Over the last several decades, there have been advancements in shotcrete technology and improvements in the equipment that have resulted in a material that is perfectly suited for more and more applications. While shotcrete virtually eliminates the forming process, it still offers the same structural characteristics as traditional cast-in-place walls. This means that projects using shotcrete are typically completed faster, which saves both time and money.
However to ensure you get the best finished product, you need to use a company that is experienced with the process as well as the proper equipment and skilled crews to place it. At The Conco Companies, we are proud to say we have all three – the experience, equipment and skilled nozzlemen - and our portfolio includes successfully completing a diverse range of projects using shotcrete. Common applications include shear walls, retaining walls, and architectural walls to slope pavement and soil nailing as well as sites with extreme operating environments such as hydroelectric plants along with many other uses. One project we are currently working on is providing shotcrete services for the new I-5NB HOV lane in Tacoma, WA. For this project, we are using a specialty shotcrete technique that involves carving a design on the shot-face of the retaining walls. To increase efficiency, our crews are doing all of the carving from lifts. This project is a perfect example of the cost-efficiency of shotcrete over traditional cast-in-place concrete as it is saving the project an enormous amount of both time and labor costs. On another new project in Portland, OR, Conco is providing a full range of concrete services including cost-effective shotcrete. The 14th & Glisan is a 16-story, mixed-use building. Among the scope of the job includes using shotcrete on a three-level below grade parking structure. Please visit our website for other shotcrete projects we have posted as well as those using our other services. Conco is one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offers a wide range of quality services and products. While we tackle projects both big and small, our experience includes providing the complete concrete package for the Levi’s Stadium along with other notable projects. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.
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Conco Reinforcing has been extremely busy over the last couple of years and our services have been employed on a number of different types of projects. From airports to mixed-use high-rises, public works, highway projects and others, our two fabrication plants and installation crews have remained hard at work.
One recent project from The Conco Companies includes providing a full range of concrete services for the new five-level Midfield Satellite Concourse North and the Baggage Optimization Project (BOP). This will be a large addition to LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). Along with providing concrete reinforcement, we are also providing concrete pumping, formwork and shotcrete. The Conco Companies also recently began work on the new Tacoma Convention Center Hotel in Tacoma, WA. For the $20 million mixed-use development, Conco services will include the concrete reinforcement along with concrete pumping, formwork, shotcrete and finishing. We were selected for the job due to our successful portfolio of big projects as well as our proven ability to handle aggressive deadlines. When finished, the high-rise will be the second tallest building in the city. Conco Reinforcing has also done a lot of highway work over the last couple of years including the $2,200,000 Highway I80/SR12 Separation Interchange in Cordelia, CA. Working with Viking Construction, the project was started in November 2014 and completed in 2016. Another project was the $6,700,000 Highway 4/I-5 Expansion in Stockton, CA with Brosamer & Wall that was also complete in 2016. This is just a few of the construction projects up and down the West Coast that have taken advantage of Conco’s premium concrete services. Our large resources and talented pool of employees allow us to successfully take on the most challenging projects. The Conco Companies are one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We got our start in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products. Since that time, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and Washington. The strength of concrete can be increased by a number of methods including using a higher grade of cement or a mineral admixture such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). It can also be strengthened by using a low water to cement ratio (W/C) as well as by using well-graded angular aggregates.
Adding more cement to the mix or reducing the ratio of water to cement in the cement paste are two of the easiest ways to strengthen concrete. “Every desirable physical property that you can measure will be adversely affected by adding more water,” so explains the Portland Cement Association. The strength of concrete is also influenced by the quality of raw materials, the ratio of coarse/fine aggregate, temperature, relative humidity, compaction of concrete and the curing process. The quality of the aggregate is recognized by the size, shape, texture and strength of the material and the coarse/fine aggregate ratio will determine the amount of water that is needed. When the amount of fine aggregate is increased in relation to the coarse aggregate, the aggregate surface increases and demands more water. This means the water/cement ratio is increased, which decreases the compressive strength of the concrete. The cement used in the mix should be stored under dry conditions and be manufactured using the most appropriate standards. Even the purity of the water used in the mix can have an effect on the strength of the concrete. Another factor that impacts strength is the compaction of concrete because if there is poor compaction of the plastic concrete; air is entrapped and reduces the strength of the concrete. If concrete contains 10% trapped air, it is estimated that the strength of the concrete can be affected by as much as 30 to 40%. Furthermore, to allow concrete to reach its maximum strength, concrete contractors take into account the air temperature, relative humidity and wind speeds at the time the concrete is poured and in the early curing period. Higher temperatures allow concrete to gain strength more quickly but the final strength is actually lower when hydration occurs at too fast of pace. It also sets up the danger of shrinkage and cracking. Newly placed concrete may be periodically ponded, sprayed, or misted with water or a membrane-forming curing compound or covered with curing sheets. At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products. Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. Sources: quora.com/What-are-some-ways-to-increase-the-strength-of-a-concrete cement.org/for-concrete-books-learning/concrete-technology/faqs theconstructor.org/concrete/factors-affecting-strength-of-concrete/6220/ While there are many applications in which lightweight concrete is the most appropriate choice so are there as many that require heavyweight concrete. Lightweight structural concrete is made using lightweight coarse aggregate and/or lightweight fine aggregate. It typically has a density of approximately 105 pounds per cubic foot as compared to that of normal concrete mixes that have a density of 150 pounds per cubic foot. A common use for lightweight concrete is to reduce the overall load or weight of an entire concrete structure such as on bridge decks, beams, slabs and walls of concrete structures.
