Election Day is Tuesday November, 4. If you are looking for information on candidates, where to vote, how you request an absentee ballot or vote early - NRMCA Voice has updated voter resources for where you live. Simply enter your address at NRMCA Voice’s Voter Resources Page and get information on who is running for Federal and State offices, get information on campaigns and even register to vote.

 

A new study out of Northeastern University in Boston suggests that for a dense coastal city like Boston, a more immediate vulnerability than rising tides and storm surges associated with climate change may lie in collapsing concrete. Two researchers, civil engineer Matthew Eckelman and graduate student Mithun Saha, realized that new projections of rising temperatures might have implications for the lifespan of Boston’s concrete buildings and set out to calculate just what exactly those were.

If wind turbines stood 20 or 40 meters taller than they typically do today, they would produce more energy and possibly make wind energy economically viable in areas where it currently is not. An Iowa engineer says the solution to provide the necessary growth spurt is to switch from steel to concrete. Sri Sritharan of Iowa State University is developing a wind-turbine tower constructed of modular concrete blocks that can be assembled to any height and any width. He believes it would address one of the major factors now limiting the height of wind-turbine towers: the overhead clearance between highways and their overpasses.

Cincinnati motorist Rob Cassady recently wondered why one particular street was paved with asphalt, but the bus stops were placed with concrete. Why, he asked. Well, you know the answer, but here's what the city's main newspaper had to say. (Hint: concrete - it's a good thing.)

A contractor-lead roundtable discussion about concrete parking lots filled the room at the recent ASCC Annual Conference in Denver, reports NRMCA Vice President, National Resources, Jon Hansen. Leading the forum was Leonard Velasquez, president of SLV Quality Concrete in Monte Vista, CO. SLV Quality Concrete has been a leading concrete contractor in Colorado for decades with projects that included the first concrete overlay of an asphalt parking lot in the state more than 30 years ago to a recent project where it will install all ICF exterior walls for a new school project. Using the RMC Research & Education Foundation-funded Guide to Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots to make his case, Velasquez lead the packed room of contractors and other industry leader in a discussion that focused on the opportunities of overlaying existing asphalt parking lots as a key component to increase their business, Hansen said.

Others in attendance at the roundtable included Dr. Heather Brown with Middle Tennessee State University, Dave Mitchell with Bunyan Industries, Dave Gray with GCC Cement, Peter Deem, consultant to the American Concrete Pipe Association, and Ray Merlo, a concrete contractor from Michigan who constructed the large FedEx project in Medina, OH. Also in attendance were a number people who participated on the technical committee who wrote the above mentioned guide, Hansen added.
 

Roller-compacted concrete’s (RCC) durability and cost-savings made it the pavement of choice for the new Marion County Regional Institute of Technical Excellence parking lot in Kimball, TN. Using a innovative delivery system, the 1,500 cubic yard job was successfully completed in five days. The crew did not discharge the RCC directly from a ready mix truck into dump trucks that would deliver it, as is typical. Rather, the concrete was discharged from trucks onto a concrete slab and the contractor used a front-end loader to load the dump trucks. While the front-end loader filled the dump trucks, the ready mix trucks refilled the RCC pile with 50 to 60 cubic yards of material. The process prevented running out of material and there was little segregation because a well-graded material was used with the maximum size aggregate being only 0.5 inches when the proper mix was used.

Source: Portland Cement Association Executive Report e-newsletter. For more information, contact PCA's Roger Faulkner at rfaulkner@cement.org.

The NRMCA Roller-Compacted Concrete Task Force will hold a conference call on Thursday, November 20, at 2 p.m. Eastern time to discuss to discuss the progress on the proposed Ready Mix Producer’s Guide to Roller-Compacted Concrete. All interested NRMCA members are invited to participate.

