June 09 CI

june 2009 Vol. 31 No.
33 Dimensional Tolerance
Specification
37 Concrete Homes for
Disaster Victims
42 Protection Screens
CIRCLE READER CARD #2
June 2009 Vol. 31 No. 6
Formwork
33
37
42
Dimensional Tolerance Specification

The ICH perspective on tolerances for reinforced concrete construction
By Cristian Masana
Concrete Homes for Disaster Victims
Inflated forms bring shelter to rural landslide victims
By M.K. Hurd
Protection Screens
Making high-rise construction safer and easier
By Michael Schaeffer
ALSO FEATURING
43
26
ACI Student Fellowships, Scholarships for 2009-2010
30
Technical Committee Chairs Appointed
47
53
60
CLSM Containing Cement Kiln Dust

Field trials of controlled low-strength material for sustainable construction
By Mohamed Lachemi, Khandaker M.A. Hossain, Abdurrahmaan
Lotfy, Medhat Shehata, and Mustafa Sahmaran
Detecting the Fluid-to-Solid Transition in Cement Pastes
Comparing experimental and numerical techniques
By Gaurav Sant, Mukul Dehadrai, Dale Bentz, Pietro Lura, Chiara F.
Ferraris, Jeffrey W. Bullard, and Jason Weiss
Congratulations Long-Time Members of ACI
50
Concrete international
/ June 2009
June
Publisher
Ward R. Malisch, PE
(Ward.Malisch@concrete.org)
39
Editor-in-Chief
Rex C. Donahey, PE
(Rex.Donahey@concrete.org)
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Managing Editor
Keith A. Tosolt
(Keith.Tosolt@concrete.org)
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assistant EDITOR
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(Jaime.Novak-Fioritti@concrete.org)
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4
June 2009
/ Concrete international
Workers prepare formwork at the

72-story Legacy at Millennium Park
in Chicago, IL. For more information
on the project and the self-climbing
protection screens used to shield
workers from Chicagos harsh
climate, see the article starting
on p. 42. (Photo courtesy of
Doka GmbH)
7 Presidents Memo
8 On the Move
12 Calls for Papers
16 Industry Focus
19 News
23 Letters
62 Products & Practice
66 Special Products & Practice
Showcase
67 Meetings
68 Whats New, Whats Coming
69 Bookshelf
70 Standardization
71 Spanish Translation Synopses
72 Bulletin Board
73 Advertisers Index
74 Membership Application
75 Concrete Q&A
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Board of Direction
President
Florian G. Barth
Past President
Board Members
Thomas D. Verti
David Darwin
Luis E. Garca
June 2009
s Editor-in-Chief, its personally

rewarding to work with authors
with diverse backgrounds and
viewpoints. Its even more satisfying
when our authors works firmly
establish links among bits of
information that were, at least in my
mind, previously isolated. So I have
to make special mention of the article
Detecting the Fluid-to-Solid Transition
in Cement Pastes (p. 53). Using a
number of methods, the authors
have looked at setting behavior from
several perspectives and gained
insights that would not have been
apparent using only standard
techniques. Theyve highlighted a link
between setting behavior and flatwork
finishing that I think youll enjoy.
Its also greatly rewarding to be
able to observe and participate as
links are formed between organizations
and nations. Over the past two years,
representatives from Instituto del
Cemento y del Hormign de Chile
(ICH) have published a series of
articles in CI, providing the Chilean
perspective on various construction
issues. In this months CI, Cristian
Masana concludes the series with a
discussion of ICHs specification on
dimensional tolerances (p. 33). Ive
learned a lot from the authors of this
series, so Im particularly pleased
that ACI has honored ICH with the
Alfred E. Lindau Award for outstanding
contributions to reinforced concrete
design practice.
Finally, its heartwarming to see
how concrete construction can
provide humanitarian links to those
in need of sheltera need that links
us all (p. 37).
RCD
Directors
Ron Klemencic
Dennis C. Ahal
Colin L. Lobo
Emmanuel K. Attiogbe
Joseph C. Sanders
Claude Bdard
Michael J. Schneider
Ramn L. Carrasquillo
Andrea J. Schokker
Beverly A. Garnant
Kari L. Yuers
Charles S. Hanskat
Vice Presidents
Richard D. Stehly
Kenneth C. Hover
Technical Activities
Committee
Executive Vice President

William R. Tolley
Educational Activities
Committee
chair
David H. Sanders
secretary
chair
Cecil L. Jones
staff liaison
Certification Programs
Committee
chair
G. Terry Harris
staff liaison
Daniel W. Falconer
Richard F. Heitzmann
John W. Nehasil
Sergio M. Alcocer
David J. Bird
Kenneth B. Bondy
Chiara F. Ferraris
Ronald Janowiak
Michael E. Kreger
David A. Lange
Kevin A. MacDonald
Antonio Nanni
Hani H. Nassif
Michael Sprinkel
Pericles C. Stivaros
Richard P. Bohan
Darrell F. Elliot
Frances T. Griffith
Frank A. Kozeliski
Kimberly E. Kurtis
Thomas O. Malerk
John J. Myers
William E. Rushing Jr.
Andrea J. Schokker
David M. Suchorski
Kari L. Yuers
Ronald G. Burg
Kenneth Caubble
Mark A. Cheek
Terry C. Collins
Cesar A. Constantino
Jean-Franois Dufour
Frances T. Griffith
Colin L. Lobo
Thomas O. Malerk
Peter M. Maloney
Ed T. McGuire
Jon I. Mullarky
Roberto A. Nunez
William D. Palmer Jr.
Joseph E. Rottman
John J. Schemmel
ACI Staff
Executive Vice President: William R. Tolley (Bill.Tolley@concrete.org)
Certification and chapters:
John W. Nehasil,
Managing Director
(John.Nehasil@concrete.org)
Customer and member support:
Melinda G. Reynolds, Manager
(Melinda.Reynolds@concrete.org)
Engineering:
Daniel W. Falconer,
Managing Director
(Daniel.Falconer@concrete.org)
Finance and administration:
Donna G. Halstead,
Managing Director
(Donna.Halstead@concrete.org)
Publishing and event services:
Rene J. Lewis, Director
(Renee.Lewis@concrete.org)
Professional development:
Richard F. Heitzmann,
Managing Director
(Rich.Heitzmann@concrete.org)
Sales and membership:
Diane L. Baloh, Director
(Diane.Baloh@concrete.org)
Strategic Development Council/
Marketing, sales, and industry relations:
Douglas J. Sordyl,
Managing Director
(Douglas.Sordyl@concrete.org)
Technology, publishing, and events:
John C. Glumb,
Managing Director
(John.Glumb@concrete.org)
Sustaining Members
See pages 10-11 for a list of ACIs Sustaining Members.
To learn more about our sustaining members, go to the ACI Web site at
www.concrete.org/members/mem_sustaining.htm.
/ June 2009
A Sustainable Perspective
here is an old proverb

about three blind men who
are all standing next to an
elephant. One is at the tail and
describes the animal as thin
and wispy. One stands by the
trunk and claims the animal is
sinewy and flexible. The third
stands at the elephants
Florian G. Barth, ACI President
midsection and announces the
animal is stout and immovable. All three have reliable
data, but they will never agree about the true nature of
the subjectnot until they gain perspective.
What a difference perspective makes. As specifiers,
constructors, producers, and consumers of concrete goods,
we all want to use materials efficiently and with a view toward
environmental sensitivity and longevity. Yet, the public
sees concrete structures as nothing more than the cement
they contain. By isolating a single component, this limited
perspective distorts the truthful picture. Combining our
collective knowledge and considering the life-cycle
benefits of concrete gives us the platform to evaluate the
true environmental profile of concrete structures.
Without a doubt, the building industry is not only
working actively to reduce the carbon footprint of
concrete components, but also to improve a buildings
environmental impact during its life cycle. One step
toward appreciably reducing the carbon footprint of
buildings is finding effective methods to save and store
energy. As a building material, concrete functions similar
to a solar panel: it acts as a solar collector and temporary
storage facility at the same time. The thermal mass
properties of concrete, when applied effectively, are second
to none among structural framing materials. Successful
application of green construction incorporates this feature to
minimize operational heat energy consumption. In addition,
concrete has received the highest marks in a recent survey
on durability and building longevity. When asked about
concretes contribution to green building and sustainable
development in the PCA-NRMCA Specifiers Survey
conducted April 2009, the largest proportion of respondents
gave concrete the highest rating.
Although I have made sustainability the most prominent
issue on my agenda as President, Im not the first to
introduce this subject to the ACI community. Past Presidents
Tom Verti, Dave Darwin, and Luis Garca actively paved
the way for this issue to be addressed. ACI is committed

to expanding the industrys sustainability knowledge. ACI
Committee 130, Sustainability of Concrete, is at work creating
a guide that will relay current data regarding concretes
environmental benefits and limitations and offer guidance
on best practices using todays understanding of the subject.
In 2001, ACI became a member of the USGBC, whose mission
statement is to make green buildings available to everyone
within a generation. Our 2008 Strategic Plan placed
sustainability at the forefront of our agenda, and in that
same year, we called for action and requested that over
120 technical committees review their documents to
incorporate the sustainability perspective as appropriate.
During the ACI Spring convention in San Antonio, a 1-day
USGBC LEED workshop for new construction was offered.
A workshop on sustainability is scheduled for the fall
convention in New Orleans, sponsored by ACI Committee
130 and the Board Task Group on Sustainable Development.
My personal commitment inspired me to engage in
extensive talks with other industry leaders to search for
common ground and advanced, unified thinking about
sustainability. I am pleased to announce that in April a
number of concrete-related organizations, including ACI,
formed the Joint Sustainability Initiative and signed the
Joint Declaration of Industry Vision for a Sustainable
Future. This declaration centers on the social values
provided by concrete structures and aims to enhance the
responsible, effective, and sustainable use of concrete. Aris
Papadopoulos, Vice Chair of PCA, guiding this effort, noted
during the signing: Today we are announcing a new way
of thinking that will open channels of communications to
involve and engage all industry segments.
Clearly, concrete-related industries can lead the way
toward the goal of sustainable, efficient buildings
throughout the world. As a technical society, we are
committed to disseminating consensus-filtered information
on concrete as it relates to sustainability. It is my hope
that, unlike the characters in the proverb, we maintain
and help others to achievethe complete perspective on
concrete sustainability.
Florian G. Barth
fb@florian.com
/ June 2009
ACI has added two Staff Engineers. Khaled Nahlawi

