Concrete Construction articles from March 2006

Concrete Construction archives from March 2006

In our hands.(Editorial Comment)
March 1, 2006... The deaths of 15 men in West Virginia mining accidents became big news in January. These deaths were tragic but, sadly, not that unusual. People die in mining accidents on a regular basis. What made this event unusual and worthy of the barrage...

The ladies' bridge.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... Designed in 1937 by Giles Gilbert Scott, Waterloo Bridge across the River Thames was the last major reinforced concrete bridge built in the UK. The five-span, cantilever bridge has its haunched hollow-box beams faced in portland stone and, at...

Mexican cement duties.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... The U.S. Commerce Department agreed with Mexico to reduce anti-dumping duties. Under the agreement, shipments of Mexican cement into the United States may reach 3 million tons annually, an increase from 1.6 million tons in 2004. Shipments could...

Tilt-Up celebrates.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) recently kicked off its year-long 20th anniversary celebration at the World of Concrete. Members of the industry were invited to stop by the TCA booth to enjoy a piece of cake on January 19. The...

2006 Concrete Technologies Tour.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... The 2006 Concrete Technologies Tour, "Building with Concrete: The Basics and Beyond," will show participants how cement-based building materials are produced. Following a morning golf tournament and evening reception, "Introduction to...

RMC's P2P projects.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... Two important Prescriptive-to-Performance (P2P) research projects have been released by The RMC Research Foundation. The first, "Preparation of a Performance-Based Specification for Cast-in-Place Concrete," includes a comprehensive review of...

Salt-water concrete.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... A revolutionary new salt-water concrete said to be more cost-effective, strong, and durable than conventional fresh water concrete was introduced by A.I.M. Resources, Nevada. The cornerstone of this technology is the use of the company's...

Estimating kit for Gulf Coast.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... The 2006 Gulf Coast Reconstruction Estimator, edited by Jonathan Russell is now available. Published by Craftsman Book Co., it is divided by type of repair: Concrete, Masonry, and Water Extraction, to name a few. The tables include labor,...

Materials costs on the rise.(News & Events)
March 1, 2006... According to ARTBA, highway and street construction materials prices outpaced inflation in 2005. On average, highway and street contractors paid 12.6% more than the year before for materials on transportation construction projects. General...

What it takes to be a good contractor (Part 2 of 2).(The Business of Concrete Contracting)
March 1, 2006... Defining everything it takes to be a good contractor would be a very long list. But last month (in Part 1 of this article) we developed the following list of management skills needed by the good contractor and reviewed the first two in detail....

Tying rebar: machines can ease the pain.(Safety)
March 1, 2006... Tying rebar with pliers or with a manual tying tool can be backbreaking work. Two recent studies document the advantages of rebar tying tools. While these studies focus on battery-powered tools, spring-return manual tying tools could provide...

A guiding: lasers and GPS increase site preparation efficiency.(Cover story)
March 1, 2006... In 1957, Gordon Gould patented the laser--an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. A laser is a crystal rod with a full mirror on one end and a half-silvered mirror on the other. High energy is added to the rod by...

CSI jobsite: those directly involved in a project can do a lot of detective work themselves when they know what to look for.
March 1, 2006... In the currently popular "Crime Scene Investigation" TV shows, experts sift through evidence and examine the minutest of clues to determine cause, place blame, and see justice done. But real police, detectives, and forensic specialists will...

Before the pour.
March 1, 2006... Excavation, soil testing, compaction, moisture control, trench safety... the list of site preparation tasks goes on, along with the equipment needed to perform those tasks. Here's a sampling from the pages or CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION over the...

Materials selection guide: special purpose aggregates: broadcast onto the surface, aggregate can give concrete unique characteristics.
March 1, 2006... Aggregate is essential in making concrete; it is the largest single component in the mix. But aggregate can also be placed into concrete for other more specific applications, including adding color and sparkle to decorative applications, and...

