Concrete Construction articles from August 2004

Concrete Construction archives from August 2004

No respect.(Editorial Comment)
August 1, 2004... When a beautiful new concrete building is completed, who gets the credit? Strangely enough, it seems that the recognition is inversely proportionate to the effort and risk. For example, there may soon be a new Trump Tower in Chicago, but Donald...

Reference for designing pile cap.(Reader Response)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2004... I wish to point out a serious omission in the Problem Clinic department of the April 2004 issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION. The question was raised concerning what references are available for designing pile caps for both flexure and punching...

Hot enough?(Reader Response)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2004... I want to comment on the hot weather article in the June issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION (p. 27). First, I am completely uncertain what the author means when he states that the design engineer is responsible for "designating" the concrete...

Aluminum tools.(Reader Response)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2004... In the Concrete Basics article (Feb. 2004, p. 40) Striking of Concrete by Hand and Bull Floating" you seem to be recommending aluminum tools. To the best of my knowledge, no manufacturer offers bull floats made of aluminum. Strikeoffs made from...

Celebrating continues!(News & Events)
August 1, 2004... The 2004 Concrete Canoe Competition represented one-third of a weekend-long celebration of this versatile material, under the banner of "Celebrating Concrete!" ASCE and Degussa Admixtures, Inc., partnered with the National Building Museum to...

Badgers' 'Rock Solid' defense.(News & Events)
August 1, 2004... After nearly a year of preparation and an 800-mile journey to the nation's capital, students from University of Wisconsin-Madison captured their second national title at the 17th annual ASCE/MBT National Concrete Canoe Competition. The 'Rock...

Master Builders restructures.(News & Events)
August 1, 2004... Master Builders, Inc., has adopted Degussa Admixtures, Inc., as the company name and announced changes in the organization designed to more closely align company resources and services with the changing needs of customers, and address the...

Cement shortage relief in sight.(News & Events)
August 1, 2004... Signs of easing in international ship availability heighten the potential for cement imports to increase later this year. Additionally, rising interest rates could slow residential construction, which is, in part, fueling tight cement supplies...

Eye injuries in the workplace: proper eye protection can prevent or minimize most injuries.(Tips & Trends)
August 1, 2004... In 2002, close to 100,000 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for eye injuries related to the workplace, yet this figure represents only a small portion of the total number of injuries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor...

Carbonation of concrete.(Erlin & Hime on Concrete)
August 1, 2004... In an earlier column we discussed the amazing alkalinity of portland cement concrete and some of its effects. Its high alkalinity is primarily provided by the "bases" present in all concrete (potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and calcium...

ASCC position statement #14 anchor bolt tolerances.(Industry Issues)
August 1, 2004... The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Structural Steel Educational Council, Steel TIPS (Technical Information and Product Services), Dec. 1993, states: "The installation of anchor bolts is not an easy task under the best of...

Concrete supports leading edge research: Jack E. Brown Engineering Building.(project of the month)
August 1, 2004... When Texas A&M University consolidated an entire research-based engineering department into one new state-of-the-art building, a cast-in-place concrete structural system proved to be the best solution. The 205,000-square-foot Jack E. Brown...

Moving innovations: new ways to handle soil, gravel, and concrete onsite are improving productivity.
August 1, 2004... Don't get rid of your wheelbarrows--at least not yet. Some new equipment is taking a lot of the pain out of moving materials on the jobsite. A big part of what concrete contractors do involves material handling--excavating soil, laying base...

Becoming great part 1.(Ten things a concrete contractor should do)
August 1, 2004... Few concrete contractors, even very successful concrete contractors, start off with a degree in business. Most attend the school of hard knocks, becoming business owners after starting in the trades or assuming control of a family business....

Decorative concrete in Mexico: decorative concrete is finally coming of age in Mexico.(Decorative Concrete)
August 1, 2004... Decorative concrete is becoming more popular throughout Mexico. Starting in the early 1990s both large and small construction companies became more interested, looking for decorative product information and training as they won contracts--some...

High-temperature fire resistance for concrete.(Innovations)
August 1, 2004... In the late 1990s the rapid rise in temperature from fires in concrete-lined tunnels was causing explosive spalling of large areas of concrete. The large, falling concrete chunks were nearly as dangerous to trapped motorists as the smoke and...

Calibration and certification.(Problem Clinic)
August 1, 2004... Q. Do yoU have to be certified to calibrate equipment used for air pressure in concrete? A. The short answer is "no, but..." The process for calibrating a roll-a-meter is described in Section 5 of ASTM C173, "Standard Test Method for Air...

Defining 'transportation unit'.(Problem Clinic)
August 1, 2004... Q. ASTM's ready-mixed concrete specification says, "air content of trained concrete when sampled from the transportation unit at the point of discharge" is to be within 1.5% of the specified value. Can you clarify what is meant by the...

Concrete cutoff saws.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... Hand-held concrete saws, often referred to as cutoff saws, come in several types. The most common is the circular or wheeled version, which is frequently gasoline powered. Concrete cutoff saws are considered by some to be, well, just plain...

Aggressive notched segments.(Saw Blades)
August 1, 2004... The Hi-5 diamond blade, designed for handheld and walk-behind saws, has aggressive notched segments that grab and grind material for a rapid first cut. It can cut brick up to 50% faster than comparable blades and withstand friction heat without...