previously served as a Project Engineer at Giffels, Southfield, MI. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at
Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI,
lecturing undergraduate and graduate students on reinforced
and prestressed concrete design and structural analysis.
He has authored several publications and received the
Haller Award in 1993 from The Masonry Society. Nahlawi
received a BSCE from Damascus University, and an MSCE
(construction engineering and management) and PhD in
civil engineering (structures) from the University of
Michigan. Gregory M. Zeisler recently served as a
Structural Design Engineer for Durrant, Inc., Madison, WI,
and spent several years prior to that with Walker Parking
Consultants, Inc., Indianapolis, IN. He received BS degrees
in mechanical engineering and civil engineering from the
University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He received an MS in
civil engineering, with an emphasis in structural engineering,
from Purdue University.
Brian Miller has been named Managing Director of
Business Development for the Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute (PCI), a newly created position that
brings together duties and responsibilities from several
departments. Miller will be handling all marketing and
communications programs for both internal and external
activities, as well as membership functions, events, and
communications with regional affiliates. He will also
continue to coordinate PCIs business and operationalplanning activities and to serve on the Staff Technical
Team. He joined PCI in January 2007 as Director of
engineering and technology.
Vilas S. Mujumdar, FACI, has recently retired from his
post as Program Director, Engineering Research Centers,
Division of Engineering Education and Centers, Directorate
for Engineering, National Science Foundation.
The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
(NRMCA) recently announced staff changes. Jon Hansen
has been promoted to Senior Director, National
Resources, for the North Central Region. The promotion
recognizes his efforts in general promotion, particularly
for expanding the Associations National Accounts
Program. He is part of a six-person NRMCA national
resource director team that seeks to expand the use of
ready mixed concrete throughout the U.S. by, among
other methods, developing contacts at large national
companies that are major users of construction materials.
He is based in Iowa and is primarily responsible for
june 2009
Nahlawi
Zeisler
much of the
Midwest, though
he works closely
with each of his
colleagues on
accounts that
cross regional
boundaries. Tom
Carter has been
Baant
Shah
named Senior
Vice President
of Government Affairs. He comes to NRMCA with
extensive trade association and construction industry
experience, most recently as Managing Director for
retail sustainability for the American Chemistry Council.
He also had an 11-year tenure at the Portland Cement
Association as Staff Vice President of Environment,
Health, and Safety, where he focused on issues of
concern to the U.S. portland cement and ready mixed
concrete industries, including air quality, climate
change, and sustainability. He received both a BS in
business administration and a law degree from the
University of North Carolina.
Honors and Awards
Zdenek P. Baant, McCormick Institute Professor and

Walter P. Murphy Professor of Civil Engineering and
Materials Science at Northwestern University, was
awarded the Nadai Medal of the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) at the Annual Convention
in Boston, where he also delivered the 2008 Nadai
Lecture. The medal is the highest honor in materials
research from ASME. He was also recently awarded the
Exner Medal, the highest nongovernmental award in
science and engineering in Austria; inducted as a Fellow of
the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and elected
as a Foreign Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering
of Spain, his eighth national academy membership.
Surendra P. Shah, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Civil
Engineering and Director of the Center for Advanced
Cement-Based Materials, has been named a Fellow of the
Indian National Academy of Engineering. He was honored
for his diligent work in promoting research in cement and
concrete technology worldwide. He has been interacting
and working with Indian researchers for about a decade
and has given keynote lectures at many conferences
held in India. He also served as an Honorary Professor at
the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai under a
Fulbright Award.
are the foundation of our success.

To provide additional exposure to ACI Sustaining Members,
Concrete International includes a 1/3-page member profile and a listing
of all Sustaining Member organizations. All Sustaining Members receive
the 1/3-page profile section on a rotating basis.
ACS Manufacturing Corporation
IDRA SA
ALJANS
Keystone Structural Concrete, Ltd.
Ash Grove Cement Company
Kleinfelder
Ashford Formula
Lafarge North America
Baker Concrete Construction, Inc.
Lehigh Cement Co.
BASF Admixtures, Inc.
Lithko Contracting, Inc.
BCS
Meadow Burke
Boral Material Technologies, Inc.
W. R. Meadows, Inc.
Bray Structures LCC
Metromont Corporation
Buzzi Unicem USA
Municipal Testing Lab
Cantera Concrete Company
Nox-Crete Products Group
Ceco Concrete Construction
OMYA Canada, Inc.
Cemex Inc.
Operating Engineers Training Trust
CHRYSO-ProMix Technologies
Oztec
Commercial Contracting Corporation
PNA Construction Technologies, Inc.
Concrete Engineering Specialists
Portland Cement Association
Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
CTLGroup
Propex Concrete Systems
Dayton Superior
Ruentex Group
e-construct
LM Scofield
The Euclid Chemical Co.
Seretta Construction, Inc.
Expanded Shale, Clay & Slate Institute
Sika Corp.
FGC, Inc.
Structural Group
Fibercon International, Inc.
Structural Services, Inc.
Francis Harvey & Sons
Triad Engineering, Inc.
Future Tech Consultants
Tru Wall Concrete, Inc.
S.K. Ghosh Associates, Inc.
Unibeton Readymix
W.R. Grace & Co.
Universal Concrete Products, Ltd., Co.
Headwaters Resources, Inc.
Wacker Neuson
Holcim (US) Inc.
Webcor Concrete
ICS Penetron
Westroc, Inc.
A spin-off company of MBLC

(general contracting company
established in 1931), BCS emerged as
the prominent ready mixed concrete
supplier in western Saudi Arabia,
providing concrete solutions to its
diverse customers with annual
production exceeding 1.3 million m3
of concrete through five batch plants.
Up to 100 MPa HPC and SCC is
produced in extreme hot weather
and used in high-profile projects.
BCS is the sole supplier of
concrete to the Abraj Al Bait project
(1.6 million m3). Upon completion,
this complex will stand as the second
tallest building, tallest and largest
hotel, and largest building with
largest floor area in the world
(1.5 million m2 of floor-space). BCS is
involved in several other prestigious
projects including Aljamarat Bridge
(1.2 million m3), King Abdullah
Economic City, and the University
of Science and Technology.
BCS employs about 50% and 100%
of ACI-certified field and lab technicians,
respectively, in Saudi Arabia.
Through continual professional
development of human resources,
upgrading of technical capabilities,
and adoption of sustainable practices,
BCS is striving to remain on the
cutting edge of concrete technology
in the region.
To learn more about BCS, please
visit their Web site at www.bcs.com.sa
or call +966 26993060.
To learn more about our sustaining members, visit our Web site at www.concrete.org/members/mem_sustaining.htm
Grace Construction Products

(www.graceconstruction.com) is a
global leader in developing and
marketing products for the construction
industry, with more than 1900
employees in 125 locations throughout the world and customers in over
40 countries.
Grace is a provider of technically
superior concrete admixtures, fibers,
surface treatments, and liquid
pigments that make concrete stronger,
longer lasting, crack resistant,
aesthetically pleasing, and cost efficient.
The company also manufactures
cement processing additives; concrete
masonry products; air and vapor
barriers; roofing underlayments;
self-adhered window, door, and deck
flashings; structural waterproofing
systems; and fire protection products.
Grace is known for innovation in
product development and technology
as well as world-class technical
services, facilities, and staff. Graces
quality construction materials can be
found in nearly every major project
around the globe, from The White
House to the Pentagon, the Library of
Congress to the Smithsonian, the
London Underground to the Bank
of China in Hong Kong, and the
infrastructures of the Middle East
and Eastern Europe.
To learn more about Grace
Construction Products, please visit
their Web site at www.grace
construction.com.
Operating coast to coast, Headwaters

Resources is the nations leading
marketer of coal combustion products.
These products, principally fly ash
and bottom ash, are marketed for
numerous applications in the building
products industries. Headwaters
specializes in serving ready mixed
concrete producers, structural fill
contractors, and a variety of building
products manufacturers. Headwaters
Resources has invested heavily in
terminals and transportation equipment to provide reliable service to fly
ash purchasers. Headwaters has also
developed an array of innovative
products that use high volumes of fly
ash, including aerated concrete and a
complete line of mortars, stuccos,
blocks, bricks, and pavers.
To learn more about Headwaters
Resources, please visit their Web site
at www.flyash.com or call 801-984-9400.
With a culture that thrives on

challenges and takes pride in the
success of its co-workers and clients,
Baker has become an industry leader
that goes beyond the expected.
Whether its one of the nations
premier stadiums or a Department of
Energy power-generation project,
Bakers professional teams bring the
same drive, enthusiasm, and innovative
spirit to every project.
Headquartered in Monroe, OH,
and with regional operations in
Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Miami,
Denver, and Phoenix, Baker operates
throughout the United States and the
Caribbean, offering a full spectrum of
concrete construction and related
services, from preconstruction
through completion.
Baker is in the business of creating
structures and relationships that are
built to last. In addition to superior
workmanship delivered with an eye
toward safety, quality, and efficiency,
Baker offers clients a partnership
based on integrity and trust. Delivering
the highest caliber of performance,
diverse expertise, and extensive
capabilities, Bakers clients can
expect more with every project.
To learn more about Baker,
please visit their Web site at
www.bakerconcrete.com.
How I Spiced up my
Concrete
Meeting: Technical session on How

I Spiced up My Concrete at the ACI
Fall 2009 Convention, November 8-12,
2009, New Orleans, LA.
Solicited: Authors are encouraged to
submit an abstract related to various
ways they have spiced up their
concrete with innovations in research,
design, materials, and construction
methods. The Technical Program
Committee for the ACI Fall 2009
Convention will select the papers to
be presented at the technical session.
The authors of the selected abstracts
will be invited to submit a full paper that
will be peer reviewed for publication.
Requirements: 1) Paper title;
2) author/speaker name(s), title,
organization, address, telephone, fax,
and e-mail; and 3) a one-page abstract.
Deadline: Abstracts are due by
June 15, 2009.
Send to: Subhash Kulkarni, e-mail:
kcapc@aol.com; telephone: (504)
887-3100; or Jesse Hemeter, e-mail:
jesse.hemeter@wsnelson.com;
telephone: (504) 593-5303.
Errors in Design and

Construction
Meeting: Technical session on

Errors in the Design and Construction
of Concrete StructuresExamples,
Consequences, and Mitigation at the
ACI Spring 2010 Convention, March 2125, 2010, Chicago, IL; sponsored by
ACI Committee 348, Structural Safety,
and cosponsored by ACI Committee
345, Concrete Bridge Construction,
Maintenance, and Repair.
Solicited: Presentations/papers
discussing errors in the design and
construction of concrete structures
are invited. Errors, whether human,
See the events calendar at
www.concreteinternational.com
for more listings.
12
June 2009
material, or equipment related, could

occur during the design process or
construction phase of projects. The
purpose of the session is to put forward
some examples that identify where
these types of errors occurred and
show the consequences of such errors.
This could be beneficial to engineers,
educators, and contractors so they
can mitigate these errors in the future.
Requirements: 1) Presentation/
paper title; 2) author/speaker
name(s), title, organization, mailing
address, telephone, fax, and e-mail;
and 3) an abstract of up to 300 words.
Deadlines: Abstracts are due by
June 30, 2009; final papers are due by
September 30, 2009.
Send to: Mahmoud Maamouri,
Computerized Structural Design SC,
8989 N. Port Washington Rd.,
Milwaukee, WI 53217; telephone:
(414) 247-2843; fax: (414) 351-4617;
e-mail: mmaamouri@csd-eng.com.
Micro- and MacroCracking

