High-performance concrete
Duracrete is our high-performance concrete that is specially engineered to support demanding construction projects. It’s ideal for applications such as bridges, highrise buildings, and critical infrastructure. The high-strength concrete offers superior durability and resistance to harsh environmental conditions, like freeze-thaw cycles, damaging chemicals, and abrasion.
Duracrete concrete builds long-lasting, resilient structures with enhanced performance and sustainability. With this high-performance concrete, ultimate strengths can exceed 100N/mm2. However, the enhanced durability of the concrete’s performance is most beneficial.
Heidelberg Materials UK's high-performance concrete is available from all our static and mobile production plants, and we deliver tailored mix designs to suit your project specifications. Use our location finder to find your nearest plant, or contact us to learn how Duracrete high-strength concrete can strengthen your construction project.
What applications can high-strength concrete be used for?
High-performance concrete can bring increased durability and strength to a range of projects, like:
- Loading bays
- Scrap yards
- Warehouse floors
- Service yards
- Waste recycling yards
- Agricultural applications
- Coastal defence systems
- Foundry floors
- Hot material storage areas
Benefits of high-performance concrete
High-strength concrete provides many benefits to construction projects, including:
- Early strength
- Early drying
- Underwater durability
- Withstanding environmental extremes
- Impact and abrasion resistance
- Quality-assurance
- Better bond strength between paste and aggregates
- Better resistance of concrete to attack from sulphates
- Enhanced water tightness
NOTE: These benefits are subject to good concreting practice (placement, finishing and curing).
Where our high-strength concrete has been used
Thames Tideway Tunnel Central Section
We supplied high-performance concrete to cast the precast tunnel segments and provided the in-situ lining of the tunnel structure in the central section of this major project.
Case study: Thames Tideway Tunnel
The IYLO, Croydon
We supplied 250 cubic metres of high-strength concrete to the IYLO project, a 20-storey apartment building constructed in Croydon by Lancsville Construction Ltd.
Our accreditations
Heidelberg Materials is a member of the Quality Scheme for Ready-Mixed Concrete (QSRMC) and all our high-performance concrete products carry this certification.
From the experts: Duracrete high-strength concrete
"Waste transfer stations and recycling centres are high energy environments which demand levels of durability that conventional concrete just can't achieve. Duracrete provides both resistance to chemical attack and a dense, hard-wearing surface, ideal for increasing the service life of these projects."
Lee Baldwin, Head of Customer Technical Support
"96 concrete gravity bases for the world’s first Gigawatt offshore wind farm, Hornsea One, off the coast of Lincolnshire were produced using over 3000m3 of Duracrete, cast onshore on Teesside before being floated into position."
Nick Graham, Technical Specialist
Why you can trust Heidelberg Materials
Quality-Assured High-Strength Concrete
Our ranges of high-performance concrete have been tested to the highest standards, with solutions to suit every application.
Extensive Product Availability
Choose from 178 static and mobile plants across the UK for your high-strength concrete supply.
Bespoke High-Performance Concrete Products
Select your ideal additives, admixtures, cement and aggregates.
Dedicated Sales Support
We integrate sales management with every order for seamless delivery.
National Delivery Fleet
Trust our 1,200 vehicles, 140 rail freight wagons, and 4 locomotives to safely deliver your concrete.
Contact details
Contact the team nearest to you using the details in the table below. Alternatively, please complete the contact form at the bottom of this page.
- What is high strength concrete?
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High-strength concrete (or high-performance concrete) is a type of ready-mixed concrete that offers higher compressive strength compared to traditional types of concrete.
This makes it a good choice for high-traffic paving and flooring, large structures, and applications where high resistance to impact and weathering is crucial. It can be strengthened further using rebar to protect against tension and shear forces.
- How is high strength concrete made?
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Concrete with strengths exceeding 70 N/mm2 will usually contain silica fume (microsilica). This ultra fine, ultra reactive powder enhances the performance of ready-mixed concrete
- How long does high performance concrete take to set?
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Typically, it takes high performance concrete around 2-3 hours (weather dependent) to set. High performance concrete is specially designed to permit similar working times to conventional concrete, and mixes can be tailored for specific projects.
- What is the difference between ultra high-strength concrete and high-strength concrete?
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Ultra high-strength concrete is a specialist concrete product which is more commonly supplied in bags, rather than delivered ready-mixed. It’s composed of unique materials which aren’t generally available at a concrete plant.
- How to design projects using high performance concrete?
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Duracrete’s increased durability and strength may be used as part of the initial design stage to minimise additional protective measures. This results in a possible reduction in both reinforcement and cover to reinforcement. Plus, more slender cast elements, such as columns, provide more usable floor space within the build.
Higher early-strength cycles can also be achieved, typically lasting 3 to 7 days. We recommend our FastTrack range of early strength concrete for high-strength concrete within the first 48 hours. This is because it takes approximately 8 to 12 hours for sufficient Calcium Hydroxide to be liberated from the cement component to react with the silica fume and begin the full hydration process.
