Which of group of construction decisionmakers is most influential in the selection of concrete or asphalt for parking lots?
Take the PCA Poll

LA Revival Grabs High Life Atop Bunker Hill
Earlier this month, Los Angeles officials approved the largest development project in the city's history—the massive Grand Avenue Project that will build a mini-city atop Bunker Hill.

The public-private partnership will build two high-rise residential towers, the 49-story Mandarin Orient Hotel, and retail space near the Walt Disney Concert Hall to the tune of $2.05 billion. Spearheaded by billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad and designed by Frank Gehry, the 3.6-million-square-foot development will create a new urban hub and entertainment district akin to the Champs-Élysées of Paris and Central Park/Times Square of New York City, say project promoters.

Two more phases still in the planning stages include additional residential high-rises, retail, and office spaces. A 16-acre park will play an integral part of the process in creating a public place.

T he Community Redevelopment Agency, the City Council, and the LA County Board of Supervisors approved the project on February 13 despite objections concerning land giveaways and tax breaks. The package included $24.4 million of city money to fund street improvements and affordable housing in the development's first phase. About 20% of the residential development will be devoted to affordable housing for low-income tenants.

Hotel and parking developers Related Companies will receive tax rebates of $66 million over 20 years. The project will be built on public land leased to the developers for 99 years.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for October of this year.
Contact Attila Beres

Cement Posts Slight Gain for 2006
U.S. portland cement consumption in 2006 reached 121.92 million tons, a gain of 0.5% over 2005 totals, according to a preliminary report on year-end numbers released last week by PCA's economic research department.

All census districts posted increases for the year except the Pacific States (-4.1%), West North Central States (-2.3), and East North Central States (-2.0). The New England States posted the biggest gain, with an 8.1% increase.
Contact economic research
PCA Petitions for Review of Mercury Regulations
On Tuesday, February 20, PCA filed a petition for review with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit addressing new regulations to control mercury emissions from cement plants.

The petition contends that the Environmental Protection Agency’s emission limits, announced in December, are not based on solid research. EPA justified the regulations based on the use of wet scrubbers to control mercury emissions in power plants—without ever testing the effectiveness of this technology in cement plants.

PCA is working with EPA to develop and implement a test program evaluating wet scrubbers installed in four cement plants to determine if they are in fact an effective way to control mercury emissions.
Contact Andy O'Hare
Federal Highway Administration Offers Grants to Spur Innovation
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking applications for grants in support of the Highways for LIFE Technology Partnerships Program. FHWA plans to open the solicitation for the program on March 1, 2007, with a closing date of April 15. The program plans to award as many as 12 grants at the $200,000 funding level and three at the $500,000 level.

The Technology Partnership Program pulls in partner organizations and companies to work with the highway construction industry to accelerate the adoption of promising innovations. The program seeks to adapt proven non-highway related innovations or to refine existing highway equipment, materials, practices, or processes that have not become adopted as common practice.

Applicable innovation areas include: technologies, materials, tools, equipment, procedures, specifications, methodologies, processes, or practices used in the financing, design, or construction of highways or bridges.
For more information and to submit a grant application, go to http://www.grants.gov
For more information on the Highways for LIFE program, go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl

Holcim and the World Conservation
Union Join Forces for Biodiversity Projects
Holcim and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) have signed a three-year cooperation agreement to work jointly on ecosystem conservation and biodiversity issues relevant to the building materials sector.

The main areas of collaboration are:

  • Review and assessment of Holcim’s approach to biodiversity conservation management
  • Development of a comprehensive biodiversity policy and strategy
  • Identification and development of joint initiatives supporting sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation
  • Promotion of good practice by sharing the learning with the wider industry and conservation communities.

IUCN and Holcim in Sri Lanka have agreed on the first projects to review the quality of biodiversity conservation activities at Holcim sites and to facilitate existing quarry rehabilitation planning and implementation. Additionally, the use of sustainably produced biomass as an alternative fuel will be explored to open up an additional source of income for the communities around Holcim sites.
Diagnosis and Control of Alkali-Aggregate Reactions in Concrete: This 26-page document provides leading-edge approaches to identify and control alkali-silica reactivity and alkali-carbonate reactivity in concrete. Illustrations and photographs portray the symptoms of alkali-aggregate reactivity. New test methods are critiqued for their use in identifying potentially reactive aggregates and for their ability to demonstrate that supplementary cementing materials and blended cements can adequately control AAR ( IS413; $10.00, less discount, for printed copies; PDF is $6.66, free for PCA members).
More information