Effects of Micro- and Macrocracking
on Durability at the ACI Spring 2010
Convention, March 21-25, 2010,
Chicago, IL.
Solicited: ACI Committees 201,
Durability of Concrete, and 224,
Cracking, are soliciting papers for
a full-day session and a special
publication on the topic of the effects
of micro- and macrocracking on the
durability of concrete structures.
Examples of topics to be explored
include the impact micro- and
macrocracking can have on the longterm service life of a structure,
investigative and analytical techniques
used to assess the impact of these
cracks on durability, and effective
mitigation techniques used to
improve durability.
Requirements: 1) Presentation/
paper title; 2) author/speaker
name(s), mailing address, telephone,

fax, and e-mail; and 3) an abstract of
300 words. Papers must follow ACI
publication guidelines and format.
Please submit abstracts by e-mail.
July 1, 2009; final papers are due by
December 1, 2009.
Send to: Ralf Leistikow, Wiss,
Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.;
e-mail: rleistikow@wje.com;
telephone: (770) 923-9822.
Silica-AluminaBased Cement for a

Sustainable Future
Meeting: Special session on

Silica-Alumina-Based Cement for a
Sustainable Future at the 34th
Conference on Our World in Concrete
& Structures, Green Concrete,
August 16-18, 2009, Singapore.
Solicited: Research in the area of
silica-alumina-based cement over the
past two decades culminated in the
cementitious material called sialite.
In this session, papers that discuss
the origin of sialite, development of
silica-alumina-based cement, and
its potential applications will be
presented. There will also be a
presentation focusing on the core
theory (simulation of natural rock
formation) that led to the development
of the material. Also, the hydration
mechanism for sialite, its high
performance (both in terms of
strength and durability), current
level of industrialization, and some
typical applications of sialite will
be discussed.
Requirements: Contributors in all
areas of silica-alumina-based cement
are welcome. Authors are invited to
submit an abstract to cipremie@
singnet.com.sg. Customary conference
submission and review processes
will be followed.
July 1, 2009.
Contact: CI-Premier Pte Ltd.,

telephone: +65 67332922; Web site:
www.cipremier.com.
and may be available on the chapter

Web site. Submitted images will be
stored and available as electronic
files on the ACI Web site and may

be used in ACI educational and
promotional materials.
FOUNDATION Design FOR

RENEWABLE ENERGY
STRUCTURES

Equipment Foundation Design for
Renewable Energy Structures at the
ACI Spring 2010 Convention, March
21-25, 2010, Chicago, IL; sponsored
by ACI Committee 351, Foundations
for Equipment and Machinery.
Solicited: Presentation topics
include, but are not limited to, the
design, analysis, and construction of
equipment foundations unique to
wind power, ocean energy, and solar
energy structures. The deadline for
receipt of abstracts for this session
has been extended.
Requirements: 1) Presentation title;
2) author/speaker name(s), mailing
address, telephone, fax, and e-mail;
and 3) an abstract of 200 to 300 words.
Presentations should follow ACI
presentation guidelines and format.
July 15, 2009; final papers are due by
December 1, 2009.
Send to: Mukti L. Das, Bechtel Power
Corporation, BP2-3C8, 5275 Westview
Dr., Frederick, MD 21703-8306; e-mail:
mldas@bechtel.com; telephone: (301)
228-8765; fax: (301) 682-6785.
Notable Concrete in
New Orleans
Publication: Compendium of
notable concrete in New Orleans,
LA, and vicinity for distribution at
the ACI Fall 2009 Convention,
November 8-12, 2009, New Orleans,
LA; coordinated and compiled by
ACI Committee 124, Concrete
Aesthetics, and the ACI Louisiana
Chapter. Document also will be
stored and available as an electronic
file on the ACI Committee 124 Web page

/ June 2009
13
Solicited: Thumbnail image and

brief description of notable concrete
cast-in-place, precast, post-tensioned,
masonry, tilt-up, etc.in all types of
uses: buildings, monuments, pavement,
silos, bridges, crypts, furniture,
retaining walls, utility poles, tanks,
sculpture, culverts, plazas, and
whatever else has caught your attention.
Significance may be historical, aesthetic,
functional, structural, constructionrelated, unusual use or application,
or simply personal affection.
Requirements: 1) Name and
location of submission; 2) thumbnail
image (photograph, drawing, or
sketch) that is not copyrighted;
3) one- or two-sentence description
that establishes significance; and 4)
submitters name, title, organization,
city and state, telephone, and e-mail.
Location information should be
sufficient to enable discovery by
reader. Submit all information in
electronic format (postcard-size
image as JPEG or TIFF file, text in
e-mail or as a .doc document).
Deadline: Submissions are due by
August 1, 2009.
Send to: Michael J. Paul, Duffield
Associates, 211 N. 13th St., Ste. 704,
Philadelphia, PA, 19107; telephone:
(215) 545-7295; e-mail: mpaul@
duffnet.com.
Frontiers in the use of

Polymers in Concrete

Frontiers in the Use of Polymers in
Concrete at the ACI Spring 2010
Chicago, IL.
Solicited: The extended use of
polymers in concrete has grown
significantly in the last two decades.
New types of polymers have been
suggested for modifying concrete
properties. For example, the use of
super absorbent polymers for
internal curing of concrete has gained
14
June 2009
significant interest in Europe and is

currently being considered in practical
applications. Furthermore, new types of
polymer concrete, such as very
high-early-strength latex-modified
concrete, have been widely used in
both industrial applications and on
bridge deck slabs in North America and
worldwide. Finally, there have been
growing concerns about the timedependent behavior of the polymer
concrete overlays bond to existing
concrete substrate. This session,
sponsored by ACI Committee 548,
Polymers and Polymer Adhesives for
Concrete, will explore these new
developments through presentation of
experimental, analytical, and field work.
Requirements: 1) Presentation
title; 2) author/speaker name(s), title,
organization, address, telephone, and
e-mail; and 3) an abstract of up to
250 words.
August 30, 2009.
Send to: Mahmoud Reda Taha,
Department of Civil Engineering,
University of New Mexico, e-mail:
mrtaha@unm.edu; telephone: (505)
277-1258.
Building Information
Modeling

Building Information Modeling in the
Concrete Industry at the ACI Spring
2010 Convention, March 21-25, 2010,
Chicago, IL; sponsored by ACI
Committee 118, Use of Computers.
Solicited: Presentations that
illustrate successes, failures, problems,
and/or the potential of using Building
Information Modeling for concrete
structures in any or all phases of
a projectdesign, detailing,
fabrication, construction, and
operation. Presentations may be
project specific or may cover topics
such as industry standards, interoperability, and tolerance/fit issues.
organization, address, telephone,
and e-mail; and 3) 500-word abstract.
Presentations should be 20 to
25 minutes in length including
5 minutes for questions.
September 1, 2009.
Send to: E-mail abstracts to
allan.bommer@bentley.com.
Practical Applications
of Numerical Analysis

Practical Applications of Numerical
Analysis at the ACI Spring 2010
Chicago, IL.
Solicited: ACI Committee 118, Use
of Computers, and Joint ACI-ASCE
Committee 447, Finite Element Analysis
of Reinforced Concrete Structures, are
seeking presentations related to
practical applications of numerical
analysis used to facilitate the design
or analysis of concrete structures. We
wish to bring to the surface practical
uses of computers and numerical
analysis to real world problems that
engineers can apply to their everyday
experience, or are already applying
to their everyday experience.
organization, address, telephone,
and e-mail; and 3) 500-word abstract.
Presentations should be 20 to
25 minutes in length including
5 minutes for questions.
September 1, 2009.
Send to: E-mail abstracts to
John.Jakovich@dyk.com.
Adhesives and
Adhesive Anchors
Meeting: Morning and afternoon

technical sessions on Adhesives and
Adhesive Anchors for Use in Concrete
at the ACI Spring 2010 Convention,

March 21-25, 2010, Chicago, IL; sponsored by ACI Committees 355, Anchorage to Concrete, and 548, Polymers and
Polymer Adhesives for Concrete.
Solicited: Papers are requested on
one of two related subjects. The first
type of paper should cover chemical
properties and performance of adhesives used for anchoring and attaching
to concrete. This might include epoxies,
urethanes, and vinyl esters, among
others. The papers should cover
significant adhesive properties as they
relate to the performance of adhesive
anchors. Examples might include
sustained load performance at different
temperatures; performance of adhesive
and anchors under moist or saturated
concrete conditions; or others. The
second type of paper should relate to
performance of adhesive anchors
in concrete. Topics that would be
appropriate for the performance/
application session include papers on:
design procedures for adhesive
anchors, qualification standards,
feedback on conducting creep tests,
installation issues, inspection of
installation and its influence on design
values, and overall quality assurance.
Papers are to be published in an SP.
Requirements: 1) Paper title; 2)
author/speaker name(s), title, organization, address, telephone, fax, and
e-mail; and 3) abstract of 300 words.

November 1, 2009; papers are due by
January 15, 2010.
Send to: Richard E. Wollmershauser,

e-mail: wollric@gmail.com; telephone:
(918) 299-1196.
Symposium Papers Subscription

ACI is excited to present a new online
subscription that provides unlimited access
to new and archived papers from all
Symposium Publications, while providing
search functionality by date, topic, and
author. The Symposium Papers Subscription
provides 12 months of PDF access to over
6,000 papers published since 1962, plus any
new papers that are published.
$95.00 (for ACI member subscriptions)
Subscribe Now!
Subscribe at www.concrete.org
or call 248-848-3800.
Submission guidelines:
Calls for Papers
We recommend that notices of calls for papers
be submitted to Concrete International at least
9 months (or sooner) prior to the prospective
sessions. This timetable generally allows
publishing of the notification in three issues of
the magazine. Please send meeting information,
papers/presentations being solicited, abstract
requirements and deadline, along with full
contact information to: Keith A. Tosolt, Managing
Editor, Concrete International, P.O. Box 9094,
Farmington Hills, MI 48333-9094; fax:
(248) 848-3150; e-mail: Keith.Tosolt@concrete.
org. Visit www.callforpapers.concrete.org for
more information.
/ June 2009
15
Vector Corrosion completes

business acquisition
Vector Corrosion Technologies has acquired Fosroc

Corrosion Solutions electrochemical business assets and
elements from Fosroc International. Fosroc is a leading
provider of innovative products and services for mitigating
corrosion in reinforced concrete structures. The acquisition
includes the Galvashield range of galvanic protection
products and the established Norcure process for
electrochemically treating chloride-contaminated and
carbonated structures. Vector and Fosroc have had an
ongoing business relationship for more than 10 years,
developing, manufacturing, and selling concrete corrosion
mitigation products and services.
Sioux Corp. Celebrates 70 years
Sioux Corp., a leading manufacturer of industrial

cleaning equipment, water heaters, and steam generators,
is celebrating 70 years in business in 2009. Started in 1939
as Sioux Motor Cleaner Manufacturing, its first products
were used to clean automotive engines and farm equipment.
As time went on, Sioux changed its customer focus to
manufacturing plants, oil and gas companies, concrete
plants, mining, and other heavy-duty applications. In
response to market needs, products were added to the
lineup, including steam generators, cold- and hot-water
pressure washers, water heaters, solution heaters, and
all-electric hot-water pressure washers and steam cleaners.
The company now employs 49 people and exports to
70 countries. In addition to several major product lines, Sioux
can engineer custom equipment to customer specifications.
Award Winners announced
Braun of Germany won the gold award in the International

