Month: October 2011

Source: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Erich Stafford has been appointed chairman of the 15-member OSHA Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH), which advises the Secretary of Labor and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health on construction standards and policy matters. It consists of five employer and five employee, two state government and two public representatives, plus a Secretary of Health and Human Services-designated member.

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Sources: Iowa State University’s Institute for Transportation, Ames; Lehigh Hanson, Inc., Irving, Texas; CP Staff

The Missouri Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration, the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State University’s Institute for Transportation, the Essroc Italcementi Group, and Lehigh Hanson, began earlier this week extensive research on the environmental benefits of using concrete made with a new cement product in the construction of highways. The cement used in the concrete is blended with photo-chemically-active titanium dioxide (TiO2) and is marketed under the trade names TX Active (Essroc, East) and TioCem (Lehigh Hanson, West); TiO2 is capable of reducing the environmental pollutants from vehicle exhausts.

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Sources: CP staff; Valmont Industries, Omaha, Neb.

By Don Marsh

A recent expansion has made the Bellville, Texas, operation the largest of six Valmont Newmark spun cast, prestressed pole plants. Batching and production capacity investment enables the producer to fabricate up to 140-ft. structures, which are competitive with steel poles alternatives and well suited to carry 345kV lines to which utilities are switching in transmission upgrades. Additional demand for structures supporting the high voltage lines is being driven by the need for bringing power from west Texas wind farms to the state’s population centers in the east.

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Source: McGraw-Hill construction, New York City

Although housing and commercial building construction starts may improve in 2012, they will be offset by weakness in the public works and institutional building sectors, says the Dodge Construction Outlook from McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Released last week, the report predicts that overall U.S. construction starts for next year will remain essentially flat. The level of construction starts in 2012 is expected to hit $412 billion, following the 4 percent decline to $410 billion predicted for 2011.

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Sources: Alliance to Save Energy, Washington, D.C.

The bipartisan “Sensible Accounting to Value Energy” (SAVE) Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA), would include energy costs along with mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance and, where applicable, condo and homeowner association fees in the cost of homeownership.

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Sources: Preferred Materials, Bonita Springs, Fla.; CP staff

In a state where pervious concrete pavement is established practice, Preferred Materials differentiates its mix offerings with DrainReady. Promoted as a durable and extremely permeable concrete for parking lots, drives, walkways, and other areas where water must quickly pass, it joins ColorReady and (self consolidating) PlaceReady in a series of value-added, branded mixes unveiled over the past year.

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Source: U.S. Concrete, Inc., Houston

USC Technologies, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., a research and development offshoot of U.S. Concrete, has joined efforts with researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Arizona State University (ASU) to develop alternative supplemental cementitious materials. Under the course of this collaborative research effort, the research teams will focus on identifying and developing alternative supplemental materials that can be used to replace cement in concrete.

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Sources: Taylor Concrete Products, Watertown, N.Y.; CP staff

A recently opened, four-level Hilton Garden Inn underscores the cost-saving potential and reduced carbon dioxide footprint of FM2000 block, whose engineering properties spell less cement, grout and rebar in a finished wall assembly when measured against conventional concrete masonry units.

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Source: ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.

Leading into C09 Committee on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates meetings in Tampa, Fla., a December 4 symposium will examine pervious pavement mixes and hardened slab properties. Scheduled presentations will cover such topics as surface durability;

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