At the front end of the job, the widening and reconstruction of U.S. 377 in Keller, Texas, looked like a fairly straightforward project. But when unprecedented rain earlier this year washed out the schedule for the better part of two months, it began to look a bit more challenging.
In late November, the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) named the winners of its 18th annual “Excellence in Concrete Pavement Awards” program.
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The editors of The Concrete Producer magazine join Concrete Construction in selecting their own influencers of 2007.
They may come from different areas within the industry, but all of the choices for our list of people guiding the industry share one thing in common: they are driving the industry forward. Whether through economic analysis, scientific inquiry, or through simple dedication to promoting the industry...
The price tag to upgrade our infrastructure and make it safe is considerable—much more than the war in Iraq is costing. The only way to raise this kind of money is to increase taxes and politicians won't do that until after the next election. So what is likely to happen and what is the role that...
This past September, prior to the American Society of Concrete Contractors' (ASCC) Annual Conference in Charlotte, N.C., a roomful of concrete construction professionals met with the editors of Concrete Construction for the Sixth Annual Roundtable Discussion.
At first glance, the concrete industry appears simple and straightforward. Mix the right materials and put it where you want, let it sit awhile, and soon another reliable dam or highway or building or plant is built. Add up all the pieces and you have the infrastructure we've all grown to rely on...
In 2002, a few contractors aggressively marketed the concept of diamond polished floors, but after five years of growth, how has the industry changed in terms of tools, procedures and the market for polished concrete floors?
With a mindset that tilt-up is not an option but a standard, a design team must develop ways of thinking that include planning for this building method in the earliest stages of the design process.
The new office complex that will soon be the corporate home of Office Depot posed quite a few challenges as a tilt-up project for concrete contractor Woodland Construction Co., Jupiter, Fla. Not only were the three towers five stories tall, the architect
Engineers like to work from the top down, designing the roof, then the decks, the structural supports, and finally the foundations upon which the entire structure rests. Such was the case on a three-story structure now nearing completion in Frederick, Md.
There's general acknowledgement on the benefits of using tilt-up construction.
Dubai City is considered to be the world's fastest-growing city with more than $90 billion in projects under construction at the moment.
In Arabic, the name “Burj Dubai” means “The Tower of Dubai.” Presently the building is over 1800 feet off the ground, making it officially the tallest building in the world, surpassing the Taipei 101 building in Taipei, Taiwan, at 1667 feet.
With an estimated cost of $7.5 billion, City Center, owned by MGM Mirage, is the largest privately funded project in the country.
Totaling nearly $650 million, the new Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is a 2.3 million-square-foot venue scheduled to open for kickoff of the 2009 NFL season.
Critical to the vitality and economic health of the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's Mon/Fayette Expressway & Southern Beltway Projects include seven different concrete pavement construction jobs, each of which are in varying stages of completion.
Palmdale, Calif., is situated in the northwest corner of Los Angeles County, and soon will be home to a more than 200-bed hospital.
Being billed as “a dynamic high-rise community ... for those seeking the ultimate in refined luxury,” The Bravern mixed-use complex in downtown Bellevue, Wash., is slated to open in stages throughout 2008 and 2009.
This year several of the best decorative concrete projects had their beginnings by word of mouth, through a connection at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, or from people searching online. The projects and the products in North America reach into China and Poland. New ideas, proven products, and...
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A permanent installation found in Chicago's Grant Park features Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz's 9-foot-tall iron cast sculptures of 106 walking torsos frozen in motion. The project's name Agora means a public marketplace or forum in Greek.
Mike Schroer, an owner of Bob's Produce Ranch, wanted a minimum maintenance floor to enhance their fresh food-oriented neighborhood grocery. A grocery store design team representative suggested polished concrete. Schroer investigated, installed the floor, and now hopes to use polished concrete in...
Markus Sadowski, president, Admatek, Pszczyna, Poland, found Wayne Sellon at the World of Concrete 2007 where he demonstrated decorative vertical concrete work at the Artistry in Decorative Concrete demonstrations.
We know art because we work with the best airbrush painters in the country,” says Sherri Candland, CFO, ASET, Salt Lake City. “This floor is a work of art without question.” Neil Ohmie, co-owner with Erick Nay of Ky-Kan Coatings, Riverton, Utah, installed the floor that Candland describes as...
Ryan Reedy, president, Metro Properties Group, a developer in Kalamazoo, Mich., created an entertainment center from a half block of older downtown buildings.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has changed their construction specifications to require all interior steel-troweled concrete floors placed at Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, Sam's Clubs, and Distribution Centers to contain 15% to 20% fly ash by cement substitution.
In the past it has been said, with some justification, that "Concrete slabs on ground are the Rodney Dangerfield of construction—they get no respect." Over the past few years, however, that statement has been become less and less true.
The dictionary states that durability is the ability of something to resist wear and tear, and a floor surface needs to resist wear and tear year after year
Before placing and finishing a slab, some critical work must be done to help ensure that you have a successful placement.
