The Concrete Producer articles from October 2003

The Concrete Producer archives from October 2003

Looking at ourselves from a different angle.(Editorial)(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... History and art often mix well. For example, there's my daughter's award-winning performance in the Jefferson County (La.) Performing Arts Society's "Will Rogers Follies, A Life in Review." There, I received a history lesson on how the humorist...

Slow start, fast gains in construction.(News)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 1, 2003... New construction decreased 2% the first 6 months of 2003. "A number of factors led to the deferral of some construction projects in the early months of 2003," says Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction...

31st OES conference around the corner.(News)(Operations, Environment & Safety Forum and Expo )(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 1, 2003... The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) is presenting its 31st Annual Operations, Environment & Safety Forum and Expo (OES). The event takes place in Denver, Oct. 5-7. The forum will include seminars and tours designed...

Euclid buys admixtures, fibers supplier.(News)(Chemical Admixture and Fiber Division of Boral Material Technologies Inc. )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Euclid Chemical Co., Cleveland, recently acquired the Chemical Admixture and Fiber Division of Boral Material Technologies Inc. (BMTI). The purchase will add to Euclid's admixture and fiber businesses, and strengthen marker share nationally...

Concrete industry loses icon.(News)(Armand "Gus" Gustaferro)(Obituary)
October 1, 2003... Armand "Gus" Gustaferro, 79, expert in many areas of concrete, died on Aug. 3. Gustaferro led well-attended seminars at every one of 29 World of Concrete shows. He also taught seminars for the American Concrete Institute (ACI). An active...

Upcoming conferences & events.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 1, 2003... It's That Time-49th Annual PCI Show The 2003 Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Convention/Exhibition will be held at the Renaissance Orlando Resort in Florida, Oct. 19-22. The 49th Annual PCI Convention will be joined by the 3rd...

Monitoring concrete infrastructure: the bulk of the security burden will fall to the private sector.(E-Concrete)(Pure Technologies' PureLink system )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Unfortunately, it's a sign of the times. It appears we're going to have to be on guard to protect our important places and structures for some time--probably the rest of our lives. "Acting to better secure our highest-priority facilities,...

CAD with a focus on concrete: powerful modeling software simplifies precast concrete design.(What's New)(Rocky Mountain Prestress )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Developed specifically for designing and modeling precast concrete components and structures, StructureWorks Precast streamlines the design process by eliminating the need to touch every detail of every piece by hand for every change. A beta...

More on SCC.(Troubleshooting)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Editor's note: Two readers responded to recent articles on self-consolidating concrete (SCC). The article ("The SCC Test: Inverted or Upright?" July 2003, p. 34) is interesting, but it misses two much more important points. What does this...

Relativity and rheology.(Troubleshooting)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... However measures rheology parameters ("Measuring Concrete Rheology May 2003, p. 22.) keep in mind that it is all relative. If a certain set of parameters gives you a specific strength, specific durability, and acceptable appearance related to...

Fly ash in concrete pavement.(Troubleshooting)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Q. What are the effects of using fly ash in concrete pavements? Does it have an impact on abrasion resistance of the mix? Are case studies or field data available, especially where more than 30% fly ash was used in the mix? A. Jerzy...

What causes non-bonding?(Troubleshooting)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Q. I have a customer who tore out a slab with delamination problems. He subsequently found some sections where the #4 bar had not bonded at all to the concrete. Naturally, he is assuming the concrete is bad. Besides oil and rust, what other...

Reinfrocing good work practices: proper placement technique is key.(As The Drum Turns)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... All of us, at one time or another, have been surprised to discover the wide variety of items contractors have placed in their formed slabs to provide lateral reinforcement. I have walked onto jobs where everything from chicken wire to angle...

Construction pours it on: despite an economic slowdown, the concrete industry continues its slow but steady growth.(Industry Overview)
October 1, 2003... Just remember a year ago, when fear of the unknown seized the nation. Iraq was on many minds and a military buildup siphoned government funds from transportation and construction. A general reluctance to commit to large projects slowed many...

Redesign, enhance, and still save money: using VECP can speed up design process and lower production costs.(Value Engineering Change Proposal)
October 1, 2003... Palmer Engineering, Winchester, Ky., was involved in several value engineering change proposals (VECP), where prestressed concrete I-girders were used in the redesign of bridges. The following high-lights some of the design considerations that...