Special events at the 2006 world of concrete.(World of Concrete)
March 1, 2006... World of Concrete shattered all previous registration and exhibit space records with the 2006 show. With more than 1800 exhibitors occupying over 800,000 square feet, and registrants in excess of 80,000, approximately 15% higher than in 2005,...

Strength & beauty: standing up to future hurricanes.
March 1, 2006... As the founder and president of Concrete Express Inc. (CONEX), a Georgia ready-mixed concrete producer, David Howard had long dreamed of providing an innovative yet attractive and functional home with his favorite building product--concrete....

It's time to implement decorative concrete certification.(Decorative Concrete)
March 1, 2006... Bernie Cawley, the director of marketing and administration for the Michigan Concrete Association, Lansing, Mich., says that about 80% of their complaint calls used to be problems related to plain concrete flatwork. But about three years ago...

Glazed coating transforms walls.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2006... Velasil siloxane glazed coating transforms walls by aging, tinting, or completely changing their colors. Available in opaque, translucent, and custom colors, it can be used as a glaze or paint to produce any artistic finish or effect. It also...

Finish looks like granite.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2006... The Terra-Neo premium finish features a blend of multiple-sized quartz aggregates and chips of mica to create a unique finish that replicates the look of granite. It provides a homogenous layer over exterior insulation and finish systems,...

Natural wood elegance.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2006... Blending the elegance and richness of natural wood with the durability of an epoxy mortar system, MasterPiece Hardwoods is an architectural finish for concrete floors with heavy foot traffic. It consists of colorful composites of graded wood...

Retaining wall aging system.(Decorative Concrete Products)
March 1, 2006... The Stone Picker retaining-wall aging system can make split-face block look thousands of years old. The process is usually done "in-line" after 24-hour curing. The blocks are fed on each side of the impact section and clamped into position....

Decorative problem clinic.(Interview)
March 1, 2006... Q. We recently cleaned and resealed a decorative slab that was initially installed and sealed by another contractor. Everything looked good for the first months afterwards. Then, after rain showers, the sealer suddenly looked white and "frosty"...

Shutting off the pump.(Problem Clinic)(Interview)
March 1, 2006... Q, I work for a concrete contractor in the San Francisco Bay area. We recently came up against a tricky forming condition that I felt lent itself to the use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC). The project was a water feature that required...

Eyewash unit easy to fill and assemble.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... On-Site Gravity-Fed Eyewash provides greater mobility between locations without a piped water supply. The S19-921 model is easy to fill, assemble, and transport. It uses only seven gallons of solution to deliver a constant flush for 15 minutes,...

Clamp-on guardrail system.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... The VersiShield Guardrail Clamping System allows contractors to quickly erect freestanding, OSHA-compliant guardrail and stair rail systems without drilling. Designed for slab structures up to 15 inches thick, it clamps onto the edge of a...

See behind with microwave technology.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... The RearSentry system is an economical accessory for industrial and commercial vehicles that uses microwave technology to alert drivers to objects up to 12 feet behind the vehicle. It eliminates hazardous blind spots and allows for safer and...

Vehicle safety lighting.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... Meterolite remote strobe heads are available in two styles; the flange style is mounted with screws, and the pop-in style is a grommet mount. They come in clear, amber, red, and blue, and can be used in headlight, taillight, and turn-signal...

Gas detector.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... The Drager Pac 7000 is a gas monitor that can reliably warn users of the presence of harmful concentrations of carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, or oxygen. The instrument features an impact-proof housing, and is resistant to corrosive...

Safety glasses for high impact.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... ANSI Z87+ certified for high impact, Foresight safety glasses provide a sturdy hold so glasses won't slide down a user's nose or cause irritation to the ears. They attach to the existing slots in MSA and Bullard 4100 and 3000 hard hats, and can...

Safety fencing for fall protection.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... Designed for the segmental retaining wall business, Fall-Guard is an adjustable safety fencing that attaches to the face of the wall with ease. This fall protection system includes sturdy crossrails that are height adjustable, and meet OSHA's...

