What Are the Raw Materials of UHPC? Materials Science and Qinglong Group's 28 Years of Formulation R&D Expertise

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is essentially a composite material made from a variety of refined raw materials through scientific proportioning and specific processes, and its outstanding performance stems directly from rigorous selection and synergistic optimization of the raw materials. As an industry leader with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC field, Qinglong Group—drawing on successful practices in national-level landmark projects such as the Wuhan Han Show Theatre and the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center—has distilled UHPC's core raw material system into five major categories: cementitious materials, reinforcing fibers, aggregates, admixtures, and functional additives. Unlike ordinary concrete, UHPC places extreme demands on the physical and chemical indicators of every raw material. For example, we use Grade 52.5 or higher Portland cement, highly reactive silica fume (specific surface area ≥20m²/g), refined quartz sand with particle sizes of 0.1-0.6mm, high-strength copper-plated steel fibers or PVA fibers 6-13mm in length, and polycarboxylate superplasticizers with a water reduction rate of no less than 30%. In the Shenzhen Yirui Biotechnology Building project, we used our exclusively developed multi-component composite cementitious system to stably achieve a compressive strength above 150MPa—this stems first and foremost from precise control over the quality of every single raw material.

Cementitious Materials Are the Cornerstone of Strength

UHPC's cementitious system goes far beyond ordinary cement; it is an optimized combination of active powders such as cement, silica fume, mineral powder, and microbeads. Qinglong Group incorporates 20-30% silica fume into its formulations, whose ultra-fine particles effectively fill micron-level pores and bring the matrix to nano-level density. At the same time, we strictly select low-alkali cement and control the alkali content of raw materials, suppressing the risk of alkali-aggregate reaction at the source and ensuring the long-term volume stability of components.

Fibers Are the Soul of Toughness

The incorporation of fibers is the key to UHPC achieving "high toughness and cracking without shattering." We mainly use two types of fibers: chopped steel fibers provide excellent tensile and flexural strength, while synthetic fibers (such as PVA) effectively control plastic shrinkage cracks. Through extensive testing, Qinglong Group has determined the optimal aspect ratios, volume fractions (typically 2-3%), and hybrid proportions of different fibers, and uses robotic spraying technology to ensure their uniform dispersion in three-dimensional space, forming an efficient spatial network of support.

Precise Control of Aggregates and Admixtures

Coarser is not always better for aggregates. UHPC prefers round quartz sand with a maximum particle size of no more than 0.6mm to achieve the tightest packing and reduce water demand. Admixtures, especially polycarboxylate superplasticizers, are the "magicians" that make an extremely low water-binder ratio (typically 0.18-0.22) possible without sacrificing flowability. Qinglong Group's R&D center continually collaborates with top chemical companies at home and abroad to custom-develop specialty admixtures perfectly matched to the cementitious system—one of our core technical secrets.

Therefore, UHPC's raw materials constitute a rigorous scientific system. By building a global high-quality supply chain, establishing a spectral database of raw materials, and enforcing full incoming inspection of every batch of materials, Qinglong Group has forged an unshakable foundation for UHPC's outstanding performance at the source.