NRMCA e-news

Gatesnotes, the blog of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, recently discussed the role of materials such as concrete, steel and plastics and how they made modern life possible. He discusses these materials, and their role in the developing world, by way of a book review: Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization by historian Vaclav Smil. Smil argues that the most important man-made material is concrete.

"The most important material in terms of sheer mass is concrete," says Smil in a video interview that accompanies the blog. "To me, this is the most stunning number in the whole book,  that the Chinese poured into their buildings and roads and highways as much concrete in three years as the United States in one century."

"Concrete is the foundation (literally) for the massive expansion of urban areas of the past several decades, which has been a big factor in cutting the rate of extreme poverty in half since 1990." writes Gates. "In 1950, the world made roughly as much steel as cement (a key ingredient in concrete); by 2010, steel production had grown by a factor of 8, but cement had gone up by a factor of 25."

A completely new way of building concrete structures has been developed: Scientists at the Vienna University of Technology bend concrete with an air cushion, making complicated timber structures obsolete. This new construction method does not require any timber structures at all: a flat concrete slab hardens on the ground, and then an air cushion below the plate is inflated, bending the concrete and quickly forming a sustainable shell. Even large event halls could be built this way. In Vienna, a first experimental structure has now been built using the new method.

Here's the latest NewsLinks item highlighting concrete's unparalleled versatility when it comes to home construction. The concrete countertops in Eleanor Zuckerman’s San Francisco kitchen are handcrafted works of art, featuring colors like brick, flowing lines and pictures of nautilus shells. "With concrete, there is a lot of room for creativity, to say nothing of color," says Zuckerman, a retired psychologist. "It gives you flexibility."

Homeowners looking to spice up their kitchens can install a variety of countertops that go beyond the traditional laminate and tile. Today’s options include concrete and butcher-block-style wood, and a range of custom-designed colors and shapes. IceStone countertops use recycled glass from broken bottles.

The Kentucky Ready-Mixed Concrete Association (KRMCA) is offering to share its current ad campaign, free of charge, with other state associations. The print-ready, full-color ad slicks are available for download.  

Over the past few years, KRMCA has spent much of its time and effort on a public awareness campaign using billboards, radio advertising and an informational Web site that has been receiving 5,000 to 10,000 hits per month. But now the target audience has shifted. "This year we want to reach out to our lawmakers and decision makers and our focus is again on concrete pavement and disaster resilient concrete buildings," said KRMCA's Finley Messick.

As a result, KRMCA has begun a series of full page ads in The Lane Report, the premier business magazine in Kentucky. The monthly circulation of nearly 18,000 includes all state legislators, including the governor, as well as the most powerful business leaders in the state. "We are not trying to sell concrete," Messick added. "Rather, we are trying to create awareness about the many wonderful attributes concrete brings to the table to make a better state, city and county."

To date, KRMCA has run ads featuring Concrete Roads Save Money; Concrete Delivers Value, Curb Appeal and Reliability; Concrete Delivers Lower Costs and Improved Security; Concrete Delivers Free Pavement Design Assistance and Weather the Storm. "We have kept the ads very simple and clean with info from sources other than our industry such as MIT research and others. We want them factual and eye catching," Messick said.

Apparently they are very eye-catching, as Messick reports that they are experiencing a 30-35% spike in Web site visitors following each month’s ad run. The best part is that KRMCA is offering to share these ad slicks, free of charge, to other state associations. "We are happy to share these with the rest of the industry," said Messick. "We really just want to see the message carried to as many people as possible.

Driving from Las Vegas to Reno, Highway 95 runs through the center of Hawthorne, NV, where the Family Dollar retail chain and its close competitor, Dollar General, have both recently built new stores within blocks of each other. Both stores have concrete parking lots, reports NRMCA Vice President, National Resources, Jon Hansen.

"Here in the midst of desert and asphalt are these two new parking lots, both of them on property of NRMCA national clients who have a primary specification for concrete parking lots on all their projects," said Hansen, whose region includes Nevada. "Seeing these two projects close together in a very remote region of the U.S. shows the results of the consistent effort generated by the national resource directors at these and other national client headquarters."

