Concrete Construction articles from March 2005

Concrete Construction archives from March 2005

Making mistakes.(Editorial Comment)
March 1, 2005... There are plenty of opportunities to criticize a concrete contractor. If you make a mistake on a job, it is literally cast in stone for everyone to see. It's oh-so-easy for anyone who's ever watched a ready-mix truck drive by to be an expert in...

Safe jobsites.(Reader Response)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Just a note that the January cover of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION shows a jobsite that has many safety violations. While teaching our craftsmen that are going through the OSHA 30-hour course, we discovered them. We would be happy to share with you...

Specifying performance.(Reader Response)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Concerning the article "Specifying Concrete for Performance" in the January issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION: This is a somewhat disjointed article that tries to tie several themes together. I want to comment on one section of the article in...

Grain elevators.(Reader Response)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I am reading the book Failures in Civil Engineering: Structural, Foundation and Geoenvironmental Case Studies. It mentions that the Transcona Grain Elevator, Canada, was completed in September 1913 and failed due to ground settlement in October...

2005 tilt-up achievement winners.(News & Events)
March 1, 2005... The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) has announced the recipients of the 2005 Tilt-Up Achievement Awards. In its 14th consecutive year, the Achievement Awards program was established by TCA to honor projects that use site-cast Tilt-Up...

Managing successful projects.(The Business of Concrete Contracting)
March 1, 2005... Let's face it, most contractors got into the business because they like to build things, and often little else about the business of construction interests them. Being able to look at something and say "I built that" offers boundless pride....

Our world in a different perspective.(Hime & Erlin on Concrete)
March 1, 2005... Someone said that Bernie looks like a cherub in the picture at the bottom of this page. Someone else said that he looked like an angel awaiting a halo. Well, he almost got the halo recently when a heart-valve problem attacked and left him with...

Project of the month.
March 1, 2005... In September 2003, downtown Houston welcomed its latest sports landmark, Toyota Center. The $175 million arena will seat 18,300 people for NBA/WNBA games and includes 92 luxury suites on two suite levels and 2900 club seats with access to...

Buying a compact excavator.(What you need to know)
March 1, 2005... Most concrete contractors don't do extensive earthwork prior to placing concrete. There are, however, many situations where you need to do some digging, and the invention of the rubber tracked compact (or mini) excavator has been a real boon...

Preventive maintenance pays dividends: how six contractors handle their equipment maintenance.
March 1, 2005... "Equipment is a big asset, but its also a big liability," says Harry Moats, president of Precision Concrete Construction. "You've got to control your equipment costs, such as fuel and repairs. It's a large task, and that's why we built our own...

Much ado about shrinkage: strategies for reducing, shrinkage cracking in flatwork.
March 1, 2005... An inescapable fact of life is that concrete shrinks, but shrinkage alone is not much of a problem. The problem comes when the shrinking concrete is connected to fixed objects like walls, columns, adjacent slabs, concrete substrates, or the...

Thank you concrete construction for the independent brand leadership study.(Readers rate the leading brands)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... In an industry boasting many high-quality manufacturers, it's a great honor to be named the brand leader by the same concrete construction professionals GOMACO strives so hard to serve every day. Curb and Gutter Residential paving is...

Taking a chance on SCC: self-consolidating concrete saves labor and produces a high quality finish.
March 1, 2005... Taking a chance on new technology takes guts. But Juan Alvidrez, president and owner of Plaza Construction, Denver, felt it was worth the risk to try self-consolidating concrete for his Broomfield, Colo., project. SCC is a highly fluid concrete...

Let's talk about really big slab on grade placements.
March 1, 2005... Everyone's juices start flowing when you start talking about big concrete placements--40,000 square feet and bigger, or larger than 1000 cubic yards per day. Watching concrete hit the ground at over a hundred yards per hour can be just plain...

Material selection guide: reinforcement.
March 1, 2005... Most concrete has some embedded steel reinforcement. If the steel is being counted on to provide bending or tensile strength--if the structural element is intended to behave as a composite--we call it reinforced concrete. But even so-called...

