Concrete Construction articles from October 2004

Concrete Construction archives from October 2004

Responsible creativity.(Editorial Comment)
October 1, 2004... People often ask me what's new in the concrete industry. I can talk all day about 3-D laser screeds or electronically controlled rider trowels or telescopic boom pumps. Or on the materials side, about self-consolidating concrete or carbon fiber...

Meshed up.(Reader Response)
October 1, 2004... The cover photo of your August issue most eloquently illustrates one of my pet peeves. If you look closely, you will see that all of the wire mesh is lying on the ground, and there do not appear to be enough laborers to pull the mesh up, even...

Concrete or cement?(Reader Response)
October 1, 2004... I am a retired civil engineer with 30 years of experience in the design, testing, and repair of concrete structures. During this time my pet peeve has been the use of words "concrete" and "cement." I guess you could say my motto is "There...

New floor and slab guide.(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... The American Concrete Institute (ACI) has recently released 302.1R-04: Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction, which explains how to produce high-quality concrete slabs-on-grade and suspended floors for various classes of service. This...

Tower strengthening "Project of the Year".(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... An innovative post-tensioning project that increased the structural strength of a cement plant pre-heater tower has been selected as "Project of the Year" in the International Concrete Repair Institute's 2004 Project Awards program. The award...

Meteorlogix's marketing partnership with Hanley Wood, LLC.(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... Minneapolis-based Meteorlogix, DTN's commercial weather services brand, announced today a formal partnership with Hanley Wood, LLC, the leading business-to-business media company serving the construction industry and publisher of this magazine....

USACE report on reverse bid auctions.(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... In its final report on the reverse bid auction pilot program released July 26, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) stated that reverse auctions should not be used to procure construction services. The report further referenced...

Saw manufacturers develop model dust/silica warning.(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... AEM's Masonry and Concrete Saw Manufacturers Institute (SMI) has approved a model dust and silica warning statement for voluntary use by the concrete cutting equipment industry. The model warning addresses both respirable silica dust hazards as...

Wall withstands 90-mph crash.(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... Early on June 26, 2004, as Mr. Demczyk and his wife quietly slept inside their home with Polysteel insulating concrete form (ICF) walls, a car slammed into the exterior wall at 90 miles per hour. The wall's sound class rating of 48 offered the...

Construction equipment leasing grows.(News & Events)
October 1, 2004... The Equipment Leasing Association, Arlington, Va., the non-profit association representing companies involved in the $218 billion equipment leasing and finance industry, and R.S. Carmichael & Co., a marketing research and management consulting...

Weather risk management solutions for the concrete construction industry.(Tips & Trends)
October 1, 2004... The weather risk management industry began in 1997 and has since grown to a global business. Developed and used by companies in the energy industry to hedge temperature-sensitive volumetric risk, the same concept is now being applied to many...

Analytical chemistry and portland cement-based concrete.(Erlin & Hime on Concrete)
October 1, 2004... The world's first scientists were analytical chemists (or were they alchemists?), and they worked to solve only one problem: How can we change something into gold? They toiled for thousands of years at the task, and in the process they learned...

ASCC position statement #16: referee test for flexural strength acceptance.(Industry Issues)
October 1, 2004... Specifications from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), some highway departments, city and county engineers, and consulting engineers include requirements for flexural strength based on beam tests. Because results of beam tests are...

Climbing Slovenia's tallest structure.(project of the month)
October 1, 2004... DARS, the Slovenian motorway company, planned a visually pleasing structure with spans of up to 140 meters and a maximum height of 87.50 meters. The result, Crni Kal Viaduct, is Slovenia's longest motorway and tallest structure. Starting in...

Formwork for self-consolidating concrete: there are many good reasons to use SCC--but some cautions are necessary.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... Only a few years ago there was very little cast-in-place self-consolidating concrete (SCC) being used in the United States; this year, according to the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), 2.8 million cubic yards will be placed,...

Working safely around pumps: training is as important for co-workers as it is for pump operators.
October 1, 2004... Over the years, concrete pump manufacturers, the American Concrete Pumping Association, and others have offered many training opportunities for concrete pump operators. These programs have been well received: ACPA, which offers certification...

Becoming great Part 2: ten things a concrete specialty contractor should do.
October 1, 2004... In August we described the first five of what we consider the 10 most important business skills contractors should possess to successfully run their businesses. These are the things that often make the difference between profit and struggle,...

