Industry News

Webinar Covers Pervious Concrete Pavements

Friday, 19 October 2018 15:47

The International Society of Concrete Pavements and ACPA will present a 1.5-hour webinar describing the thickness design procedures and construction process for pervious concrete pavements.  The webinar will be presented tomorrow (Thur., Oct. 25) from noon to 1:30 (CDT) and 1:00 to 2:30 (EDT). 

The webinar will cover design considerations and the construction process, including the importance of subgrade, drainage layer and concrete pavement construction, along with how design assumptions are transferred into real life, real time construction steps.  The webinar will also cover how pervious concrete is batched, transported and placed, as well as state-of-the-art developments based on lessons learned from construction projects in the Pacific northwest.

Click here to learn more details, including discount pricing for ACPA members.  The webpage also includes a registration link on ACPA’s digital bookstore.

 

ACPA Presents QA/QC at Engineering Seminar

Tuesday, 16 October 2018 07:00

Gary Mitchell presented information about contractor QC and owner QA during a two-day airport engineering seminar held on Monday and Tuesday.  Mitchell was part of a panel discussion held Monday at the event, which was hosted by the University of Charlotte College of Engineering in partnership with the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the Carolinas Aviation Museum. 

The panel discussion covered industry methods and trends in concrete and included several presentations, followed by 30-40 minutes of Q&A and discussion.  Mitchell says the sold-out event included about 150 attendees, mostly design engineers, from across the eastern US.

The professional development event was held at the Carolinas Aviation Museum, home to the US Airways aircraft involved in the “Miracle on the Hudson,” which happened when Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and his crew safely guided a commercial airliner to an emergency water landing in the Hudson River in Jan. 2009.  The seminar took place with the aircraft as a backdrop, Gary says. 

 

Adam joins CP Tech Center and PCC Lab

Friday, 12 October 2018 19:43

John Adam, has joined the staff of the CP Tech Center as program manager. His new role has him managing the portland cement concrete laboratory in Iowa State University’s Town Engineering building. He also will participate in other programs at the CP Tech Center. 

Adam previously was Highway Division Director and Chief Engineer for the Iowa DOT in Ames. Prior to that, he was the DOT’s Statewide Operations Bureau Director. He also spent several years as Senior VP at Knight Engineering.

During his DOT tenure, he served on various AASHTO committees and subcommittees, including the Standing Committee on Highways. He brings to the CP Tech Center more than 30 years of experience in the design and delivery of transportation improvement projects. 

FHWA Video Covers Aggregates for Concrete Paving

Friday, 12 October 2018 14:34

This is our latest review of the four new videos produced as FHWA’s “Concrete Clip” series. 

This week, we’re showcasing the “Aggregates for Concrete Paving Mixtures” video, which provides a useful overview of aggregates and aggregate gradation.  The video starts with the role of aggregates in concrete mixtures, then discusses types (course and fine), and common sieve size used in concrete pavements.  The video describes aggregate characteristics, common sources, and the common specifications used for gradation and quality. 

With an eye on minimizing deleterious materials, the view also provides useful information about handling, proper perspectives on gradation and gradation limits (and the importance of understanding sieve analysis).  The video also includes covers mix proportions (including the Shilstone method) and optimized gradation using the Tarantula Curve (pioneered by Dr. Tyler Ley).  The video also steps through various AASHTO standard test methods used for testing aggregates to improve quality of the concrete mixture and finished pavement.  The video also provides details about manufactured lightweight aggregates, recycled aggregates, and other useful information.

This is an excellent information for new contractor company personnel, but is also a good refresher or overview for more experienced personnel in contractor companies, as well as other companies and organizations in the concrete pavement community.  The approx. 12-1/2 min. video is available in ACPA’s Concrete Pavement Channel, and of course, the FHWA’s “Concrete Clip Channel.”

ACPA Takes a Stand on Hours of Service

Wednesday, 10 October 2018 08:05

Earlier this year, ACPA’s Hours of Service (HOS) Task Force crafted and submitted a request for an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) driver hours of service (HOS) requirements. FMCSA published the ACPA request for exemption in the Federal Register (83 Fed. Reg. 45300), and in response to ACPA’s application, the FMCSA invited comments on the Regulations.gov website.

In general, ACPA’s petition seeks exemption for the concrete paving industry from:  The 30-minute break requirement (49 C.F.R. § 395), and the 12 hour daily on-duty limit on the short-haul exception ( 49 C.F.R. § 395.3(a)(3)(ii)). 

As the close of the comment period (at midnight last night), 28 comments were posted, with 17 coming from industry, including ACPA contractor members. ACPA was also able to garner support from AGC and ARTBA, which also posted comments. 

ACPA thanks the members and non-members, along with AGC and ARTBA officials, who submitted comments in support of this important exemption. ACPA also thanks the association’s HOS Task Force members for their guidance and support in developing the requested exemption.

 

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