Concrete Construction articles from December 2003

Concrete Construction archives from December 2003

You're not alone.(Editorial Comment)
December 1, 2003... Remarkably, there are CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION readers who have never been to the World of Concrete. I'm always surprised about that because if you read this magazine you must, by definition, have an interest in concrete. And if you have any...

Moisture in concrete slabs.(Reader Response)
December 1, 2003... I read with interest the article "Constructing Slabs to Receive Moisture-Sensitive Flooring" (January 2003) and "Reader Response" in the August issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION. Problems involving moisture in concrete slabs have multiplied...

Water-cement ratio is prescriptive?(Reader Response)
December 1, 2003... In the August issue you state that water-cement ratio is a "prescriptive" specification requirement. I must disagree with your assertion that a water-cement ratio requirement is prescriptive, particularly considering how important the w/c is to...

Put-ti, put-ti ...(Reader Response)
December 1, 2003... I love it! Your editorial comment this month (October 2003) was a great read. Thanks for allowing us to have some fun and vitality in this great industry of ours. Kimberly A. Kayler, CPSM President and Founder Constructive ...

IRS guidance on vehicle bonus depreciation.(News & Events)
December 1, 2003... The Internal Revenue Service on Oct. 2 issued Revenue Procedure 2003-75, providing limitations and tables for depreciation of business automobiles, trucks, and vans. For details go to www.irs.gov. On Sept. 8, the IRS published temporary and...

PCA's new research fellows.(News & Events)
December 1, 2003... Portland Cement Association Education Foundation awarded four graduate students with the educational fellowships at the association's recent fall meeting in Chicago. With Jim Repman, OCA Education Foundation Chair (right), are the four 2003...

'Report card' on America's infrastructure.(News & Events)
December 1, 2003... The American Society of Civil Engineers' 2003 Progress Report for America's Infrastructure says that little progress has been made since its 2001 report, which rated 12 infrastructure categories at a discouraging D+ overall and estimated the...

Final results of Michigan smoothness study.(News & Events)
December 1, 2003... The American Concrete Pavement Association has posted a report on its Web site detailing the final results of the ACPA and Michigan Concrete Pavement Association (MCPA) smoothness study. ACPA and MCPA sponsored the experiment to compare...

Munson tennis court wins again.(News & Events)
December 1, 2003... CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION'S October Project of the Month has also won the Private Installation Award for 2003 from the United States Tennis Court and Track Builders Association.

ASCC lifetime achievement award to Dan Anderson.(News & Events)
December 1, 2003... Daniel P. Anderson received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Concrete Contractors at the association's annual conference in Dallas on Sept. 18, 2003. The award is given to outstanding individuals in the industry, for...

I-70 rehab, Clark County, Ill.(Project of the month)
December 1, 2003... One of Illinois' largest reconstruction projects was completed in October 2002. The 10-mile stretch of Interstate 70 from the Indiana state line west into Illinois was the first segment of a 21-mile $135 million job. This section of road,...

Five steps to a drug-free workplace.(Tips & Trends)
December 1, 2003... Many states have become drug-free workplace states in the last 10 years or so. Allowing companies to become certified as drug-free reduces workers' compensation claims by 10 to 20% over a 3- to 5-year period, depending on whose statistics you...

ACPA Awards 2003: productivity, quality, and communication are the keys to winning.
December 1, 2003... Municipal streets & intersections ( Capitol Avenue is an important street in Cheyenne, extending from the Capitol building to the historic train depot. Weather problems, including high wind, high solar radiation, temperature extremes, low...

Rehabilitation for our nation's bridges: maintaining bridges is no small task. Here's how we make decisions about repair and technology that will help them last longer.
December 1, 2003... According to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), 591,061 bridges in the United States are over 20 feet long. Of this total, 360,446 (61%) are constructed of concrete and 194,827 are structural steel...

World of concrete 2004: February 17-20, 2004, Orlando not-to-be missed events at the world's greatest concrete show.
December 1, 2003... Although hundreds of great things are going on throughout the World of Concrete in February, the following three events will enhance your show experience. Artistry in Decorative Concrete A great creative force continues to add new...

How much curing is enough? We all know that concrete should be cured, but at what point do we say that curing is adequate?
December 1, 2003... Everyone in the concrete industry knows the importance of curing and uses a wide range of products such as curing compounds, plastic membranes, or saturated cotton blankets to accomplish the task. Good curing procedures result in concrete that...

ASCC position statement #7: birdbaths on concrete slabs.(Industry Issues)
December 1, 2003... Owners, architects, and engineers have a variety of perception and expectations regarding birdbaths on concrete slabs. Birdbaths are small ponds or puddles of water that appear on a level or sloped concrete surface after a rain or washing the...

Polyurea for control joints.(Products for the Pros Showcase)
December 1, 2003... CCS[TM] Polyurea SWL is a rapid setting flexible joint filler formulated for high durablility uses including industrial floors, warehouses, loading docks and freezers. Can open to traffic in 1 hour. Long 12-minute pot life allows for either...