Water is an essential ingredient in concrete, but uncontrolled excessive moisture can create a whole host of problems with concrete floor slabs.
There are many opinions floating around as to the benefits, or lack thereof, of reinforcement in slabs on ground. Not all reinforcement works the same way. To be able to understand the potential benefits and negatives of any particular reinforcement system, one has to understand how that system...
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Usual considerations include such things as the strength of the concrete, the finish, and the spacing between joints. But there are other issues: durability, shrinkage, curling, moisture vapor transmission, and maintenance, to name a few.
Designed for finished concrete surfaces, Freestyle Pro water-based stain is self-sealing.
Both contractors and designers must collaborate with owners, and sometimes contractors collaborate with each other on joint ventures.
Total Wall Moisture Drainage exterior wall cladding provides a beautiful stucco-textured finish, energy efficiency, and excellent moisture resistance.
This premium decorative stone is manufactured using a proprietary curing and drying process and features special additives to help protect against freeze/thaw damage.
Perma-Cast is a dry-shake color hardener with a water-reducing wetting agent that allows it to integrate quickly and easily into the concrete surface.
In the last couple years, there has been a revival of interest in exposed aggregate, in part due to the introduction of micro-exposed finishes. Surface retarding agents have changed in recent times as well.
The HTC 950 RX remote-controlled grinder uses four-head technology to balance the grinding process and make grinding easier.
The Magnumcrete stamp system offers a large selection of systems to choose from.
Custom Rock formliners use actual textures to simulate stone, rock, brick, block, granite, and other appearances.
Advanced Surfaces' water-based, pigmented concrete sealer can be applied to stamped concrete, brick pavers, and any concrete surfaces.
When there is too much water in the concrete, there is greater shrinkage with the possibility for more cracks and reduced compressive strength.
Solution, a Venetian plaster product, can be used for interior and exterior applications to provide a spatula effect.
Vivid Concrete Dye adds architectural drama to any interior concrete surface.
Custom stamps, such as this Aztec calendar, provide a touch of the extraordinary to almost any decorative product.
Quick-Pattern design stencils are constructed of brown virgin paper/cardboard instead of recycled white paper for durability in overlay applications.
Tru-Stamp is a stampable, carvable overlay that can be used early while still holding its moisture content, improving working time and producing superior impressions, realistic texture, and good color characteristics.
Permapave Permeable Pavers are natural stone pavers that eliminate 100% of gross pollutants from waterways.
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I have heard that a big OSHA enforcement effort was coming where workers are exposed to airborne silica from concrete-related operations, such as grinding and cutting. Is that still on the horizon?
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When erecting concrete tilt panels, does it violate OSHA regulations to have a tilt-up panel tilted toward the crane during the erection process?
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When the temperature is above 32F but the wind chill is well below 32F, does that mean the concrete could freeze?
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What is the difference between a sealer and a sealant?
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A lot of the concrete we're now placing would be considered “low slump.” Years ago it would have meant trouble for the crew. But today, we're able to work with most of the low slump concrete we get. Is the slump test outdated?
What is the R-value of concrete?
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There was a thunderstorm shortly after our slab was poured. The contractor covered the wet concrete with plastic sheeting to protect it from the rain. The next day there were marks from the rain and the plastic sheeting, as well as some light footprints. What can I do to resurface the affected...
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Is it worth the performance enhancement and peace of mind to go with the more expensive polycarboxylate admixture as opposed to using a naphthalene-, lignin-, or melamine-based admixture?
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What effect, if any, do dog feces and urine have on finished concrete?
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I am about to install a 10,000-square-foot floor and the owner believes that wet curing the floor will result in no curling. Is this true?
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Nathan Giffin, owner and director of Hickory Hills, Ill.-based Vertical Artisans, has spent nearly a decade specializing in hand-carved vertical concrete.
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David Mitchell—one of the twelve presenters participating in this year's Artistry in Decorative Concrete demonstrations—started Pure Texture Inc. four years ago. In that span of time, his company has built a reputation for creating beautiful, dramatic effects on a range of surfaces.
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David R. Arnold of L. M. Scofield Company passed away on December 18, 2007 at the age of 84.
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FMI, which is made up of management consultants and investment bankers specific to the construction industry, reported that the outlook for construction in 2008 has been revised downward since the third quarter in 2007. However, certain segments will remain strong.
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Fly ash is a byproduct from burning pulverized coal in electric power generating plants. During combustion, mineral impurities in the coal fuse in suspension and float out of the combustion chamber with the exhaust gases. As the fused material rises, it cools and solidifies into spherical glassy...
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The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association is now seeking abstracts for its 2008 Concrete Technology Forum: Focus on Sustainable Development, scheduled for May 20-22 in Denver.
More information on the Hood Canal Floating Bridge.
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As many of you know, pervious concrete is used in parking lots, pavements, and airport runways as a measure to help reduce the amount of stormwater present on the pavement following a rain event.