Using dyes and tints.(Decorative Concrete)
October 1, 2004... Learning how to color concrete with dyes and tints can provide you with a new decorative technique as well as a way to manage color problems resulting from other coloring systems. Dyes are composed of very fine particles of color in a water...

Strong-bond flexible overlay.(Decorative Concrete Products)
October 1, 2004... Stardek floor and wall overlay forms a strong, long-lasting bond with concrete and a range of other building materials. The product is a lightweight, insulated, fiber-reinforced acrylic cement material. The many patterns and designs can be...

A terrazzo look for floors.(Decorative Concrete Products)
October 1, 2004... Dur-A-Chip is a seamless, decorative flooring product designed to provide a terrazzo-like appearance. The product's flexibility enables contractors and installers to mix and match colors, textures, and designs to create highly unique effects....

Flexible decorative sealer.(Decorative Concrete Products)
October 1, 2004... The company's silicone acrylic concrete sealer decorates, seals, and protects exterior and bare concrete surfaces. It resists acids, UV rays, oil, and gas. Without altering the original texture of concrete and masonry surfaces, the sealer...

Pigmented protectant sealer/stain.(Decorative Concrete Products)
October 1, 2004... Nox-Carb is a pigmented, water-repellant sealer/stain that works on interior and exterior concrete and masonry surfaces. The product penetrates the substrate's micropores and chemically bonds to beautify the surface and provide long-term...

Decorative flooring system.(Decorative Concrete Products)
October 1, 2004... Key Epoxy Terrazzo is a resinous flooring system that combines the decorative appearance of marble with durability, chemical resistance, and easy maintenance. Perfect for high traffic areas, it also provides virtually unlimited freedom in color...

A tough topping.(Decorative Concrete Products)
October 1, 2004... Ultratop is a self-leveling, self-drying topping designed to hold the creative artwork of decorative concrete. The product uses the company's high-hydrated cement technology, comes in gray and white, and is used for fast-track resurfacing and...

Tips on exposed aggregate finishes.(Decorative Problem Clinic)
October 1, 2004... Q. We are going after some renovation work in an upscale area and would like to offer exposed aggregate. What is the best way to install the exposed aggregate finish? Are there durability and maintenance issues to be concerned about? A....

Finishing touches.(Innovations)
October 1, 2004... Concrete finishing is an art that requires strength, skill, and good judgment--the finisher's tools make it possible to execute that artistry. Stone Construction Equipment, Honeoye, N.Y., recently received a patent for an enhancement to its...

Dampproofing and waterproofing.(Problem Clinic)
October 1, 2004... Q. I am building a new home with the help of a builder. I like to have my foundation sprayed with a dampproofing sealant and wrapped with a polyethylene, dimpled wrap. The house is being built where there is a high water table and high clay...

Keeping concrete from freezing.(Problem Clinic)
October 1, 2004... Q. How long must concrete be protected from freezing temperatures, with and without accelerators or admixtures? A. Fresh concrete should be protected from freezing for the first 24 hours after placement, by which time it should have a...

Accommodating radiant heat in slabs.(Problem clinic)
October 1, 2004... Q. We are placing in-floor heating in a garage slab and basement floor in northern Wisconsin. After we agreed to do that, we heard of two similar installations where the concrete had cracked after turning on the heat, and that this may have...

Formwork for schools: three applications of advanced formwork that sped and simplified construction.(Products Solving Problems)
October 1, 2004... Clark University In Worcester, Mass., Consigli Construction built a parking structure extension for Clark University. With a nearly $3 million total cost, this project provides parking space for 263 cars. The existing garage was extended...

Residential concrete products.
October 1, 2004... In July, Hanley Wood LLC published the first issue of RESIDENTIAL CONCRETE, a new magazine dedicated to the growing uses of concrete in homes. Here is a preview of the next issue. The cover story will look at interior concrete floors, while a...

Hammer drills and rotary hammers.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... Every application has its tool, and every tool has its application. This statement is particularly true in the world of power tools, especially with respect to hammer drills and rotary hammers. These two tools are often mistaken for one...

Durable rotary hammer.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The 36-V TE 6-A rotary hammer provides a higher level of drilling performance, drilling capacity, and longer lifetime than many battery-powered drills. The tool can drill anchor holes from 3/16 to 3A inch in concrete. With its gear efficiency,...