This past Saturday, a group of NRMCA staff along with industry colleagues took advantage of a beautiful fall morning in the nation's capital by participating in the "Walk to End Alzheimer's" in honor of long-time NRMCA executive and concrete industry legend Richard Gaynor (1931-2014). You can view a slideshow of the walk. Please note that it's not too late to make contributions to team "Concrete Cures" by visiting the team's Web page.

For more information, contact NRMCA's Nicole Maher at nmaher@nrmca.org.

NRMCA is offering its information-packed, one-day course, Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems and Mixture Submittals, intended for concrete producers, contractors, engineers and testing labs on Wednesday, December 10, in Denver. Dealing with concrete specifications, troubleshooting low strength problems and ensuring proper mixture submittals can be expensive and time consuming. This one-day course will get into code and specification requirements (ACI 318, 301, ASTM C94) governing ready mixed concrete including exposure categories in the ACI Building Code 318-11. It will suggest specification revisions for all around benefits in performance and cost which is based on a specification guideline document. The guideline document is the result of review of numerous concrete specifications (Section 03300) belonging to large owners and has been reviewed and supported by the NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards Committee.

The course will cover the analysis of strength test results to identify causes for low strength problems and provide guidance to track compliance with specification requirements. Non-destructive testing techniques like the Rebound Hammer, core testing, evaluating core test results for acceptance and assignment of responsibility will be discussed. The course also provides necessary details required for an efficient concrete mixture submittal following the ACI 318 Flowchart for Selection of Concrete Mixtures.

Course instructors are Luke Snell, P.E., FACI, FASCE, Western Technologies and Karthik Obla, Ph.D., P.E., vice president, technical services, at NRMCA. Producers, contractors, engineers and testing labs will find the discussions on investigating low strength problems and specifications very helpful to address issues that impact partnering, project cost and schedule. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will earn 8 professional development hours, a certificate of completion and credits toward NRMCA’s STEPS program.

Click here for more information, registration options and staff contact.

A recent issue of the Concrete Bridge Views newsletter is now available online. Highlights include:

• Sustainable Bridges and Infrastructure (Part I of a two-part series), Julie Buffenbarger, FACI, LEED AP, Lafarge - The nation’s economy and quality of life require highway and roadway systems that provide a safe, reliable, efficient, and comfortable driving experience.
• Envision Emerges: A new way to track bridge sustainability available for owners, project teams - Emily B. Lorenz, P.E., LEED AP BD+C Envision,™ a rating system for sustainable infrastructure and developed by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), was first released for public comment in July 2011.
• Evaluating Sustainability with INVEST, Alexandra Oster, FHWA - For the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a sustainable approach to highways means helping decision makers make balanced choices among environmental, economic and social values - the triple bottom line of sustainability - that will benefit current and future road users.

This past April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule to drastically expand the jurisdiction of waters covered under the Clean Water Act (CWA). NRMCA has long been concerned about how expansion of the CWA would place an undue burden on ready mixed concrete operations, aggregate operations and new construction starts. This specific expansion of federal authority under the CWA holds unnecessary and overreaching regulatory implications that would adversely affect ready mixed concrete operations, such as washout pits, sedimentation ponds, settling basins and more.

The deadline for submitting comments in opposition to the "Waters of the U.S." proposal is Friday, November 14. NRMCA urges you to submit comments in opposition to the rule in order to protect ready mixed concrete operations from further, unnecessary regulatory burdens. Please click here to obtain template comments for your use. To submit finalized comments please click here. Or, for further information on submitting comments or to view the entire proposed rule, please click here.

NRMCA's Ready Mixed Concrete Delivery Professional Driver of the Year Award acknowledges the significant contribution of ready mixed concrete truck drivers to the growth and success of individual companies and the ready mixed concrete industry. As a salute to these key members of the concrete production and delivery team, the award recognizes the driver’s career achievement, safety, professionalism, competence and customer service skills in a manner that will enhance the industry and public image of the career Ready Mixed Concrete Delivery Professional. The 2015 Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Driver of the Year Award winner will be honored at an awards presentation ceremony at NRMCA’s Annual Convention in Orlando, FL, in March 2015. All nomination applications are due no later than December 31, 2014.