Chloride Limits in Concrete is the new topic in NRMCA's Technology in Practice series (TIP 13). TIP 13 addresses the limits on internal chlorides in concrete as addressed in the Building Code, ACI 318. It discusses reasons for the limits, sources of internal chlorides, testing for chlorides and discusses the calculation of chloride content in concrete from the mixture ingredients.

The Technology in Practice series has been developed by the NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards (RES) Committee to serve as brief educational discussions for ready mixed concrete industry personnel (the CIP series is developed for customers and other users of concrete).

The RES Committee requests members and others to suggest to be addressed in the TIP series. Send suggestions to Colin Lobo or Karthik Obla. Click here to view and order TIPs or contact Jacques Jenkins.

The CP Road Map E-News is the newsletter of the Long-Term Plan for Concrete Pavement Research and Technology (CP Road Map), a national research plan developed and jointly implemented by the concrete pavement stakeholder community. The latest issue contains the following stories of interest to the ready mixed concrete industry:

• The June 2014 MAP brief describes recommendations for constructing concrete pavements with durable joints.

News from the Road

• A recent project in Minnesota tested drainage properties of fabric interlayers for unbonded concrete overlays.

• In a recent project, the Arizona DOT targeted economical concrete with performance specifications and pay factors.

• The Expanded Shale, Slate, and Clay institute recently released a report with recommendations for a road map for internally cured concrete pavements.

• The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation recently released a manual with recommended practices for preparing concrete surfaces prior to repairs and overlays.
 

Updates from the States: Pennsylvania

• Ongoing and completed research in Pennsylvania is addressing research needs outlined by the CP Road Map.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) will conduct a Webinar on Thursday, June 19, from 2 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern time that will focus on Transportation Research Circular E-C171: Durability of Concrete, which updated a 1999 circular. Participants must register in advance of the Webinar and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor or non-TRB Sustaining Affiliate employees. A certificate for 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be provided to attendees who register and attend the Webinar as an individual. Webinar presenters include Peter Taylor, National Concrete Pavement Technology Center; Paul Tennis, Portland Cement Association and Tom Van Dam, NCE. It will be moderated by Prashant Ram, Applied Technology, Inc.

Webinar Outline: PART 1: Materials selection and testing; PART 2: Proportioning and construction practices; PART 3: Specifications and case studies; PART 4: Question and answer session. The first 60 minutes will be for presentations and the final 30 minutes will be reserved for audience questions.

Click here for registration Information. For more information, contact Reggie Gillum at RGillum@nas.edu.

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. FMCSA’s proposal as it’s written, is unachievable in the ready mixed concrete industry. The effect of the rule on the industry would be very burdensome financially and logistically. As a result, NRMCA encourages member companies to submit comments in opposition to the "8 days in any 30-day period" provision contained in the rule and, instead, suggest that the short-haul exemption strictly be limited to distance driven (100 air miles) and not total hours on duty (12-hour threshold). The comment period ends next Thursday, June 26.

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) was established by Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, or EPCRA 313. Facilities that are covered under EPCRA 313 must complete a TRI chemical form for each TRI chemical for which they’ve exceeded an activity threshold. There are more than 600 chemicals and chemical categories on the TRI chemical list. If a facility exceeds an activity threshold for a chemical, AND they are in a "covered sector," AND they exceed the employee levels, it is required to submit a TRI report.

Completing the TRI forms is a two-step process: First, you determine if your facility is required to report to TRI and, if so, you determine which TRI chemicals you handle in your facility and then which of these you would need to report. Step 2 is the release and waste management reporting. This is the information that you would put on a TRI form. Note that a new requirement this year is that TRI reports must be submitted to the U.S. EPA electronically via EPA’s TRI-MEweb program; no paper submittals will be accepted. Remember, these reports are for the preceding calendar year’s activities. For the calendar year of 2013, TRI reports are due Tuesday, July 1, 2014.

Click here for more information on TRI. Click here to view EPA’s tutorial Webinar on how to use the required TRI-MEweb program. For more information, you may also contact NRMCA's Gary Mullings or Kevin Walgenbach.

The application form for the 2014 NRMCA National Mixer Driver Championship being held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 21, is now available. As with previous years, this year’s NRMCA National Mixer Driver Championship will be held during NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks & Board of Directors’ Meeting, this year located at the JW Marriott Indianapolis from September 21-23.