Concrete hammer drill.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The SBP 18 Plus hammer drill is ideal for concrete and brickwork. Upgrades to the tool include a larger motor, which offers more torque and power than the previous version. The increase in size leads to reduced labor, increased performance, and...

Cordless drills.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The new Lok-Tor series of 14.4-volt and 18-volt cordless driver/drills and hammer drills delivers higher torque, higher speeds, longer run-time and increased durability and quality. The two models feature an all-metal, single-sleeve ratcheting...

Heavy-duty rotary hammer.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The heavy-duty 24-V SDS rotary hammer, with chipping capabilities, delivers versatility in almost any application. The electro-pneumatic hammer mechanism gives fast penetration with low vibration for holes up to 7/8 inch. The factory-set clutch...

Two-speed hammer drill.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The DV24DV 24-V 1/2-inch hammer drill has a heavy-duty, 2-speed motor for high torque and high-speed applications. The no-load speed reaches 400 rpm in high torque and 1750 rpm in high-torque mode. The 9-pound tool can drill a hole up to 3/4...

Cordless hammer drill/driver.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The 24-V MakStar cordless hammer drill/driver has a two-speed gear selection, with variable speed within each range. At 6 pounds, the tool delivers up to 22,500 blows per minute (bpm), with a no-load speed of 6900 rpm. Its 16 torque settings...

Hammer drill.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The VSR 18-V hammer drill has the torque, speed, and impact to handle just about any challenge. Its 3-speed gearbox includes a low range for ultra-high torque, high range, which balances speed and torque, and overdrive, which delivers up to...

Grip-to-Fit cordless hammer drill/driver.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The 19.2-V Grip-to-Fit cordless hammer drill/driver features a soft, adjustable grip to custom fit your hand. Its 2-speed gearbox has low speed for maximum torque and high speed for rapid drilling. The hammer drill mode reaches 19,500 bpm, with...

Rotary hammer.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The 11524 7/8-inch rotary hammer features the SDS-plus bit system for tool-flee bit changes, with automatic bit locking, dust protection and maximum energy transfer. The dual-mode selector quickly converts between rotation only and rotary...

NiCd-powered hammer drill.(Product Update)
October 1, 2004... The ASB 18-V HandyMaster hammer drill, powered by NiCd battery, is a well-balanced tool for easy use; the soft grip cuts down vibration, and the secondary handle adjusts to right-and left-handed positions. The 2-speed gearbox has a no-load...

Grouting systems.(October product focus: concrete cutting & surface prep equipment)
October 1, 2004... ChemGrout manufactures the world's largest selection of grouting equipment. From high capacity colloidal systems to hand grout pumps. Production rates to 45 GPM and pressures to 2000 PSI. Their patented pumps are industry standards offering...

Hand-operated portable group pump.(October product focus: concrete cutting & surface prep equipment)
October 1, 2004... The Handy-Grout[TM] by Airplaco The Handy-Grout[TM] is the most versatile, durable line of portable grout pumps available, A hand-operated, self-priming positive piston pomp, the Handy-Grout pumps material up to 15 cu It per hr. The Handy-Grout...

"Cast-in-place" rebar fabrication.(October product focus: concrete cutting & surface prep equipment)
October 1, 2004... With one hand tied behind your back, you can bend or cut cast-in-place rebar! The lightweight and portable EZE Bend System is uniquely designed to fabricate rebar, even if it is embedded! A simple rotation of the pull bender or cutter power...

Grouting door frames?(October product focus: concrete cutting & surface prep equipment)
October 1, 2004... The GP-7 Grout Pump is perfect for filling hollow metal door frames. You can fill both sides of the frame simultaneously. Being hand operated, no external power source is needed. Output capacity is 5 gallons per minute. Net weight is 35 pounds...

Form release agent.(October product focus: concrete cutting & surface prep equipment)
October 1, 2004... RO396 is a non-hazardous, non D.O.T. regulated, safe to use form release agent. RO396 will deliver clean, positive stripping, eliminate bug holes and prevent corrosion in all temperatures. This easy to use, VOC compliant product is formulated...

Scofield systems brochure.(October product focus: concrete cutting & surface prep equipment)
October 1, 2004... 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...

ASCC members.(Contractors to Watch)
October 1, 2004... The American Society for Concrete Contractors held its annual meeting in September in St. Louis. Talk about contractors to watch--they were everywhere. This month's column is a collection of unattributed thoughts heard around the show. Most of...