'Concrete Palace' Is One of a Kind

The newest state-of-the-art drag racing facility in the world, Dallas Raceway has been aptly dubbed the "Concrete Palace" thanks to its one-of-a-kind all-concrete layout.

The quarter-of-a-mile-long track is all concrete as is the 16 staging lanes and 15 acres of pit.  In addition, concrete barriers line the length of the track.

Dallas Raceway owner Kenny Barnes chose concrete after extensive research that included the hiring of engineers to study concrete and asphalt, and chemicals injected in both to determine their durability.  He traveled to several certified tracks and spoke with other track operators on what worked and didn't work in the construction of their tracks

In addition to its durability and low maintenance, concrete provided a strong base to accommodate modern mobile homes and 18-wheelers.  

The 112-acre facility also has modern, air-conditioned bathrooms, showers, waste disposal for motor homes, digital scales and a game room.  It conforms to all 2009 International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) track specifications.

The Dallas Raceway will make its national debut on May 29-31 as host of the IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals.

March PPI: All Four Building Materials Continue to Post Declines

Prices for all four building materials declined in March for the second consecutive month, according to latest Producer Price Index.

Steel prices fell for the seventh consecutive month, with a modest decrease of 0.1 percent from February. Asphalt prices dropped 1.9 percent from the previous month. Lumber prices hit new lows, decreasing by 3.2 percent.

Concrete prices decreased by 0.9 percent from the previous month.

During the last year, steel prices have declined 14.6 percent and lumber prices are down 11 percent. Asphalt prices are up 17.4 percent, and concrete prices increased 3.6 percent for the same period.

Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The information is provided by PCA to aid in the promotion of concrete and cement-based products.
Contact Ninab Maradkel
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IEEE Early Bird Registration Deadline Today

Today is the last chance to save $55 off registration for the 51st annual IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference, May 31-June 4, 2009, at Desert Springs, a JW Marriott® Resort & Spa, Palm Desert, Calif.

This year's conference highlights include:

> Panel sessions on alternative fuel use and their impact on operational results, burner designs, and clinker production
> Tutorials on bulk material handling, pneumatic conveying, wireless technologies, and elevator maintenance
> World class technical papers covering every aspect of cement manufacturing
> Tour of TXI's Oro Grande Plant
> Annual Safety Awards Luncheon
> Special Economic Update by PCA's Ed Sullivan

In addition, a concurrent Environmental Workshop will address pending climate change legislation and its impact on the cement industry, regulatory updates, and other environmentally related process topics.
More information at www.ieeepcaconference.org
Contact Rick Bohan

St. Lawrence Cement Announces Name Change to Holcim (Canada) Inc.

St. Lawrence Cement formally announced last week a change of company name to Holcim (Canada) Inc. and the launch of the Holcim brand in Canada. This is a significant milestone in the company's history, providing an opportunity to further build a strong, national presence and capitalize on the benefits of being part of the Holcim Group.

To reflect greater alignment with the corporate brand, the visual identities of Holcim Canada's aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and construction divisions, which operate under Dufferin brand names in Ontario and Demix brand names in Quebec, have also been refreshed.

Holcim entered the Canadian market in 1953 as St. Lawrence Cement with the commissioning of a cement plant on the St. Lawrence River. Since then, through ongoing capital investment and strategic acquisitions, the company has grown into one of the largest vertically integrated building materials and construction companies in Canada.

PCA Presents Troubleshooting Webinar

PCA will present the Webinar “Diagnosing What Went Wrong and Why: Concrete Troubleshooting” on May 7, 2009, from 3-4 pm CST.

This session is an essential evaluation tool for all architects, specifiers, owners, ready-mix concrete producers, concrete contractors, consultants, and other design professionals dealing with the use of concrete as a building material.  It addresses real-life problems caused by inadequacies in design, construction, and maintenance practices that may occur when using concrete.

After participation, attendees will be able to define common symptoms of distress observed in hardened concrete, match them to potential causes, and identify the most effective prevention and repair measures.

The Webinar is $35 and includes a free PDF download of  PCA’s Slab Surface Defects: Causes, Prevention, Repair.
More information and registration.

Residential Webinar Highlights High-Performance Concrete Technologies

To show homebuilders how to integrate high-performance concrete homebuilding technologies into their NAHB National Green Building Standard™ certified projects, PCA will present the Webinar “Concrete Solutions for the National Green Building Standard” on May 14, 2009, 10-11 am CST.

This program provides an overview of green building features of various concrete homebuilding technologies discussed within the context of the recently developed NAHB National Green Building Standard.

Attendees will learn about the sustainable impact of concrete products for the home as well as its site including the use concrete retaining walls to create more buildable area on steeply sloped sites and reducing stormwater infrastructure expenses with pervious concrete pavement.

The Webinar is $30 and includes free PDF downloads of a PCA technology brief on concrete homebuilding and ANSI 700 - 2008 National Green Building Standard, and a tabulated summary of potential credit contributions of concrete homebuilding systems.
More information and to register