Association of Concrete Drillers and Sawers Diamond
Award competition. The company was honored for its
work dismantling a highly contaminated steam dryer at a
nuclear power plant. The steam dryer was placed within
steel formwork for radiation shielding, encased in concrete,
and cut into pieces via remote control using diamond
wire sawing techniques. The cut parts were dismantled
using the wire saw and packed in containers suitable for
final disposal. Tondin srl of Italy won the silver award for
consolidating the foundation of the Loggia Palace in
Brescia, Italy. The bronze award was shared by ADRA
Technologia en Servicio of Mexico and BWW of Germany.
16
june 2009
Companies sign strategic

use agreement
iCrete has signed a strategic use agreement with

Webcor Builders, the largest general and concrete
contractor in California. Under the agreement, Webcor
will offer the use of iCrete high-performance concrete
mixtures and quality systems for tall buildings and other
major structures. The companies will work together to
win major construction and infrastructure projects on the
West Coast. Founded in 2006, iCrete uses advanced
technologies and processes to optimize concrete design
and production for efficiency, workability, and strength
while reducing the need for cement by as much as 40% on
a typical project. Because cement production generates
CO2, limiting its use reduces a projects carbon footprint.
iCrete is taking a new and timely approach to improve a
building product that has been used for years, which will
help reduce the impact of construction and infrastructure
projects on the environment, said Andy Ball, President
and CEO, Webcor Builders. Webcors current and
completed inventory of LEED-rated projects totals more
than 20 million ft2 (1.9 million m2). For the past 2 years,
the company has earned more revenue from LEED-rated
buildings than from traditional buildings.
Study cited in national competition
NTH Consultants, Ltd., Detroit, MI, is a finalist in the

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) 43rd
annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition for
developing the Detroit River International Crossing Study
for the Michigan Department of Transportation. The
Detroit River International Crossing is a bi-national effort
to complete the environmental studies for the border
crossing between Detroit and Windsor, ON, Canada.
Decades of solution mining in the region has left brine
well cavities that could threaten the stability of a new
bridge. The project team used innovative engineering
that included drilling 1750 ft (530 m) deep wells and
cross-well seismic imaging to generate high-resolution
images that determined the brine cavities presence, size,
and characteristics. This innovative approach will benefit
future projects where standard surface seismic geological
techniques are deemed inappropriate or too costly. A
total of 168 engineering projects from across the nation
are being recognized by ACEC as preeminent engineering
achievements for 2008.
Laid-off ACI members can stay

connected; DUes will not increase
ACI has started its new Stay Connected Program to

help long-time ACI members maintain their membership.
Under the Stay Connected Program, ACI individual
members who have been with ACI for at least 10 consecutive
years can receive a one-time, 12-month free renewal of
their membership if they were laid off and are unemployed
at the time of their renewal. This provides members
continued access to the ACI Membership Directory,
Career Center, group insurance programs, free online
CEUs, and the vast technical support and educational
resources from ACI. Additionally, members and other
industry supporters who prefer to network online are
encouraged to join ACIs groups on the networking
Web sites Facebook and LinkedIn to connect with new
colleagues, stay aware of industry developments, and
participate in online discussions.
We are fortunate to have thousands of members who
have been loyal to the American Concrete Institute for
many, many years, said William Tolley, ACI Executive
Vice President. While we hope that our members do not
become involuntarily unemployed, we want them to know
that, if they do, ACI is here to help them stay connected
to an industry that they have supported for so long.
In addition to offering the Stay Connected Program,
ACI will not raise the 2010 membership rates for any of its
members. ACI individual members who qualify and want
to take advantage of the Stay Connected Program should
contact ACI Member Services at (248) 848-3800.
NRMCA elects new officers
The National Ready Mixed Concrete

Association (NRMCA) has elected a
new slate of officers for 2009. Association
membership chose Henry Batten,
Concrete Supply Company, Charlotte,
NC, as Chairman of the Board of
Directors, succeeding Frank Craddock,
Cemex, Houston, TX. Tim Becken,
Batten
Cemstone Concrete Products, Mendota
Heights, MN, was elected Vice Chairman
and Karl Watson Jr., Cemex, West Palm Beach, FL, is now
NRMCA Secretary/Treasurer.
Batten has been with Concrete Supply Company since
1998 in various capacities, including Chief Financial
Officer, Vice President of Finance, and Executive Vice
President. He participates in the Carolinas Ready Mixed
Concrete Association through committee work and is a
member of the Construction Financial Managers Association.
He has served on NRMCAs Operations, Environmental
and Safety; Business Administration; and Legal Activities

committees. Batten received a BS in accountancy from
Arizona State University and an MBA in business
administration from the University of Alabama.
Becken has been with Cemstone Products since 1991.
He served as President of the Aggregate & Ready Mix
Association of Minnesota in 1996. He has served on
numerous NRMCA standing committees, including
Educational Activities; Government Affairs; Strategic
Planning; and Operations, Environmental and Safety. He
has also previously served on the NRMCA Board and
Executive Committee. Becken received a BA from St. Olaf
College, graduating cum laude.
Prior to joining Cemex, Watson headed the Western
Division of Rinker Materials Corporation. He has previously
served on the NRMCA Board and Executive Committee
and various NRMCA committees, including Government
Affairs, Legal Activities, Educational Activities, and
Vision Strategic Planning. He is a member of ACI and the
Association of Building Contractors. Previously, Watson
served on the Board of the Florida Concrete and Products
Association and currently serves as its Chairman. He is also
the current Chairman of the RMC Research & Education
Foundation. Watson has a BS in business and an MBA.
Garca represents ACI in Turkey
Luis E. Garca, 2008-2009 ACI President, visited the

Department of Civil Engineering, Middle East Technical
University (METU), in Ankara, Turkey, and participated
in a 2-day seminar on Seismic-Resistant Design of
Reinforced Concrete Structures, February 19-20, 2009.
The seminar presentations mainly focused on ACI 318-08
seismic design requirements. In his lecture, Garca
focused on the importance of the analysis as a tool to
describe the actual behavior of reinforced concrete
structures. He mentioned that engineers are obliged to
understand the methodologies employed both in
analysis and design. Garca said that engineers must be
aware of the background and especially the limitations
of analysis tools. He advised the students and practicing
engineers to filter analysis results by using their
engineering judgment.
The faculty of METU also gave presentations. Polat
Glkan discussed performance-based seismic design and
emphasized the importance of this design methodology
from the point of view of seismic-resistant design. Ozgur
Kurc elaborated on structural wall design according to the
Turkish Seismic Code and pinpointed several controversial
issues that deserve immediate modifications. More than
200 practicing engineers and undergraduate and graduate
students participated in this 2-day lecture series, which
/ june 2009
19
was sponsored by the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers

(TCCE). All TCCE members attending these lectures
earned continuing education credits.
During his visit to METU, Garca also toured the
laboratory and met with the faculty and the members of
the ACI METU Student Chapter.
World of Concrete 2009 Delivers

Results for the industry
World of Concrete (WOC) 2009 was another strong

event with 65,287 registered professionals in attendance.
Held February 3-6, 2009, the 35th annual WOC confirmed
that even in a challenging economy, attendees and
exhibitors understand the value of this annual international
event for the commercial concrete and masonry industry.
Special product and action areas included the Producer
Center, Material Handling, Concrete Repair and Demolition,
World of Masonry, and Technology for Construction.
Premiering at the 2009 show, the New Product Showcase
created a targeted area on the show floor where attendees
could see some of the latest innovations in the industry.
With close to 100 participants, this area was a big draw
throughout the show and will return for WOC 2010.
WOC was selected to participate in the 2009 International
Buyer Program. WOC Management and the U.S. Commercial
Service worked closely in the global promotion of the
show, bringing international buyers and exhibitors
together to expand business both domestically and
overseas. As part of the program, delegations from all
over the globe attended WOC to network with other
international visitors as well as connect with U.S. exhibitors
interested in exporting goods and services.
Returning for 2009 was the OSHA 10-hour Construction
Safety for Concrete Construction course in English and
the all-new Spanish language OSHA course. These 2-day
programs provided concrete workers, supervisors, and
other field personnel with an awareness of safety and
health concerns in the construction industry and placed
a special emphasis on the OSHA regulations that address
concrete issues.
The returning GREENSITE area on the show floor
showcased the latest green building technologies with
displays, video, and live presentations. The editors of
Concrete Construction, The Concrete Producer, and Masonry
Construction magazines hosted the first annual GREENSITE
Luncheon and Forum, sponsored by Holcim. This forum
gave contractors, producers, and architects a chance to
share information on green building.
Outstanding results were again achieved from the
recycling program implemented at this years WOC.
Hanley Wood, LLC, and exposition services provider
20
june 2009
Luis E. Garca, 2008-2009 ACI President (center), toured the lab

at Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
Freeman indicated that 93% of the post-show waste

collected at the show was diverted from local landfills
and recycledan increase of 12% over the 2008 event. In
addition to the typical materials used at shows, WOC
also contends with concrete walls and slabs used for
demonstrations. All of these items were recycled at the
close of the show.
The National Steering Committee for the Concrete
Industry Management (CIM) Program held its fourth
annual unreserved live auction at WOC 2009 with all
proceeds benefiting the CIM programs at selected
universities. The auction, produced by Ritchie Bros.
Auctioneers, raised $300,000.
The Masonry Contractors Association of America
(MCAA) held its annual convention concurrently with
WOC. Kicking off the event at the Opening Session
luncheon for MCAA was Alan Thicke, from the TV series
Growing Pains. MCAA also held several educational
sessions along with two outdoor events: the International
Masonry Skills Challenge and the Fastest Trowel on the
Block Competition. MCAA also held Masonry Action
Stations for the first time at WOC, providing a how-to
approach to educating attendees on various techniques
specific to the masonry industry.
WOC 2010 will be February 2-5, with seminars starting
on February 1, again in Las Vegas, NV, at the Las Vegas
Convention Center. Visit the newly redesigned Web site
at www.worldofconcrete.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS
n The Post-Tensioning Institutes workshop on The

Field Fundamentals of Unbonded Tendons will be held
June 6-7, 2009, Houston, TX; July 25-26, 2009, Orlando,
FL; August 8-9, 2009, Dallas, TX; August 22-23, 2009,
Ontario, CA; September 12-13, 2009, Charlotte, NC; and
October 10-11, 2009, Louisville, KY; Web site: http://
post-tensioning.org/seminar_summary.php.
n The 30th Annual Short Course on Grouting Fundamentals
and Current Practice is being held at the Colorado
School of Mines, June 22-26, 2009, in Golden, CO;
Web site: http://inside.mines.edu/outreach/cont_ed/
grouting/index.html.
n The 17th Annual International

Conference on Composites/
Nano-Engineering (ICCE-17) takes
place July 26-August 1, 2009, in
Honolulu, HI; Web site: www.uno.
edu/~engr/composite.
establishing the ACI New Jersey

Chapter, serving as Treasurer and
Director. He was named a Fellow of
the Institute. His work on concrete
structures led to a highly respected
1967 book that he co-wrote, Modern

Prestressed Concrete. He also did
pioneering research on the forces
wind exerts on tall cooling towers
used by power plants.
In memoriam
James E. Stallmeyer, 82, died

