Concrete Construction articles from September 2003

Concrete Construction archives from September 2003

Digging out.(Editorial Comment)
September 1, 2003... My grandfather died last December at the tender age of 96. He worked like a slave on an Iowa farm until well past normal retirement age. Although I didn't grow up on the farm (I was a suburban kid), we spent part of every summer there, doing...

Too much may still be too much.(Reader Response)
September 1, 2003... I would like the opportunity to respond to Mr. Douglas Yeggy's letter, which appeared in your Reader Response column in the June issue. Apparently Mr. Yeggy does not understand the point I was trying to make in the "From the Trenches" piece...

Baha'i anniversary.(Reader Response)
September 1, 2003... I am, this date, in receipt of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, the July 2003 edition that contains the article about the Baha'i House of Worship. I want to thank you for the respectful mention of the Temple on its 50th anniversary and for the...

Avoiding skin injuries.(Reader Response)
September 1, 2003... I was disturbed by the answer to the questions concerning "concrete palsy" in the June 2003 issue. Your reply was grossly insufficient. So is the Web site for the Center to Protect Workers Rights that you refer to. The lady's husband...

Simpson Strong-Tie opens world-class structural research laboratory.(News & Events)
September 1, 2003... Simpson Strong-Tie Company, a leader in structural building technology and testing, has built a $10 million, 25,000-square-foot, state of-the-art structural engineering and research laboratory in Stockton, Calif. Its mission is twofold: ...

Armand H. Gustaferro.(In memoriam)
September 1, 2003... Armand "Gus" Gustaferro, 79, expert in many areas of concrete, died on August 3. Gus led well-attended seminars at every one of 29 World of Concrete shows. He also taught seminars for ACI. An active member of ACI, PCI, ASTM, and SEAOI, Gus...

Tax bill will stimulate demand for construction.(News & Events)
September 1, 2003... The "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003" passed by Congress will return $210 billion to individuals, businesses and states in the next 16 months, even greater total relief than President Bush had proposed over the short run....

CSI, NIBS, and AIA sign new agreement.(News & Events)
September 1, 2003... Three leading construction industry organizations have signed an Agreement for Publication and Distribution of the U.S. National CAD Standard (NCS) that will lead to the release of Version 3.0 in early 2004 and the continued development and...

ASTM increases openness in standards development.(News & Events)
September 1, 2003... ASTM International, one of the largest international voluntary standards development organizations in the world, has announced the launch of a new Internet-based system designed to initiate, develop, and track draft standards and revisions...

Calendar.
September 1, 2003... September The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) Tilt-Up Design Charette Sept 10-12, Santa Rosa, Calif 319-895-6911 or www.tilt-up.org National Assn of Women in Construction, 48th Annual NAWIC Convention Sept 10-13, Salt Lake City,...

Keeping out the noise: Georgia International Convention Center, Atlanta.(project of the month)
September 1, 2003... In a single day, Saturday, June 1, 2002, the elevated concrete pour for the entire exhibit hall roof of the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) was successfully completed. The structure's design requiring 20 times the normal amount...

Managing by the numbers.(Tips & Trends)
September 1, 2003... Will you make a profit this year? How much did each job you've completed contribute to overhead and profit? What data do you have to confirm your conclusions? Your monthly financial report (usually a month late if you use an outside...

The Zakim, Bunker Hill Bridge: aside from the usual complexities of bridge construction, site constraints made this job a special challenge.(Mega Project)
September 1, 2003... The largest visible part of the "Big Dig" project in Boston, is the new cable-stayed bridge, crossing the Charles River. Named for Lenny Zakim, a local, beloved civil rights leader, and the nearby Bunker Hill Monument, which commemorates a...

Viaduc de Millau: huge piers created forming challenges.(Mega Project)
September 1, 2003... Every August, highways in the south of France are clogged with vacationers. One particularly busy area, near the town of Millau, about 120 km west of Avignon, is about to get a spectacular new bridge that is expected to cut travel times by as...

Raising the bar on the 'Mighty Mon': new techniques and carefully designed mixes facilitate dam replacement.(Mega Project)
September 1, 2003... With the Port of Pittsburgh looking to double its output over the next 50 years, maintaining and upgrading waterway transportation is vital. The structure known as "Locks and Dam 2," on the Monongahela River in Braddock, Pa., is one of nine...

