The American Shotcrete Association recognized six winning projects and three honorable mentions through its annual Outstanding Shotcrete Project Awards program. The recipients confirm and demonstrate the advantages of utilizing shotcrete as an alternative or companion to conventional cast-in-place or precast concrete.
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Concrete Fiber Solutions (CFS), along with Prairie Material and Goebel Forming, recently completed a massive flooring installation at the 110 N. Wacker project in Chicago, utilizing steel fiber reinforced concrete in place of traditional wire mesh. The high-rise features composite metal deck floors reinforced with 25 lbs./yd. of CFS 150-5 fibers in lightweight concrete mixes. The fiber substitution contributed to increased worker safety and floor-finishing efficiency.
Read Moreby Craig Yeack
Ready-mix plants matter. The physical foundation of modern society is absolutely dependent on concrete infrastructure. More important are the resilient folks who work long, hard hours, day after day, to make it happen. Now more than ever, our people and concrete plants are faced with fundamental changes not seen in 70 years.
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Source: Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, D.C.
Of the nearly 1,650 contractor participants in an online survey gauging market activity amid federal, state and local pandemic response measures, 39 percent note that owners have halted or canceled current construction projects, while 23 percent cite material, part or equipment shortages, including respirators and other protective gear.
Read MoreSources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Alexandria, Va.; Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, D.C.; CP staff
Major construction material and product groups, along with contractor counterparts, have implored federal, state and local officials to exempt building and nonbuilding work from business shutdowns as part of efforts to contain the coronavirus spread.
Read MoreSources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff
Thirteen portland cement plants earned U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Certification for 2019: Alamo Cement Co., San Antonio; Argos USA, Calera, Ala. and Harleyville, S.C.; Ash Grove Cement, Seattle; Buzzi Unicem USA, Festus, Mo. and Chattanooga, Tenn.; CalPortland Co., Rillito, Ariz.; Cemex USA, Brooksville and Miami, Fla.; GCC of America, Pueblo, Colo.; Salt River Materials, Clarkdale, Ariz.; plus, Titan America, Medley, Fla. and Troutville, Va.
Read MoreSources: U.S. Geological Survey; CP staff
The annual USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries estimates 2019 construction sand & gravel production at 970 million metric tons, valued at $9 billion and extracted from 6,830 sites operated by 3,870 companies. In order of decreasing tonnage, the lead states for production were Texas, California, Arizona, Minnesota, Michigan, Washington, Ohio, New York, Utah and Colorado—accounting for upward of 55 percent of total U.S. output.
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