NRMCA's second free Green-Star Auditor Webinar is scheduled for this Thursday, October 30, from 2 – 3 p.m. Eastern time. This is a required Webinar to be an Accredited Green-Star Auditor. This Webinar explains the educational and work experience needed to be an Accredited Green-Star Auditor along with the continuing educational requirements to keep the certification. The Accredited Green-Star Auditor certification is valid for three years at which time the auditor must reapply. A few handy templates are covered to assist the company in starting Green-Star. At the conclusion of the Webinar, the attendee will understand the requirements to be an accredited Green-Star Auditor and the expectations that accompany certification.

 

NRMCA will host Plant Manager Certification twice this late fall and winter, December 9-12 in Phoenix and January 20-23 in Des Moines, IA. Registration is open for both. 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.

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.

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 October 20 - 24, please click here.

NRMCA is now accepting entries for its 2015 Kids Art Contest, sponsored by the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau. The theme for the contest is "Sustainability: The Future of Ready Mixed Concrete." The contest is open to children up to grade 12 who have a relationship to an NRMCA member. Entries will be divided into the following grade categories: pre-K - K; 1-3, 4-6 and 7-12. First, Second and Third place winners will be selected from each grade category. Prizes will be awarded in each grade category ($100 first, $50 second and $25 third place). Winners in each category will be announced at NRMCA’s Annual Convention, March 1-3, 2015 in Orlando. First place entries will be auctioned at the CONCRETEPAC Auction. Images of the winning entries will be used later in the year to create a 2016 NRMCA calendar; winners and the sponsoring members will receive a free copy of the calendar.

October 30, Free Webinar

Green-Star Auditor Certification

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

 

November 3-7, Silver Spring, MD *Sold Out

Annual Concrete Technologist Training and Certification Course "Short Course"

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

November 4, Free Webinar

How to Use the NRMCA Industry-Wide EPD and Benchmark Report

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

November 4, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete

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

 

November 5, Webinar

STEPS - A Long Term Career Tool for the RMC Industry

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

 

November 7, Webinar

Designing Concrete Parking Lots the Right Way!

Email: Amy Miller, 904-264-8850

 

November 11, Free Webinar

Roller-Compacted Concrete for Streets and Local Roads

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

November 11, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst

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

 

November 11, Free Webinar

How to Use the NRMCA Industry-Wide EPD and Benchmark Report

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

November 17, Webinar

Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete (Part I)

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

 

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

 

November 24, Webinar

Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete (Part II)

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

 

December 2-5, Austin, TX

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

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

 

December 2-5, Nashville, TN

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

Email: Darla Sparkman

 

December 3-5, Phoenix

Environmental Professional Certification Course

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

 

December 5, Free Webinar

Winning Initial Streets & Roads Projects in Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

December 9, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete

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

 

December 9, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion for DOTs, Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

December 9-12, Phoenix

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

December 10, Denver

Handling Concrete Specifications

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

 

December 15, Webinar

The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots

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

 

December 15, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst

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

 

December 16, Webinar

Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete (Part I)

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

 

December 23, Webinar

Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete (Part II)

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

 

2015

 

January 15, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Elected Official Advocacy

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

 

January 16, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion & Advocacy Overview

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

January 20-23, Des Moines, IA

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

January 22, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Team Building & Situation Analysis

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

February 9-13, Seattle

Regional Concrete Technologist Training and Certification Course "Short Course"

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

February 17-19, 2015, Silver Spring, MD

Dispatcher Training Forum

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

 

February 24-26, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module III: Business Skills Basics for Profit - General Business Knowledge

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

 

March 18, Webinar

STEPS - A Long Term Career Tool for the RMC Industry

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

 

March 31-April 2, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills Workshop - 24 hours

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

 

May, Location TBA

Concrete Durability Course

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168