Over the past year or so, NewsLinks has featured stories on the continuing debate over what is perhaps the most famous boardwalk in the U.s. - that of Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY. If you recall, large swaths of the wooden boardwalk were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. City officials decided to replace some of the affected sections of the boardwalk with concrete. Good news, right? Not so fast. Click here to read the latest.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established a technical working group (TWG) to provide input and feedback on pavement and material sustainability, reports NRMCA Vice President Pavement Structures Brian Killingsworth. The working group is composed of representatives from state DOTs, other government agencies, academia and industry. The working group is part of FHWA's Sustainable Pavements Program, established in 2010, which strives to advance the knowledge and practice of sustainability in the pavements and materials areas. The integrated program covers asphalt, concrete, granular and recyclable materials used in pavement systems and promotes research into new sustainable materials and processes.

Program objectives include developing guidelines for designing and constructing sustainable pavement systems; evaluating materials, processes, technologies and tools to aid in the evaluation, design and construction of sustainable pavement systems; and conducting technology transfer and deployment activities. To support these objectives, the working group meets twice a year to exchange ideas, innovative solutions and evaluate products under development by the FHWA sustainable pavements team. The FHWA is developing a sustainability report, titled Advancing a Sustainable Highway System: Highlights of FHWA Sustainability Activities, with the goal of illustrating how sustainability has been incorporated into a wide variety of FHWA programs, projects, policies, processes and partnerships. It is intended to be published in late Summer 2014 and used by a diverse audience of transportation agency professionals at the federal, state and local levels as well as by the general public.

At a recent TWG meeting held in Minneapolis, comments from committee members on the draft report were reviewed and modifications made when pertinent. Killingsworth is a friend of the committee and ensures that the benefits of ready mixed concrete are considered in the work that the group performs.

Click here for more information about the FHWA Sustainable Pavements Program or contact Brian Killingsworth at bkillingsworth@nrmca.org or 830-438-2690.

NRMCA’s pavement engineers Amanda Hult and Brian Killingsworth will join their counterparts at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in presenting the Design of Concrete Pavements Course in Long Beach, CA, beginning June 5. This 2-day pavement course provides in-depth design and construction strategies for conventional concrete, pervious concrete, roller-compacted concrete and concrete overlays. Attendees will have the opportunity to design several pavement sections by using the appropriate design software available. The Design of Concrete Pavements Course will also be presented in September in Denver.

Click here for information on the June course in California. Click here to sign up for the September course. For more information, contact Amanda Hult at ahult@nrmca.org.

During a recent trip to St. Louis, NRMCA Vice President, National Resources, Jon Hansen was shown a large number of parking lot projects that are concrete overlays of the existing asphalt. The projects included schools, a church and a recreational facility. There were multiple designers and contractors on the projects, but the consistent quality of each project is very evident. The joint promotion effort of Evan Bolesta of the Concrete Council of Saint Louis and Ken Liescheidt with the Missouri/Kansas ACPA has resulted in the majority of the local success.

At a meeting during the trip, Hansen met Jeff Moon with Bax Engineering, a civil engineering firm that has taken a leadership role in the design of concrete overlays of asphalt. During the discussion, Moon told Hansen that much of the specifications they use for these projects was developed using the Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots, an RMC Research & Education Foundation-funded publication written by the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center. Moon also stated that concrete overlays are featured on the Bax Engineering Web site as one of the firm’s specialties and to build awareness of the process.

Georgia Concrete & Products Association (GCPA) has recently revamped a promotion committee focused on flowable fill, concrete parking lots, pervious concrete and intersections, reports NRMCA Vice President, National Resources, Amy Miller. In an effort to catapult the initial efforts, Promotion Committee lead Ryan Chandler, vice president/general manager of Cemex, in conjunction with GCPA Executive Director Jimmy Cotty and Elizabeth Harwood, manager of marketing & member services, GCPA, held a training session on the four subject matters to prepare the sales group to begin the process. Miller spoke on how to offer compelling arguments to focus audiences on concrete parking lots, intersections and pervious concrete. The room was filled with industry representatives; collectively, the group is excited to be initiating new efforts in this market, Miller said.

"While it’s important for those representing our industry to understand the technical nature of our products, it is just important to train them on delivering an effective message in order to enact change," Miller noted. "Depending on the target, the impetus for change varies. People are resistant to change and we must present evidence that choosing concrete is in their best interest."

For more information, contact Amy Miller at amiller@nrmca.org.

NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Phil Kresge recently met with county maintenance officials from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to discuss concrete overlays as a maintenance option for existing asphalt streets and intersections. Kresge explained the mechanics of concrete overlays and reviewed the various types, focusing particularly on bonded overlays of asphalt pavements. Additionally, he highlighted several projects that had been completed over the last 20 years in Pennsylvania and Iowa. He closed by introducing NRMCA’s Design Assistance Program and encouraged VDOT to take advantage of the free service.