Transforming concrete specs: an NRMCA committee works to formulate a strategy to transform the concrete specification process.(P2P Initiative)
October 1, 2003... Committee members of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) Research, Engineering, and Standards Committee established a P2P Steering Committee at its meeting in October 2002 to evaluate and recommend a program to move concrete...

Innovations in design.(Mix Designs for ICFs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Winners in the first performance mix design research effort will be announced in an upcoming issue. THE CONCRETE PRODUCER and contest sponsors are laying the groundwork for performance-based specifications. "One goal of this effort is to...

Developing the norm for SCC: researchers are working hard to place self-consolidating concrete in its proper form.(self-consolidating concrete )(Industry Overview)
October 1, 2003... In a hotel conference room filled to capacity with many of the concrete industry's leading experts Martin Vachon had the difficult task of defining an industry's dream. The focus of the group's attention was the definition of the concrete...

Reinforcing concrete's dominance.(Product Pulse)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... This is an exciting time for structural concrete. Structural engineers are being forced to relearn what they thought they knew about concrete design. Concrete once considered to be a static design is benefiting from a host of improvements. For...

System eliminates rebar congestion.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... BauGrid Welded Reinforcement Grids (WRG) replace conventional hoops and crossties in concrete and masonry structures to improve constructability and speed. Advantages of this reinforcement system include eliminating rebar congestion and using...

Concrete resource guide published.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... The Ready Reference-Resource Guide addresses topics pertaining to conceptual design. The book is targeted at owners, architects, engineers, and contractors. It has a calendar-style tabbed format, a member finder feature, and summary guides....

Dispenser increases safety.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... An energy-efficient dispenser, Fibermesh AccuFeeder, ensures a pinpoint dosage of fibers to every batch. By using this new piece of plant equipment, the producer lessens driver risk of slips and falls as drivers no longer need to climb mixer...

Polymer rebar improves mechanical properties.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... A new line of fiberglass and carbon fiber polymer bars for concrete reinforcement features improved mechanical properties. The bars have cost-competitive bending capabilities in all diameters and a bar labeling capability per the requirements...

Fiber reduces post-crack behavior.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... This patent-pending structural fiber reinforcement is made of nonfibrillating co-polymer monofilaments and fibrillated polypropylene network bundles. The 2-inch fiber is used in high-dosage levels to reduce both plastic and hardened concrete...

Wire provides rebar alternative.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Structural Welded Wire Reinforcement is an alternative to rebar. The prefabricated mat of reinforcement does not require tying on the jobsite, which saves labor costs and placement time. It has a yield strength of 80,000 psi and reduces the...

Fiber designed for high dosage.(Product Pulse)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... NyconXL fibers provide high-dose secondary reinforcement on which specifiers, ready-mixed producers, and precasters rely. The fibers are used in precasting, placing flatwork, and shotcreting. They reduce bleeding and settlement and may shorten...

Events Galore at Annual PCI Convention and Expo: sessions will include topics such as R&D, marketing, and safety.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute )(Calendar)
October 1, 2003... The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has a full lineup of events in store at its 49th Annual PCI Convention and Exhibition, the 3rd PCI/FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) International Symposium on High Performance Concrete, and the...

Microwave sensor measures moisture content and temperature.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... The Hydro-Probe Orbiter, designed by Hydronix, is a microwave sensor that provides a rapid and representative measurement of both moisture content and temperature of the material. It provides a fast response to changes in moisture in the mix,...

Release agent cleans steel forms.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Crete-Lease 727 Release Agent is a non-toxic, non-corrosive, biodegradable product. Cresset developed an environmentally friendly product that does not contain fuel oil or carcinogens. Also, it sprays and releases both in cold and hot weather...

Bed maintainer reduces production costs.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... The DuraCore MX 100 Bed Maintainer is a self-contained machine that functions as a release oil sprayer, bed cleaning brush, and cable puller. Developed by Mixer Systems, this product reduces pres-stress panel production costs. The DuraCore MX...

