A sustainable value proposition for industrial sites Concrete is foundational to modern society. From ancient landmarks like the Roman Colosseum to the towering Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building) to patios in suburban backyards, concrete’s versatility and durability have made it indispensable in construction. Today, it’s the second-most consumed material on Earth, surpassed only by fresh water. Yet, as essential…
Read MoreSources: Concrete Advancement Foundation, Alexandria, V a. The Concrete Advancement Foundation’s new Skate4Concrete program is a targeted recruitment strategy, connecting skateboarding community members to careers in concrete supply and construction. Project Cornerstone, an award-winning California non-profit organization, developed the program with Foundation funding. Recruitment videos featuring skaters, skatepark construction, and career opportunities in concrete were produced in cooperation with skateboarding…
Read MorePacific Structures, a business of San Francisco-based Build Group with subcontracting entities across the West Coast, has named Brandon Tirri as chief executive officer. He will direct and oversee the namesake subsidiary, a structural concrete specialist, along with sister drywall, plaster and insulation, flooring and carpentry, plus exterior building envelope contracting operations. Combined, these entities generate over $400 million in…
Read MoreSources: American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), Rosemont, Ill.; CP staff
ACPA sees 2019 concrete highway pavement volume rising to 56.2 million sq. yd., up 7 percent from 2018 and representing the largest such watermark since 2012. “Looking back at the past two years, 2017 was challenging for paving volume, but 2018 projected volumes indicate a strong rebound,” ACPA CEO Gerald Voigt observed at a World of Concrete 2019 briefing.
Read MoreSources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C.; CP staff
Iowa State University-hosted National Concrete Pavement Technology Center and research partners have secured AASHTO Subcommittee on Materials approval of “Performance Engineered Mixtures for Concrete Pavements,” a provisional standard offering alternatives to prescriptive specifications. Transportation agencies and industry stakeholders will join a five-year Federal Highway Administration pooled-fund program to implement concepts in the standard.
Read MoreSource: Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) Research & Education Foundation, Silver Spring, Md.
Developed at the Texas Transportation Institute, “Design Methodology for Subgrades and Bases Under Concrete Roads” and “Parking Lots and Test Methods & Results of Erosion Potential of Commonly Used Subgrade and Base Materials” are the culmination of research on best practices for identifying potential erosion problems before pavement is placed, and avoiding costs in overdesigned subbases.
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From the Federal Highway Administration’s Focus newsletter… Alkali-aggregate reactivity (AAR) can occur in concrete structures and pavements as both alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and alkalicarbonate reaction (ACR). FHWA’s new Alkali-Aggregate Reactivity Facts Book (Pub. No. FHWA-HIF-13-019) discusses both types of reaction but concentrates on ASR, as cases of ACR are more limited.
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