 Which
of the following construction materials are the most sustainable
or green?
Take the PCA Poll
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The next issue of the Executive Report is scheduled
for Monday, January 8, 2007.
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 Las
Cruces Raises
the Bar on Tilt-up
Southwest
Contractor honored the Bank of
the West Plaza in Las Cruces, N.M., with one of its New Mexico
Best of 2006 awards.
The judges applauded the project design as an extreme challenge
for a 100 percent, site-cast concrete tilt-up structure. To
adhere to the rich detail of the Spanish Renaissance design
motif, the project “raised the level of tilt-up concrete
expertise to new heights in Las Cruces.”
 The
building called for the creation of 104 unique panel layouts
to allow for multiple inserts, arches, and tower designs. All
of the unique panels cast fit perfectly the first time, as both
sides of every panel were fully detailed and dimensioned on
the construction drawings. One judge agreed: "This is difficult
tilt-up and very complicated, while still being aesthetically
pleasing."
This multi-use project, designed by Steve Newby Architects and
Associates, houses 77,000 sq. ft. of mixed-use tenants in one
and two-story structures, including a bank, insurance office,
medical offices, restaurant, and retail.
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PCA Presents Bridge
Design Seminar in Skokie
Last week 27 engineers from 10 different
states attended a one-day seminar on Concrete Bridge Design
at PCA’s Skokie, Ill., office. Beginning October 2007,
all bridges receiving federal funding must be designed using
Load Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) specifications.
The seminar focused on AASHTO LRFD Concrete Bridge Design Specifications
with an emphasis on providing an understanding of the background
of the new specifications, an overview of the state-of-the-art
design procedures, and design examples to help engineers in
applying the latest provisions. Participants were awarded 0.65
Continuing Education Units (CEUs). PCA plans to offer this seminar
again in 2007.
Contact
Shri Bhidé
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ARM Muscles Into Residential
Market
Jim Niehoff, PCA’s resident department
program manager, presented “How to Market Yourself as
an Energy Efficient Builder” at the Annual Convention
of the Aggregate and Ready Mix Association of Minnesota (ARM).
Niehoff was joined by Karen Linner of the Builders Association
of Minnesota who highlighted in her presentation how ICF homebuilders
could qualify for the $2,000 IRS Home Energy Tax Credit.
According to the Insulating Concrete Form Association, Minnesota
is the leading state for ICF construction, thanks in part to
ARM’s promotional efforts and to the Minnesota Energy
Code, one of the most stringent in the nation.
Contact
Jim Niehoff
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Isberner Receives Society Award
The American Society for Testing and Materials’
Committee C12, Mortars and Grouts for Unit Masonry celebrated
its 75th anniversary with the presentation of the first J. Ivan
Davison Award to long-time PCA employee Al Isberner. This award
recognizes those who have made exemplary technical, practical,
or administrative contributions to C12 for a long and continuous
period of time. John Melander, current chairman of C12 and PCA’s
director of product standards and technology presented the award
on December 6 at the C12 anniversary celebration in Atlanta.
Isberner’s career with PCA began April 22, 1955. After
several decades of work focusing on concrete, plaster, and masonry
research, he resigned as manager of quality assurance in 1981
to pursue private practice as a consulting engineer. His involvement
in ASTM set the groundwork for sampling and testing mortars
for composition and their plastic and hardened properties. More
than 30 years later, this work remains as the basis for quality
assurance and control of mortar mixes.
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Extraordinary Contribution
Awards Honor Halsted, Rabbat
PCA’s Extraordinary Contribution Award program recognizes
individual achievement that exceeds the normal scope of job
responsibilities. The two latest recipients:
Working closely with Rocky Mountain Cement Council, Greg
Halsted, soil-cement/RCC pavements engineer, helped to create
a viable market for soil cement in the region, especially full-depth
reclamation (FDR) with cement. His work with local trade magazines
helped build awareness of FDR, while seminars and contacts with
engineers and public officials resulted in acceptance of the
technique by Salt Lake City.
Basile Rabbat, manager
of structural codes, developed and conducted seminars on the
ACI codes for which the net income was more than $432,000—nearly
three times the target level. Rabbat also manages the building
professor and bridge professor seminars and garners widespread
support from allied associations and regional promotion groups.
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Results from
Last Week:
Speed Counts in Bridge Construction
What's the top issue for the design
and construction of bridges?
Responses/percent
- Rapid construction/replacement 20 (40.00%)
- 100-year-life bridges 18 (36.00%)
- Life-cycle costing 12 (24.00%)
Notable comments:
"The priority depends on the political
situation facing the public agency paying for the bridge."