Tilt-up concrete construction: tips on choosing materials for tilt-up panels.(Material Selection Guide)
September 1, 2003... How much influence does the contractor have on the materials incorporated into a tilt-up panel? "On the concrete mix, we usually stick with the spec," says Mike Berguin, Tilt-Up Construction, Mesa, Ariz., "but I have a huge voice in the...

Epoxy healer/sealer.(Products for the pros: showcase)
September 1, 2003... CCS[TM] Epoxy Healer/Sealer for cracked concrete. Clear, low viscosity, solvent free, structural repair adhesive for porous or cracked topping slabs, industrial floors, parking decks and loading docks. Flood application provides deep...

Commercial block systems.(Products for the pros: showcase)
September 1, 2003... Are you looking for the best Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) for commercial buildings? We use real galvanized steel studs, not plastic. We have certified installation crews that will travel throughout the USA installing our block system or you...

2003 Spanish Edition Construction Tool Catalog.(Products for the pros: showcase)
September 1, 2003... Kraft Tool Company[R] announces the NEW 2003 SPANISH EDITION CONSTRUCTION TOOL CATALOG. Kraft Tool manufactures construction hand tools for the Concrete, Masonry, Drywall and Plaster trades and has created a Spanish catalog for the construction...

Concrete stamping tools.(Products for the pros: showcase)
September 1, 2003... Scofield announces a new generation of HIGH OUTPUT LITHOTEX[R] Pavecrafters[R] tools for imprinting and texturing. The improved polyurethane composition provides significantly lighter weight without reduction in durability for a longer working...

Concrete stamping tools.(Products for the pros: showcase)
September 1, 2003... Sc0field announces a new generation of HIGH OUTPUT LITHOTEX[R] Pavecrafters[R] tools for imprinting and texturing. The improved polyurethane composition provides significantly lighter weight without reduction in durability for a longer working...

Tilt-up plastic feature strips.(Products for the pros: showcase)
September 1, 2003... For over 12 years, Sylvan's chamfers and rustification strips have provided lasting impressions in tilt-up or cast-in-place projects. Benefits include: -economical costs -uniform sizes -ultra-smooth surfaces -low waste ...

Coatings that affect bond to reinforcement: Position Statement #3.(Industry Issues)
September 1, 2003... ACI 318-02, "Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete," Section 7.4.1 states: "At the time concrete is placed, reinforcement shall be free from mud, oil, or other nonmetallic coatings that decrease bond." The commentary does not...

Reaching for the heart in marketing.(Decorative Concrete)
September 1, 2003... A giant, muscular arm holds a tiny construction worker in the palm of his outstretched hand. This is the picture on the brochure of Hydro Mobile, a Canadian company that manufactures work platforms and bridges. Instantly the image conveys...

Pea gravel mix.(Problem Clinic)
September 1, 2003... Q. I'm trying to find some information regarding using a mix that has only 3/8-inch coarse aggregate for a residential slab on grade in a pumpable mix as opposed to using a mix with No. 57 coarse aggregate. I am concerned about shrinkage and...

Chlorides in soil.(Problem Clinic)
September 1, 2003... Q. Is there any research data about the levels of chlorides (salts) in soil that will cause damage to concrete and rebar? A. Chloride does not, in itself, damage concrete or metals embedded in concrete. It does make damage from cyclic...

Recycled concrete as aggregate.(Problem Clinic)
September 1, 2003... Q. With the shortage of natural aggregate and all the extensive studies on recycled base material, how successful has the industry been using crushed concrete as coarse and fine aggregate in new concrete? A. Wayne Fried responded to this...

Advances in concrete design technology.(Product Update)
September 1, 2003... Designing buildings of reinforced concrete is more difficult than using structural steel. For more than 10 years, fully integrated design software has allowed engineers to design, price, and produce full preliminary design documents for...

Tough, lightweight forms speed the path to profits.(Product Update)
September 1, 2003... Fox Excavating, an 8-year old site-contracting firm had grown by concentrating on sewer lines, utilities, water lines, and road building. Looking for new ways to increase revenue and profits, owners Mike and Paul Fox reviewed the work they were...

Backfill made easy: contractor develops system for difficult situations.(Innovations)
September 1, 2003... Sometimes backfilling is just about impossible. Ongoing construction can't be interrupted, or the site is congested or inaccessible. Such problems led Richard Dunlop and Robert Griffin to develop a system that uses compressed air to...