Heavy natural aggregates or manufactured aggregates such as iron or lead shot are used to manufacture heavy concrete and offers a density in the range of 270 pounds per cubic foot. There are a number of applications where heavyweight concrete is used including underground garages, as counterweights, radiation shielding in medical or nuclear facilities, and offshore for ballasting in pipelines. Recently another reason for using heavyweight concrete is being implemented by the Crossrail track slab construction project in London, UK. The contractors are using a dense, heavyweight concrete as a sound barrier and to mitigate vibrations across a certain part of the track slab that runs underneath a business section near the Bond Street station. This particular section of track includes several recording studios that rest above it that do not wish to have any sound interfere with their work. The concrete mixture took 12 months to develop and included laboratory and plant trials. The end product contains “MagnaDense, which is an aggregate that is around twice as dense as normal aggregate.” Develop by LKAB Minerals, the natural aggregate is “manufactured from the iron oxide Magnetiteis and is formed of black ferrimagnetic natural iron oxide (Magnetite).” The Conco Companies’ mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in the Western United States and to bring expertise, experience and quality to each project. We continue to upgrade and expand facilities to better serve the growing market for public works projects, commercial, parking structures, educational, and other construction development. Sources: giatecscientific.com/knowledge-center/concrete-news/heavyweight-concrete-to-minimize-sounds-and-vibrations/ everything-about-concrete.com/lightweight-concrete.html Cement is the key ingredient in concrete, and as the Portland Cement Association (PCA) explains, portland cement is “the generic term for the type of cement used in virtually all concrete, just as stainless is a type of steel and sterling a type of silver.” To manufacture cement, lime, silica, alumina, iron and other materials are heated to extremely high temperatures that create marble-size balls or nodules called clinker. Next the clinker is ground up and mixed in with limestone and gypsum.
The production of cement accounts for 5 percent of manmade carbon dioxide emissions but the PCA reports that since the 1990s, the US cement industry has been “committed to minimizing emissions, waste, energy consumption, and the use of virgin raw materials. In addition concrete is a very durable product that is used to produce sustainable infrastructure that is resistant to damage from natural disasters and fire. Concrete structures are also more energy-efficient to heat and cool and concrete pavement has been shown to provide better fuel economy. The PCA cites the fact that the US cement industry employs nearly 13,800 workers and has an annual payroll of approximately $959 million. When concrete-related industries are included, the number of employees rises to 490,691 and the annual payroll is $22.5 billion. In California, The Conco Companies home base, the cement industry contributes $36.6 million to the state revenue and together the cement and concrete-related industries contribute $5.4 billion. Altogether there are 90 cement plants located in 33 states and every state in the continental US has distribution facilities. In California there are 10 plants and 11 terminals. In Washington State, another place where we provide concrete services, there are three plants and nine terminals. Please visit Conco’s website to learn about our concrete services and to get a look at many of our recent projects. The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services throughout the Western U.S. We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products and are now one of the foremost concrete contractors in the region. Our concrete services include commercial, educational, industrial and public works projects as well as parking structures. Source:cement.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/calif-statefacsht1_15-d2.pdf?sfvrsn=0 If you need the services of a concrete boom pump, did you know you can order it from one of the area’s leading commercial concrete contractors? On The Conco Companies’ website, we provide comprehensive instructions on what you need to know and what we need to know to ensure you get the best pump for your job. Some of the facts we need include the scope of the job and the particulars of the jobsite where the pump will be used. In turn, we let you know what to expect from us including the fact that all of our pump operators are ACPA certified as well as the terms of their work conditions.
