Concrete Construction articles from December 2002

Concrete Construction archives from December 2002

Getting it back. (Editorial Comment).(Editorial)
December 1, 2002... I tend to eat too much when I'm at ACI or ASCC meetings. When I finally get back home, I have to starve myself for a few days. I also tend to volunteer for too much. Unfortunately, there's no quick and easy way to get rid of that burden. ...

Building a concrete home. (Reader Response).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... After reading in your February issue about using and promoting concrete instead of wood frame in home construction, I felt it necessary to tell you about my house. In 1995 my wife and I built an earth-sheltered home using 350 cubic yards of...

Floors' torch. (Reader Response).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... Thank you for picking up the torch lit by Mssrs. Suprenant and Malisch concerning floor-covering delamination. We have been in the business of materials testing for 40 years, but it has been only in the past few years that we have seen...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2002... The photo on page 37 in the August issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION should have been credited to the Ohio Historical Society. CC regrets the error.

Corley named Civil Engineer of the Year. (News & Events).(W. Gene Corley )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... The Illinois section of the American Society of Civil Engineers has named Dr. W. Gene Corley as its 2002 Civil Engineer of the Year. Corley is senior vice president of Construction Technology Laboratories, Skokie, Ill., a subsidiary of the...

ACI's new Executive Vice President. (News & Events).(William R. Tolley, new executive vice president of American Concrete Institute)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... William R. Tolley has been appointed Executive Vice President of the American Concrete Institute (ACI International). In addition to membership, Tolley said he would make international activities a top priority. "Tremendous...

A movable Habitat. (News & Events).(concrete home on display for concrete and builders shows will go to Habitat for Humanity)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... The Portland Cement Association is spearheading the construction of a 1237-square-foot concrete home, which will be erected in the parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The home will be on display during early 2003 for both the...

What about low concrete strength test results? (News & Events).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... On a small project with only seven concrete tests, what is the probability that at least one test result will fall below the specified strength? What is the probability that at least one of 80 tests will fall more than 500 psi below the...

Calendar.(construction industry shows and events)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2002... January 2003 International Builders' Show and tecHOMExpo, Jan. 21-24, Las Vegas (800-368-5242 or www.buildersshow.com) February 2003 World of Concrete, February 4-7, Las Vegas (888-562-4962 or www.worldofconcrete.com) March...

Deductions your small business shouldn't miss. (Tips & Trends).
December 1, 2002... Keep an eye out for those often overlooked ways to cut your tax bill. It's very simple: the more tax deductions your business can legitimately take, the lower its taxable profit will be. And in addition to putting more money in your pocket...

Take time for safety. (Safety Report).
December 1, 2002... A concrete crew was given the task of building a retention structure to collect runoff water from a shopping mall parking lot. They excavated the construction site in preparation for forming and pouring the wall footers. The superintendent had...

Rooms-to-Go distribution center, Lakeland, Florida: a giant undertaking.
December 1, 2002... The Rooms-to-Go concrete tilt-up project faced a number of unique challenges due to its size, the Florida heat, and a scarcity of water. In addition, the project required a crew of 60, working in all phases of the concrete construction...

America's best concrete pavements: ACPA's 2002 awards for excellence in concrete pavements highlight innovation in design, construction, and traffic management. (2002 ACPA Award Winners).(Cover Story)
December 1, 2002... As the jury selected the winners in this year's ACPA Awards, innovation was what made a project stand out. Whether it was a construction technique like a bond breaker, an unusual material like fibers and high cement content, or an extremely...

Rapid chloride permeability testing: a test that can be used for a wide range of applications and quality control purposes if the inherent limitations are understood.
December 1, 2002... Corrosion of reinforcing steel due to chloride ingress is one of the most common environmental attacks that lead to the deterioration of concrete structures. Corrosion-related damage to bridge deck overlays, parking garages, marine structures,...

Finding true north: Concrete Construction's Industry Trends Roundtable looks for some answers.(Panel Discussion)
December 1, 2002... Construction is turbulent; contractors are always fighting with the materials or the design or their competitors, trying to keep their heads above water while the sharks circle below. "We work very, very hard," says Dan Baker. But sometimes...

Air in concrete: how come and how much? Part 1 of a two-part series.
December 1, 2002... Air-entrained concrete is made by adding a detergent (an air-entraining admixture) to stabilize air bubbles trapped during mixing, In fresh concrete, the air bubbles reduce the water demand of the concrete and make the mix stickier, which helps...

Small equipment for hard-to-reach places.(skidloaders and excavators)
December 1, 2002... Equipment manufacturers continue to develop skidloaders and excavators capable of working in cramped spaces in areas that are hard to reach. Skidloaders with rubber tracks instead of tires are one of the latest innovations in the marketplace....

World of Concrete 2003: it's bigger than ever and has more to offer.
December 1, 2002... The World of Concrete is a magnificent melange of educational and product-related events that, as a concrete contractor or designer or producer, you really can't afford to miss. In only a few days (February 4-7), you will learn enough to raise...

Going with the flow. (Special Advertising Section).(rebar corrosion)
December 1, 2002... What's flowing, in this case, is the current produced by the electrochemical process that results in corrosion of the rebars in reinforced concrete structures, And what's going, quite literally, is the rebars themselves: they're losing profile...

Curing concrete slabs. (Concrete Basics).
December 1, 2002... Companies and people who place concrete are often focused on organizing and planning, forming, placing, and finishing. Curing doesn't get the same consideration--especially on residential applications. But curing plays an important role in...

Using gel acids to stencil patterns on concrete. (Decorative Concrete).
December 1, 2002... Stencil sandblasting is one way to create delicate, intricate patterns on the surface of concrete. Another way involves placing hydrochloric acid suspended in a heavy gel over stencil patterns adhered to the concrete surface. Introduced as a...

Control joints in fiber concrete? (Problem Clinic).(for circular driveway construction)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Q. I'm preparing to pour a 2700-square-foot circular driveway in south Florida. I plan to use fiber concrete, without rebar or mesh, and to pour the driveway in slabs. Each slab will be about 300 square feet (15x18 feet) and 4 inches thick,...

Washing away floor contaminants. (Problem Clinic).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Q. I have heard of epoxy flooring contractors "washing" concrete of all contaminants with {correct me if I am wrong} xylem. From what I have been told, it washes the impurities some depth into the concrete where they will not be a factor in...

Heavy-duty floor repair. (Problem Clinic).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Q. I work for a heavy-equipment dealer and we have some pitted concrete in our repair shops. Do you have any thoughts on repairing the pits and cracks that would stand up to the rigors of tracked equipment being driven over the surface on a...

Choosing a slipform paver. (Product Roundup).(concrete equipment)
December 1, 2002... The slipform paver is a piece of equipment that has truly revolutionized the paving of concrete streets and roads. Starting in the 1950s, the concrete contractor could pave complete highways and streets with one machine. It played a major role...

Electronic measuring wheel.
December 1, 2002... Keson Industries has introduced an electronic measuring wheel, dubbed Roadrunner2 for its ability to handle long distances. The company states that this is an innovative, high-tech tool that measures area and volume, forward and backward, with...

Grouting guide.
December 1, 2002... L&M Chemical recently published a new 30-page "Guide to Precision Structural Grouts" and is offering this publication free of charge. The compact field guide was written for structural engineers, plant engineers, specifiers, and contractors. It...