"Seismic Stability!
Love, your CA residents :-)"
"The initial cost of a bridge is
high but is a small portion of the cost of the life cycle
of a bridge. Costs continue to rise, traffic continues to
incease, inspection and maintenance (cosmetic and structural)
continue to increase. Bridges are long-term investments by
the public using tax dollars and must be designed to consider
life cycle costs."
"With rapid construction, strength is the focus, and
curing is typically neglected. Proper curing (both temperature
and moisture) is needed for the 100 year life."
Take
the current PCA poll
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Control
of Portland Cement Quality: Clyde Moore’s
Control of Portland Cement Quality provides a practical
approach to the application of statistical methods for quality
control in the manufacture of cement. It is a unique and valuable
addition to PCA’s series on hydraulic cement manufacturing.
A key element of the book is the concept of functional quality
control, which sets the stage for a quality program that not
only recognizes the relevance of product specifications and
quality requirements for clinker and cement, but also performance
characteristics required in the marketplace (EB121; $68.00,
less discounts).
More
information
Sulfate Resistance of Concrete Using Blended Cements
of Supplementary Cementitious Materials: This
report briefly discusses the mechanism of sulfate attack and
the role of selected supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs)
in reducing sulfate attack in concrete. The relationship between
sulfate resistance and the chemical, physical, and mineralogical
composition of SCMs has been elucidated. Based on a number of
bench-scale studies, several of models predicting sulfate resistance
in fly ash-containing concretes have been cited and discussed.
The report has also discusses sulfate resistance of concrete
that contained SCMs interground and optimized at the cement
plant as compared to that mixed at the concrete batch plant
(SN2916a; PDF only; no charge).
More
information
The Durability of Concrete Containing High Levels
of Fly Ash: This thesis presents data from a laboratory
study on the effect of curing on the carbonation and permeability
of high-volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC). Concrete mixtures were
produced at a range of water-to-cementing-materials ratios (W/CM
= 0.34, 0.40 and 0.50) and fly ash replacement levels (0%, 30%,
40% and 50%) using fly ashes of different compositions (Type
F, CI and CH). Concrete specimens were moist cured for various
periods (1 to 28 days) prior to exposure to one of the following
conditions: (i) accelerated carbonation (approximately 1% CO2
by volume), (ii) indoor (23°C and 50% RH), or (iii) outdoors,
sheltered from direct precipitation (SN2989; PDF only; no charge).
More
information
Sensitivity Analysis of the Mortar Aggregate Ratio
Procedure: The mortar aggregate (M-A) ratio test
of ASTM C780 Annex A4 determines the ratio of cementitious materials
to aggregate, which can be used to verify the mortar proportions
of both field and laboratory mortars. This report describes
research conducted on sensitivity testing on the mortar aggregate
ratio procedure. Previous research on the procedure identified
two testing variables that affected the calculated mortar aggregate
ratio—time to conduct the testing and time to sample the
mortar—and this study examines the effects of these variables
on test results, or in other words, sensitivity of the test
method (SN2842; PDF only; no charge).
More
information
Design of Reinforced Concrete Floor Systems: This
reprint from the September 2005 issue of Structural Engineer
magazine is a part of the PCA Professional Development
Series. Each part of the series gives the reader an opportunity
to earn continuing education credit by reading a specially focused,
sponsored article. Upon reading this article and completing
the quiz, the reader should be able to learn methods of analysis
and design for reinforced concrete of floor systems in accordance
with the American Concrete Institute’s Building Code Requirements
for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-05). (RP434; no charge.)
More
information
Post-Tensioning For Two-Way Flat Plate Construction:
This reprint from the October 2005 issue of Structural
Engineer magazine is a part of the PCA Professional Development
Series. Upon reading this article and completing the quiz, the
reader should be able to understand the design process for post-tensioned
two-way slabs and recognize constructability issues involved
when using a post-tensioning system (RP435; no charge).
More
information
Structural Integrity Requirements for Concrete Buildings:
This reprint from the September 2006 issue of Structural Engineer
magazine is a part of the PCA Professional Development Series.
Upon reading this article and completing the quiz, the reader
should be able to understand the structural integrity requirements
for reinforced concrete buildings in accordance with the American
Concrete Institute’s Building Code Requirements for Structural
Concrete (ACI 318-05). The reader will learn the detailing provisions
to achieve structural integrity for cast-in-place joists, beams,
two-way slabs, lift slabs, and precast concrete construction
(RP436; no charge).