Also at the meeting were Stan Bland, pavement applications specialist for PCA Southeast, and David Stowell from Slurry Pavers, Inc., who gave a joint presentation on Full-Depth Reclamation. Bland also provided information on Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC). The meeting was facilitated by Hessam Nabavi of the Virginia Ready-Mixed Concrete Association.

The next CONEXPO-CON/AGG international exposition will be held March 7-11, 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. Named CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 chair is Richard M. Goldsbury, president Bobcat/Doosan North America & Australia/Oceania for Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment, West Fargo, ND. He will lead the triennial show’s management committee, a group of volunteer manufacturers and other industry stakeholders who oversee show planning to ensure the event meets industry needs.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the Western Hemisphere’s global gathering place in North America every three years for the construction and construction materials industry, co-located with the IFPE exposition for fluid power/power transmission/motion control. The recently held 2014 CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE saw record exhibit and education numbers and nearly 130,000 registered attendees, including 24 percent international. Click here for more information.

The preliminary estimate of ready mixed concrete produced in March 2014 is 22.4 million cubic yards, 6% higher than in March 2013. The estimated production for the first quarter of 2014 is 57.6 million cubic yards, 3.2% higher than that during the same period in 2013. Based on first quarter production and trends in the last 20 years, the projected production for 2014 is 310 million cubic yards with a margin of error of ±17 million cubic yards (6%). As might be expected, weather had a significant impact on production in the first quarter in many regions of the U.S.
 

More detail, including production by state, is provided for NRMCA members on the NRMCA Web site.

Lorenzo H. Zambrano, who turned his family-owned cement company, NRMCA Associate member CEMEX, into a giant spanning five continents, and who exemplified a generation of Mexican business leaders as they embraced globalization, died last week in Madrid. He was 70. The company said he died of natural causes while on a business trip but provided no other details. Beginning in 1992, Mr. Zambrano bought up far-flung producers to create the third-largest cement company in the world. He remade each new acquisition, introducing high technology and logistical efficiencies that made CEMEX the subject of business school case studies at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Starting today (May 21), all drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) either looking to obtain or renew a commercial drivers license (CDL) must receive their medical certificate by a Certified Medical Examiner (ME) listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) new National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry). Prior to May 21, 2014, drivers were allowed to obtain their medical certificates, which are required in order to operate a CMV, from virtually any healthcare provider. As per FMCSA, this new change now only allows drivers to receive a medical certificate from "medical examiners that have completed training and successfully passed a test on FMCSA’s physical qualification standards [and who are then] featured on the National Registry." 

In late March, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a proposed rule that would require commercial motor vehicle (CMVs) carriers to install Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in all CMVs for the purpose of better complying with federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. However, FMCSA’s proposal does carve out an exemption for short-haulers. While NRMCA appreciates FMCSA’s recognition of the difference between short-haulers versus long-haulers, unfortunately the short-haul exemption creates a compliance question for ELDs. FMCSA’s proposal states that short-haulers (those that can take advantage of the 100 air-mile logging exemption) will not be required to purchase, install and use ELDs; provided that if a short-hauler, not using an ELD, comes out of compliance with the 100 air-mile logging exemption and thus needs to fill out a record of duty status (RODS) retroactively for that day; this occurrence (logging) can only be allowed "8 days in any 30-day period".

This provision, as it’s written, is unachievable in the ready mixed concrete industry. Often, there are large construction jobs that occur throughout the year and certainly during busy months when it necessitates mixer drivers working longer days and needing to fill out a RODS daily until the job or the busy months settle down. Under the proposal’s current language, mixer drivers will need to find the resources, make the investments and conduct training, among other things, for ELDs that would only be required for a short period of time each year. The effect of this provision on the ready mixed concrete industry would be very burdensome financially and logistically. As well, requiring this provision runs counter to the intent of the ELD proposal and the recognition of short-haul operations and instead functions as a Trojan horse to require the purchasing, installation and use of ELDs in all trucks regardless of their operation.

NRMCA encourages all member companies to submit comments in opposition to the "8 days in any 30-day period" provision and instead suggest that the short-haul exemption strictly be limited to distance driven (100 air-miles) and not hours on-duty (12-hour threshold). The comment period now ends on Thursday, June 26.

