Webinar Archives

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Part of the Sustainable Structures Webinar Series: This one-hour program is intended for professional designers and engineers. The attributes of precast concrete will be presented, demonstrating how these qualities may be applied to the design and construction of safe and efficient storm shelter facilities. The versatility and resiliency of precast concrete will be further highlighted by a video demonstration, and a series of case studies.

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Concrete is the foundation for everything we build. Concrete is an integral part of homes, businesses, schools, offices, churches, roads, and bridges. The concrete industry is in need of people who aren't afraid of hard work. A career in the concrete industry not only pays well but gives individuals the chance to build something that will stand the test of time. Right now, there is a growing need for concrete contractors, equipment operators, ready mix concrete truck drivers and quality control personnel. #ConcreteTough is a Nebraska based workforce recruitment campaign that exposes youth to the concrete construction industry. This message is communicated through participating in various career fairs, concrete 101 programs, and presented to numerous schools on the different careers the concrete Industry offers. Attendees will learn ways that they can incorporate concrete career awareness into their own workforce recruitment efforts.

A short overview of the new Concrete Industry Management degree at South Dakota State University will also be included with this webinar.

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What is mass concrete? ACI 207.1R defines mass concrete as any volume of concrete with dimensions large enough to require that measures be taken to cope with the generation of heat from hydration of the cement and attendant volume change to minimize cracking. But how does one predict whether mass concrete problems will occur and what steps should be taken? This presentation will discuss how to identify mass concrete, ACI 301 requirements pertaining to it, and good construction practices.

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This presentation will focus on alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in concrete.  A brief background of the reaction mechanisms and ways to prevent the reaction will be covered.  The reliability of standard test methods, within the context of current standards (ASTM C1778 and AASHTO R80) will be highlighted. In addition, several current research projects and international efforts in the area will be highlighted. 

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Concrete is unique among building materials. Its formulation is highly influenced by its application. Design professionals and contractors have a greater influence on concrete formulation than they do with other building products. Concrete can be made stronger, lighter, more flowable, stiffer, less permeable, and even weaker depending on performance needs. No other building material is that versatile. This presentation will discuss how design and construction teams can implement ten simple strategies to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint today. The recommendations are listed broadly in order of priority, but not in order of impact reduction. All are important and should be implemented. In addition, the strategies are meant to achieve a lower carbon footprint without impacting other desired performance capabilities for the concrete.

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The performance life of asphalt surfaced parking lots can be extended by placing a bonded concrete layer on top of the existing asphalt. This technique has been used for many years for highway, street, and parking lot pavements but still engineers and owners are unfamiliar with the process. This session will cover the publication entitled the Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots and demonstrate the steps necessary to properly design and construct a concrete overlay.

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As computing power become faster and smaller it leads to advances in non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques for structural concrete condition assessment. We will explore some of the newest techniques in the market and discuss how they can be use on structures and construction projects. We will also review a practical approach to finding construction flaws such as honeycomb, void and cracking in new structures as well as scanning to map out corrosion damage in aging structures using many different Non-Destructive Testing techniques.

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This presentation reviews strength and serviceability problems in concrete parking structures. The effects of environmental exposure, vehicular loading, and deterioration will be discussed with an emphasis on key differences between buildings, parking structures, and bridges. Case histories will be provided to illustrate common problems, failures, and remediation methods. Precast concrete and cast-in-place systems will be discussed, including problems that occurred during construction. The presentation will include examples of changes that have occurred in the industry to enhance safety and long-term performance.

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As physical sites grow and expand, means and methods for property development become much more complex. With abbreviated construction schedules and significant liquidated damages, the ability to gain some control of the uncontrollable becomes essential. The earlier this process is recognized and integrated into the project, the better the chance for success. This presentation will address several ways to work with challenging construction sites using cement and concrete; delivering large projects to the owner on time, economically and sustainably.

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Contractors want concrete to be as workable as possible to facilitate placement and consolidation without compromising performance in the hardened state. Concrete producers strive to consistently deliver expected performance attributes. Yet, hydration of Portland cement leads to a change in fresh concrete properties immediately after batching, most notably with respect to mix slump or workability. In air-entrained concrete mixtures, furthermore, modified slump can lead to changes in air content, typically a reduction, and potential rejection of the load. Invariably, rejected loads result in loss of revenue and reduced profits for concrete producers. This presentation will discuss workability retention and the various methods traditionally used to manage it. Additionally, an innovative, new admixture is introduced that provides workability retention without the adverse effects of current practices.