March 5, 2009. After receiving his
doctorate in civil engineering in 1952
from the University of Illinois, he
became a member of the universitys
faculty of civil engineering and taught
for 39 years, retiring in 1991. He was
a member of numerous professional
societies and the recipient of several
teaching awards.
James Allen Ray, 78, died March 29,
2009. He was a Petrographer for
Martin Marietta Corporation in the
Master Builders Division for 22 years,
where he became Vice President of
Research and Development. In 1982,
he started his own concrete consulting
business, which he continued to
operate until his passing. He held
memberships in ACI and ASTM
International and was a Fellow in
the American Institute of Chemists.
Ray received a BS from the University
of North Carolina and an MS in
geology from North Carolina State
University. He served in the U.S.
Air Force in the Korean Conflict
from 1951-1954 and then in the
Reserves for a total of 37 years of
duty, retiring in 1991 with a rank
of Lieutenant Colonel.
Norman Sollenberger, a Professor
Emeritus who chaired Princeton
Universitys Department of Civil
Engineering from 1961 to 1971, died
April 8, 2009. He was 96. Sollenberger
joined the engineering faculty of
Princeton in 1941. He left in 1945 to
work for the Roebling Company of
Trenton, NJ, a maker of steel cables,
and rejoined Princeton in 1952.
Sollenberger became an ACI member
in 1949 and was instrumental in
Fellowships
& Scholarships
Available
ACI Foundation Fellowships
Graduate and undergraduate students studying concrete are eligible to

apply for the ACI Foundation annual fellowships. Fellowship recipients
receive an educational stipend valued at $7000 to $10,000, in addition
to travel/expenses for participation in two ACI conventions, assignment
of an industry mentor, and the opportunity for a summer internship.
ACI Foundation Scholarships
Graduate students studying concrete are eligible to apply for these

scholarships annually, valued at $3000 each.
Obtain all application information and requirements at:
www.students.concrete.org
To be considered, students must attend school in the U.S. or Canada and send completed applications and
all required documents to ACI by Friday, October 30, 2009.
/ june 2009
21
Sustainability and
Cementitious Materials
I read with great interest the Point of View article

Global Concrete Industry Sustainability by P. Kumar
Mehta (Feb. 2009, V. 31, No. 2, pp. 45-48). I was particularly
interested in the authors approach to sustainability
tools, as outlined in Fig. 1. The most interesting and
controversial is Tool 2: Consume less cement in concrete
mixtures. The irony is that ACI mixture proportioning
guidelines are philosophically opposed to this approach.
The use of maximum water-cementitious material ratio
(w/cm) limits, minimum strength requirements, and
maximum pozzolanic replacements are contained within
the ACI Code and are even more prevalent within the
concrete design community. Some of the worst offenders
of this design approach are the same entities that are
trying to espouse the most sustainable programs, in other
words, the municipalities and government agencies. Any
time there are prescriptive approaches to concrete
mixture proportioning, the flexibility to achieve sustainable
concrete is limited, if not completely removed. Mehtas
approach is sound and, when paired to an economic
strategy, also supports lower costs for concrete supply.
In other words, we are getting exactly what we have
been asking for: concrete that is more environmentally
conscious, at a lower cost, and achieves the design
performance requirements. So why is there still a large
resistance to this type of approach? Its a question we will
continue to ask as a design community and a challenge we
will all face going forward.
Richard S. Szecsy, Lattimore Materials Company
I wish to thank P. Kumar Mehta for advocating

cementitious materials in concrete. We ventured into
refining fly ash 13 years ago, becoming the worlds largest
ash processor for concrete applications. This made fly ash a
manufactured-to-spec product rather than a variablespec utility by-product, something essential to its greater
and more reliable use in concrete.
I wish to differ, however, with the underlying theme of
the article: that component-based thinking can materially
solve the global sustainability challenge facing industry
today. Historically, our industry has developed in segments:
aggregates, cement, cementitious materials, chemicals,
concrete, architecture, engineering, and construction.
Too often, the resulting fragmented thinking and acting
prevents us from viewing our industry as a whole, that is,
as creators of concrete structures.
If about 90% of a structures CO2 footprint is generated
post-construction, should we not be thinking about
structures backwards? If generating an additional unit of

CO2 in construction reduces 10 to 15 units post-construction,
which choice is sustainable? Judicious use of materials does
not necessarily mean minimal, but optimal life-cycle use.
Becoming more sustainable by consuming less concrete,
cement, clinker, or any material for that matter is oversimplifying the global sustainability challenge. In fact,
some of the solutions (including my favorite, fly ash) have
their own sustainability issues (coal-fired power plants).
Industry and society will benefit if academics and
practitioners alike focus more on developing an integrated
system, rather than component solutions, to the important
issues we face.
Aris Papadopoulos, Titan America
Authors response
To meet the specified requirements of workability,

strength, and durability, Szecsy is correct that ACI 211
mixture proportioning guidelines may lead to higher
water content and cement content than other methods.
Also, ACI 318s prescriptive w/cm requirement for
durability can result in concrete mixtures that are not
necessarily durable because it is not the w/cm but the
actual cement content and water content that determine
concretes shrinkage, cracking, and durability when
exposed to severe environmental conditions.1
Durability and sustainability are interconnected
because materials saved by durability improvements
are essentially materials gained without any cost to the
environment. Consequently, I completely agree with
Szecsy that prescriptive approaches to mixture
proportioning are a major barrier to sustainable
development in the concrete industry. In fact, I concluded
my article by emphasizing that prescriptive codes will
have to be replaced with performance-based codes. This
will facilitate the emergence of technologies such as
high-volume fly ash mixtures that could transform
todays concrete into a sustainable structural material.
Many countries worldwide, in addition to numerous
municipalities and government agencies throughout the
U.S., follow ACIs approach to mixture proportioning.
Therefore, a speedy revision of ACI codes is bound to
have a global impact on the sustainability of concrete.
It would indeed be a formidable task requiring the
cooperation of major industry stakeholders to delete the
obsolete prescriptive standards from the codes and
replace them with performance-based standards within a
short period of time. But ACI committees are well structured
to meet this challenge when proper information and
guidance are available.
/ june 2009
23
In regard to Papadopouloss comments, I disagree

that my article presents a fragmented and not holistic
approach to concrete industry sustainability. The carbon
footprint of the global industrial economy is, unquestionably,
the most urgent sustainability issue in the public mind
today. The concrete industry happens to be the sole
consumer of a manufactured product, namely, portland
cement, that, according to data cited in my article, is
responsible for large amounts of CO2 emitted during the
production of clinker.
Compared to portland cement, other concrete
components, as well as concrete production and
construction, contribute insignificantly to carbon
emissions. Therefore, a quick and major reduction in
the concrete industrys carbon footprint can be obtained
by drastically cutting portland cement consumption
while still meeting the necessary demand for concrete.
Figure 1 of my article makes it clear that an integrated
approach involving the simultaneous use of three tools is
proposed to achieve sustainability.
Furthermore, only holistic methods can enhance the
sustainability of several vital industries by reducing their
adverse environmental impacts simultaneously. I believe
that the technologies based on my approach are holistic
because highly durable and sustainable concrete elements
can be produced while using large volumes of an industrial by-product that could be potentially hazardous if not
disposed of safely.
In developed countries, about 40% of the total energy
consumption is attributable to lighting, ventilation,
heating, and cooling of buildings. Papadopoulos has
correctly stated that conserving energy during the
service life of a building creates greater carbon emission
savings than conserving materials or using green materials
during construction. I have trouble, however, accepting
his argument that judicious use of materials means
optimizing a structures life cycle, not necessarily minimizing
materials use. To meet our future energy and materials
needs in a sustainable way, I believe that we need
minimization of their consumption both in the short term
and long term. Because they have a longer service life
potential, structures built with concrete using fly ash and
slag cement to replace large volumes of portland cement
would have a lower life-cycle cost than structures built
with conventional concrete. Moreover, as stated in my
article, the LEED rating system has become a powerful
tool for energy conservation in newly constructed
buildings. The cement- and concrete-producing sector of
the construction industry is neither responsible for the
carbon footprint associated with the energy consumed
24
june 2009
by buildings nor should it seek credit for the carbon

emissions avoided by such energy savings.
Consequently, downplaying the CO2 emissions
attributable to the production and use of portland
cement would not be in the best interests of the cement
and concrete industries. Soon, all major carbon-emitting
sectors in both developed and rapidly developing
countries will be required to cut their emissions drastically
in a relatively short period of time in response to the
emerging threat of catastrophic climate change. In the
era of global warming, unrestricted growth of heavy
carbon-emitting sectors of the economy is bound to be a
target of public scrutiny and control.
P. Kumar Mehta, University of California-Berkeley
References
1. Mehta, P.K., and Burrows, R.W., Building Durable Structures
in the 21st Century, Concrete International, V. 23, No. 3, Mar. 2001,
pp. 57-63.
ON SAFETY
After receiving the April 2009 issue, I was amazed to

see which photo was chosen for the cover. This leads me
to ask: Are any safety practices being implemented by the
contractor?
Joe Burke, California Department of Water Resources
Editors response
We thank Joe Burke for reminding us that worker

safety should always be emphasized. For our cover
photos, we strive to select action photos of concrete
projects under construction that reflect real-world
situations. Unfortunately, these photos sometimes reveal
that safety issues are not always treated with the respect
they deserve. We do not, however, believe that this
makes them unsuitable for publication, but rather they
remind us that safe work environments need constant
attention and monitoring.
Rex C. Donahey, Concrete International
Submission guidelines:
Letters to the Editor
Discussion is welcomed for all material published in Concrete

International. Comments must be confined to the scope of the
article or department under discussion, limited to no more than
500 words and two illustrations, and received within 3 months
of the relevant issues publication date. Send to: Rex C. Donahey,
Editor-in-Chief, Concrete International, American Concrete
Institute, 38800 Country Club Drive, Farmington Hills, MI 48331;
e-mail: rex.donahey@concrete.org.
ACI Student
Fellowships,
Scholarships for
2009-2010
or the 2009-2010 academic year, ACI has awarded

eight Student Fellowships and five Graduate
Scholarships. For a complete description of these
awards, visit www.concrete.org, and click on Students
and then on Student Scholarships.
than 100 nominations, 10 finalists were chosen to attend

the last portion of the application process, the interview
with the Fellowship Selection Team, this past March at
the ACI Spring 2009 Convention in San Antonio, TX.
The awardees are:
ACI STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS
ACI Baker Student Fellowships
The ACI Student Fellowships are offered to highpotential undergraduate and graduate students in
engineering, construction management, and other
appropriate curricula who are identified by ACI member
faculty. The purpose of the Student Fellowship
Program is to identify, attract, and develop outstanding
professionals for productive careers in the concrete field.
During the academic year, each student will receive a
$7000 ($10,000 for the Charles Pankow Foundation ACI
Student Fellowship) educational stipend for tuition,
residence, books, and materials; appropriate certificates,
recognition, and publicity; paid travel expenses and
attendance fees to two ACI conventions; assignment to
an industry mentor; and an optional summer internship
(internships are required to receive the ACI Baker
Student Fellowship, ACI Elmer Baker Student Fellowship,
Cagley ACI Student Fellowship, and Charles Pankow
Foundation ACI Student Fellowship). After receiving more
26
June 2009
Jennifer Harris is completing her