More than a decade ago, the U.S. Department of Transportation revised its Hours of Service (HOS) Rules which had been in effect, and virtually unchanged, since 1939. However, shortly after they were adopted, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia voted to vacate the new federal drivers' Hours of Service rules. The rules have been subject to numerous court actions ever since. Now there are new revisions to the rule, including a mandatory 30-minute break, new weekly clock reset, egregious violations for both company and drivers, and much more. Do you know how these rules affect the ready mixed concrete industry? Is your company in compliance? Find out answers to these questions and many more by attending this free Webinar on Thursday, May 22, at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Mark your calendar: This year’s NRMCA Safety Course has been scheduled for August 6-8 in Ontario, CA. This 2.5-day course teaches participants about OSHA safety compliance. It begins with why safety is so important and details the reasons why an effective safety program actually saves money through loss prevention and control. Participants learn about electrical safety, machine guarding, fall protection, hazard communication, confined spaces, personal protective equipment, fire fighting and evacuation, maintenance shop, safety chute handling, fleet safety, pre-trip inspection and more.

The course will take place at the CEMEX Ontario Regional Office. NRMCA has also reserved a hotel room block for attendees at the nearby Embassy Suites Ontario-Airport. Further course registration and hotel room block information are forthcoming.

The 2014 International Concrete Sustainability Conference held last week just outside Boston in Cambridge, MA, addressed key sustainability issues for the concrete industry. Over 60 world-renowned experts presented the latest developments related to design, specifying, manufacturing, testing, construction, maintenance and research of concrete as they relate to sustainability. Life cycle assessment, environmental product declarations, health product declarations and responsible sourcing were just a few of the topics of high interest at the conference. As always, green concrete and innovative concrete technologies as ways to help reduce concrete’s environmental footprint were important topics. In addition, the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub held its annual Showcase and reviewed research results for the past five years at the Hub and provided a glimpse into the next five years.

NRMCA Producer member Argos Ready Mix, one of the largest concrete producers in North America has published Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for concrete produced at its plants that serve the Dallas-Fort Worth market. Developing and publishing an EPD requires a rigorous process of conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of plant operations and product formulation followed by an extensive review by independent LCA professionals using a standard called a Product Category Rule (PCR). Argos chose NSF International to verify its EPDs. It followed the North American Product Category Rule for Concrete developed by the Carbon Leadership Forum and relevant international standards. As is required by the standards, the EPDs are published on NSF International’s Web site.

Last week, NRMCA Vice President of Sustainability Tien Peng presented the "Building Disaster Resilient Solutions Workshop" at the 28th Annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Orlando. The Governor’s Hurricane Conference is the largest forum in the nation that offers training aimed at improving responses to hurricanes. Specifically structured to present information in a dynamic and network-centered atmosphere, the workshop program provided extensive opportunities for emergency management practitioners from Florida and across the country to learn from each other. Approximately 70 emergency management, health and insurance professionals attended the Workshop at the Orlando Convention Center.

Peng was invited to submit a proposal to the event by Mike Zito, NRMCA Producer member Titan America’s director of advocacy. Titan America is supporting resiliency legislation in Florida that draws attention to issues of resilient construction. NRMCA encourages its members to participate in local professional groups, such as AIA, ASCE or USGBC local chapters, and offer topics and speakers for education programs.

Media articles on Congress, transportation infrastructure, regulation, taxes and other subjects, each of which relate to the ready mixed concrete industry, are updated each week by NRMCA's Government Affairs staff. To access the most recent compilation of articles for May 12 - 16, please click here.

Last week, the House and Senate announced that they had finalized the Conference Report to H.R. 3080, and S. 610 the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA). The report will be voted on by the House on Tuesday and the Senate expects to take it up before the Memorial Day recess. WRRDA both reforms and authorizes the programs of the Army Corps of Engineers’ (Army Corps) Civil Works programs related to navigation, flood risk management, recreation, infrastructure and environmental stewardship. NRMCA was able to secure several major victories in the WRRDA conference report.

NRMCA’s resilient construction language is included in Section 3022 (Durability, Sustainability and Resilience) of the final text as a directive to the Army Corps to encourage the use of resilient construction techniques to the maximum extent practicable in carrying projects. The majority of the Senate’s Blunt Nelson amendment language was included in this section. The section clarifies, for the purposes of the bill, that a resilient construction technique will  "allow a water resources infrastructure project - to resist hazards due to a major disaster and to continue to serve the primary function of the water resources infrastructure project following a major disaster; reduce the magnitude or duration of a disruptive event to a water resources infrastructure project; and have the absorptive capacity, adaptive capacity, and recoverability to withstand a potentially disruptive event."

Additionally, NRMCA removed the materials references from the resilient construction section that were originally included in the House bill. Materials were placed in a more appropriate section (3021, which is about the use of innovative materials) While we advocated for material neutral language, we are nonetheless happy that competing materials - geosynthetics and advanced composites - are not listed as resilient materials and that roller compacted concrete is included along with the competing materials.  

