The September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City identified a new, challenging frontier in public safety for the International Code Council, based in Washington, D.C., and the primary developer of building safety codes and standards used throughout the U.S.
Read MoreMonth: September 2011
Researchers measure high-SCM grouts’ compliance
To boost market prospects for masonry walls exhibiting high recycled materials content, Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada (CMACN) is supporting an investigation through Brigham Young University to a) confirm that California Building Code-required strength is maintained with grouts where portland cement is substituted with fly ash at 45–65 percent and fly ash + GGBF slag at 65–85 percent; and, b) observe how prism units containing such grouts behave with Type M, S and N mortars.
Read MoreNRMCA certifies three Titan America Virginia facilities
The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association recently certified the first four concrete plants in its new Sustainable Concrete Plant Certification Program, with member company Titan America having three Virginia operations certified: Clear Brook Ready Mix Concrete Plant, Clear Brook, at the Silver level; Suffolk Ready Mix Concrete Plant, Suffolk, at the Bronze level; and, Bryan Park Ready Mix Concrete Plant, Richmond, at the Bronze level. The fourth plant is Unibeton’s Mussafah Ready Mixed Concrete Plant, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at the Silver level.
Read MoreCSA, codes enable Lafarge Canada to up limestone content in cement
In response to ever-increasing market demand for sustainable building solutions, Lafarge North America has recently introduced a new portland-limestone cement (PLC) commercial offering in Canada. Widely used in Europe for over 25 years, PLC is a new category of cement that provides performance similar to conventional portland cement with up to 10 percent less CO2 emissions.
Read MorePennsy case judge: Business agent ‘clothed’ with negotiating authority
In a decision affirming a union official’s contract-negotiating authority as determined in past National Labor Relations Act cases, Administrative Law Judge John Clark has ordered Teamsters Local 771 to abide by terms of a collective-bargaining agreement and side letter finalized in April 2010 with Pennsy Supply Inc.
Read MoreEmployers face November deadline to display organizing rights poster
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a Final Rule that will require employers to notify employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act as of November 14—75 days after the agency published the rule in the Federal Register.
Read MoreEPA eyes 10 percent heavy-duty truck fuel economy improvement by 2018
The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Transportation have issued standards aimed at increasing fuel efficiency and lowering greenhouse gas emissions for buses and light- to heavy-duty trucks.
Read MorePrecast industry survey results: Steady volume, pricing pressure
The National Precast Concrete Association’s annual producer-member survey finds the industry contracted slightly between 2009 and 2010, from $19.5 billion to $19.3 billion in shipments, although resale items brought each year to about $21.4 billion total.
Read MoreThree miles of pipe assure ‘Broad Betterment’
The Oldcastle Precast Croydon plant near Philadelphia is shipping upward of 15,000 ft. of reinforced concrete drainage pipe and 62 precast fittings for the “Broad Street Betterment Program” along Route 93 in Hazelton, Pa. Pipe of 12- to 27-in. diameter is being placed alongside underground businesses, dating to the late 19th century but since covered up by Broad St. Fifteen vault-like stores will be opened up, supported from below, and then filled to bear sidewalk and curb/roadway traffic.
Read MoreStormTrap reengineers namesake system, gains Contech distribution
Morris, Ill.-based precast concrete stormwater management system developer and licensor StormTrap LLC has announced new versions of its signature SingleTrap and DoubleTrap products, both easier to transport and install than predecessor designs. The company cites the systems’ modular, customizable features, allowing them to be specified in a large variety of commercial development projects.
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