BS in construction (concrete industry
management) at Arizona State University.
Her career goal is to teach at the
university level. I would like to continue
to learn all that I can and pass it on to
the future generations of builders,
she said. Nominator: Luke M. Snell;
Convention Guide: Julie K. Buffenbarger.
N. Michael Schafer expects to
receive his undergraduate degree from
Northern Kentucky University in June
2010. His career goal is to gain experience
in the industry and one day become a
construction attorney. Nominator:
Ausbra E. McFarland; Convention
Guide: Frank A. Kozeliski.
ACI Elmer Baker Student

Fellowship
Ross Beesley is
studying at the
University of
Cincinnatis College
of Applied Science
and expects to
receive a BS in
construction
management in
June 2010. His career goal is to become
a field superintendent within 5 years
of graduation, eventually becoming
a regional manager of a construction
company and possibly moving all
the way up to a Vice President role.
Nominator: Herbert L. Bill Jr.;
Convention Guide: Anthony DeCarlo Sr.
ACI BASF Construction

Chemicals Student
Fellowship
Amanda
Bordelon receieved
BS and MS degrees
from the University
of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. She is
currently pursuing
a doctorate degree
in civil engineering
(transportation). Her career goal is to
teach and continue research on concrete
materials and pavement design,
particularly with fiber reinforcement,
rehabilitation techniques, and the use
of recycled materials. Nominator:
Jeffery R. Roesler.
ACI Presidents Fellowship
Royce Floyd
received a BS in
civil engineering
from the University
of Arkansas and
expects to complete
his PhD in civil
engineering in May
2012. His career
goal is to work in consulting at least
long enough to get a PE license and
then possibly go back into academics
in a teaching position. If I stay in
consulting, he continued, I hope

someday to be in a managerial
position or possibly own my own
business. Nominator: W. Micah Hale;
Convention Guide: Larry Taber.
ACI Richard N. White Student

Fellowship
Samuel Keske
received a
bachelors degree
in civil engineering
from Auburn
University and
expects to complete
his MS in structural
engineering in May
2010. He plans to enter the structural
engineering industry, where he hopes
to creatively solve structural engineering
challenges. Nominator: Anton K.
Schindler; Convention Guide: Bill
Rushing.
Cagley ACI Student

Fellowship
Shannon Hanson
received a BS in
civil engineering
from the University
of Utah and expects
to complete her
MS in structural
engineering in May
2010. Her career
goals include entering the industry as
a structural design engineer and
receiving PE and SE licenses. I also
want to return to school for my MBA,
as well as becoming an active member
of ACI and other industry organizations,
she said. Nominator: Paul J. Tikalsky;
Convention Guide: Rita K. Oglesby.
Charles Pankow Foundation

ACI Student Fellowship
Raymond Foltz
received a BS in
civil engineering
from the Citadel
and an MS in civil
engineering from
the University of
Illinois at Urbana-

/ June 2009
27
ACI Bertold E. Weinberg Scholarship
APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED

Applications for eight ACI Student Fellowships
and five Graduate Scholarships for the 2010-2011
academic year are now being accepted. To
nominate a student for the ACI Student Fellowship
Program, e-mail the students name, attending
university, and e-mail address, along with your
name and ACI member number to scholarships@
concrete.org. Only students nominated by
faculty members who are also ACI members will
be eligible to receive applications for the ACI
Student Fellowship Program. After a student is
formally nominated, the ACI Foundation will
convey an official application directly to the
nominated student.
Applications for ACI Graduate Scholarships
are available on the ACI Student Scholarship
Web page to the general student population and
do not require a faculty nomination.
The deadline for applications is October 30,
2009. If you are an educator and an ACI member,
dont miss the opportunity to nominate worthy
students for the Student Fellowships or encourage
your students to visit the ACI Web site for
graduate scholarship applications and a
complete list of requirements.
Janelle Heminitz received a BS in civil

engineering from Pennsylvania State
University and is enrolled at Lehigh
University for an MS in structural
engineering. Upon graduation, her goal
is to obtain a license as a professional
engineer while working at a prominent
structural design firm.
ACI Katharine and Bryant Mather Scholarship

Zi Sang received a BS in civil and
environmental engineering from
Pennsylvania State University. He
expects to complete his MS by May
2010. His career goal is to become a
structural engineer for a design firm
and focus on designing concrete
bridges and buildings.
ACI Scholarship
Christopher Shearer received a BS in

civil engineering from Ohio Northern
University. He is currently working on
an MS in civil engineering at the
Georgia Institute of Technology and
plans to seek a PhD. Shearer hopes to
become a Professor of civil engineering,
pursuing a career that integrates teaching
with concrete materials research.
ACI-W.R. Grace Scholarship
Champaign, where he is now working on his PhD. His

career goal is to work as a design engineer, with a special
interest in furthering the development and use of highperformance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites in
earthquake-resistant design. Nominator: James M. LaFave;
Convention Guide: Tyler Ley.
ACI GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
Funded primarily through donations, these scholarships

are offered to high-potential, full-time first- or second-year
(after bachelors degree) graduate students during the
entire scholarship year. During the academic year, each
student will receive a $3000 educational stipend for
tuition, residence, books, and materials and appropriate
certificates, recognition, and publicity. Recipients of the
2009-2010 ACI Graduate Scholarships are:
28
June 2009
Andrew Pozolo expects to complete his

MS in civil engineering from the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May
2010. He received a BS in civil engineering
from the University of Notre Dame. After
graduation, I intend to enter the design
industry and obtain both my professional
engineer license and LEED professional
accreditation, he stated, with an
ultimate goal of integrating sustainable technology and
structural design in contemporary applications.
Kumar Mehta Scholarship
Kevin Mueller received a BS in civil

engineering from Purdue University
and will pursue MS and PhD degrees
in civil engineering from the University
of Notre Dame. He plans on working as
either a structural engineer or project
engineer, focusing on sustainable
structures, and eventually becoming
a LEED-accredited professional.
Technical
Committee
Chairs Appointed
efore the ACI Spring 2009 Convention in San Antonio,

TX, the Technical Activities Committee (TAC) selected
52 Chairs for ACI technical committees and TAC
subcommittees. The majority of the actions became
effective after the recent convention.
New Appointments
Twenty-six Chairs assumed new posts. The new and

outgoing Chairs are:
TAC Specifications Committee: Michael M. Sprinkel,
Virginia Transportation Research Council, Charlottesville,
VA, replaced David W. Johnston, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC.
120, History of Concrete: Joseph A. Amon, Ardaman
Associates, Inc., Tampa, FL, replaced Luke M. Snell,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
130, Sustainability of Concrete: Andrea J. Schokker,
University of Minnesota-Duluth, Duluth, MN, replaced
Richard D. Stehly, American Engineering and Testing,
St. Paul, MN.
215, Fatigue of Concrete: Elin A. Jensen, Lawrence
Technological University, Southfield, MI, replaced Kolluru V.
Subramaniam, City University of New York, New York, NY.
224, Cracking: Jeffrey S. West, University of Waterloo,
Waterloo, ON, Canada, replaced Robert J. Frosch, Purdue
University, West Lafayette, IN.
229, Controlled Low-Strength Materials: Charles E.
Pierce, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC,
replaced Thomas A. Fox, Headwaters Resources, Renton, WA.
30
june 2009
232, Fly Ash and Natural Pozzolans in Concrete:

Karthik H. Obla, NRMCA, Silver Spring, MD, replaced
Thomas A. Fox, Headwaters Resources, Renton, WA.
237, Self-Consolidating Concrete: Kamal H. Khayat,
University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,
replaced Joseph A. Daczko, BASF Construction Chemicals,
Mantua, OH.
305, Hot Weather Concreting: G. Terry Harris Sr., W.R.
Grace & Co., Green Cove Springs, FL, replaced James N.
Cornell II, The Beck Group, Dallas, TX.
308, Curing Concrete: David M. Suchorski, Ash Grove
Cement Company, Overland Park, KS, replaced Cecil L.
Jones, North Carolina Department of Transportation,
Raleigh, NC.
341, Earthquake-Resistant Concrete Bridges: Sri
Sritharan, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, replaced Raj
Valluvan, Caltrans, Sacramento, CA.
342, Evaluation of Concrete Bridges and Bridge
Elements: Jeffrey L. Smith, Federal Highway Administration,
Versailles, KY, replaced Rita K. Oglesby, Bentley Systems,
Inc., Tampa, FL.
346, Cast-in-Place Pipe: Dale V. Anderson, Riverside
County Flood Control and Water Conservation District,
Moreno Valley, CA, replaced Curtiss W. Gilley, Terrain
Engineering, Inc., Davis, CA.
347, Formwork for Concrete: Kenneth L. Berndt, Ceco
Concrete Construction, Overland Park, KS, replaced
Pericles C. Stivaros, Feld Kaminetzky & Cohen PC,
Jericho, NY.
350, Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures:

William C. Sherman, CH2M HILL-Denver, Denver, CO,
replaced Satish K. Sachdev, Klein and Hoffman, Inc.,
Chicago, IL.
352, Joints and Connections in Monolithic Concrete
Structures: Mary Beth D. Hueste, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX, replaced James M. LaFave, University
of Illinois, Champaign, IL.
357, Offshore and Marine Concrete Structures:
Domenic DArgenzio, Mueser Rutledge Consulting
Engineers, New York, NY, replaced Michael J. Garlich,
Collins Engineers Inc., Chicago, IL.
370, Short Duration Dynamic and Vibratory Load
Effects: Eric B. Williamson, University of Texas, Austin, TX,
replaced Darrell D. Barker, ABS Consulting, Inc., San
Antonio, TX.
375, Performance-Based Design of Concrete Buildings
for Wind Loads: Ahmad Rahimian, WSP Cantor Seinuk,
New York, NY, replaced Viral B. Patel, Walter P Moore &
Associates, Austin, TX.
423, Prestressed Concrete (Joint ACI-ASCE): H.R.
Trey Hamilton III, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL,
replaced Andrea J. Schokker, University of MinnesotaDuluth, Duluth, MN.
440, Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement: Carol K.
Shield, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN,
replaced John P. Busel, ACMA, Eastchester, NY.
447, Finite Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete
Structures (Joint ACI-ASCE): Ashraf S. Ayoub, University
of Houston, Houston, TX, replaced Laura N. Lowes,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
523, Cellular Concrete: Konstantin Sobolev, University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, replaced Edward M.
Glysson, Elastizell Corporation of America, Dexter, MI.
548, Polymers and Polymer Adhesives for Concrete:
Brad Nemunaitis, Transpo Industries, Inc., Kirkland, IL,
replaced Michael S. Stenko, Transpo Industries, Inc., New
Rochelle, NY.
550, Precast Concrete Structures (Joint ACI-ASCE):
Harry A. Gleich, Metromont Corporation, Greenville, SC,
replaced Thomas J. DArcy, The Consulting Engineers
Group, San Antonio, TX.
555, Concrete with Recycled Materials: Daniel C.
Jansen, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis
Obispo, CA, replaced Tarun R. Naik, University of WisconsinMilwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.
Chair Reappointments
In addition, the Chairs of the following 26 technical

committees were reappointed to new terms that began at
the conclusion of the Spring 2009 Convention:
TAC Technology Transfer Committee: Emmanuel K.
Attiogbe, BASF Admixtures, Cleveland, OH.
118, Use of Computers: Ryan Keith Riehle, BuildWays

Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA.
209, Creep and Shrinkage in Concrete: Carlos C.
Videla, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago,
Chile.
211, Proportioning Concrete Mixtures: Gary F. Knight,
Heidelberg Cement Group, Doraville, GA.
221, Aggregates: Mark R. Lukkarila, GCC, Denver, CO.
222, Corrosion of Metals in Concrete: Mohammad S.
Khan, Professional Service Industries, Inc., Oak Hill, VA.
223, Shrinkage-Compensating Concrete: John W.
Rohrer, John Rohrer Contracting Company, Inc., Kansas
City, KS.
225, Hydraulic Cements: James I. Turici Jr., Cemex
USA, Sewickley, PA.
231, Properties of Concrete at Early Ages: Will
Hansen, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
303, Architectural Cast-in-Place Concrete: Chris A.
Forster, Morley Construction Company, Santa Monica, CA.
307, Concrete Chimneys: Shu-Jin Fang, Sargent &
Lundy Engineers, Chicago, IL.
310, Decorative Concrete: Michael S. Smith, Quinn
Construction, Inc., Folcroft, PA.
313, Concrete Bins and Silos: Stephen G. Frankosky,
Ibberson Engineering, Inc., Hopkins, MN.
314, Simplified Design of Concrete Buildings: JoAnn P.
Browning, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
325, Concrete Pavements: Neeraj J. Buch, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, MI.
336, Footings, Mats and Drilled Piers: William H.
Oliver Jr., Conoco Phillips Company, Houston, TX.
343, Concrete Bridge Design (Joint ACI-ASCE): Nur
Yazdani, University of Texas-Arlington, Arlington, TX.
351, Foundations for Equipment and Machinery:
David Kerins, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering,
Fairfax, VA.
360, Design of Slabs on Ground: Wayne W. Walker,
Structural Services, Inc., Norcross, GA.
363, High-Strength Concrete: John J. Myers, Missouri
University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO.
365, Service Life Prediction: Tracy D. Marcotte, CVM
Facilities Renewal, Oaks, PA.
369, Seismic Repair and Rehabilitation: Kenneth J.
Elwood, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC,
Canada.
439, Steel Reinforcement: Mark D. Marvin, The Marvin
Group, Inc., Fairacres, NM.
522, Pervious Concrete: Matthew A. Offenberg, W.R.
Grace, Canton, GA.
546, Repair of Concrete: Paul E. Gaudette, Wiss
Janney Elstner Associates, Chicago, IL.
563, Specifications for Repair of Structural Concrete
in Buildings: Myles A. Murray, M A M LLC, Larkspur, CO.
/ june 2009
31
Dimensional
Tolerance
Specification
The ICH perspective on tolerances for reinforced concrete construction
By Cristian Masana
lmost everyone can agree that there will be deviations

between the actual dimensions and locations of
concrete elements in a structure and the dimensions
and locations indicated on the project drawings. The
disagreements begin when limits on the acceptable
amount of those deviations are established. The primary
means by which these disagreements can be avoided is
to clearly specify tolerances that can be met using
reasonable care and construction methods and still meet
the owners serviceability and aesthetic requirements.
By gathering data on jobs under construction, reviewing
desired tolerances from a survey by the Architect Bureau
Guild, consulting literature on acceptable tolerances, and
using their own judgment, the Instituto del Cemento y
del Hormign de Chile (ICH) Committee on Technical
Specifications for Contracts has developed ET 004-06,
Dimensional Tolerances in Reinforced Concrete Elements.1
This specification provides a consistent set of tolerances
for six different surface finish grades defined in the
document. Before entering into a construction contract,
contractors should inform the owner if, in their judgment,
the tolerances can be met given the urgency of the
project, the specified materials, and any other specific
requirements. Most importantly, contractors should
inform the owner if they believe the budget is not adequate
to achieve the quality the owner expects.
Surface finish grades and tolerances
The specification separates concrete finishes into six

different grades. Four grades are for general concrete
construction, while the other two are specifically for
slabs. The grades are defined in the specification as:
G1: Architectural or exposed concreteconcrete
elements whose surface texture or finish will be
permanently exposed to view without further treatment;
G2: Concrete for coating and paintingconcrete
elements whose surfaces will be provided with a
rubbed finish or painted;
G3: Exposed concrete for public worksconcrete
elements whose surface finish is not altered and whose
geometrical finish requirements are not as restrictive
as those of G1;
G4: Raw concreteconcrete elements whose surfaces
will be plastered or covered with another finish
different from those considered in G2;
G5: Concrete for floorsthe upper surface of a slab-onground or suspended slab that will be covered with
carpet, wood, tile, or other material or will be exposed
after polishing; and
An English translation of ICH Technical Specification
ET 004-06 is available with the online version of
this article at www.concreteinternational.com
/ june 2009
33
G6: Concrete for floorsthe upper

surface of a slab-on-ground or
suspended slab that will not be
covered or polished.
Different grades may be specified
for different elements of the same
structure, but they must be clearly
indicated in the contract documents.
G5 and G6 may be used for horizontal
or inclined surfaces, such as ramps,
but they are not applicable to
industrial floors specified as flat floors.
The specified tolerances for the
various grades of concrete finish are
given in Tables 1 to 5. As shown in
the tables, the tolerances vary
depending on the length L, which is
the distance between points where
measurements are taken to determine
compliance with the specified
tolerance. These points are usually
chosen arbitrarily and may be on any
segment and in any direction along
the plane of the evaluated surface.
Choosing short lengths for local
deformations and long lengths for
long-wave deformations is suggested.
Predetermined cases with specific
tolerance requirements may exist,
such as aisles according to the
Chilean General Building Code, and
other tolerances may be specified to
ensure compatibility with adjoining
elements or other construction.
measurement
The owner or contractor may

measure elements where necessary,
preferably by locating areas of
concern by first performing a visual
inspection. The measurements can
be made using any tool or equipment
with 1 mm (0.04 in.) accuracy, and
the values are rounded to the nearest
1 mm (0.04 in.). The measurements
are made with respect to an auxiliary
plane parallel to the axis of the
outlined element.
With one exception, tolerances are
measured on concrete elements after
the forms are stripped and before
any supports are removed. That is,
the tolerances consider only formwork
system offsets or deformationsno
34
june 2009
Table 1:
Flatness tolerances for vertical surfaces
Surface
finish
grade
L 1.5 m
(L 4.9 ft),*
mm (in.)
L3m
(L 9.8 ft),*
mm (in.)
L6m
(L 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
L>6m
(L > 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
G1
4 (0.16)
6 (0.24)
10 (0.40)
25 (1.00)
G2
5 (0.20)
7 (0.28)
12 (0.48)
30 (1.20)
G3
7 (0.28)
12 (0.48)
18 (0.72)
30 (1.20)
G4
8 (0.32)
15 (0.60)
20 (0.80)
30 (1.20)
* Length L is the distance between points where measurements are taken to determine
compliance with the specified tolerance.
Table 2:
Flatness tolerances for soffit surfaces before support removal
Surface
finish
grade
L 1.5 m
(L 4.9 ft),*
mm (in.)
L3m
(L 9.8 ft),*
mm (in.)
L6m
(L 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
L>6m
(L > 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
G1
4 (0.16)
6 (0.24)
10 (0.40)
15 (0.60)
G2
5 (0.20)
8 (0.32)
12 (0.48)
18 (0.72)
G3
6 (0.24)
10 (0.40)
15 (0.60)
20 (0.80)
G4
8 (0.32)
14 (0.56)
20 (0.80)
25 (1.00)
Table 3:
Flatness tolerances for soffit surfaces after support removal
Surface
finish
grade
L 1.5 m
(L 4.9 ft),*
mm (in.)
L3m
(L 9.8 ft),*
mm (in.)
L6m
(L 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
L>6m
(L > 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
G1
6 (0.24)
10 (0.40)
15 (0.60)
20 (0.80)
G2
7 (0.28)
12 (0.48)
18 (0.72)
22 (0.88)
G3
8 (0.32)
14 (0.56)
20 (0.80)
25 (1.00)
G4
9 (0.36)
17 (0.68)
25 (1.00)
30 (1.20)
Table 4:
Other tolerances
Surface
finish
grade
Variation from
project axes,
mm (in.)
Door and window

openings,
mm (in.)
Rough seams on faces

of elements,
mm (in.)
G1
5 (0.20)*
5 (0.20)*
3 (0.12)
G2
6 (0.24)
5 (0.20)
5 (0.20)
G3
10 (0.40)
5 (0.20)
5 (0.20)
G4
15 (0.60)
10 (0.40)
8 (0.32)
* Other tolerances may be specified in the general building code or project documents.
Table 5:
Floor flatness tolerances for suspended slabs and slabs-on-ground
Surface
finish grade
L 1.5 m
(L 4.9 ft),*
mm (in.)
L3m
(L 9.8 ft),*
mm (in.)
L6m
(L 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
L>6m
(L > 19.7 ft),*
mm (in.)
Rough seams on
same plane,
mm (in.)
G5
3 (0.12)
5 (0.20)
7 (0.28)
10 (0.40)
2 (0.08)
G6
4 (0.16)
7 (0.28)
10 (0.40)
15 (0.60)
3 (0.12)
* Length L is the distance between points where measurements are taken to determine compliance with the specified tolerance.
structural deformations or strains are considered.

Tolerances for vertical elements must be measured
within 24 hours after removal of the formwork. For
horizontal or inclined elements, tolerances are measured
before removing the shoring system.
The exception to measuring tolerances before any
shoring or supports are removed is the tolerances for
soffit surfaces shown in Table 3. These are checked after
formwork and shoring removal and therefore must
include elastic deformations that are calculated and
communicated by the structural engineer.
These tolerances are to be checked at least 30 days
after support removal but before finishes are applied.
Measurements after shoring removal must consider elastic
deformations determined by the structural engineer.
Noncompliance
Corrections and sanctions, for the cases when construction

does not comply with the tolerances for the surface finish
grade specified, should be indicated in the contract
documents. These should also establish whether the
owner is willing to accept surface repairs to meet tolerances
and sanction the eventual rejection of the repair. Repair
procedures to be used should be compatible with the
structural and aesthetic requirements assigned to the
element, and the owner or the owners representative
may accept or reject a repair procedure proposed by the
contractor.
In general, repairs are not accepted on G1 (architectural
or exposed) surfaces. The only repair to these surfaces
allowed is the trimming of raw seams of formwork joints
without marking the concrete surface, unless the owner
specifies otherwise. When deviations greater than those
specified are found in elements specified as G1, the
owner may order demolition of the element.
Repairs on G3 and G5 surfaces are acceptable if they
are compatible with the structural and aesthetic
requirements of the element. For G2, G4, G5, and G6,
surface defects may be trimmed or filled to meet the
specified tolerance, but the minimum cover thickness
must be maintained.
Use
The tolerance specification has been used on several

projects because it provides defined finish tolerances and
avoids conflicts when the project is handed over to the
owner. Its continued use is expected to help clarify the
cost of specific tolerance requirements for projects and
provide budget information for various quality levels.
References
1. Especificacion Tcnica ET 004-06, Tolerancias Dimensionales
de Elementos de Hormign Armado, Instituto del Cemento y del
Hormign de Chile, Santiago, Chile, Mar. 2006, 7 pp. (in Spanish)
Selected for reader interest by the editors.
This is the last of a series of articles giving the