At Conco, we recognize the trust our customers place in us when they turn to us for pumping services, which is the reason we approach each project as a partnership from concept right through to completion. To accommodate your project specifications, there are a few things we will need to know before we deliver a pump to your jobsite. Here are some examples of the information we require:
You will find the complete detailed instructions on our website and contact information. Our pumps need a minimum of ½ hour setup time and our large pumps or difficult setups can require additional time. We also have an updated version of the Conco Concrete Pumping Guide, which is a free app for all Android and iOS devices that shows you all of the pumps available for rent in your region. The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. and got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products. Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. We currently serve California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado. One of the big projects The Conco Companies recently provided a full range of concrete services for was the Salesforce Tower in downtown San Francisco. Now that the silvery curtain-wall panels have completely covered the outside of the 1,070-foot tall building, it can be seen for miles in and around San Francisco. This is probably not surprising as the peak of the building stands 200 feet taller than the city’s previously tallest building, the Transamerica Pyramid. The 61-story building consists of 900 feet of occupied space with spacious office floors that boast ceiling heights of almost 14 feet. The remaining 170 feet above the top floor of the building is mainly empty space but does house some mechanical equipment.
To get a feel for the size and beauty of the mostly completed building, visit the Salesforce Tower’s facebook page to see several newly posted videos and pictures. One interesting video from September 15th includes a conversation between the project’s developers, Executive Chairman of Boston Properties, Mortimer Zuckerman, and Gregory Hines, the Founder and Chairman of Hines. They discuss how the Salesforce Tower is destined to become the iconic San Francisco building and how the architect, César Pelli has created a building that is beautiful to look at on the outside and works wonderfully on the inside. There are also a couple of spectacular pictures of lightening striking the Tower during a recent storm in the Bay Area that the National Weather Service reported produced over 800 lightning strikes. Another picture is from the 34th floor of the building and provides an impressive view of the Bay Bridge. You will also find a picture of the solar ellipse alongside the skyscraper. Please visit The Conco Companies website to see a portfolio of many of the other remarkable projects we have had the honor to be a part. We pride ourselves on delivering quality work and have the reputation of bringing projects in on time and on budget. Conco is a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States. We have built our reputation with superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. Our concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects and highways. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) recently published a report in collaboration with the Guinness Book of World Records on the fastest elevators and the longest elevator run in skyscrapers. It evaluates elevators in commercial buildings from across the globe to determine the speed and the length of their run. The CTBUH has certified the Shanghai Tower, currently the world's second-tallest building at 632 meters tall (2,073′), takes the prize for both the “fastest elevator and the longest elevator run of all commercial buildings in the world.”
The Shanghai’s elevator has a speed of 20.5 meters per second and an elevator run of 578.55 meters (1898.13). The world’s second fastest elevator speed is in the CTF Finance Center in Guangzhou coming in at 20 meters per second followed by the Tapei 101 at 508 meters tall with a speed of 16.83 meters per second. The Ping An Finance Centre has the world’s second longest elevator run of 573.5 meters which is followed by the CTF Finance Center with a run of 516.7 meters. The Burj Khalifa has an elevator run of 504 meters. Out of the world’s five tallest buildings, four of them tie (the Burj Khalifa, Shanghai Tower, Ping An Finance, and Lotte World Tower) for the fastest double-decker elevator speeds of 10 meters per second. Here in the US, New York’s One World Trade Center has an elevator run of 1341 feet that goes deep into its basement. The Conco Companies have an extensive portfolio that includes providing concrete services on two of the West Coast’s tallest skyscrapers, the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles and the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. Please visit our website to view the many projects we have featured and contact us to see how we may assist you on your next project. The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States. Our experience includes constructing commercial, educational, healthcare, parking structures and other development as well as public works projects and highways. We currently serve the areas of Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Colorado. Source:ctbuh.org/Publications/CTBUHJournal/InNumbers/VerticalTransportationAscentAcceleration/tabid/7633/language/en-US/Default.aspx The Conco Companies initially started out as a concrete contractor but as our business expanded over the years, we have evolved into a full service provider to the construction industry. We now provide a range of “concrete solutions” to our customers as opposed to “concrete services,” and we have the resources and expertise to oversee the entire process.
The range of services we provide include rebar fabrication and installation, concrete pumping, formwork, shotcrete, cellular concrete, trucking, design/build, general contracting and turnkey solutions. By providing such a broad array of comprehensive solutions, it creates value to all those involved in the project and has given us many loyal customers. For many projects, we believe that design/build creates the best value for our client. When Conco has early input into the design process, it typically allows us to create a better finished product and at a lower cost. This is due to the fact that we have experience with multiple means and methods for constructing similar structures and understand their unique advantages and disadvantages. We also work with engineers that value our input and factor in constructability issues into their design process. Moreover given our decades in the industry, we have extensive local knowledge of the market and understand the capabilities of suppliers and costs associated with various alternatives. Another advantage to working with Conco is we are one of the few concrete contractors on the West Coast that services both concrete and rebar. This means there is no need for schedule coordination as we control the whole process, which results in less work stoppages and delays. Please visit our website to learn more about the professional concrete solutions offered by Conco. The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S and we got our start in the Bay Area in 1959. Our success has come from offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products and we are now one of the region’s top commercial concrete contractors. We serve California, Oregon, Washington Colorado, and Nevada. |
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