Pro series.(Saw Blades)
August 1, 2004... The MK-7601 is a Pro series saw blade designed for green concrete with hard aggregate. It is engineered for high horsepower and for contractors who insist on optimal performance. The blades come in a variety of bond hardnesses. MK Diamond...

Laser-welded blades.(Saw Blades)
August 1, 2004... The company's laser-welded segmented blades are best for dry, cutting. These general purpose blades are tough and durable, designed for a long life. Sizes range from 4 to 20 inches in standard, premium, and supreme quality. Value Diamond Tools,...

Cured concrete blades.(Saw Blades)
August 1, 2004... The company's cured concrete blades are laser welded for dry or wet cutting. They come in heavy-duty, premium, and ultra supreme quality in 12-, 14-, or 16-inch sizes. The company also offers blades for green concrete, general purposes, asphalt...

Wet concrete blades.(Saw Blades)
August 1, 2004... The Americut wet concrete blades, designed for the professional cutter, are manufactured to meet your specific needs. They are available with three different segment heights and three levels of diamond concentration. Diamond Blade Warehouse,...

Large selection.(Saw Blades)
August 1, 2004... The company offers a wide range of saw blades for cured and green concrete, as well as blades for other applications. Sizes range from 4 to 20 inches. Quality Diamond Tool, 800-285-0163, www.qualitydiamondtools.com. Circle 21.

Durable and versatile.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... The CS-14 cutoff saw is designed for durability and versatility in a variety of construction applications, including light concrete and masonry cutting. The saw accepts 12- and 14inch-diameter blades and has a 5-inch cutting depth. Users...

Lightweight cutoff saws.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... The 12-inch and 14-inch BTS portable cutoff saws are lightweight and comfortable. Made of heavy-duty plastic with an ergonomic design, these saws weigh 22 pounds or less. Gasoline-powered, they also have an electronic ignition for quick, easy...

Industry workhorse.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... With long running times and reduced service intervals, the Cutquik TS-400 cutoff saw has earned a place as an industry workhorse. This gas-powered machine offers outstanding cutting performance and has the Intelli-Carb compensating carburetor....

Higher torque.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... The CSG-6700 cutoff saw is a rugged, efficient machine for almost any concrete cutting job. It features the Pro-fire electronic ignition with slope advance timing for sure, steady power. A heavy-duty, 3-stage air filtration system provides...

Gas-powered ring saw.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... The K950 ring saw, designed for wet cutting, is a gasoline version of the manufacturer's all-purpose masonry and concrete saw. Its biggest advantage over hydraulic saws is its portability. Its 14-inch blade can cut through concrete, brick,...

Power-to-weight ratio.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... The TEQUIK model hand-held concrete saws are lightweight, giving them a high power-to-weight ratio. Complete with a multistage air filter and a compensating carburetor, the saw maintains peak performance over extended running time. It features...

Five-staged filtration.(Product Update)
August 1, 2004... The SpeediCut cutoff saw is a lightweight, balanced machine for smooth, square cutting through a wide range of materials. A smooth start decompression valve reduces the force needed to start up and a five-stage filtration system ensures clean...

We expect to double our revenues again this year after more than doubling last year (from $12 to $26 million).(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * We expect to double our revenues again this year after more than doubling last year (from $12 to $26 million). This growth was planned, but still that kind of growth does magnify the normal challenges of running a concrete construction...

One interesting thing about our growth is that we aren't building more jobs, just larger ones.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * One interesting thing about our growth is that we aren't building more jobs, just larger ones. So our growth hasn't been completely horizontal. We have been able to maintain our quality by doing a couple of things. First, we shored up our...

We will run pretty hard again this year although we have no plans to grow at this time on into 2005.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * We will run pretty hard again this year although we have no plans to grow at this time on into 2005. But in the D.C. area you never know. There are lots of things that can generate work--homeland security for example. That generated a lot of...

We operate within a 20-mile radius of Washington D.C. and have no plans to work outside the area.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * We operate within a 20-mile radius of Washington D.C. and have no plans to work outside the area. We have competitors from Norfolk coming up to compete with us. Some of our competitors operate in Baltimore. But we feel our synergies and our...

Another thing we do to make sure we're keeping our customers satisfied is to send out surveys at the end of a job.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * Another thing we do to make sure we're keeping our customers satisfied is to send out surveys at the end of a job. We ask our clients to evaluate our work, and if something did not meet their expectations, we want to know about it.

We have clients we call our "A" clients.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * We have clients we call our "A" clients. As a full service contractor, we provide budgeting and perform one yard of concrete at 3:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning or a 30,000-yard project with an aggressive schedule. We can't take on everybody,...

I would tell a new concrete contractor that he or she had better know job costs and have a good team put together.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * I would tell a new concrete contractor that he or she had better know job costs and have a good team put together. We found our team one person at a time. We look for people who have strong backgrounds and then customize their strengths and...

Managing risk is easier when you have good people on board, both team members and outside advisors: attorneys, accountants, bonding companies, banks.(Contractors to Watch)
August 1, 2004... * Managing risk is easier when you have good people on board, both team members and outside advisors: attorneys, accountants, bonding companies, hanks. We're very well-staffed. I'll give you an example: We did an underpinning job years ago that...