Table of Contents August 2010

WEB EXCLUSIVE

• Specifications: What's in it for Me?

  Part 2 of our exploration of the importance of being able to read construction drawings. Here we look at construction specifications.

   

EDITORIAL COMMENT

• Good Luck Gentlemen

  It's never easy saying goodbye to friends. In this case, the friends are Bernie Erlin and Bill Hime, who have contributed a column to CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION since 2004.

   

FEATURES

Other Articles

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  Backyard Expanses

  Scott Cohen is riding a wave in California. But it's not the type of wave surfers in the Golden State maneuver.

   
• 

  Self-Curing Warehouse Floors?

  In February of 2009, CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION and Scurto Cement, Gilberts, Ill., decided to do a two-year warehouse floor study to monitor curling.

   
• 

  An Ounce of Prevention

  Equipment manufacturers and service personnel say that contractors often neglect to perform routine maintenance procedures and then wonder why equipment breaks down.

   

CONCRETE SURFACES

Editorial

• 

  It's Time to Fly

  It's already time to plan now for getaways that involve your businesses.

   

News

• 

  Polishing Conference Nears

  The annual International Concrete Polishing & Staining Conference (ICPSC) takes place Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in Duluth Ga., just north of Atlanta.

   

Decorative Concrete

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  Air-Entraining Decorative Concrete

  Air-entraining admixtures are the most problematic of all admixtures for manufacturers, ready-mix producers, and concrete contractors.

   

Product Selection Guide

• Product Selection Guide — Pigments & Dyes

  With a wide array of colors at their fingertips, contractors can transform ordinary concrete projects into decorative masterpieces. Pigments and dyes offer a quick and affordable way to create a natural appearance or make a bold statement.

   

• Product Selection Guide — Surface Preparation

  New concrete surfaces must be cleaned before final coatings or toppings are added. Existing slabs often require a deeper cleaning to remove built up stains, grease, rust, and grime. Existing paint, epoxy, or adhesives must also be removed. There are many

   

Showcase

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  Amber Waves of Concrete

  In the heart of a modern residential and retail mixed-use community in Colorado, a dancing water fountain pays tribute to the town's heritage. 

   

Features

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  More to Do, More to See at World of Concrete

  The Concrete Polishing Luncheon & Forum is returning.

   
• 

  On the Level

  There is a convergence of factors that favor overlays, and the opportunities are tremendous now.

   

NEWS & EVENTS

• Workers Risk Injury Without Safety Equipment

  Nearly all of the safety professionals in a survey released today said that workers in their organizations had at some point failed to wear the necessary safety equipment while on the job.

   

• Partnership Promise Quality African Housing

  Wall-Ties & Forms, Inc. and The Tagos Group, LLC have signed a partnership agreement to immediately begin construction on low cost, mass housing across the continent of Africa to assist local governments and private investors in addressing a critical shortage of safe, affordable housing.

   

• NRMCA's Sustainability Conference

  The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association will host its first International Concrete Sustainability Conference, December 13-14, 2010 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in partnership with Grey Matters Consultancy of UAE.

   

• Industry Reports

  June marked a 0.9% decrease in sales of construction materials and supplies after three months of increases, according to the Producer Price Index Report by the U.S. Department of Labor.

   

• Concrete Canoe

  California Polytechnic State University (CPSU) was the winner of the 23rd annual Society of Civil Engineer's National Concrete Canoe Competition.

   
• 

  Emerging From Bankruptcy

  After nine months of protection, Schwing America Inc., St. Paul, Minn., exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy when the Federal Bankruptcy Court approved the company's reorganization plan.

   

ERLIN & HIME ON CONCRETE

• Legacies

  As part of our legacy, we leave behind a just-published book, The Concrete Intrigue.

   

SLABS ON GRADE

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  Curl Numbers

  Although various standard tests for measuring floor and pavement profiles exist, none directly address the quantification of slab curl.

   

TILT-UP

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  Software Increases Project Efficiency

  Competition for projects is extremely fierce in today's economic climate. This competition has led design and construction professionals to incorporate new technologies into their projects to be more cost-effective and enable them to meet tight schedules.

   

JOBSITE PRODUCTS

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  Secure Outrigger Platform

  The fully assembled Outrigger Platform reduces jobsite labor expense and enhances safety.

   
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  Long-Lasting Form Overlay

  Barrier Film premium polymeric overlay applied to dense hardwood-faced plywood and Douglas Fir inner plys creates long-lasting forms that are lower in cost per pour.

   
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  All-In-One System

  This aluminum forming system includes form panels, hardware, tools, and accessories to complete the job for less money and improved quality.

   

PROBLEM CLINIC

• Avoiding Hot-Weather Problems

  I know ready-mix producers have to make an effort to deliver concrete at an appropriate temperature during hot weather. What steps should a concrete contractor take to keep concrete cool enough for hot-weather placement?

   

• Applying Form Release Agent

  How often should release agent be applied to plywood form panels?

   
• 

  The Importance of Reading Blueprints

  In Part 1 of our series on the importance of being able to read contract specifications, we look at reading blueprints.

   

Other Articles

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  Restore, Revive, Resurface

  Resurfacing can be an attractive, cost-effective alternative to removing and replacing cracked or stained concrete.