The Portland Cement Association states that, “Slightly more than half of all low-rise buildings in the United States are constructed from concrete.” It is also the most common man-made material on the planet as well as the 2nd most consumed substance just behind water. The concrete industry is worth over $37 billion, employs over 2 million people in the U.S., and each year about 10 billion tons of concrete are produced.
Concrete is very strong and averages about 3,000 psi (lbs/square inch) with high-performance concrete reaching strengths of over 20,000 psi. While today’s concrete buildings are both strong and durable, they can also be the most economical to construct. ConcreteHelper.com lists a variety of other concrete facts such as the first person to contract and live in a precast concrete home was Thomas Edison. In addition, they cite the fact that the world’s largest concrete structure is the Three Gorges Dam located on the Yangtze River in China. It was built with approximately 21 million cubic yards (16 million cubic meters) of concrete. Furthermore, due to its color, concrete reflects 30 to 50% more light than asphalt and helps to reduce the temperature in large urban areas by as much as 7%. Also did you know that heavy trucks actually get up to 20% better mileage on concrete roads than those paved with asphalt? Concrete not only gets stronger as it ages, but concrete highways typically offer about twice the useful life as asphalt roads and can serve about 20 to 30 years before they need major repair. Asphalt generally lasts about eight to twelve years before resurfacing or major repairs are needed. Around 60 percent of the interstate system in the United States is concrete. Another interesting fact about concrete is that certain types of the material floats and is used to construct concrete canoes and boat docks. The weight of standard concrete is approximately 4,000 lbs. per cubic yard, while lightweight concrete weighs about 3,000 lbs. per cubic yard. Finally over 70% of the world’s population lives in structures that were built with at least some concrete. 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. Sources: cement.org/infrastructure/buildings-structures, concretehelper.com/concrete-facts/
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The University of Michigan is conducting an interesting study that involves developing a more durable concrete using raw acid mine drainage from abandoned mines in Northeast Pennsylvania. The research is focused on whether the impacted water, taken from boreholes in Solomon Creek, could be used in a “mixture for bendable concrete that can withstand four times the amount of pressure than regular concrete.”
Haoliang Wu, a Ph.D. student at the U of M, contacted the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) to get about 180 gallons of the water shipped to the university’s laboratory. The executive director of EPCAMR, Robert Hughes, says the research team wants to use the mind drainage in concrete to build roads, bridges and highways. He explains, “They don’t have any raw mine drainage in Michigan that meets the kind of chemistry and criteria that we have here in the water in Solomon Creek coming from the boreholes.” In addition the concrete will be tested to see if it can better protect against rusting and cracking. The EPCAMR is also excited to learn if the acid mine water is a good fit for the experimental concrete as it could lead to a new partnership with the university and a beneficial way to reuse mine drainage in Pennsylvania. A more durable concrete also means bridges and roads would have a greater lifespan and be more sustainable. Furthermore, Hughes is excited at the prospect that something such as the acid mine drainage that has been a pollutant for the area could be a reusable resource in the future. They have plenty of impacted waterways as over 5,500 miles of streams have had run-off from the mines and the group has been trying to find ways to clean up the polluted streams. 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. Sources:thetimes-tribune.com/news/local-acid-mine-drainage-helping-in-concrete-research-1.2182101, wnep.com/2017/04/20/power-to-save-acid-mine-drainage-to-concrete/ Extremely tall buildings over 600 meters (around 2,000 feet) have been designated as “megatall” by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). One example of a megatall skyscraper currently under construction is “The Tower,” which will surpass the 2,716 feet high Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building, by a “notch.” The Jeddah Tower is another mind-bogglingly megatall skyscraper that will reach the architectural height of 3,280 feet (1,000 meters, or one kilometer) tall, once it is completed in 2020. By 2020, The CTBUH predicts there will be at least eight such buildings internationally.