Application forms for the 2014 NRMCA Mixer Driver Championship are due by Tuesday, July 15. Accepted applicants will be notified shortly thereafter and official registration forms will be sent by e-mail. Applicants must complete the registration form and return it to NRMCA, along with the entry fee, by Friday, August 1. In early August, applicants will receive final instructions, including a map of the Challenge Course and reference materials for the written exam. Download the application form and driver schedule of events here. 

NRMCA is now seeking proposals for presentations at the 2015 International Concrete Sustainability Conference scheduled for May 11-13 at the Intercontinental Miami Hotel. The 10th annual conference will provide learning and networking opportunities on the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research, tools and solutions for sustainable concrete design, manufacturing and construction. Engineers, architects, public works officials, risk managers, material suppliers, researchers, academics, students, contractors and concrete industry professionals are invited to share their experiences and accomplishments in advancing sustainable development. Proposals for papers and/or presentations are encouraged on:

• Resilience

• Life Cycle Assessment

• Low Impact Development

• Material Science

• Social Responsibility

As in the past, all topics will be considered. However, since the conference is in Miami, one of the largest cities in North America that will be affected by climate change, the emphasis will be placed on proposals that address disaster resilience and durability as a way to help mitigate the devastating effects of natural and man made hazards, including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, earthquakes and blast.

Each year, as required by law, the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) submits a report to the President and Congress which addresses current issues and opportunities before the building industry. The report allows the building industry to express collectively the most pressing concerns and greatest prospects to advance the built environment. NIBS is inviting members of the building industry to identify challenges and opportunities, along with potential solutions for the 2014 report. Submissions are due by Thursday, July 15, and should highlight specific actions to be taken by the industry itself or policymakers, primarily at the federal level, but also how federal policy can help drive state and local policies.

NRMCA plans to submit input on the following areas:

• Life Cycle Economic, Health and Environmental Impacts of Community Disaster Resilience

• Life Cycle Economic and Environmental Impacts of Building Resilience

• National Standard for Disaster Resilient Design

• Life Cycle Economic and Environmental Impacts of Energy Efficient Buildings and Communities

• Economic Benefits of Disaster Mitigation (Disaster Resilience)

NRMCA’s recommendations to NIBS can be found at www.nrmca.org/resilience. NRMCA suggests members submit similar recommendations by clicking here and completing the form by July 15. Most of these topics are related to work being undertaken at the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub.

There are now 10.6 billion square feet of LEED green building projects across the globe, according to a U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) report. In the U.S., there are 17,434 certified commercial and institutional projects, representing 2.3 billion square feet, and another 4.4 billion square feet pursuing LEED but not yet certified. Moreover, all federal agencies requires their buildings be LEED certified to meet their sustainability demands. If your business wants to participate in the growing green marketplace, you will need to know the details of the LEED rating system and how concrete can be recognized for its strong environmental benefits for sustainable development.

Attend the online Webinar series, "Concrete’s Role in Sustainable Development" next week from June 23 - 26 and you will learn about the new requirements in LEEDv4 and comparisons to LEED2009. This course will help participants understand the new rating system that emphasize material transparency with EPDs, CSRs and HPDs and how your business can prepare for the transition. You’ll come away with a detailed understanding of the environmental attributes of concrete and how it can contribute to the green building movement.

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 June 9 - 13, please click here.

On Wednesday, June 11, the House Subcommittee on Water and Environment held its oversight hearing of EPA’s new Waters of the U.S. Rule – which will determine which waters are covered under the Clean Water Act and subject to federal permitting. At the hearing, Congressman Daniel Webster (FL-10) asked EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe key questions for the ready mixed concrete industry and his home state of Florida on behalf NRMCA. Webster asked Perciasepe how EPA planned to distinguish between "groundwater" – which is explicitly excluded from the rule – and a "shallow subsurface connection" – which is used to justify jurisdiction between other bodies of water in the rule. EPA did not have an answer for that question. Webster followed by asking whether introduction of pollutants to "shallow subsurface connections" would need a permit. Again, the deputy administrator was unable to answer the question.

