Concrete has been the staple of sidewalks, but its tendency to crack as tree roots grow has some rethinking ways to improve walkability and safety. Nate Berg discusses some of these ideas in greater detail, looking at heated sidewalks, using them as a source of kinetic energy, making them glow in the dark and creating them from flexible rubber. 

High resistance, high performance concrete that can withstand a bomb blast has been developed by an engineering team at the University of Adelaide in Australia. The new concrete "possesses remarkable compressive and tensile properties, surpassing conventional concrete materials," according to this article. It "possess five times the ability of conventional concretes to withstand compressive force, 10 times the ability to withstand the tensile stress produced by stretching or pulling," explains Marc Howe.

From the Land Down Under, we take you another location in the Southern Hemisphere, Malaysia, where NRMCA Producer member Lafarge is aiming to build the cleanest concrete batch plant in the country. Just how clean is clean, you ask? So clean that trucks entering plant premises do not need to be washed before they exit the compound.

Last week, NRMCA vice presidents, national resources, Jon Hansen and Amy Miller represented NRMCA at the International Council of Shopping Centers' national show, RECON, attended by thousands of developers and owners, including many National Accounts. NRMCA's booth had three themes: overlays, an option for worn out asphalt; LED lighting synergy with concrete pavement and concrete pavements, an option an owner can’t afford not to have. Miller and Hansen said the show was a success, with many qualified leads received from booth visitors, primarily owners. NRMCA will be reviewing these leads and disseminating this information to state associations very soon.

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

If you’re like most of us, you probably don’t have enough time to read every e-mail you receive. As a result, you start to selectively push aside some, with every intention of coming back to read them when time allows. Unfortunately, that "time" seldom occurs. It is for this reason that NRMCA has developed News of Interest to Concrete Promoters – a bi-monthly roundup of what’s going on in the world of concrete promotion. "News of Interest is the Reader’s Digest version of NRMCA’s weekly E-NEWS with regard to all things promotion," says editor and senior national resource director Phil Kresge. "Every other month, we provide a collection of promotion news items in a quick-to-read format. Now you can stay abreast of the successes and the latest innovations in promotion with minimal time and effort." Although mostly a recap of previous E-NEWS items, News of Interest will also feature new items that every promoter can use.

News of Interest to Concrete Promoters is distributed to a select list of individuals who have expressed an interest in concrete promotion. If you have not received previous editions and would like to be added to the distribution list or you know someone who might benefit from receiving The News, simply send a note to Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org.

Two highly-successful Walk for Sustainability events were recently held to benefit the RMC Research & Education Foundation, raising almost $20,000 and helping to increase awareness of Foundation-funded sustainable development research projects and programs. Please click here to read more.

NRMCA is glad to announce a new publication: Improving Concrete Quality. Improved concrete quality has far reaching benefits, in improved performance, reduced time and costs, a lower environmental footprint of concrete and an overall improvement in the quality of concrete construction. While there are many books on concrete technology, it is hard to find a book that is focused on the subject of improving concrete quality. In addition, quality measurement is not prevalent in the concrete industry and, as a result, quality investment is not seen as generating a positive return.

This book discusses concrete quality measurement as well as the tangible and intangible benefits due to improved quality. The book suggests steps to measure and reduce variability due to concrete ingredient materials, manufacturing and testing, and thereby improve concrete quality. The book gets into basic statistics and how to use test data to improve quality. Doing a test and collecting data by itself is of little value unless data analysis and necessary corrective action are taken. The book addresses a number of topics that are of great interest, including how to identify poor testing, poor initial curing; how do identify abnormal material variation; how to control mixing water variation; improving batching accuracy; how to ensure ingredient material quality; elements of a quality management system; how to do a quality audit and tests a concrete producer should do.

This book will be of significant value to concrete producers who will come away with readily implementable steps to reduce variability and attain a more consistent product, thereby seeing performance benefits and cost savings. This book provides suggestions on how architects and engineers can ensure good quality concrete through their specifications. This book will help testing labs measure and improve testing quality. This book will assist cementitious and admixture suppliers better understand how their material variability affects concrete performance and thus can help reduce it.

NRMCA will host the August 12-15 Plant Manager Certification workshop in Silver Spring, MD (metro Washington, DC). This class not only serves producers, but specifically meets the Army Corp of Engineers' contract spec requirement for personnel who must be certified as part of awarded federal contracts. It is also a required class in the NRMCA Operations and Production Track in the STEPS program.

 

According to NRMCA’s Industry Data Survey, Operations and Production account for approximately 90% of producers’ expenses. Therefore, with your bottom line at stake, it has never been more important for your crew to be at the top of its game when it comes to efficiency and productivity. Whether your operations staff now manages more plants, is new to plant management and batching or has unplanned down time, the curriculum intensely covers product knowledge, plant safety, environmental regulations, plant operations and ready mixed industry business principles.

The only other 2014 Plant Manager Certification class will be December 9-12 in Phoenix.. Registration is also open for that class.

Registration for this year’s NRMCA Safety Course is now open. The upcoming course will take place 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. 

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, tomorrow, May 29, at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

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 19 - 23, please click here.

This is the year to come to DC. Federal transportation programs are facing a crisis. With MAP-21 set to expire September 30 and the Department of Transportation estimating that the Highway Trust Fund will run out of money as soon as July, there has never been a greater need for Congress to act. Join your industry allies in Washington on June 10-11 for the Transportation Construction Coalition's 2014 Legislative Fly-In and NRMCA’s RALLY for ROADS, the nation's largest transportation funding advocacy rally at 8:30 a.m. on June 11. You may register for the RALLY for ROADS now at www.RallyforRoads.org (registration is free)

Registration is also open for the TCC Fly-In. As in the past, a legislative briefing has been scheduled to update you on the latest congressional events; educational briefing packets have also been prepared for you to deliver to your congressional delegation. Buses will take you from the hotel to the U.S. Capitol for the rally on June 11.This year's meeting will be held at the Mayflower Renaissance Washington Hotel at 1127 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20036. Create your account and register for the TCC Fly-In by clicking here. 

New to the Rally for Roads? Click here to learn how the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is working to partner with industry representatives in pursuit of improving our nation’s highways and infrastructure. AEM will help to send you to Washington. It will cover $500 for the travel expenses associated with your fly-in. Don’t want the reimbursement? It will contribute $500 on your behalf to benefit Wounded Warriors.

To be eligible you must have: attended CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2014; participate in one of the above events and did not register for the 2013 TCC Fly-In, 2012 Rally for Roads, 2013 NAPA or NSSGA Fly-In; and reported on your experience on the Hill. Click here to learn more.

Thank you for your past support and we look forward to seeing you in June.

Last week the House and Senate both overwhelmingly passed the Conference Report to H.R. 3080, and S. 610 the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA). The report passed the House on Tuesday May 20, by a 412-4 vote and the Senate on Thursday, May 22, by a 91-7 vote. WRRDA both reforms and authorizes the programs of the Army Corps of Engineers’ 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, including NRMCA’s resilient construction language as included in Section 3022, and two directives in studies that were included in the Conference Report (Sec. 3023 and, Sec. 3024). 

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 17, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part 1 (Part 2 is June 24)

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

 

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 1, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement

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

 

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 6, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Program

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

 

August 6, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part 1 (Part 2 is August 13)

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

 

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 19, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement

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

 

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 9, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part 1 (Part 2 is September 16)

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

 

September 30, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement

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

 

September 30, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Program

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

 

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