Not an ordinary jack.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Hamilton Form has finalized negotiations with Paul Company of Durmentingen, Germany, to become he exclusive distributor in the United States of Paul stressing jacks The Paul US 250 kN jack features an internal stressing grip, cylinders with...

Multipurpose trailer can haul heavy beams.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Nelson Manufacturing Co. has developed an updated version of its Modular Beam Transport System. Capable of accommodating pre-stressed concrete beams, steel beams, and overhead cranes, this trailer is a complete modular system that can be...

Snap into place.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Scott System developed the Rim Snap, a brick-inlay system used by precast and tilt-up contractors. The Rim Snap offers contractors a number of advantages, including vertical applications, easier corner and return installations, and the...

Software enhances concrete quality.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... AXIM Italcementi Group is launching online self-compacting concrete mix design software. This computer based mix design system allows users to rapidly obtain stable, high-quality, self-compacting concrete when transitioning from regular...

Water reducer saves costs, streamlines production.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Sika ViscoCrete 6100 is a high range water reducer for precast/prestressed concrete applications developed by Sika Corp. It is a polycarboxylate-based superplasticizer that can be used in applications ranging from hollow core production and...

Anode prevents corrosion near repairs.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... Vector Corrosion Technologies introduces Galvashield XP. This puck-shaped anode consists of sacrificial zinc encased in a precast shell of activated mortar. Used to economically extend the life of patch repairs, Galvashield XP prevents the...

Reinforcement enhances toughness.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... STRUX 90/40 synthetic structural fiber reinforcement by Grace Construction Products provides enhanced toughness, impact, and fatigue resistance to concrete. It performs in flatwork applications and form work applications such as commercial,...

Fiber disperses evenly.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... TUFA-Strand SF is a patented structural fiber reinforcement system designed for use as a secondary reinforcement or replacement for welded wire, mesh, and steel fibers in concrete. It works for slabs, precast, and shotcrete applications....

Concrete panels for landscaping.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... PCE Engineering Oy Ab introduces Acotec Technology; a fast and flexible production line of concrete panels. The panels are produced in an automated, computer-controlled production environment. In addition, Acotec Technology can be used for...

Sweeper maneuvers around obstacles.(PCI Exhibition Products)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2003... The Sentinel street sweeper from Tennant Co. is a year-round model with one-button sweeping, exceptional debris removal, minimal dust, and maximum safety. The adjustable Vario sweeping brush option enables operators to sweep around obstacles on...

Via Corr effectively inhibits corrosion.(Products for the Producer)
October 1, 2003... MCI-2008 Via Corr combines migratory corrosion inhibitors with a self-leveling, self compacting admixture. The Cortec Corp. product includes polycarboxylate-based superplasticizing modifiers, permits water reduction rates from 18 to 30 percent,...

Recycle with the reclaimer.(Products for the Producer)
October 1, 2003... The 883 Reclaimer is engineered for fast setup, high mobility, and long life in high-volume sand/gravel, top-soil, coal, crushed stone, compost and recycling applications. The system from Finlay Hydrascreens has a heavy-duty screen with...

Use excavator under bridges, beneath tree limbs.(Products for the Producer)
October 1, 2003... The Model XL 4300-II hydraulic excavator is a 45,000-pound-class machine that combines the advantages of a tilting, telescoping boom and mobility on and off paved surfaces for maximum versatility. Equipped with powerful load-sensing hydraulics,...

Cords come in three lengths.(Products For The Products)
October 1, 2003... Coleman's Cool Colors vinyl extension cords feature a range of gloss colors that promote safety and prevent jobsite loss. Six colors are available: pink, blue, silver, purple, green, and red. The vinyl jacket resists moisture, abrasion, and...

Show the way in Spanish: construction techniques offered on video.(Bookshelf)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Teach correct construction techniques with the Quality Edge video series, produced jointly by the Portland Cement Association and Hanley-Wood, LLC. Three videos, all in Spanish, teach the basic techniques for finishing, curing, and jointing and...

Big dollies: gearing up for long-distance hauling increases.(Fleet Factors)
October 1, 2003... Fast track bridge construction is a good thing if you're able to keep up with the flow. And now that new designs and erection procedures have enabled contractors to set concrete structures as fast as steel, the transportation/fleet manager...