Finally, NRMCA secured two directives in studies that were included in the Conference Report. The first, asks the National Academy of Sciences to consider the reduction in long-term costs and vulnerability to infrastructure through the use of resilient construction techniques (Sec. 3023), and the second asks the U.S. Government Accountability Office to make any recommendations on the use of resilient construction techniques to reduce future vulnerability from flood, storm and drought in its study on the management of flood, drought and storm damage (Sec. 3024). 

Last week was Infrastructure Week 2014. NRMCA, as part of our work with the Highway Materials Group - the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, the National Asphalt Pavement Association, the American Concrete Pavement Association, the Portland Cement Association and the Concrete Steel Reinforcing Association – issued a press release and participated in a one-week grassroots letter writing campaign. 

Thanks to you, we smashed our goal of sending 100 letters to the Hill. As part of our advocacy campaign, NRMCA members, friends and family sent over 2,700 letters to the Hill urging action to fix the Highway Trust Fund and enact a fully funded multi-year highway bill. Thank you for your participation. A new, non-infrastructure week specific, alert is now posted for those who would like to continue to let their representatives know about this important issue.

Please join members of the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) for a conference call at 3 p.m. Eastern time today, Wednesday, May 21, to discuss the details related to this year’s TCC Fly-In program and the RALLY for ROADS being held on June 10- 11. To join the conference call please dial 1-866-670-0780, passcode; 968541.

The NRMCA May Internet Spotlight is the User’s Guide to ASTM Specification C94/C94M on Ready-Mixed Concrete 2nd Edition. This second edition includes 22 comprehensive chapters that explain every section of ASTM C 94/C94M, including background, scope, referenced documents, ordering information, materials, requirements for production, acceptance of concrete and much more. Authors: D. Gene Daniel and Colin L. Lobo. 160 Pages | Pub# 2PMNL49-14.

May 22, Free Webinar

Drivers' Hours of Service in the RMC Industry Free Webinar

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

May 27, Webinar

Soils 101

Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382

 

May 29, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion for DOTs, Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

June 3-5, Silver Spring, MD

Concrete Durability Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

June 5, Free Webinar

Overlays for Streets & Local Roads

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

June 10, Free Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete for Streets & Local Roads

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

June 11-12, Online Course

Designing Pervious Concrete Pavement for Municipal & Commercial Applications

Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382

 

June 13, Free Webinar

Winning Initial Streets & Roads Projects in Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

June 17, Webinar

Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans

Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382

 

June 18, Free Webinar

Backing Accident Prevention Program

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

June 19, Free Webinar

Utilizing MIT Research Results

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

June 23-26, Online Course

Concrete's Role in Sustainable Development

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

June 26, Free Webinar

SLR Concrete Construction & Repair Basics

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

July 7-10, Online Course

Building Green with Concrete

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

July 8, Webinar

Understanding Asphalt

Email: Brian Killingsworth, 830-438-2690

 

July 11, Webinar

Designing Concrete Parking Lots the Right Way!

Email: Amy Miller, 904-264-8850

 

July 15, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Elected Official Advocacy

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

July 29-30, Online Course

Designing Jointed Concrete Pavement for Streets and Parking Areas

Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382

 

July 30, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion & Advocacy Overview

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

August 4-7, Online Course

Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Structures

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

August 5, Free Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete for Streets & Local Roads

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

August 12-15, Silver Spring, MD

Plant Manager Certification Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

August 14, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Team Building & Situation Analysis

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

August 19, Webinar

Controlling Moisture in Concrete Slabs

Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382

 

August 20, Webinar

Recruiting & Hiring Top Performing Ready Mix Sales Reps

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

August 21, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion for DOTs, Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

September 8-10, Silver Spring, MD

Concrete Durability Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

September 10, Webinar

Re-Entrepreneuring: 7 Strategies for Rebuilding Your Business in the New Economy

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

September 12, Free Webinar

Winning Initial Streets & Roads Projects in Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

September 12, Webinar

Designing Concrete Parking Lots the Right Way!

Email: Amy Miller, 904-264-8850

 

October 7-10, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module I, "Concrete 101" - Technical/Product Knowledge

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

October 14, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Elected Official Advocacy

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

November 3-7, Silver Spring, MD

Annual Concrete Technologist Training and Certification Course "Short Course"

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

November 7, Webinar

Designing Concrete Parking Lots the Right Way!

Email: Amy Miller, 904-264-8850

 

November 18-20, Silver Spring, MD

The Effective RMC Supervisor - Silver Spring, MD

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

November 19, Webinar

Sales Performance Assessments and Review for Ready Mix Sales Managers

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

December 3-5, Phoenix

Environmental Professional Certification Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

December 9-12, Phoenix

Plant Manager Certification Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

December 16-18, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge - Understanding the Concrete Contractor's Business

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154