More
information
Engineering Mass Concrete Structures:
This reprint from the November 2006 issue of Structural Engineer
Magazine is a part of the PCA Professional Development Series.
Upon reading this article and completing the quiz, the reader
will learn how to minimize the likelihood of cracking and improve
the durability of mass concrete by optimizing the mix design,
as well as predicting, monitoring, and controlling concrete
temperatures (RP437; no charge).
More
information
Promotion Update, Issue #39, November 2006:
Articles include Save the Date for the 2007 Professional Promoters’
Workshop; The 2007 Home Show Is Rapidly Approaching; PCA Promotes
Hubbard to Vice President for Legislative Affairs; Gleason,
Fiorato Announce Retirement; Housing Drop Contributes to Lower
Forecast for Cement; Revised Standard for Frost Protected Shallow
Foundations in the Works; News from the Regional/Local Promotion
Level; and a Tentative Schedule of Professors’ Seminars
in 2007 (uncoded; PDF only; no charge).
View
or download
Use of Waste Oils as Fuel in Cement Manufacture:
An Annotated Bibliography: Waste oils are one
of the many types of alternative fuels being used successfully
in cement manufacture. Their use helps to preserve coal resources,
and prevents the contamination of soil resulting from landfilling
oils such as lubricating oils, cooking oils, and refinery wastes.
The following annotated bibliography will provide a foundation
to those who wish to explore this topic. It summarizes reports,
journal articles, patents, and conference papers, identified
through searches of the Library’s collection as well as
online databases (LB17; PDF only; $15.00; free to PCA members).
More
information
Design Ideas for Decorative Concrete & Stone:
Concrete, granite, marble, travertine, and various
other strains of natural and engineered stone are described
in this colorful new book. Concrete, which has emerged as an
enormously versatile decorative product for both indoor and
exterior settings, is covered in the first 57 pages. Designs
for some of the other materials lend themselves to concrete
as well; thus the book offers a goldmine of creative ideas for
the concrete contractor. The rich, colorful, well annotated
photographs provide an assortment of ideas for both contractor
and homeowner. Published by Creative Homeowner (LT301; $19.95,
no discount).
More
information
RCC Dam Saves City’s Sole Source of Water
Supply: This two-page case study describes the
replacement of an earth and gabion dam with a new roller-compacted
concrete (RCC) dam to save the sole source of municipal water
for the city of Franklin, Kentucky. The original dam was experiencing
structural and excessive seepage problems. These problems were
resolved by constructing a new RCC dam immediately below the
original dam (PL465; PDF only; no charge).
More
information
Bond Shear Strength Of A Rigid Pavement System With
a Roller-Compacted Concrete Base: Asphalt overlays
are used to enhance the riding surface of roller-compacted compacted
concrete. The asphalt overlays have been performing well, but
they lack the strength and durability of a rigid pavement system.
In order for a two layer rigid pavement system to behave properly,
adequate adhesion between the base and the overlay must occur.
This research explored the different factors that affect the
strength of the interface bond. Despite exhibiting different
properties from conventional concrete, RCC behaves similarly
as a base with a concrete overlay. They are both affected in
the same manner by the type and strength of the overlay, the
air content, aggregate type, and bond interface preparation.
This knowledge of how the bond strength is developed will assist
in exceeding the minimum bond strength desired and thus validate
the use of a rigid pavement system with an RCC base (SN2990;
no charge; PDF only).
More
infromation
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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.
|
Concrete:
Principles & Practices
February 12-15, 2007 |
Aggregates
and Chemical Admixtures for Use in Concrete
March 5-6, 2007 |
SCMs
and Ternary Blends in Concrete
March 7-8, 2007
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| 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
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Register
Free Online
Las Vegas, Nevada
Exhibits: January 23-26
Seminars: January 22-26
|
National Concrete Masonry Association Annual
Convention
February 20-24, 2007
Orlando, Fla.
More
information
|
Manufactured
Concrete Products Exposition
February 22-24, 2007
Orlando, Fla.
More
information
|
Hardscape North
America
March 7-10, 2007
Nashville, Tenn.
More
Information |
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| The
Executive Report is distributed free of charge to members
of PCA and to individuals interested in PCA activities or
the cement, concrete, and construction industries.
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View or download
back issues |
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5420 Old Orchard Rd.
Skokie, Illinois 60077
847.966.6200 info@cement.org
500 New Jersey Ave. N.W.
7th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20001
202.408.9494 fax 202.408.0877 |
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©2006 Portland Cement Association
All rights reserved
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.
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