Concrete Construction articles from February 2003

Concrete Construction archives from February 2003

What is sustainability?(Editorial)
February 1, 2003... When asked at a recent meeting to list the driving issues in the concrete industry, Rick Yelton, editor of our sister publication THE CONCRETE PRODUCER, stated that concrete is a sustainable material. I readily agreed, but afterwards started...

RAM International announces release of RAM Concrete. (News & Events).
February 1, 2003... RAM International has released its new fully integrated concrete design software, RAM Concrete. RAM Concrete is seamlessly integrated into the RAM Structural System and contains advanced features not available in competing products such as...

Concrete schools in the spotlight. (News & Events).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Produced jointly by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association and the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, this new 8-page brochure highlights the main reasons why site-cast tilt-up concrete construction provides the best building solution for today's...

ASCC staff changes. (News & Events).(American Society of Concrete Contractors)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The board of directors of the American Society of Concrete Contractors has announced the appointment of Bev Garnant as interim executive director. This follows the resignation of previous executive director Thor Moody. Garnant, who has served...

Dortmund Concert Hall: Westphalia Germany. (project of the month).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In September, on a budget of 48.3 million Euro, a 40-cm-thick concrete shell emerged in the middle of a tightly developed area in Germany--the Konzerthaus Dortmund-Philharmonie fur Westfalen (Dortmund Concert Hall-Philharmonic for Westphalia)....

Getting good grades: lasers reduce labor and increase accuracy for graders and excavators.
February 1, 2003... "The specification says we have to grade this to within 5 hundredths a foot of the specified elevation," says Lee Smith, superintendent at the Indianapolis Airport job for general contractor Angelo Iafrate. "But I think I can get it within 3...

Site layout with robotic total stations: why more concrete contractors are purchasing this "high-end" technology. (Cover Story).
February 1, 2003... For many years, the optical transit was the surveyor's tool of choice to lay out property lines and building sites. By the 1970s, however, the electronic theodolite began to replace the transit since it could measure angles more accurately on...

Dome schooling: across America, concrete domes are being used as school buildings.
February 1, 2003... Schools are all about learning, and a number of school districts are getting educated about a type of concrete building that is proving to have distinct advantages over conventional structures. These concrete buildings are known as monolithic...

Striking off concrete by hand and bull floating. (Concrete Basics).
February 1, 2003... The most basic hand tools needed for placing and initial finishing operations on concrete flatwork are a strike-off board and a bull float. Timing is essential during this phase of concrete work. Being organized and ready makes the difference...

Decorative epoxy flooring. (Decorative Concrete).
February 1, 2003... Decorative epoxy flooring systems have a proven record of longevity spanning several decades. It's believed they evolved from finishes that were applied to wood flooring and first became popular as "seamless" flooring systems in the 1950s. At...

Panel and clamp formwork systems. (Formwork).
February 1, 2003... Panel and clamp gangform formwork systems, colloquially known as Euro Form Systems, have taken the U.S. construction industry by storm. With their many advantages, these formwork systems have been arriving in North America since 1994 at the...

Various thickness overlay. (Problem Clinic).
February 1, 2003... Q. We are going to do a 2-inch overlay on an existing concrete floor. The floor is in different sections and has had plumbing and electrical strips cut in and repoured. The floor varies from a flat plane by 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. The client...

Ternary mixes. (Problem Clinic).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Q. I've heard ready-mix people talking about ternary mixtures. What's a ternary mixture, and is it something I might find in a specification? A. You could very easily find it in a specification--in fact you've probably already used one,...

Accurate leveling to within 1/64 inch. (Product Update).
February 1, 2003... Ensure accurate leveling to within 1/64 inch (over 36 inches) with these heavy-duty professional aluminum box beam levels. Available in lengths of 16, 24, 36, 48, 72, 78, and 96 inches, the levels are orange in color and feature a large...

Flapping edge box blade increases maneuverability. (Product Update).
February 1, 2003... GradeMaster Pro is a grading system that maintains accuracy to within 1/4 inch. Like the typical grading system, GradeMaster Pro features a heavy-duty box blade (with front and rear cutting edges) and laser system. But unlike other systems, the...

Replacement blades for power trowels. (Product Update).
February 1, 2003... Finishing contractors definitely want to contact this company to learn all about its four types of replacement blades for power trowels. Introduced in 1986, the Gold Pro Blade can withstand the demands of heavier ride-on power trowels. It is...

Roller screed ensures aggregate consistency. (Product Update).
February 1, 2003... Used for both concrete paving and flooring applications, the Razorback Roller Screed is powered by a 3-hp 2-cycle Tecumseh engine. The Single-Tube Roller Screed establishes surface grades and accurately strikes off concrete--spinning at speeds...

One-person adjustable screed. (Product Update).
February 1, 2003... Adjustable eccentric weight reportedly enables the Speed Screed Solo to provide even, deep vibration directly into the concrete for effective finishing. Powered by a 4-stroke Honda engine, this one-person screed comes with frame attachments...

Pretty as a picture. (From the Trenches).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... We were called about a decorative concrete job at a commercial photographer's studio in Galveston, Texas. The workspace, a little more than 1000 square feet, was a combination office/studio adjoining the photographer's primary residence. The...