Concrete Construction articles from March 2003

Concrete Construction archives from March 2003

Tough times--good times. (Editorial Comment).(World of Concrete show)(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... Construction spending in the United States will decrease 1.5% during 2003, from $695 billion in 2002 to $685 billion, according to Portland Cement Association economist Ed Sullivan. That sounds like bad news for concrete contractors, but...

Curling and coarse aggregate content. (Reader Response).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I found the Nasvik article ("Reducing Curling of Concrete Floor Slabs," Sept. 2002) to be very informative, with one exception. On page 22, a sample of a well-graded mix is presented. The total coarse aggregate content at 1426 lbs per cubic...

Chloride permeability application. (Reader Response).
March 1, 2003... The article by Joshi and Chan ("Rapid Chloride Permeability Testing," December 2002) is very good. However, it left out one thing. The rapid chloride permeability test is for determination of a measure of chloride ion permeability of...

ASCC's importance. (Reader Response).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I am on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Concrete Contractors and am active on the membership committee and sponsorship committee. Having just read your editorial comments in December's issue, I want to thank you for giving...

How to create concrete countertops on tape. (News & Events).(Stamp Store offers informative video for concrete contractors)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Stamp Store, a recognized leader in training and supplies for the decorative concrete market, has responded to concrete contractors' needs by releasing a video entitled "Cast-in-Place Concrete Countertops." The video walks the...

Using fibers in ICF construction. (News & Events).
March 1, 2003... A consortium of the Strategic Development Council has issued a report showing that fiber reinforcement can be used as the only reinforcement in insulating concrete formwork walls. The report, commissioned by SDC Consortium 38, reviewed research...

New seminar on troubleshooting concrete floors. (News & Events).(American Concrete Institute)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... "Troubleshooting Concrete Floor Problems" is the newest seminar offered by the American Concrete Institute. Problems to be addressed in the 1-day seminar include slow-drying concrete that delays flooring application, flooring adhesive failures,...

Scholarship for construction accident victims. (News & Events).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Children of construction workers employed by AGC member firms that are killed as a result of an accident on a construction worksite after December 31, 2002 will now be eligible for scholarships to help pursue their college education. The...

The January issue of Concrete Construction, "Building with Concrete in Las Vegas," page 44, gave the wrong phone number for Patent Construction System.(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2003... The January issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, "Building with Concrete in Las Vegas," page 44, gave the wrong phone number for Patent Construction System. The correct number is 800-969-5600. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused....

Calendar. (News & Events).(Calendar)
March 1, 2003... March Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA), 31st annual convention, March 25-29, Hapuna Beach, Hawaii (727-577-5004 or www.csda/org) International Association of Concrete Drillers and Sawers (IACDS) Annual Meeting...

Coping with the insurance rate sting. (Tips & Trends).
March 1, 2003... A little over a year ago, companies throughout the building industry started to get rude awakenings when they opened their insurance renewal notices. Premiums were skyrocketing. In one fell swoop, the past year's dreadful events--9/11, the...

New recordkeeping requirements. (Safety Report).(of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
March 1, 2003... Do you have anything special hanging on your wall right now? Perhaps in the employee breakroom or maybe over the time clock? If you're familiar with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) revamped...

Lessons for life. (Safety Report).(case study of the death of a concrete worker in 1999)
March 1, 2003... In 1999, a concrete worker was killed when crushed by a falling tilt-up panel. The crew was erecting tilt-up wall panels around the perimeter of the slab floor of a one-story warehouse. The last three panels were being lifted into place with...

Custom concrete home. (project of the month).
March 1, 2003... This custom concrete home blends multiple concrete materials and methods, including cast-in-place foundations, concrete masonry walls, custom-molded architectural concrete, chemically-stained concrete floors, a precast concrete roof deck, and...

The ABCs of SCC: as a cast-in-place concrete contractor, here's what you should know.(many believe self-consolidating concrete is the way of the future)
March 1, 2003... Self-consolidating concrete can be placed into a form at a single location and flow 100 feet or more without segregating. SCC is so fluid that its consistency is measured by "slump flow" rather than by slump. When a standard slump cone is...

Petrography for contractors: how it can help, when to use it, and how much it costs.
March 1, 2003... Petrography is a powerful tool. A branch of geology that uses microscopic examination of thin sections to describe and systematically classify rocks, petrography is used throughout construction projects from defining the quality of materials...

Coating repaired rebar: research indicates that it is beneficial, despite application difficulties.
March 1, 2003... One approach to improving the performance of reinforced concrete structures in corrosive environments has been to coat the reinforcing bars with epoxy or another corrosion-protective coating. Bars with a shop-applied coating are used in new...

Carina piers and bascule bridges: a new concrete landmark is more than just beautiful.(new bridge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
March 1, 2003... With its dedication on April 13, 2002, the new 17th Street Causeway Bridge in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., alleviated congestion for both vehicular and boat traffic--and the "Venice of the South" gained a signature landmark. This bridge also...

Hard-trowel finish on air-entrained concrete. (Position Statement #1).
March 1, 2003... Some specifications require concrete contractors to hard-trowel air-entrained concrete. The risks associated with this requirement include: 1) increased probability of delamination or blistering 2) reduction in surface air content ...

Stampable overlays. (Decorative Concrete).
March 1, 2003... At the World of Concrete in 1997, Concrete Solutions, San Diego, was the first company to introduce 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch stampable overlay concrete. Currently, there are many stampable overlay products on the market. All are made with latex...

