Concrete Flies High Over Georgia

Two recent aviation projects in Georgia illustrate durability of concrete and its superior use for airport runways. 

Cobb County Airport recently initiated the first concrete overlay on a general aviation runway in Georgia. The 6,300-foot-long, 100-foot-wide project is scheduled to be completed with less than 22 days of closure and increases the current runway width by 25 feet.

Contractors will place more than 70,000 square yards of concrete in eight days. A soil-cement base was used under the new widening.

After reviewing bids for both concrete overlay and asphalt pavement, the FAA chose concrete as the best value option due to its longer life-span.

Nearby the Paulding County Regional Airport recently celebrated its grand opening in Dallas, Ga.  The first airport to be opened in Georgia in 33 years is the centerpiece of a 10,000 acre pod system designed to enhance commerce and industry in the region.

Its 5,500-foot long and 100-foot wide runway, as well as taxiway and apron, are paved with concrete.

Lafarge Honored by Wildlife Habitat Council

Lafarge North America's Harleyville, S.C., cement plant received international recognition for its contributions to wildlife habitat conservation at the Wildlife Habitat Council's 20th Annual Symposium.

Lafarge demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship and increasing native biodiversity by achieving habitat recertification at the plant. The Harleyville site is dominated by forested areas and includes a 235-acre wetland area and more than 100 acres devoted to habitat improvement projects. The wildlife habitat management plan focuses on three objectives: conserving pollinators, improving native bird habitat, and providing nest sites for native waterfowl.

The wildlife team at the Harleyville plant launched its wildlife habitat program with the creation of a butterfly and pollinator garden in July 2002. To support the local purple martin population, employee volunteers worked with first- and second-graders from Williams Memorial Elementary School to build triple-decker birdhouses, also known as bird hotels.

In addition, two man-made islands completed in June 2006 attract waterfowl and provide a safe nesting platform and basking area for turtles and frogs.
More at www.wildlifehc.org.

TXI Donates Land for Meals-on-Wheels Regional Kitchen Facility

Texas Industries, Inc., donated approximately two acres of land to Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties for the site of a new regional kitchen facility. The property is located at TXI RailPort, a 1,700 acre business and industrial park in Midlothian, Texas. Meals on Wheels plans to build a 12,000 square-foot building where it can begin to cook and prepare meals for the homebound elderly and disabled citizens in its two-county service area.

Vinsen Faris, Meals-on-Wheels executive director, said: "We are very appreciative of TXI’s generosity with this gift of land. We are excited at the possibilities it will bring to Meals-on-Wheels and the community at-large.”

It is expected that Meals-on-Wheels will initially provide 1,100 meals at the projected opening of the facility in 2010. Meals-on-Wheels plans to raise $3 million for the facility’s construction. In addition to the gift of land from TXI, pledges in excess of $500,000 for this project have already been collected.

Ad Supplement Builds Awareness for FDR

PCA recently produced “The Road Recycled,” a 16-page advertising supplement on full-depth reclamation (FDR) with cement. The special section was  bound into the November issue of 11 McGraw-Hill Construction regional publications and discusses the applications, benefits, and sustainability of recycling asphalt pavements using FDR with cement.

Also included are case studies on the uses of FDR in two Alabama counties as well as articles highlighting the 2008 PCA Sustainable Leadership winners in Hancock, New Hampshire, and Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

Print and PDF versions of the insert are free.
More at www.cement.org/bookstore

"TCA/PCA Fire Storm Housing 2008" Winner Announced

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) recently announced the winners of “TCA/PCA Fire Storm Housing 2008,” an international design competition.

Co-sponsored by TCA and PCA, the competition invites graduate and undergraduate architecture students to present conceptual designs for firestorm-resistant housing located in the Santa Ana region of California using site-cast concrete tilt-up panels for their shell components. 

Entries were evaluated for creative use of the design concept in overall solution, application of the tilt-up construction method, and appropriateness of response in the context.

The first place winners were John Velo and Jamie Woods from Alfred State College in Alfred, N.Y. Their minimalist-inspired design drew on the Hispanic roots of the region. The combination of parallel facing tilt-up concrete walls with stucco siding and several panes of fire-resistant windows created a modern home that can resist a fire for approximately four hours. Additionally, the home is designed around a pool to catch a cool breeze through the hot days in Southern California and as a way to slow down any fires that spread to the area.
View the complete results

Readers Believe Infrastructure Funding Should Be Part of Bailout

Do you think infrastructure spending will be part of the next economic stimulus package from Congress?

> Yes: 78.37%
> No: 21.63%

Notable Comments:

“It has  worked in past and resonates with the public as funds go towards common assets.”

“If this is the cure, the patient will be dead and buried before the first dime hits the streets.”

“Our infrastructure is like the old joke about robbing Peter to pay Paul. You can’t do business with a sore infrastructure and ours is worn out. What better way to boost the economy, create jobs, and rebuild the very foundations of commerce? We may even restore some pride.”

“New Deal 2.0. Great for cement, not so great for our current budget deficit. Those concerned about deflation will be laughing themselves to the bread line with wheelbarrows of cash when the gazillions of freshly printed Greenbacks hit the market.”

“Hopefully Congress has seen that the short term economic stimulus did very little for the economy and there is a need for a long term solution. If they sent out 40% to consumers and 60% to infrastructure, it would give a quick boost and allow time for the infrastructure to begin, which would sustain the boost.”

“With the current economic situation, it would be one of the wisest moves by this or the next administration. Infrastructure is the backbone of economic development. It provides current employment and opens the doors to future business. Infrastructure is a necessary component to a healthy, sustainable economy.”
Take the current PCA Poll