Personal heat stress monitors.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... Working in high temperatures can lead to heat-related illness, disability, and even death. The QuesTemp II monitors an individual's body temperature for indications of the onset of heat stress. The QuesTemp III monitors both body temperature...

One-touch suspension for hard hats.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... Quickly adjusting to the user's head circumference with an easy-open, easy-close feature, 1-Touch Suspension offers a comfortable and stable fit. It features one-hand slide adjustment and snap closure, and adjustable dual nylon straps. It can...

Formwork covers large areas.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... The Top 50 formwork system is ideal for large-scale projects such as multilevel buildings, water tanks, and bridges. Plus, the system adapts easily from pour to pour, so users can quickly alter it to suit the application. Doka USA Ltd.,...

Rebar resists chloride attack.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... Offering superior corrosion resistance and long service life, the Reval stainless steel ribbed reinforcing bar can significantly reduce the harmful effects of chloride attack on roads, bridges, and buildings. It provides high strength levels,...

Safety supply catalog.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... The Winter 2005 release of Reid Safety Supply Co.'s safety supply catalog contains more than 1600 safety related items. Products include work wear, eye and ear protection, work boots, gloves, first-aid kits, safety signage, flashlights, and...

SCC testing.(Safety Equipment)
March 1, 2006... The Forney J-Ring Test Set (LAG3770) is one of the first products available for testing self-consolidating concrete (SCC). Featuring a heavy-duty, steel J-Ring and a large, rigid plastic base plate, it tests spread and restricted flow around...

Egleston Children's Hospital, Atlanta.(Products Solving Problems)
March 1, 2006... For many years, Atlanta's Egleston Children's Hospital has provided quality pediatric care for Georgia families. But according to recent projections, the local pediatric population will increase dramatically by 2009, so Children's Healthcare of...

Hand-operated portable group pump.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... The Handy-Grout[TM] by Airplaco is the most versatile, durable line of portable grout pumps available. A hand-operated, self-priming positive piston pump, the Handy-Grout[TM] pumps material up to 15 cu ft per hr. The Handy-Grout[TM] features a...

No more capping every rebar.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... 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,...

Curb slipforming attachment.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... The Curbcat is an easy to use "doweled or glued" curb slip-forming attachment that fits skid-steer loaders. The Curbcat can slip-form a wide range of slumps, and almost any mix design. The Curbcat further utilizes the contractors' existing...

'enCREDIBLE' countertops every time!.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... Smart contractors will appreciate the enCOUNTER[TM] professional countertap system--a complete system for concrete countertops that saves time, ensures consistent quality, and produces finished designs that are simply 'enCREDIBLE.' For...

Cast in place rebar fabrication.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... Imagine a portable, lightweight, rebar bending and cutting system that's easily operated with a single hand! The EZE BEND SYSTEM Benders and Cutters provide either 3/4" or 1" rebar capacities and weigh as little as 17 pounds. Each operating...

The Eradicator[TM] form removal system.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... The Eradicator[TM] solves an old problem using revolutionary technology. Without breaking your back, you can easily remove form boards, stakes, steel pins, steel frames, fence posts, ground rods and more without destroying forms. The detachable...

Scofield Systems brochure.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... Request the new Scofield 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 of compatible and more...

Solutions for corrosion problems.(Products for the Pros showcase)
March 1, 2006... Corrosion Restoration Technologies (CRT) offers cost effective and engineered solutions for problems affecting structures. CRT has pioneered the development of thermal spray and metalizing for corrosion protection of steel and concrete. CRT...

Manufacturer to watch.(Interview)
March 1, 2006... Bill Palmer: When you took over at Soft-Cut, things weren't good. What was wrong? Don Hinshaw: We both got there at the end of 2001. The owners weren't pleased with the financial trend of the company. So the first thing we did was hit the...