 

Because concrete plants use settling basins, regulation of groundwater is a concern for the industry. Groundwater has historically been excluded from the scope of the Clean Water Act and is state, not federally, regulated. The concern with the new rule is the introduction of the use of "shallow subsurface connections" to justify jurisdiction, which could make groundwater subject to federal permitting.

The hearing can be found here (Webster’s questions are between 2:02:00 – 2:04:58). For more information, contact Elizabeth Fox.

Last week the House voted 272-144 to pass the America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014, a bill that makes permanent the longstanding Section 179 tax provision for small business expensing. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Patrick Tiberi (OH-12) and has 11 Republican and 6 Democratic cosponsors. The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.

The small business provision outlined in Section 179 of the tax code allows business owners to immediately deduct the cost of investments and upgrades in property, equipment and software instead of depreciating those costs over time. For tax years 2010 through 2013, the expensing limit for small businesses was $500,000. That expensing limitation expired at the end of last year, drastically dropping the limit for tax years after 2013 to $25,000. Under the House-passed provision, Section 179 of the tax code would become permanent at the 2013 level, giving small business owners greater opportunities to invest in their businesses.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Fox.

Last week, NRMCA hosted the 3rd RALLY for ROADS at Union Square at the U.S. Capitol to make the case for swift Congressional action to fix the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). The rally was designed to focus attention on the fiscal cliff facing the HTF. Without Congressional action, the HTF will be insolvent by mid-July. This year the rally was held in conjunction with the annual TCC Fly-In; both themes were "The Time is Now: Fix the Highway Trust Fund!" The rally brought together roughly 300 attendees from highway users, construction professionals, material and equipment suppliers and labor representatives to make our voices heard and let Congress know that in the absence of action highway projects will slow, some will stop and people will lose their jobs due to the uncertainty plaguing the nation’s surface transportation program.

Headlining the rally were congressional speakers from both chambers of the Senate and House, including: Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA), Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-03-WV), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Rodney Davis (R-13-IL), House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-04-OR), House Transportation & Infrastructure Highways & Transit Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-06-WI) and Ranking Member Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). Serving as master of ceremonies was former Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-At Large-MT).

In addition to NRMCA, a host of other organizations sponsored this important and timely event, including the American Highway Users Alliance, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Associated General Contractors of America, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Traffic Safety Services Association, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, International Safety Equipment Association, International Union of Operating Engineers, Laborers International Union of North America, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (co-chair along with NRMCA), Portland Cement Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

NRMCA thanks the association members who made the rally possible by attending the event or who donated equipment or resources. In coming weeks we will be uploading pictures from the event and the completed rally video to the RALLY for ROADS Web site.

For more information, please contact NRMCA’s Kerri Leininger at kleininger@nrmca.org.

NRMCA has launched 20-25 minute lessons on its new safety e-learning Web site. Available 24/7 from any computer, the first two lessons cover backing accident prevention for both rear and front discharge mixers. The program includes an automatic management record keeping system that not only lists proof of individual training but also measures learning, as preferred by insurance carriers and regulatory agencies. Watch the lessons’ preview clip and take advantage of the 50% off  special introductory price during the month of June. 

The next two online RMC-specific safety lessons will cover Lock Out/Tag Out; their release will be in September 2014.

The online safety lessons are generously funded by the Ready Mixed Concrete Research & Education Foundation.  

 

The Educational Activities Committee invites ready mix producers to submit their most innovative training initiatives of 2013-2014. Companies must submit their entries no later than Wednesday, July 30. The Innovation in Training Award winner will be recognized at NRMCA's ConcreteWorks to be held this fall in Indianapolis. Additionally, the producer’s program will be featured in a best-practices article in NRMCA's quarterly magazine, Concrete InFocus. MTSU's Concrete Institute Management faculty will serve as judges.

 

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 23, Webinar

Building the Customer Relationship... in the Post-Recession Economy

Email: Kimberly Pittmon, 240-485-1146

 

July 29-30, Online Course

Designing Jointed Concrete Pavement for Streets and Parking Areas

Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382

 

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, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion & Advocacy Overview

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 6-8, Ontario, CA

Ready Mixed Concrete Safety Course

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

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

 

October 15, Silver Spring, MD

Improving Concrete Quality

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

 

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