However a recent article from CNN Style asserts that the most likely trend for new skyscrapers in the future will not be “freakishly tall designs.” Rather they speculate that modern skyscrapers will be highly efficient, versatile building that “will be essential to cope with growing urban populations and keep cities running.” New energy efficient skyscrapers with carbon-neutral footprints are being called the “fifth generation” of skyscrapers by architects. These modern buildings feature things like “renewable energy generation, solar shading and double-skin facades with natural ventilation.” They also may have landscaped atriums, underground heat storage and water catchment systems as well as recycling, and linear induction elevators. Modern skyscrapers are being constructed with vertical urban farms and green areas along with facades and roofs used to generate electricity. One prime example of a skyscraper of the future is the Council House 2 (CH2) in Melbourne, Australia. As part of the city’s commitment to achieve zero emissions for the municipality by 2020, the CH2 office building was designed “to be a holistic system with its occupants as participants. The design follows a model that promotes a more interactive role between the city and nature, in which all parties depend on each other.” The building’s facades are nature inspired and help to moderate climate with tapered ventilation ducts that integrate day lighting. An undulating concrete floor plays a key role in the building’s heating and cooling system. The CH2 was the first commercial building to meet and exceed the Green Building Council of Australia’s six star rating. 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 entire cast-in-place concrete for the Wilshire Grand, the tallest building west of the Mississippi, along with other notable projects. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. Sources: cnn.com/2016/12/08/architecture/rise-of-glass-skyscrapers/index.html archdaily.com/395131/ch2-melbourne-city-council-house-2-designinc The American Concrete Institute along with the Women in Concrete Alliance will host a Workforce Innovation Summit at the Concrete Convention and Exposition on March 29th in Detroit, MI. According to the ACI, the symposium will address the critical question, “Do we have the right labor force for the jobs that will exist in 10 years?”
In the keynote session, the discussion will center on an “effective diversity strategy – what is working and what is hurting progress.” Attendees will get a better understanding of the type of actions that can help drive progress within organizations. There will also be roundtable forums led by Pam Jeffords, a partner at Mercer and a global expert on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Along with valuable commentary and insight from industry leaders, the morning session will deal with several important issues facing the concrete industry. Topics open to discussion include: Research update on the status of the industry; Talent acquisition and workforce retention; Opportunities for women; The future labor force; and Generational differences. Participants in the Workforce Innovation Summit will also have the opportunity to hear an update from Sefla Naomi Fuhrman regarding her recent doctoral research that “focused on women in nontraditional occupations, specifically the concrete-construction industry.” She will discuss the reasons why women’s participation in the industry is still so low and share some strategies that can help to address the shortage. In addition Sefla will provide some examples of support for women. The ACI and WICA explain that the summit is designed for all levels of the concrete industry and strongly encourage both men and women to attend. This is a free event but registration is required. Kimberly Kayler, WICA co-founder and an ACI Board of Director’s member says, “Building on the success of similar gatherings in South America, the Women in Concrete Alliance Steering Committee is excited to be able to host an event for the concrete industry that shares insight on today’s changing workforce.” She adds that the leading-edge speakers help to educate as well as provide practical guidance on how to thrive in today’s global workplace environment. 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. Prestressed, pretensioned and post-tensioned are methods used for reinforcing concrete. Experts define prestressed concrete as the process used to overcome concrete's natural weakness in tension by introducing internal stresses to counteract the tensile stresses encountered in service. “The stress is usually imposed by tendons of individual hard-drawn wires, cables of hard-drawn wires, or bars of high strength alloy steel.” Prestressed concrete is commonly used to produce beams, floors or bridges that require a longer span than would be safe with ordinary reinforced concrete, and may be pretensioned or post-tensioned.
