UHPC in North America is sold under the name of Ductal, jointly developed and patented by the French firms Lafarge and Bouygues. Ductal is an innovative technology that covers a family of UHPCs with exceptional characteristics in terms of mechanical resistance (compressive strengths up to 29,000 psi or 200 Mpa, flexural tensile strength beyond 5,800 psi or 40 Mpa), durability, abrasion-resistance, and resistance against chemical and environmental attack from freeze/thaw cycles or chloride penetration.

This cementitious material consists of cement, sand, silica fume, silica flour, admixture, water and high-strength steel fibers, but no aggregates. Its durability properties are those of an impermeable material, better than conventional HPC, the maker says.

In structural applications, Ductal is used without any passive reinforcing bars. Very fine, high-strength steel fibers are provided to withstand secondary tensile stresses due to shear, tension, small bending moments and concentrated loads.v