Category: Technology & Services
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Seismic Retrofitting Concrete – Q and A with Kyle Tourje of Alpha Structural Inc.
We all know concrete is a top construction material known for its compressive strength and durability. But over time, even the strongest placements can be affected by outside factors, like seismic activity and weather. Neglecting any foundation problems can lead to structural instability, failures, and very costly repairs. Concrete Contractor connected with Kyle Tourjé, executive…
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Why Concrete Joints Fail First & What to do About It
In liquid-bearing concrete structures, joints are where protective linings fail first. A monolithic film is asked to span a moving gap and stay bonded to both sides through thermal swings, settlement, hydrostatic loads, and start-stop operations. Over thousands of cycles, stress concentrates at the arris; micro-pinhole strings and edge-shear accumulate until the first callbacks show…
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Why Prefabrication Matters to GCs
Even though it’s one of the most referenced success metrics for new construction, it’s a rare thing for a project to be completed on time. Research has consistently shown that only a small fraction of projects, often less than 10 percent, are completed on time and within budget. Construction schedules are impacted by a range…
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Optimize Concrete Slab Dowel Design with the EIDM Enhanced Integrated Dowel Model
Because standards are intentionally conservative for most projects, but new design methods are changing, project-specific design optimization is required to provide safe, cost-effective, and sustainable construction. The newly developed Enhanced Integrated Dowel Model (EIDM) ensures joint performance under all wheel types, to reduce joint spalling and callbacks, while typically also reducing cost and improving sustainability. Dowels…
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Ecocem ACT I Ternary Blended Cement Earns ASTM C1157 Certification
It’s been said that the world places nearly a New York City amount of concrete every year. Within every cubic yard of this tonnage is the cement and the cloud of CO2 created in its production. The acceptance of cements with additional limestone and higher percentages of supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs) in the mix has…
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Site Surveillance & Security – 5 Ways to Protect the Jobsite & Equipment Rental Lot
Adam Hawoth, Wireless CCTVWireless CCTVEquipment theft continues to be a challenge throughout the construction and equipment rental industry. Jeremy White of Pro-Vigil writes that experts expect tariffs on construction material and equipment to likely compound this issue. Many look to surveillance to help increase the security of the jobsite and the equipment yard. Adam Hawoth…
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Tech in Concrete Construction Insights
At its core, concrete construction hasn’t changed much. If you excavate deep enough to the core of the work, there isn’t much of a difference between the concrete contractors do today versus what was done back in ancient Roman times. What has changed (and significantly, I might add) are the materials, methods, the science, the…
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55 Willoughby: Engineering Marvel in Brooklyn Relies on PT Transfer Beams
Where a cantilevered concrete system may be a fairly common feature in today’s concrete buildings, a cantilevered concrete system that the majority of the building rests above draws some attention. The 55 Willoughby tower stands at 468 ft. tall in downtown Brooklyn (46 stories). The engineering team at DeSimone Consulting Engineering had to tap into…
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Transforming Concrete: State of the Concrete Industry
Innovation in measurement technologies is transforming how we understand and control concrete performance in real time. These technologies reduce reliance on manual testing and allow for data-driven decision-making, improving quality control and reducing material variability. By capturing material behavior throughout the full supply chain, this opens the door for significant optimizations. Complementing measurement technologies, optimization…
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Smart Bidding Strategies with Artificial Intelligence
In construction, an accurate bid can mean the difference between a profitable year or continuous delays and costly overruns. Many contractors continue to rely on spreadsheets, fragmented data, or gut instinct to prepare bids. This leaves too much room for errors. According to Contimod, nine out of ten construction projects exceed their budgets, with average…