Unveiled at the 2015 World of Concrete, ACI University provides on-demand access to a wide range of topics on concrete materials, design, and construction. It combines all of the American Concrete Institute’s online educational offerings in one 
location and makes them accessible on desktop computers and mobile devices. The portal contains technical documents, preparation for certifications, webinars on a variety of concrete-related topics, and study programs on concrete design requirements, enabling practitioners to obtain education from an internationally recognized leader in a more easily accessible manner than ever before, ACI officials contend.
“ACI has a long history of providing world class learning,” says Educational Activities Committee Chair Frances Griffith. “Continuing in that tradition and leveraging the latest in today’s educational technology, ACI University is a global, completely online, one-stop shop portal.”
Accompanying the ACI University launch is a new Certificate Program, available for an individual to review, study, and be tested on a variety of topics—resulting in a certificate noting completion of a variety of single-topic-focused courses. Certificate programs on “Concrete Fundamentals” and “Anchorage to Concrete” are currently available, and additional topics will be added. — www.ACIUniversity.com
Masonry testing certification programs debut
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| Developers of the field and laboratory programs stress the importance of technician certification in masonry practice. |
The American Concrete Institute’s new Masonry Field Testing Technician and Masonry Laboratory Testing Technician certification programs are based on content from ASTM specifications and suit candidates who can demonstrate technical knowledge and skills for masonry unit, mortar, grout, and prism sampling and testing. “Developing these programs filled an important need within the testing and inspection community,” says ACI Committee C670, Masonry Technician Certification Chair Chris Robinson.
“Our sponsoring group coverage enables ACI to bring these new programs to market in an efficient and effective manner. We have 117 sponsoring groups worldwide, with 97 in North America,” adds ACI Managing Director of Certification & Chapters John Nehasil. The programs have the support of The Masonry Society, National Concrete Masonry Association, and Portland Cement Association, he notes. TMS will be a national sponsor, with local sponsoring groups offering certification. — American Concrete Institute, 248/848-3790; www.concrete.org
BIM FOR MASONRY SCHEDULES ST. LOUIS SYMPOSIUM
The Building Information Modeling for Masonry (BIM-M) Initiative’s 2015 Symposium, April 9-10, will offer perspective on the latest BIM-M projects and developing masonry practices with the 3-D technology, while featuring presentations from (invited) representatives of Autodesk, Tekla, Vectorworks, Integrus Architecture and Engineering, CAD Technology Center, CADBlox, Tradesmen’s Software, Mortenson Construction and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Backed by the National Concrete Masonry Association, International Masonry Institute and allied groups, the BIM-M Initiative represents block and brick stakeholders with the U.S. and Canadian architectural/engineering/construction community. Hosted by the Masonry Institute of St. Louis, the symposium will assemble architects, engineers, mason contractors, unit masonry producers and suppliers, and software developers. Event sponsors stress the increasing adoption of building information modeling processes, noting the findings of the McGraw Hill Construction 2014 SmartMarket Report, “The Business Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets.”
Contacts: Margie Southerland, Masonry Institute of St. Louis, 314/645-5888; David Biggs, P.E., S.E., BIM-M program coordinator, [email protected]. — www.bimformasonry.org