NRMCA Sponsors Placer Day Event in Washington State

NRMCA's Pave Ahead and Build With Strength programs supported a Placer Day Event on June 20 in Seattle, reports Senior Director, Local Paving, Greg Halsted. Coordinated with the Washington Aggregates & Concrete Association (WACA) and held at the Cement Masons Local 528 Training Center at the South Seattle College Georgetown Campus, the interactive workshop attracted approximately 45 contractors, finishers, materials suppliers, designers, engineers and apprentices. The goal was to help concrete finisher crews and contractors effectively place and handle concrete mix designs featuring Portland-Limestone Cement (PLC) and other supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) through a hands-on format.

Attendees were able to watch concrete sections being placed and finished; understand what to look for; address common misconceptions; answer real concerns and establish best practices for working with blended cements.

"These types of in-person demonstrations highlight the cement and concrete industries’ support of the transition to lower carbon concrete mixes," Halsted said.

NRMCA Producer members Glacier Northwest (CalPortland Co.) and Stoneway Concrete each batched and delivered two 40’ × 4’ × 4” concrete evaluation sections (seen here) which were then placed, struck-off, leveled and floated by apprentices from Local 528. One section was a 100% Type IL (PLC) mix while the other was a Type IL mix with 50% slag cement. With the four sections placed at slightly different times, it was apparent that there were differences in setting time and workability among the mixes.

"Based on general interest, number of questions and positive comments, those in attendance learned a great deal from the opportunity to see for themselves how Type IL mixes behave," Halsted said.

The opportunity to work with PLC and SCMs, and discuss best management practices for placing and finishing was an excellent way to show concrete placement in action and educate attendees on the assistance and support available to them through NRMCA, WACA and industry members. Similar events are already being discussed for around the Northwest, he added.

For more information, contact Greg Halsted at ghalsted@nrmca.org or Patrick Matsche at pmatsche@nrmca.org.