Guide Specification for Concrete Subject to Alkali-Silica Reactions: This guide specification provides the specifier with a variety of methods to control ASR, including tests to determine if aggregates are potentially reactive and methods to demonstrate how pozzolans, slag, and blended cements can effectively control ASR ( IS415; $8.00, less discount, for printed copies; PDF is $3.33, free for PCA members).
Morre information

2005-2007 PCA Research and Technical Reports: This document provides a summary of 138 PCA research reports published in the years 2005 through February 2007. Links are provided to publications that are available on the Web site (MS375; no charge).
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Guide Specification for Concrete Subject to Alkali-Silica Reactions: This PowerPoint® presentation provides several options for the user to control alkali-silica reaction. Discussed are aggregates, pozzolans, slag, and blended cements. Related test methods are noted to direct the user towards effective control of ASR. PowerPoint® presentation to IS415, Guide Specification for Concrete Subject to Alkali-Silica Reactions (PT404; $6.00, free to PCA members).
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Development of Accelerated Test Methods for Measuring and Minimizing Efflorescence Potential: Efflorescence is an aesthetic nuisance in the masonry industry that comes in many forms and is due to numerous causes. This research was focused on the development of an accelerated test to assess efflorescence potential for the purpose of studying methods and/or materials to minimize its occurrence. An extensive literature search was conducted prior to the research to gather information on efflorescence mechanisms, reaction components, avoidance, and existing test methods in an effort to aid in the development of the accelerated test. The accelerated test was successfully developed along with a means of quantifying efflorescence potential (SN2515b; PDF only; no charge).
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Modeling Energy Performance of Concrete Buildings for LEED-NC Version 2.2: Energy and Atmosphere Credit 1: This report provides in-depth information on energy savings in mid-rise buildings due to additional thermal mass and for exceeding building envelope thermal performance requirements. It also shows how to model the thermal properties of concrete to obtain LEED-NC version 2.2 points. The LEED Energy & Atmosphere (EA) Credit 1 on optimizing energy performance provides up to 10 points for energy savings beyond ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 ( SN2880a; PDF only; no charge).
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Seismic Design of Liquid-Containing Concrete Structures and Commentary (ACI 350.3-06): This standard is a guide to the requirement of ACI 350 code. It prescribes procedures for the seismic analysis of liquid-containing concrete structures. These procedures address the "loading side" of seismic design and shall be used in accordance with ACI 350, Section 1.1.8 and Chapter 21. This standard works hand- in-hand with other standards provided by ACI such as the ACI 350 code and ACI 350.1 standard for tightness testing. It is also a must have companion to PCA’s three books: Design of Circular Tanks (IS072), Design of Rectangular Tanks (IS003), and Design of Tanks for Earthquake Forces (EB219). Published by ACI (LT187; $71.50, no discount).
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Effect of Superstructure Properties on Concrete Bridge Deck Deterioration: Using an extensive literature review, a study of bridges in the field, and a computational finite element model, this study synthesized a variety of issues that relate "steel vs. concrete" girder properties to the deterioration of bridge decks to help determine why decks supported on concrete girders perform better than similar decks supported on steel girders ( SN2936; PDF only; no charge).
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Making Concrete Countertops With Buddy Rhodes: Concrete professional and artist Buddy Rhodes provides step-by-step, detailed instructions for producing natural, stone-like concrete countertop surfaces. Published by Schiffer Books (LT304; $39.95, no discount).
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The Soil-Cement Solution: This pocket-sized CD includes a 10-minute video describing how soil-cement can be used for bank protection, grade control structures, upstream slope protection on dams and reservoirs, and channel linings. The video includes scenes of plant mixing, construction methods, and quality control testing. The CD also includes PDF versions of relevant PCA publications ( CD071; $3.00, less discount).
More information

PCA's education and training group will conduct the following courses at PCA's Skokie, Ill., facility. Customized and off-site courses are also available. For more information or to register, contact Julie Lisiecki.
Aggregates and Chemical Admixtures for Use in Concrete
March 5-6, 2007 		Troubleshooting: Solutions to Concrete Field Problems
March 19-21, 2007

Mill Grinding
March 19-21, 2007

Kiln Process
March 26-29, 2007

Cement and Concrete Overview
April 16-17, 2007



 
Hardscape North America
March 7-10, 2007
Nashville, Tenn.
More Information 		PCA Spring Meeting
March 18-20, 2007
San Diego, Calif.
More information

12th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement
July 8-13, 2007
Montreal, Quebec
More information

IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement
Industry Technical Conference
April 29-May 3, 2007.
Charleston, S.C.
More information

 


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The Portland Cement Association conducts market development,
research, education, and government affairs work on behalf of
its members—cement companies in the United States and Canada.