CTL Group Material Testing Results*


Concrete Performance
Test MethodCuring Conditions at CTL Group AgeTest Results
Compressive StrengthASTM C 3973°F/100% RHat 1 day9,050 psi
Compressive StrengthASTM C 3973°F/100% RHat 3 days11,140 psi
Compressive StrengthASTM C 3973°F/100% RHat 14 days16,000 psi
Compressive StrengthASTM C 3973°F/100% RHat 28 days21,000 psi
Compressive StrengthASTM C 3973°F/100% RHat 56 days23,000 psi
Compressive StrengthASTM C 1856Controlled Curingat 28 days25,500 psi
Length Change of HHCASTM C 15773°F/50% RH28 days
(26 days Dry)
-0.033%
Chloride PenetrabilityASTM C 1202
AASHTO T277
73°F Limewater
190°F water 5 days;
190°F air 2 days;
73°F water until testing
28 days
28 days
≤100 (Negligible)
≤100 (Negligible)
** Flexural StrengthASTM C 160973°F Limewater28 daysL/600 = 2800 psi or better
** Flexural StrengthASTM C 160973°F Limewater28 daysL/150 = 1500 psi or better
Direct Tensile StrengthAASHTO T39773°F Limewater28 days1000 psi or better
Modulus of ElasticityASTM C 46973°F Limewater28 days6800 ksi
Abrasion Resistance, Ave LossASTM C94473°F Limewater58 days0.016 oz
Freeze Thaw Resistance RDMASTM A 66673°F Limewater28 days600 cycles, 96%

Notes:
*Testing results confirmed by independent laboratory CTL
Group. Results are based on laboratory mixes.
**Data per UCF Material Study 5/10/2022
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Client: Cor-Tuf UHPC CTL Project No: 059330
Date: 1/20/2020

What Makes UHPC Ultra-High Performance

UHPC achieves its superior performance through a dense nano-scale matrix that is far less permeable than conventional concrete. This matrix is combined with steel fiber reinforcement, which provides exceptional ductility and crack resistance.

Though exact formulations and results vary by producer, UHPC generally incorporates a blend of Portland cement, sand, supplementary cementitious materials, chemical admixtures, and fibers – resulting in a material dramatically stronger, tougher, and longer lasting than traditional concrete.

Cor-Tuf Outperforms Conventional Concrete and Other UHPCs

Feature Cor-Tuf UHPC Conventional Concrete Other UHPCs
Compressive Strength 25,000+ psi 4,000–6,000 psi 18,000–22,000 psi
Ease of Placement ✅ Standard Equipment ✅ Standard Equipment ❌ Specialized Tools
Bonding & Ductility Extreme Low Moderate
Freeze-Thaw Resistance 1000+ Cycles 20–80 Cycles 300 Cycles
Chloride Permeability Near Zero High Low
Lifespan 100+ Years 25–30 Years 50–60 Years

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PRODUCT DATA SHEET