Concrete Construction articles from May 2002

Concrete Construction archives from May 2002

Creative diversity. (Editorial Comment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Just as the Enron debacle should have reminded us all to diversify our retirement funds, this most recent economic slowdown should have reminded us to diversify our businesses. If you know how to do only one thing and there is little demand for...

Tax package makes buying new equipment a better option. (News & Events).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... On March 9, President George W. Bush signed the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 into law. The economic stimulus bill includes an equipment depreciation bonus that may give contractors an incentive to buy equipment, machinery,...

Canada's new measure of excellence in the housing industry. (News & Events).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The Cement Association of Canada recognizes the increasing popularity and impressive quality performance of concrete in the Canadian housing industry through the introduction of a new award series. The first award will be presented at the...

Pure meeting basics. (Successful Contracting).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... A recent trip reminded us again how important organized communication is and how little attention most contractors give to such organization. Now before you think we are going to encourage more company meetings, let us explain. Many...

Beware of the excavation rats--Part 1. (Safety Report).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... How terrible it must be to slowly suffocate in a collapsed excavation! To feel the earth close in against your body with every outgoing breath. And to know, for so brief a moment, that you may never again hear a child's laughter or see joy in a...

Decorative concrete: growth and creativity. (Cover Story).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... People nowadays are looking for more interesting surroundings. In the past we've considered concrete mostly for its functional properties. Now decorative contractors see it as a medium with limitless possibilities. Those involved in the...

Do concrete overlays affect deterioration rates? A case study of two parking structures presents durability of overlay repair schemes.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The State Street Capitol Ramp and the Government East Ramp, two Madison, Wis., parking garages, had suffered significant corrosion-induced delamination. Over several years we repaired much of the damage and installed concrete overlays in an...

A contractor's guide to geotechnical engineering: knowing how to decipher a soils report and make sure that it reflects field conditions will save everyone time and money.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The largest single source of cost overruns and construction-related claims by contractors historically has been unanticipated subsurface conditions encountered during construction. As new development spreads farther from established building...

Building Habitat homes with concrete: concrete is a natural choice for building energy-efficient, affordable homes.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Affordable homes built by Habitat for Humanity now exist in over 80 countries. In the United States there are 1600 regional Habitat offices (referred to as "affiliates"), with the top 200 affiliates building five or more homes each year. Their...

Decorative concrete that looks and feels like rock. (Decorative Concrete).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Artificial rockwork, like all other forms of decorative concrete work, is a fast-growing field for both commercial and residential uses. People want more art in their lives, and that's one reason there's so much fascination with this industry....

Aluminum in concrete. (Problem clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Q. I read that aluminum reacts with concrete. I am interested to find out if all aluminum bull float will affect the concrete of bridge decks. We (a state transportation department) allow the use of burlap or wooden floats to finish the...

Rust stains. (Problem Clinic).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Q. We have some concrete that has developed rust stains over a period of about a year. It appears to be caused by the aggregate. Are there any solutions to this besides changing aggregate sources? A. The problem may relate to the presence...

Internal vibrators. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Internal vibrators consolidate freshly placed concrete by helping entrapped air to escape. Most of the internal vibrators used today can be classified as either flexible-shaft, motor-in-head, or pneumatic. The primary difference is in how the...

Oztec Industries. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Both the BP-31 and the BP-50 flexible-shaft gas concrete backpack vibrators feature heads that run at up to 12,000 vpm and never drop below 10,000 vpm under the heaviest low-slump concrete loads, according to the manufacturer. The BP-31 runs...

Allen Engineering Corp. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Two types of pendulous vibrators (flexible-shaft) are available from this company. Its Pendulous Backpack vibrators (shown) are powered by a 4-cycle, 2.5-hp Honda engine that generates from 9000 to 12,000 vpm in the vibrator head, which is 16...

Denver Concrete Vibrator. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Because they run cool, these pneumatic vibrators can be used for prolonged periods--making them excellent for continuous large pours of concrete containing large aggregate. The nine-model series features head diameters of 2 1/2 to 6 inches,...

Multiquip. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Micon computer-controlled vibrators generate a consistent frequency of between 10,800 and 12,000 vpm with an electric motor-in-head arrangement, making them ideal for zero slump applications, according to the manufacturer. Inside the unit is a...

Global Mfg. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Recently purchased by this manufacturer, the ViberMite line features a tubular teardrop-style handle that is user-friendly and also protects the on/off switch and electric motor. All three models in the line are durable and feature all metal...

The Wyco Tool Co. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Flex-shaft vibrators with patented square heads, such as this model (903-FI-14), reportedly consolidate concrete quicker and more effectively than vibrators with round heads. The reasons, according to the company, are that its head provides up...

ISKCO Ltd. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Any model in the HBM-ZX series can be made to custom lengths for basic or tall concrete placement applications, notes the manufacturer. These high-frequency (48 volts input) motor-in-head vibrators offer 14,400 vpm and are available with either...

Lindley. (Product Roundup).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... By generating high-intensity vibration at lower rpms (7000 maximum), The Rattler flexible-shaft vibrator reportedly is very effective in lower-slump concrete (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Equally important, operating at a lower rpm enhances reliability...

Chocolate factory boom party. (From the Trenches).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... In 1980 when Engelman Construction was a small but growing concrete contractor, we began to see a need to purchase our own pump. We had rented pumps several times in the past, but with cost constraints and scheduling conflicts we thought...