Air powered grout pump.(Products for the Pros Showcase)
December 1, 2003... This is Kenrich Products newest "air-powered" grout pump. Requiring only 3-CFM of air, this pump can place up to 5 gallons per minute of pre-mixed grout. Makes an ideal tool for grouting metal door frames and placing grout anywhere that high...

Vibrator monitoring system.(Products for the Pros Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Minnich Manufacturing is proud to offer an innovative vibrator monitoring system. All Auto Vibe monitors are interchangeable or upgradable. All may be installed on any new or old Minnich vibrator. One of the many impressive features of the Auto...

Concrete stamping tools.(Products for the Pros Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Scofield announces a new generation of HIGH OUTPUT LITHOTEX [R] Pavecrafters [R] tools for imprinting and texturing. The improved polyurethane composition provides significantly lighter weight without reduction in durability for a longer...

Stamp Store Slick'Em.(Products for the Pros Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Stamp Store SLICK'EM [R] Is a custom-mix micro topping for concrete floors, walls, countertops and other architectural concrete surfaces. Use SLICK'EM [R] to create a new canvas on rough or discolored concrete. Apply it to cured concrete for...

Measuring humidity in concrete.(Products for the Pros Showcase)
December 1, 2003... HM44 Meets New ASTM Standard for Measuring Humidity in Concrete. Vaisala's HM44 kit meets the new ASTM standard and is the ideal solution for easy, reliable and accurate measurement of humidity in concrete. During construction, it is critical...

Working with self-leveling overlays.(Decorative Concrete)
December 1, 2003... The use of cement--based self-leveling overlays is increasing dramatically. There is little down time for users, and a wide range of finished looks is available. Cement--based overlays on the market today include sprayable microtoppings,...

Finishing trowel.(Decorative Concrete Products)
December 1, 2003... The Hover Trowel, designed for finishing decorative epoxy aggregate mortars, also finishes many types of polymer and modified cementious overlays. It replaces heavier conventional trowels, eliminating trowel marks and burnishing....

Decorative resin.(Decorative Concrete Products)
December 1, 2003... Epocon Quartz is a decorative resin featuring a moisture vapor transmission tolerant base with a colored quartz aggregate broadcast finish. It reduces porosity and produces a dense, skid-inhibiting finish that minimizes bacterial growth, dirt,...

Tinting compound.(Decorative Concrete Products)
December 1, 2003... CemTint is a permanent, penetrating, water-based tinting compound designed to provide various effects on gray and colored substrates. The product--said to be durable and long-lasting--penetrates the substrate and reacts with mineral compounds...

Cleaning technique.(Decorative Concrete Products)
December 1, 2003... This company introduces a chemical-free, environmentally friendly technique for cleaning architectural concrete and other exterior building surfaces. The treatment is completely water-based, meaning it does not require damming, or special...

True lasting colors.(Decorative Concrete Products)
December 1, 2003... Colour-Seal can be used to transform a standard concrete surface into a work of art. The solid color, pigmented sealer penetrates the surface to provide a uniform color, as well as a seal that protects the surface from harmful elements. The...

Antimicrobial.(Decorative Concrete Products)
December 1, 2003... D/2 Architectural Antimicrobial prevents decorative concrete and other hard outdoor surfaces from disfiguration by a range of biological growths bacteria, fungi, algae, mosses, and so forth. The water-based disinfectant removes such matter from...

Form oil--a huge impact.(Formwork)
December 1, 2003... After 69 years of building and leasing steel forms, we at EFCO know that concrete bonds or sticks to all forming surfaces to some degree. This concrete adhesion has created a market for form release agents or form oils. Dozens of suppliers are...

Concrete finishing requirements.(Problem Clinic)
December 1, 2003... Q. Do you have anyone on staff to provide a clarification on what is required by ACI 301-99 where a contract specification requires a smooth form finish in accordance with ACI 301? Is rubbing required per ACI 301, paragraph 5.3.3.4? Reading...

The 8-18 rule.(Problem Clinic)
December 1, 2003... Q. What is the 8-18 rule for percent retained and how do I apply this to the proportioning of normal weight concrete? A. Jay Shilstone replied to this question, noting that the 8-18 "rule" isn't really a rule. It is a guideline. The...

Paving the way with better batch plants.(Product Update)
December 1, 2003... What are paving contractors looking for when buying a portable batch plant? The basic batch plant model is well established and hasn't changed much recently. One manufacturer said they hadn't changed their line in 10 years. Therefore, it comes...

Good news about SCC bond strength: no surprise, but comforting confirmation from research.(Innovations)
December 1, 2003... There's an old saying that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But in the case of self-consolidating concrete (SCC), research, testing, and evaluation are confirming that the formula for SCC may indeed play a valuable and...