Pretension concrete describes the process of tensioning the steel between anchorages or in a frame and then casting concrete around it. Once the concrete has sufficient strength the “tension is slowly released from the frame or anchorage to transfer the stress to the concrete to which the tendons have become bonded.” In the case of post-tensioned concrete, the concrete has preset ducts or sleeves that are designed to allow tendons to be threaded through them. The tendons are positioned before the concrete is placed. Once the concrete has sufficient strength the tendons are tensioned by portable jacks and anchored against the outer edges of the concrete. One high-profile problem that was solved by a complex post-tensioning fix was the San Francisco area’s Bay Bridge. The problem started when the anchor rods that secured the earthquake shock absorbers, known as shear keys, to the deck of the bridge failed. Since the failed rods were embedded in concrete and inaccessible, replacement was impossible. A team of experts, including Conco, designed and installed a complex series of steel saddles and post-tensioned jacket walls to provide the required clamping force required to secure the bridge deck framing to the E2 crossbeam. The Conco Companies have a reputation for expertly fabricating precision-engineered rebar and post-tension cable in our two state-of-the-art facilities. To meet the most exacting specification and demand, our plants are outfitted with modern shear lines, benders and post-tension cable manufacturing equipment. 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. Source:concreteconstruction.net/how-to/prestressed-pretensioned-and-post-tensioned-concrete_o?utm_source=krux&utm_medium=recommended-widget The Conco Companies have owned and operated one of the nation’s largest concrete pumping companies in the United States since 1975. Our broad experience means we have tackled a range of difficult, challenging projects which has helped us to develop the best cost-effective solutions for our clients.
One essential component that has a big impact on our pumping company’s success is our fleet of modern, state-of-the-art concrete pumps, Telebelts, and other ancillary equipment. With such an extensive fleet, it allows us to offer customers a wide range of placing options. In addition we have the ability to move a variety of materials efficiently and cost-effectively to save our customers both time and money. Our other biggest asset is our employees, who have played a large role in establishing Conco as a world-class company with an excellent work ethic that can be counted on to deliver superior finished products. From the top down, each member of our team is committed to providing clients with the highest quality professional job. Furthermore, all of our highly-trained pump operators are ACPA certified and we are proud of our excellent safety record. In addition we are proud union concrete contractors at both our California and Washington operations. Our unionize trade workers include some of the country’s most experienced and hard-working concrete pump operators, cement masons, iron workers laborers and carpenters in the industry. To attract and retain our talented workforce, we offer excellent union scale wages along with other above market benefits such as medical, life insurance and retirement benefits. We also offer workers paid time off and paid holidays along with other perks. Lastly by partnering with the trade unions, it means we all work as a team to provide our workers with up-to-date practical skills and training as well as important safety training. Please see our website to learn more about Conco’s concrete pumping company and our high-quality, reliable formwork, rebar, shotcrete, and professional design/build services. 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 Conco Companies are willing to train interns and/or graduates for the positions of Concrete Estimators at the East Bay Construction Company with satellite offices in Southern California and Seattle. The position’s primary responsibilities include preparing estimates, bids and schedules for commercial construction projects and to interpret the plans and specifications.
Along with developing estimates, our Concrete Estimators will perform Takeoffs and carefully evaluate quotes from subcontractors, vendors and suppliers. Duties will also include preparing RFI’s, and then overseeing the budgeting and financing of projects to ensure the submitted costs are accurate. Good communication skills are necessary as the job requires professionally interacting with the General Contractor throughout the bidding process as well as the entire construction phase. The person will assume an active role during the construction process, and as such, must be detailed oriented in all of their responsibilities. In addition candidates for the positions must have excellent written and verbal skills and be proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word. It is also beneficial to be proficient in On-Screen Takeoff software and AutoCAD, and any previous concrete estimating experience will be viewed favorably. Furthermore, any previous employment or internship experience with a construction company and/or general knowledge of the industry is a plus. Please visit our website for the complete job description of our Concrete Estimator positions and information on how to apply. You will also find a convenient downloadable job application. As one of the country’s leading commercial concrete contractors, Conco is an exciting, challenging place to work and offers employees lots of opportunities for career growth. 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. The Conco Companies are looking for the perfect candidate to fill our opening for a Formwork Design Engineer at our Kent, Washington location. The position is full-time and will support the Formwork General Superintendent, Project Superintendents, Project Managers and Project Engineers.