Decorative problem clinic. (Decorative Concrete).
March 1, 2003... Milky lacquer Q. I placed a decorative floor and sealed it with an acrylic lacquer. Now I have efflorescence on about 1900 square feet. I checked the vapor emission rate using a chloride cup test, and it is 4.42 lbs/100 sf/24 hours. What...

Polymer modification. (Decorative Concrete Products).
March 1, 2003... Contractors can use the pre-colored Dura-Top Counter Top System as is for concrete countertops, tabletops, and tilt-up sections, or they can mix in a lightweight aggregate and pour the product for thicker jobs like mantelpieces and bases....

Stencils and rollers. (Decorative Concrete Products).
March 1, 2003... Artcrete offers two new products for decorative concreting: * Its adhesive-backed Plastic Border Stencil allows contractors to produce the same results as sandblasting in less time, eliminating the need for specialized and costly...

Replicating stone. (Decorative Concrete Products).
March 1, 2003... The Eurostone System line of decorative concrete products is designed for resurfacing concrete to replicate flagstone, tile, slate, or spraydeck. These overlays are troweled and require no stamping tools. Both systems are covered in 2-day,...

Thawing efficiency. (Problem Clinic).
March 1, 2003... Q. We own a ground thaw unit that is specified to thaw up to 6000 square feet per application (1 foot of frost in 24 hours). But over the past two winters, we have averaged only 4000 square feet per application. The manufacturer of this unit...

Wet look for exposed aggregate. (Problem Clinic).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Regarding your reader response to achieving a wet look on exposed aggregate (Nov. 2002), 100% solids epoxies used as sealers for slabs on grade, particularly in climates subject to freeze/thaw, are usually detrimental as they are vapor...

Removing discoloration. (Problem Clinic).
March 1, 2003... Q. I have a concrete driveway that has not been cared for in years. It has been discolored and pitted by mildew and fungus, which is very common in Florida. I can pressure-wash to remove the surface materials, but is there any method to bring...

Wavy slab. (Problem Clinic).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Q. I have a poorly installed slab that is wavy--it has 4x2-foot birdbaths that hold water when I hose off the floor. The floor is used for light industrial, and I am unable to install and overlay any more than 1/4-inch thick. Are there any...

Fleet management systems make maintenance and cost-control easier. (Product Update).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Because critical heavy equipment has a knack for breaking down just when the concrete contractor needs it most, the traditional "wait-until-it-breaks-down" method of fleet maintenance is far from ideal. Aside from idling workers and disrupting...

Web-based tracking. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... ValuePlus Fleet Management is a Web-based software program that provides service-vehicle owners with real-time maintenance, service, and efficiency statistics. It is designed to help owners reduce operating expenses, maximize vehicle...

Single maintenance agreement. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... The PremierCare Managed Maintenance Program allows a fleet to avoid maintenance uncertainty by getting all of its maintenance service work managed under a single maintenance agreement. Customers can keep track of all the maintenance performed...

35 online courses. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... A series of management courses designed specifically for fleet managers and other transportation professionals called efleetmgmtan--online management, education, and information resource for fleet managers--will soon be available. The...

Tracks history and parts inventories. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... Dossier Fleet Maintenance Management Software provides detailed cost analysis, repair history, equipment use history, and parts inventories. Several program options are available. Mileage & Fuel Data Import saves data-entry time and increases...

Suits owned, rented, or leased fleets. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... The Foundation for Windows Equipment Module (E/Q) records information about each individual piece of equipment in a fleet. Each item gets a unique code and has information recorded on attributes such as category, new or used, make/model,...

Equipment security system. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... The new Machine Security System (MSS) is designed to help owners manage machine access and deter equipment theft. MSS is available as a factory-installed machine attachment and as a dealer-installed retrofit kit for both new and older machines....

Color-coded automatic vehicle location system. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... FleetVantage GOLD is an automatic vehicle location system that uses GPS wireless technology and reveals color-coded vehicle icons on a computer screen to indicate actual truck status. The system, operable on CDPD, circuit-switched, private...

Reduces purchasing costs of parts. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... The Synergy Squared system is designed to significantly reduce the costs of purchasing parts for equipment fleets. The subscription service uses PartsRiver's Pro.Normalizer, which cross-references the client's data and eliminates redundant...

Allows outsourcing of fleet maintenance. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... Enterprise's full-maintenance program is available for non-Enterprise-owned vehicles as well. The program extends maintenance coverage to virtually all makes of light-duty trucks and service vehicles as well as many diesel engine vehicles. It...

GPS vehicle location system. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... This subscription service uses GPS to locate vehicles without driver intervention in the process. It features "smart" intervention-free in-cab mobile units, messaging terminals for two-way text communication; hosted applications such as...

Tracking, inventory management system. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... At World of Concrete 2003, Fleet Management Software announced the availability of Trailer and Asset Tracking Units, new devices that increase the security of commercial vehicle trailers and mobile assets as well as provide inventory...

Wireless fleet tracking. (Product Update).
March 1, 2003... For both efficient tracking of equipment and trucks and preventing unauthorized use, @Road links to the Internet to keep equipment owners constantly apprised of the location of both off-road and on-road equipment. There is even an option for...

Stuck on tilt-up? (From the Trenches).
March 1, 2003... When we've done something a hundred or even a thousand times, it becomes second nature, and we usually don't stop to think about what we're doing. For a tilt-up contractor, such complacency can result in stuck panels. As a manufacturer of...