ACPA participated at the National Concrete Consortium (NC2) Spring 2019 meeting last week, gaining valuable insights on topics of interest to industry, academia, and the state highway agencies and the toll authority that make up the membership of NC2. In all, the event drew record attendance, with more than 200 attendees.

Eric Ferrebee, along with ACPA members and Chapter representatives, gathered in Denver to see the latest presentations and participate in discussions, organized around several themes, including materials; rapid repairs and early loadings; and fibers. 

Eric reported that some of the most relevant presentations included an update on performance engineered mixtures or PEM from Gordon Smith, CP Tech Center; fiber-reinforced concrete, along with a tool to determine recommended fiber dosages by Dr. Jeff Roesler (University of Illinois); formation factor testing by Dr. Jason Weiss (Oregon State university); Super Air Meter Testing and how to obtain consistent results by Dr. Tyler Ley (Oklahoma State University); and the use of slag cement in concrete by  Dr. Larry Sutter (Michigan Tech University).

“NC2 has a lot of very interesting presentations,” Eric says, adding, “These semi-annual meetings are  great opportunities for State highway and tollway authorities, industry, and academia to share concerns, perspectives, and interesting breakthroughs within the concrete pavement universe.”

The third day of the meeting included a tour of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Concrete, Geotechnical, and Structural Laboratory in Denver.  The lab provides concrete and geotech materials training, including a concrete & concrete repair school and concrete special inspector training.