The job’s minimum qualifications include an Engineer in Training (EIT) certification and two years of structural design experience. In addition the EIT will be paired with a licensed Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer for training and mentoring purposes with the goal of attaining a Professional Engineering license. All applicants must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and computer literacy including experience with Microsoft Word and Excel. In addition it is to an applicant’s advantage to have some knowledge of AutoCAD and Revit as well as a general knowledge of the concrete industry. We require that the individual can work as a team in order to develop cost-effective shoring, reshoring and formwork systems for concrete structures. They will also be responsible for developing design formwork systems for walls, columns, pilasters and climbing formwork systems. The candidate must be able to manage design processes and to provide direction to the drafting staff. Duties also include assisting the Project Engineers with drafting RFI’s when required and other responsibilities as listed on our posting. You will find a downloadable application on our website along with information on where to send your completed application. The Conco Companies are one of the nation’s leading commercial concrete contractors, and as an employee, you will have the opportunity to be a part of many challenging and exciting projects. Also we are an equal opportunity employer and hiring decisions are made without regard to a person’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local EEO law. Please contact us if you need additional information. Conco’s 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. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. The Conco Companies are proud to be recently recognized by the American Subcontractors Association as one of the three finalists for the “Subcontractor of the Year” award at the 17th annual American Subcontractor Association Awards Gala. This prestigious event, held on November 17, 2016 at the Summit House in Fullerton, is intended to acknowledge and honor the achievements of companies as well as particular individuals in the construction industry.
In addition we were gratified to have our own Bob French recognized as one of the three finalists for the “Superintendent of the Year” award. The entire team at Conco sends out our own heartfelt congratulations to Bob and special thanks for his leadership and years of dedication and hard work for the company. Conco is extremely honored to be one of the recipients of the ASA’s Subcontractor of the Year award, and would like to thank the construction community and members of the ASA for their continued support and trust in our services. Furthermore, we are grateful for our great relationships with our trade partners, which we hope to continue for many years to come. Together with our clients and trade partners, we have not only broken world records but have continuously challenged our team to come up with innovative solutions and look forward to bringing that same work ethic and high standards to future projects. The American Subcontractors Association has been the place for subcontractors and suppliers to turn to as a source for information regarding government advocacy, the latest news, and announcements. As a national organization, it is committed to offering the best education, industry liaison, and representation before government entities. The Association works exclusively on behalf of its members. Conco’s 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. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. In a recent article from David Nicholson-Cole and published by CNN Style, he discusses the iconic “International Style" of skyscraper from the 20th century as “a prismatic glass surface wrapped around a central service core.” Nicholson-Cole explains that this type of skyscraper was first envisioned by a group of German architects, including Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, who fled to America during the 1920s and 30s. Some examples of early, dark glass-walled skyscrapers include the United Nation’s Building in 1952, the Lever House in 1954 and the Seagram Tower in 1958.
Now however, last century’s model of high-rise urban centers surrounded by suburban areas that people live and shop in is not considered “compatible with the land resources, population, energy, and transport requirements of 21st-century cities.” Today there is a demand for more energy-efficient skyscrapers and a move away from 20th century glass towers as well as a trend toward constructing more mixed-use tall buildings. In addition things like the Internet have changed the need for traditional office space as many more employees now work from home and communicate through video conferencing and virtual networks. Skyscrapers are being designed with large trading floors or multi-screen workstations as well as large, open spaces to meet and gather. Many new buildings offer landscaped “naturalized” interiors, sky gardens, and an array of energy-efficient features and have returned to large glazed windows set in insulated concrete walls. Another 21st century trend is toward mixed-use skyscrapers that not only contain office space but also have hotels, residential apartments, restaurants and entertainment venues, and even retail at ground level. Frequently underground parking is available. The trend toward mixed-use buildings is seen as a way to obtain income rentals from a variety of sources, and thus make the skyscraper less susceptible to inevitable economic swings. Many of The Conco Companies projects have been mixed-use high-rises including the soon to open Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles. The skyscraper is the tallest building west of the Mississippi and will offer a 900-room InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown hotel, cutting-edge restaurants, businesses, and attractive nightlife offerings and will add to the rich cultural and economic revival of Downtown. 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: cnn.com/2016/12/08/architecture/rise-of-glass-skyscrapers/index.html |
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