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IN THIS ISSUE:
NEWS LINKS
PROMOTIONS
ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS
ENGINEERING
OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
CALENDAR
NEWS LINKS
Inspired by examples of self-healing in nature, like skin and bones that heal their own damage and vines that repair themselves when broken or torn, scientists at the University of Michigan were determined to create a smarter building material. What they came up with is new a form of concrete that uses microfibers in the place of coarser bits of sand and gravel that traditional cement mix uses. The fibers allow the final composite to bend with minimal fracturing and if fracturing does occur, the cracks tend to be less than 50 microns wide.
Source: November 18 article by The Energy Collective. Read more.
Las Vegas revelers generate 500,000 empty beer bottles each weekend - a boon for Scott McCombs, founder of GreenStone. He's developed a building material made from a mix of recycled beer-bottle glass and fly ash that could become a sustainable substitute for concrete. GreenStone was used to build the facade of the Morrow Royal Pavilion in Las Vegas.
Source: AGC SmartBrief e-newsletter for November 21 which contained this November 19 article by the World Architecture News.
Quiz time: What is the world's oldest massive reinforced-concrete structure? According to a November 19 article in the Boston Business Journal, it's Harvard Stadium in Allston, MA, just outside Boston. The 109-year-old stadium used nearly 9,260 cubic yards of concrete and is one of only three athletic arenas in the country to be designated a National Historic Landmark – the other two being the Yale Bowl, built in 1914, and the Rose Bowl, built in 1922. But you knew that.
Source: AGC SmartBrief e-newsletter for November 21 which contained this November 19 article by the Boston Business Journal.
Earlier this month, 27 construction industry professionals and Pittsburg State University (PSU) students attended the Kansas Technology Center to become certified, and in some cases re-certified, as Grade 1 Field Testing Technicians. The workshop, which takes place twice a year and is sponsored by the American Concrete Institute, is part of PSU’s Kansas Center for Construction Advancement (KCCA), a program that aims to promote and enhance careers in construction. The KCCA mission includes working with K-12 and community college educators as well as professionals.
Source: A November 17 article in The Morning Sun. Read more.
PROMOTIONS
A project Success Story first reported in E-NEWS in June 2011 is now being used as a template for another successful concrete placement, this time in Southwestern Wisconsin, reports NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Jon Hansen. In early 2011, Tim Kieler with Bard Materials enlisted the help of Kevin McMullen with the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association to convert a street reconstruction in Platteville, WI. The rebuilding of Valley Road was the first major concrete paving project in Platteville in many years. Bard is now using the success of Valley Road to go after additional projects in Platteville and surrounding communities, Hansen said. Next month, Bard will host an informational meeting showcasing its partnership with the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association (click here to see the flyer).
"The practice of promoting success is a core element in moving local markets forward and falls into plan with the eight proven steps outlined in NRMCA's Streets and Local Roads Promotion Process from our Streets and Local Roads Webinar," Hansen said. "It is refreshing to see Tim, Kevin and their partnership in Wisconsin making it work."
For more information, contact Jon Hansen at jhansen@nrmca.org.
Nominations are now open for the NRMCA Promoter of the Year Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Promotion. Both awards will be presented at the association’s annual convention in San Antonio, TX, March 3-5, 2013. Nominees for Promoter of the Year must be current employees of NRMCA producer members. Nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award must be former employees of NRMCA member companies who are retired or deceased.
You can help industry promotion champions get deserved recognition by nominating them for these prestigious awards. The most recent award winners are Larry Gibbes of Argos USA (Promoter of the Year) and Peter Deem, retired from Holcim (Lifetime Achievement). The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, December 21.
More information and nomination forms are available here or by contacting NRMCA's Glenn Ochsenreiter at 1-888-846-7622, ext. 1140 or by e-mail, glenn@nrmca.org.
With December in our sights, it's time to turn your attention toward two of NRMCA's most popular - and informative - promotion-focused Webinars. The first is on ACI 330 and why it's widely considered the gold standard when it comes to parking lot design and the next is NRMCA's Concrete Pavement Analyst software. Two related Webinars designed to help your company take advantage of this market. To learn more and to access online registration links, see the links below or contact NRMCA's Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org.
ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS
The Manufacturers, Products & Services (MPS) Division of NRMCA is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2013 Concrete Cares Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions in community service by an NRMCA producer member company, are now being accepted. With ready mixed concrete plants in almost every community in America, NRMCA member companies are making a real difference. From Earth Day celebrations, to organized volunteering for Boys & Girls Clubs, local schools and recreation departments, to raising awareness for breast cancer screenings, ready mix producers are at work every day in their communities.
The Concrete Cares Award aims to recognize these efforts and shine a national spotlight on the positive impact ready mixed concrete companies have in hometowns across the nation. A donation, in the name of the selected honoree, will be made to the charity of the company's choice. The award will be presented at NRMCA’s Annual Convention to be held in March 2013 in San Antonio, TX, during the Association’s annual awards breakfast. All ready mixed concrete producers who are members of NRMCA are eligible for nomination.
To check past honorees and submit a nomination for consideration, please use the form found here and forward the nomination form and supporting materials to Kathleen Carr-Smith, senior vice president, membership and communications via e-mail at kcarrsmith@nrmca.org or mail to 900 Spring Street, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. Nominations must be received by January 7, 2013 for consideration.
Is your company celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2013? As NRMCA gears up to celebrate 100 years of ready mixed concrete in the U.S. in 2013, we want to highlight our members’ achievements as well. You can submit your 2013 milestone anniversaries to Kathleen Carr-Smith, senior vice president, membership & communications at kcarrsmith@nrmca.org. We’ll highlight our members in E-NEWS throughout next year.
