The winner of this year’s Triad Award for a great concrete infrastructure project that demonstrates how the various parties can work together to achieve success was the recently-opened Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi. This project required teamwork not only among the designers and contractors but between two states (Illinois and Missouri) and even from suppliers—the concrete was provided by a coalition of two producers on each side of the river. Click here for a review of the project in Concrete Construction and here for a review in The Concrete Producer.
Representing the project cement supplier and luncheon sponsor Holcim, was Mark Luther, who was heavily involved in development of the low-heat mix used for the piers. He described why a 70% slag/30% portland cement mix was selected and was able to develop 8000 psi at 56 days. This mass concrete was placed with few problems other than some slightly higher-than-desired pump pressures. Both the concrete temperature and the specified temperature differential were easily achieved. To see CC editor Bill Palmer’s interview with Luther, click here.
View the full presentation of the luncheon here.