Water-based stains.(Decorative Concrete)
March 1, 2005... Even though water-based stains aren't new, the technology is constantly improving, and these stains are taking decorative concrete in new directions. When used by concrete artisans, unique effects can be achieved. Several of the presenters at...

High-strength, self-leveling overlayment.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2005... Designed for fast-track resurfacing of concrete surfaces, Concrete Canvas is a self-leveling, polymer-modified overlayment that comes in white and gray, and readily accepts acid stains and acrylic shading materials. The product gives...

Bonding primer for decorative finishes.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2005... SkimStone bonding primer allows SkimStone decorative finishes to be used on non-porous substrates, such as plastic laminate or ceramic tile. The bonding primer is formulated to enhance inter-coat adhesion, and may also be used on previously...

Decorative concrete stamps.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2005... Artistic concrete stamps are available for commercial and residential concrete work. The stamps are made of a commercial-grade rubber for long lasting use. They come in 35 designs, including Western, Southwestern, wildlife, coastal, oceanic,...

Pigments, color process for ready-mix concrete.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2005... With the Standley Color Batch system, ready-mix companies can incorporate Bayferrox C granulated pigments into a dry-to-wet mixing process to obtain all the advantages of liquid colors, but at a lower cost per yard. The process makes liquid...

Improving traction on a pool deck.(Decorative Problem Clinic)
March 1, 2005... Q. I am on the board of our local recreation association. We operate an indoor swimming pool that is about three years old. The pool deck, which is about 2100 square feet, was supposed to have a "brushed finish," but the surface grooves are...

Placing reinforcing steel.(Concrete Basics)
March 1, 2005... Although on larger projects ironworkers will place the reinforcing steel, most contractors place some reinforcement. Getting it in the right place and keeping it there during concrete placement is critical to the structure's performance....

Sulfate in the soil and concrete foundations.(Problem Clinic)
March 1, 2005... Sulfate's effect on concrete foundations has been the source of litigation and large settlements in California and has raised questions in other parts of the United States. To learn what's going on with this, we asked two experts: Adam Neville,...

The next big thing.(Product Update)
March 1, 2005... Now that World of Concrete is over, ConExpo-Con/Agg 2005 pulls into the Las Vegas Convention Center in mid-March for one of the largest equipment shows in the world. Big is an understatement when referring to ConExpo-Con/Agg, which is...

Self-erecting cranes.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The Igo 50, MA21, and HDT 80 self-erecting cranes feature a small footprint, excellent reach, easy setup, and transportability--making them ideal for rental companies, residential jobs, and smaller construction sites. The Igo 50 lifts up to 4.4...

Trailer-mounted articulating boom.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... A working height of 40 feet and outreach of 20 feet enables the TZ-34/20 to lead the industry in outreach and working envelope. The trailer-mounted articulating boom is lightweight and is easily towed by vehicles with adequate capacity, a...

Models to choose from.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... Effer articulating cranes are available in many sizes to handle just about any lifting application. They are ideal for handset or gang forms, precast walls, trench plates, and shoring boxes. With side reaches of up to 105 feet, the cranes...

Larger capacity forklift.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... Carelift is adding to the Zoom Boom line of telescopic forklifts with the addition of the new ZB32032. This beefed up model features a capacity of 32,000 pounds and a lift height of 32 feet, yet it retains the innovative design and rugged...

Stable telescopic handler.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The MRT 2150 is a 10,000-pound capacity telescopic handler designed for high performance, comfort, convenience, and maneuverability. With a lift height of nearly 68 feet and a forward reach of more than 59 feet, it features four-wheel drive, an...

Four-section boom truck.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The 32105, by Elliott Equipment, is a new, 32-ton boom truck. With a 105-foot, four-section boom, it incorporates several patent-pending features to increase productivity, including a ride-around operator control platform for optimal viewing, a...

Hydrostatic transmission.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The CH320 is a rough terrain forklift with a load capacity of 3200 kg. The unit features a 64-hp Isuzu engine and a hydrostatic transmission with a variable flow pump. It is available with a mast up to 6.75 meters. Other options include side...