ENGINEERING
The Fifth North American Conference on the Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC2013) is scheduled for May 12-15, 2013, at the Westin Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The conference has received over 170 abstracts by researchers, practitioners and world-renowned experts from 30 countries. They cover topics including SCC materials, design methodology, production, quality control, and property and performance evaluation. Scheduled presentations feature innovation and emerging technologies as well as the aesthetics and economic and environmental benefits of SCC. Papers will cover case studies that discuss successes of and lessons learned from SCC applications.
In conjunction with the SCC2013 conference, a workshop is scheduled on production, testing and evaluation of SCC on May 14, 2013, at the University of Illinois - Chicago. The aim of this workshop is to provide essential and practical tools for engineers to implement SCC technology in the field. During the workshop, participants will observe a ready mix truck discharging a well-designed ready mixed SCC mixture into an intricate formwork. Participants will also watch and/or run a wide range of tests that characterize the SCC mixture. Comparing test results from the difference mixtures, participants will be able to identify commonly seen problems in SCC mixtures and produce cost-effective, consistently high-quality SCC.
SCC 2013 is being organized by the Institute for Transportation at the Iowa State University and the Center for Advanced Cement Based Materials (ACBM). Visit the conference Web site for updated information on the conference and workshop.
OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR
The industry’s premier driver training program is online and totally self-directed so a supervisor or company trainer is not needed. Instead, NRMCA's Concrete Delivery Professional Certification (CDP) Program is lead by a voice-over instructor whose words are seen in subtitles that support drivers with reading or hearing difficulties. Its design allows mixer drivers access through NRMCA’s Web site at any time, using any internet connection.
Each lesson is just 20 minutes long so a learning module can fit between loads or can be spontaneously accessed on slow or bad weather days at the plant. Lessons also have a stop/start feature, making CDP participation adaptable to a driver’s ever-changing work schedule. For more support, CDP-Online directly coordinates with an optional textbook.
Exams are online as well, so the requirement for a third-party proctor has been eliminated, saving your company time and money. Finally, the price has not increased since its initial launch yet the material and delivery system are state-of-the-art. With producers’ need to have cost-effective skill reinforcement for their remaining driving pool, CDP Online gives your frontline representatives the advantage of being the most efficient, skilled and productive driving force representing your business.
For information, contact NRMCA’s Shawnita Dickens 1-888-84-NRMCA, ext. 1154 or by e-mail, sdickens@nrmca.org.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
NRMCA's November Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, December 4, is the complete four part driver training set of the It's Up to Us DVD series (Parts 1-4). While supplies last only, prepare your drivers for the winter training season by purchasing the complete driver training DVD series for half price.
This four part DVD series guides ready mix drivers on best management practices for safeguarding the environment. Part 1 explains what environmental regulations are and how following the rules impacts your business. Part 2 covers water and waste concrete: compliance procedures, how they affect the environment, alternative methods and an important definition of pH. Part 3 examines admixtures, chemicals and fuel, including identifying chemicals, the need to check for leaks, three simple fueling rules and who to call in the event of a spill. Part 4 examines how to minimize air pollution, dust and noise.
Order online today and receive 50% off. Regular member price is $280, Internet Special $140, plus shipping.
CALENDAR
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.
December 4, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part I
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
December 4-6, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 4-6, Orlando, FL
Environmental Professional Certification Course for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry
Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158
December 6, Las Vegas
Rocky Mountain Regional Work Plan Meeting
Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158
December 7, Webinar
ACI 330 R-08 - The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
December 11, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) Software
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
December 11, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part II
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
December 11-14, Denver
Plant Manager Certification Course *Sold Out
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 12, Silver Spring, MD
Atlantic Regional Work Plan Meeting
Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158
December 12-13, Doha, Qatar
International Concrete Technology Forum
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
2013
January 8, Webinar
Roller Compacted Concrete: Your Third Choice for Pavement
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
January 15, Webinar
The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
January 28-31, Online Course
Design of Concrete Pavements
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
February 5, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) Software
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
February 5, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part I
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
February 12, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part II
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
February 18-22, Sacramento, CA
Technical Short Course
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
February 19-21, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
February 20, Cleveland
Adopting Disaster Resilient Construction at the Local Level
Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535
February 25, Webinar
Controlling Moisture in Concrete Slabs
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 3-5, San Antonio, TX
NRMCA Annual Convention
Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158
March 5, Webinar
Roller Compacted Concrete: Your Third Choice for Pavement
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
March 7, Webinar
RCC: Intro to Design and Construction
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 11-14, Online Course
Building Green with Concrete
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 12, Webinar
The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
March 19, Webinar
Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 19-21, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module IV: Sales Fundamentals
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 20, Charlotte, NC
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems & Mixture Submittals
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
April 4, Baton Rouge, LA
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems & Mixture Submittals
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
April 8-11, Online Course
LCA of Concrete Structures
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
May 6-8, San Francisco
International Concrete Sustainability Conference
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
May 12-15, Chicago
Fifth North American Conference on Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete
May 20-23 Online Course
Pervious Concrete: A Stormwater Solution
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
June 11, Webinar
Concrete Overlays for Streets and Local Roads and Parking Lots
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
June 25, Webinar
Controlling Moisture in Concrete Slabs
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
August 11-15, Montreal
ISARC 2013: 30th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, Mining & Petroleum Industries
Email: Chantal Murphy, 514-939-2710, ext. 1309
August 27, Webinar
Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
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November 28, 2012
 
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