In March 2024, 2022 doctoral student Leng Jingchen (supervised by Zhou Jianting, Zou Yang, and Yang Jun) of the Bridge Performance Enhancement Research Team of the National Key Laboratory of Mountain Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, published a research paper titled “Effect of vehicle-induced vibration on the strength, nano-mechanical properties, and microstructural characteristics of ultra-high-performance concrete during hardening process” in the top international journal Cement and Concrete Composites (Impact Factor: 10.5, Engineering Field Journal CiteScore Ranking: 4/200) in the field of civil engineering structures and construction technology.

As China’s economy continues to develop, the proportion of high-speed highways approaching saturation in terms of traffic volume has significantly increased. In this context, widening and expanding highways is an effective and simple method to improve road capacity and service levels. In order to reduce economic losses, it is often necessary to widen bridges along highways under the premise of “non-disruptive traffic”, to ensure the dual enhancement of traffic flow and economic benefits.

This paper addresses key scientific issues such as the evolution of performance and disturbance mechanisms of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) under perturbation conditions. From the structural level to the material level, from the macroscopic scale to the nanoscale, a new exploration of the effects of vehicle-induced disturbance on the strength, microstructural characteristics, and nanomechanical properties of UHPC during the hardening process was conducted. A simulation test device capable of highly reproducing real disturbance conditions was independently developed (with one national invention patent granted). The research findings revealed the influence mechanisms of pore structure characteristics, nano-mechanical properties of the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ), and spatial orientation distribution of steel fibers on the macroscopic mechanical properties of UHPC under disturbance environment. The paper also pioneered the theoretical analysis models of hydration process in UHPC and matrix-aggregate micro-damage under different disturbance energies, providing solid theoretical support for the rapid splicing technology of UHPC-RC composite bridges under non-disruptive traffic. Additionally, the Bridge Performance Enhancement Research Team of the National Key Laboratory of Mountain Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, in collaboration with China Second Highway Engineering Consultants Ltd., conducted in-depth industry-university-research cooperation, and the research results supported the design of bridge construction and expansion projects along the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Expressway.

This paper represents a new achievement in the application of ultra-high-performance materials and the improvement of bridge performance in the direction of bridge state perception and advanced maintenance, led by Professor Zhou Jianting’s innovative team “Bridge State Perception and Advanced Maintenance”. It signifies the remarkable achievements of our university in key technological innovation and graduate education, and has significantly enhanced the basic theoretical research level and international influence of the National Key Laboratory of Mountainous Bridge and Tunnel Engineering in the field of bridge engineering.