Concrete Overlay Provides Sustainable Solution

When the asphalt surface on Trapp Street in Herington, Kan., showed severe signs of distress, the city realized it was in dire need of a new pavement surface. 

City officials worked with HWS Consulting Group to submit an application for funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The original scope on the application was asphalt pavement patching, mill 1.5 inches of asphalt pavement and overlay with 3 inches of new asphalt.  However, after the project was selected for ARRA funding, the Missouri-Kansas Chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association worked with the City of Herington, HWS Consulting Group, Pavers Incorporated, and the Kansas Department of Transportation to design a 6-inch concrete overlay in lieu of the asphalt overlay. 

This solution was embraced by all parties and resulted in four of the bids coming in under the estimate.  Sustainable benefits of the project include the use of Kansas-based materials, a long service life, and low maintenance.

To illustrate the benefits of concrete overlay technology, the Missouri-Kansas American Concrete Pavement Association, Pavers, Inc., HWS Consultants, and the City of Herington sponsored an open house on July 27.  Approximately 80 engineers and transportation officials attended the open house to see for themselves the benefits of the concrete overlay.
Contact Michael Young

Charles Wiedenhoft, 1949-2010

Charles T. “Chuck” Wiedenhoft  passed away Tuesday, July 27, 2010, in Olathe, Kan. Wiedenhoft enjoyed a 38-year career in the cement industry, including the last eight years as president and chief operating officer for the Ash Grove Cement Company.

He began his career in the cement industry in 1972 as a process engineer with Dundee Cement Company, later acquired by Holnam and then Holcim (U.S.) Inc. He held positions of increasing responsibility with Holcim and was named vice president and technical director in 1991. He joined Ash Grove Cement Company in 1995 as senior vice president of manufacturing. He served on Ash Grove’s board of directors and also on the boards of industry associations such as PCA, the CTLGroup, and the Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition.

Wiedenhoft earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics in 1972 and an MBA in Operations Analysis in 1977 from the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio.  He attended the Harvard Business School’s Program for Management Development.

Ash Grove will celebrate his life at its Overland Park, Kan., headquarters on Monday, August 9 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Memorials in his honor are being established, including one with the University of Toledo College of Engineering, Toledo, Ohio.

PCA Members Meet with EPA Officials

On July 22 PCA members attended a meeting with EPA officials in Washington, DC to discuss the cement industry’s concern regarding several aspects of the agency’s proposed rule on “Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials That are Solid Waste” (75 Federal Register 31844).

Members focused on the petition process and legitimacy criteria, definition of “processing,” and EPA’s obligation under the Clean Air Act, among other issues.  Several senior-level EPA policy officials, both political appointees and career staff representing OSWER, RCRA, and OAR, attended the meeting, which PCA requested to provide member companies an opportunity to convey critical legal and technical concerns related to the proposed rule.  The PCA delegation was comprised of the association’s Energy and Environment Committee members led by Greg Mayes (TXI) .

PCA is in the process of finalizing comments on the proposed rule.  The comment period deadline is August 3, 2010.
Contact Ty Wilson

Interstate 385 Rehabilitation Project Completed Early

South Carolina Department of Transportation held a project completion ceremony for the Interstate 385 rehabilitation project in Laurens County on July 23.

The I-385 project is expected to be completed between July 23 and July 28. The contractor’s original completion date was August 15.

The I-385 rehabilitation project consisted of milling some of the existing asphalt interstate and replacing it with approximately 10 inches of high strength concrete.  The interstate was widened and the scope of this project also includes replacing a flyover bridge that connects I-26 westbound to I-385 northbound. 

An opening ceremony was held on July 23. Transportation Secretary H.B. Limehouse Jr.  presided and speakers included other state officials and various members of the General Assembly.

The ceremony was attended by several local media outlets and coverage included editorials in the Greenville News and on WYFF-TV (NBC) praising the SCDOT’s use of high-quality material and the early completion of the project.
Contact Lori Tiefenthaler

PCA Webinar Explores Concrete Mixture Designs

“Designing and Proportioning Normal Concrete Mixtures” will discuss both mix design and proportioning for normal concrete mixtures. PCA will offer the webinar on August 12, 12-1 pm CST.

Participants will have the ability to select mix characteristics based on the needs of the structure, recognize the benefit of proportioning from field data, and understand the process of proportioning by trial mixtures.

Upon completion of the webinar, registered participants will be emailed a copy of the presentation slides, a certificate for 0.1 CEU credit, and a PDF copy of  “Designing and Proportioning Normal Concrete Mixtures,” Chapter 9  of PCA’s Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 14th edition, EB001.

The cost of this one-hour webinar is $60. ($30 for PCA members; government officials; students and educators).
More information and register at www.cement.org

Skalko Elected President of ACCS

The Alliance for Concrete Codes and Standards (ACCS) elected Steve Skalko, PCA regional manager of codes, as its new president at their July 22 meeting in Chicago.  

The Alliance is committed to increasing the visibility of the organization within the construction industry and in the codes and standards development arena.  In addition, the Alliance serves as a forum to coordinate industry positions on code issues and provide a unified voice at code hearings on items of common interest.  Its current focus is on the many sustainability issues facing the concrete products industry in codes and standards such as the International Green Construction Code presently under development.

ACCS membership is comprised of national associations representing producers, manufacturers, distributors, or installers of concrete products having an interest in the development and maintenance of the provisions of building codes and reference standards that influence concrete products.  State, regional, and local associations, individual companies, and professional associations with similar interests also participate in ACCS.

Skalko joins the other officers, vice president Jim Baty, Concrete Foundation Association; treasurer Todd Hawkinson, Wire Reinforcing Institute; and secretary Neal Anderson, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, to lead the Alliance.
>Contact Steve Skalko

Roads and Bridges Insert Targets Engineers and Government Officials

As part of the paving advertising campaign, PCA has contracted for four 4-page inserts to go in a specially targeted demographic edition of Roads and Bridges.  These issues are sent to more than 27,000 consulting engineers and government officials at the city/municipal, township, county, state and federal levels.

The insert in the July 2010 issue of Roads and Bridges magazine focuses on the many concrete and cement-based solutions that enable decision-makers to address any paving challenge with a more cost-effective, durable and sustainable solution - even in applications where asphalt may have traditionally been thought to have had an advantage.

The insert is available in the PCA bookstore as a free PDF download. Printed quantities are also available. There is no charge for the insert, however shipping charges apply.
Download a free PDF and/or get free printed copies (plus S&H)

Free Webinar Explores Impact of EPA Fly Ash Proposal

Concrete Products will host the webinar “Coal Ash as Hazardous Waste? Concrete Industry Response to EPA Proposals” on August 19 at 2:00 pm ET.

During this free webinar officials from ready mixed concrete, precast concrete, and coal ash marketing groups will review the added costs, diminished sales prospects, and negative product perceptions ASTM C618-grade fly ash users will confront with either of two alternatives in the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule, “Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System; Identification and Listing of Special Wastes; Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities.

The webinar is designed to inform participants of fallout from the rule and appropriate responses individuals or groups can offer EPA during a public comment period, running through September 20.
Click here to register for the webinar