Calgary-based Cementec Industries has introduced Hard-Cem, a powder shipped in bulk or 40-lb., water soluble bags for use in hardening the surfaces of slabs spec'ed with air-entrained mixes. Product developers note that Hard-Cem is an alternative to dry shake surface hardeners and, as integral mix agent, saves labor and augments consistency and quality assurance. Target applications include industrial floors, water resources structures, and precast vaults and drainage products. — Cementec, 403/720-6699, www.cementec.ca

Spon Press of New York has released three technical titles on cement and concrete:

Concrete Structures - Stresses and Deformation, Third Edition, A. Ghali, R. Favre and M. Elbadry. Covers creep and shrinkage; relaxation of steel; prestressed concrete; fibre-reinforced members; crack control; and a host of engineering methods tied to stress, strain and internal force conditions. 584 pages, fully illustrated, $128.

Structure and Performance of Cement, Second Edition, J. Bensted and P. Barnes. Covers portland cement production and chemistry; pozzolans and admixtures; and laboratory methods for analyzing cement and concrete specimens. 565 pages, with illustrations, tables and charts, $160.

Sulfate Attack on Concrete, Jan Skalny, Jackques Marchand, Ivan Odler. Covers cement paste, concrete deterioration, modeling deterioration, and case histories involving sulfate-driven failure in residential concrete and prestressed railroad crossties.

The publications can be obtained from Taylor & Francis/Routledge, 7625 Empire Drive, Florence, KY 41042; 800/634-7064.