Designed for safety, visibility, and ergonomics.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The new S series rough terrain forklift, by Sellick Equipment, is designed with a focus on safety, visibility, ergonomics, and accessibility. The operator platform is rubber mounted to reduce noise and vibration. Visibility has been improved...

Telehandlers with growing reach.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The Mustang Value series of telescopic handlers is getting bigger. The new 642, replacing the 638, has an increased lift height of 42 feet. The new 844 sports a lift height of 44 feet, a rated capacity of 8000 pounds, and a forward reach...

Easy loading with a pickup.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The Lift Off system allows contractors to pick up and unload heavy machinery or materials into a pickup truck at the touch of a button. Installation of this patent-pending device takes less than 2 hours, with no holes to drill. The system has a...

Telehandler/forklift for confined spaces.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... This compact telehandler/forklift is only about 11 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 7 feet high, which means it can operate in confined spaces, and can be transported from jobsite to jobsite easily with a 3/4-ton pickup and a 12,000 GVWR trailer....

Designed for safety and stability.(Cranes and lifting equipment)
March 1, 2005... The Extendo T-Series rough-terrain telehandlers offer lift capacities up to 8000 pounds, reach as far as 36 feet, and lift heights as high as 44 feet. Designed with safety, stability, productivity, serviceability, and ease of use in mind, they...

Desiccant dehumidification puts slab drying on the fast track.(Products Solving Problems)
March 1, 2005... Often construction schedules won't allow the luxury of waiting for a concrete slab to dry to manufacturer's specifications before proceeding with scheduled flooring work. But unless the specifications for moisture content in the concrete are...

Ridley C-10[TM].(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... The C-10 is a powerful, compact machine designed for placing dry-mix gunite material. It delivers a steady flow of material allowing even hydration at the nozzle. The C-10 features a 9 HP air motor with heavy-duty spur gear drive (hydraulic...

No more capping every rebar.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... Carnie Cap[TM] is the most effective way to cap exposed rebar and the danger it can create at your job site--worker impalement. When subject to impact, the weight is distributed over the entire protective system. Works with horizontal,...

CG-550P mini grout pump & mixer.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... Max output 5 gpm (18.9 l/m); mx. pressure 225 psi (16 bar). Features the CG-050 piston pump. Mixes and pumps most prepackaged, non-shrink grouts and sand/cement ratios of up to 2:1. Large 34 gal. (129.5 l) mixing tank offers easy, continuous...

PM knuckleboom cranes.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... PM cranes are available for handling gang or hand set forms, precast, brick or blocks. Full hydraulic horizontal reaches to 86' and available with such options as remote control or top seat controls. Complete packages available including...

Self-leveling, non-shrinking underlayment.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... Conspec's Conflow products are single component, cement-based underlayments that mix with water and can be pumped or poured. They achieve a smooth, level and exceptionally hard finish with no troweling! Walk on in less than 4 hours; ready for...

Rapid concrete roadway, runway & bridge deck repair.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... Ready for traffic in 1-3 hours! EDOCO Fast Patch 928 rapid-setting repair mortar is designed for quick back-to-service times on highways, airport runways, roads and bridges; and is ideal for dowel bar joint retrofit. It can be worked at...

Grout pumps.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... Kenrich Products grout pumps are ideal for grouting metal door frames and for placing grout anywhere that high pressure is not required. Their lightweight design (19 to 32 pounds) allows you to take the pump to where you need the grout. One air...

Scofield Systems brochure.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2005... Request the new Scofield Systems brochure for an easy selection guide. See the Difference with professional stains, dry-shake hardener, release agents, stamping and texturing tools, and cementitious toppings. Find out about our next generation...

Kevin Chavez: President G-Katmar Concrete Albuquerque, New Mexico.(Contractors to Watch)
March 1, 2005... * The most important thing is our people. We don't believe in all the yelling and the big stick. We believe in teamwork. It's amazing what can happen when you give people a little bit of training and some responsibility and treat them with...