Chilean perspective on various concrete construction
issues. Previous articles include:
Covarrubias, J.P., Specification for Concrete
Cracking, V. 29, No. 9, Sept. 2007, pp. 50-54;
Masana, C., Concrete Dumping Height Specifications,
V. 30, No. 2, Feb. 2008, pp. 40-42; and
Masana, C., Formwork Removal Specifications,
V. 30, No. 6, June 2008, pp. 38-40.
Cristian Masana is a Civil Engineer at ICH

working as the Technical Secretary of the
Performance Based Specification Committee
and as Chief of the Pavement Division. His
research interests include design and
construction specifications, time-dependent
behavior of concrete, cracking, and
durability of concrete structures.
/ june 2009
35
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36
June 2009
To reserve your sleeping room at the New Orleans

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Reservation cutoff is October 9, 2009. Convention
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Occupancy
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To register for the ACI Fall 2009 Convention or

for additional hotel information, please visit www.
aciconvention.org.
The village of New Ngelepen, with its 71 permanent

homes, plus a mosque, primary school, playground,
and medical clinicall in concretewas occupied
less than a year after the earthquake that ravaged
the region. (All photos courtesy of Monolithic Dome
Institute and Domes for the World Foundation)
Concrete Homes for

Disaster Victims
Inflated forms bring shelter to rural landslide victims
By M.K. Hurd
n May 2006, a devastating earthquake struck the island

of Java in Indonesia. The region most seriously affected
by the earthquake is densely populated with people living
in small villages separated by rice fields. Homes in one
such village, Ngelepen [NEL-e-pen], fared worse than in
neighboring villages because a catastrophic landslide
completely swept the community off its foundations. But
the Ngelepen villagers were more fortunate than many
others in the region when the World Association of
Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) and Emaar
Properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, agreed on a
plan to restore Ngelepen.
After completing an extensive feasibility study, the Domes
for the World (DFTW) Foundation was asked to rebuild
the village on a tract of land set aside by the government
especially for the rebuilding. The nonprofit Utah-based

organization applied its expertise in building environmentally
friendly concrete dome homes capable of withstanding
the severe effects of many natural disasters. In April 2007,
less than a year after the earthquake, villagers were able
to occupy their homes in New Ngelepen.1 The new village
had 71 concrete shell houses, arranged in groups of 12
around a shared building containing laundry, toilet, and
shower facilities. A new well was dug for each of these
clusters, and six independent septic systems were installed.
Thin-shell concrete civic structures were also
constructeda mosque, primary school, playground, and
medical clinic. The total development, which included
roads and drainage as well, was funded by a $1 million
grant from Emaar Properties.
/ June 2009
37
According to the DFTW Foundation, each home cost

about $19/ft2 ($200/m2), including all infrastructure, and
employed several hundred laborers hired from the local
population, trained, and paid at higher than the prevailing
wage for similar work. A major factor in the speed and
economy of the village reconstruction was the use of
inflatable forms to build thin-shell concrete structures.
The EcoShell construction method, developed by
Monolithic Constructors of Italy, TX, was originally used
for low-cost concrete storage buildings.2 Unlike the larger
domes that are built by applying shotcrete from inside an
inflated form, most work on the smaller shells is done
from outside of the form.
Building the Shells
Fig. 1: Inflated form with most of the reinforcement installed. The

small fan used for inflation remains in place, connected to the
fabric of the form
Fig. 2: On top of the inflated form, a reinforcement ring is set into

place; and then vertical bars are attached and successive rings
of reinforcing bar are placed, working down the sides of the form
38
June 2009
A 40 ft (12.2 m) diameter dome is the largest size

recommended for this kind of residential structure.
Instead of building a simple hemisphere or ellipsoid,
vertical stem walls can be made by adding a base
cylindrical section to the form for the upper dome shape
as was done at New Ngelepen.
Work begins with a reinforced concrete slab, a ring
beam foundation, or both, that has dowels set around
the perimeter tall enough to overlap the reinforcement
of the shell structure. Hardware is set in place in the
foundation slab to aid in anchoring the air form.
The inflatable form made of heavy, rugged, air-tight
architectural fabric is attached to the foundation slab or
beam, and the connection is sealed to prevent air loss.
A small high-pressure fan, such as those used for heavyduty vacuum cleaners, is used to lift the form into place
(Fig. 1). When inflated to about 40 lb/ft2 (1.9 kPa) gauge
pressure, the air form can support the weight of workers
and the reinforcing steel and concrete they are putting
in place.
A hoop of reinforcing bar is placed on top of the form
(Fig. 2), and vertical reinforcing bars are attached on all
sides of the form; then additional horizontal hoops are
placed. Wood framing is erected where doors or windows
are needed (Fig. 3), and extra reinforcing bars are placed
around these future openings.
When all the reinforcing steel is in place, workers
apply a 1 in. (25 mm) layer of shotcrete, followed by
additional layers after the first has hardened. Total
thickness may be as little as 3 in. (75 mm). If shotcrete
equipment is not available, the concrete may be plastered
or troweled on. Air pressure is maintained inside the
form until the concrete gains enough strength to be
self-supporting. The form can then be deflated and
removed to be used for another shell. With careful
handling, as many as 100 uses are possible.
Workers can then enter the dome and remove any
loose concrete. This leaves some of the reinforcing steel
exposed on the interior. After wire brushing to remove
Fig. 4: Panoramic view of New Ngelepen construction shows several homes in

various stages (from the left): A dome with the shotcrete hardened, a dome with
most of the concrete applied and the crew still working at the top, an air form
being inflated, a dome with the concrete completed and in the process of curing,
and a fully inflated form with much of the reinforcement in place
The shell structures can be built by local labor at a

fraction of the cost of comparable structures built by
more conventional methods. By making the most of the
structural advantages inherent in a thin shell, the actual
volume of concrete is smallfar less than used in a
Fig. 3: A wood-framed window opening braced in place before

placing concrete. Additional reinforcement will be placed around
this and other openings in the dome
any loose material, workers apply another layer of

shotcrete 1/2 to 3/4 in. (15 to 20 mm) thick to cover it.
The exterior of the concrete shell is smoothed and coated
with cement slurry to help seal the concrete before
painting to reflect the suns rays (Fig. 4).
Structural efficiency of the

dome shell
Typically built without insulation, thin concrete shells

are ideal for areas with high summer and moderate
winter temperatures, as in many developing countries.
These shells make strong dwellings that are resistant to
fire, wind storms, earthquakes, and termites. They are
constructed using widely available concrete and reinforcing
bar, with limited specialized tools; workers quickly learn
the skills required to build them. Reuse of the form is an
important key to economy of the process.
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receive special ACI announcements, and
participate in technical discussions.
To join, simply visit ACIs Web site at
www.concrete.org, and click on the
Facebook and LinkedIn links.
/ June 2009
39
Table 1:
Material quantities required for construction of a thin concrete dome versus a rectangular structure1
Required materials
Structure
Dome
Rectangular
Dome
Rectangular
Dome
Rectangular
Floor area,
ft2 (m2)
Interior volume,
ft3 (m3)
314 (29.2)
2408 (68.2)
324 (30.1)
2592 (73.4)
30 ft x 13 ft high
(9.1 m x 4.0 m high)
707 (65.7)
24 x 30 x 8 ft
(7.3 x 9.1 x 2.4 m)
Size
20 ft x 11 ft high
(6.1 m x 3.4 m high)
18 x 18 x 8 ft
(5.5 x 5.5 x 2.4 m)
40 ft x 16 ft high
(12.2 m x 4.9 m high)
24 x 52 x 8 ft
(7.3 x 15.8 x 2.4 m)
Concrete,
yd3 (m3)
8
(6.1)
23
(17.6)
Reinforcing steel,
lb (kg)
1250
(567)
4900
(2220)
5744 (162.7)
24
(18.3)
2500
(1130)
720 (66.9)
5760 (163.1)
43
(32.9)
9200
(4170)
1257 (116.8)
12,197 (345.4)
1248 (115.9)
9964 (282.1)
30
(22.9)
69
(52.8)
4200
(1910)
13,300
(6030)
rectangular concrete building of the same floor area, as

shown in Table 1.
According to one United Nations study, an average
family habitation in a developing country should be
about 300 ft2 (28 m2). A shell 20 ft (6.1 m) in diameter and
11 ft (3.4 m) high at the center provides 314 ft2 (29.2 m2)
of living area. This shell, including both foundation and
dome superstructure, requires less than 8 yd3 (6.1 m3)
of concrete and about 1250 lb (567 kg) of reinforcing
HELP FOR THE HOMELESS
Established in 2006, Domes for the World

Foundation (DFTW) is registered as a nonprofit
501(c)(3) corporation with federal tax-exempt
status. As stated in Reference 3, its mission is to
initiate and coordinate efforts to alleviate housing
shortages in struggling cultures and impoverished
lands (www.dftw.org). Since completion of the
71-home village described in this article, continuing
contributions have enabled DFTW to continue
building one or two dome homes per month in
New Ngelepen.
Another organization with similar purposes is
Domes for Homes (D4H) whose application for
501(c)(3) status is pending. D4H has started a
rebuilding project, JAVA2, that will use inflated
forms to build durable homes for 23 more Indonesian
families in need (www.domesforhomes.org).
40
June 2009
steel. A rectangular concrete structure of comparable

volume and floor area would require more than twice
these amounts.
References
1. South, R., and South, A., Final Report: New Ngelepen
Yogyakarta, Indonesia, June 5, 2007. (available at www.dftw.org)
2. Hurd, M.K., Low-Cost Concrete Storage Buildings, Concrete
Construction, V. 42, No. 12, Dec. 1997, pp. 991-995.
3. South, D.B., Ecoshell 1, second edition, F. Parker, ed.,
Monolithic Dome Institute, Italy, TX, 2007, 33 pp. (available at
http://static.monolithic.com/pdfs/ecoshell.pdf)
ACI Honorary Member M.K. Hurd is a

member of ACI Committees 124, Concrete
Aesthetics, and 347, Formwork for Concrete.
She has received numerous awards for her
service and contributions to ACI, including
the ACI Construction Award (1982 and
1988), the Delmar L. Bloem Award for
Distinguished Service (1990 and 2006),
and the Henry C. Turner Medal (1995). She
is the author of seven editions of ACI SP-4, Formwork for Concrete.
In 2004, she received the Marston Medal, the highest award
bestowed by the College of Engineering at Iowa State University.
Six-Volume Set with Index

Order Code: MCP09PACK.CI
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ACI members $499.00
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Manual of
Concrete Practice
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ACI members $711.00
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*To order licenses or online subscriptions,
call 248-848-3800
The American Concrete Institutes 2009 Manual

of Concrete Practice contains over 190 ACI
committee standards and reports, including
24 new/revised publications.
ACIs 2009 Manual of Concrete Practice is the most
comprehensive concrete reference set available.
It contains all of the widely used ACI concrete and
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testing, and hundreds of other topics.
The 2009 Manual of Concrete Practice is conveniently
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a CD-ROM, and a one-year online subscription. Call
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Note: Annual online subscription will automatically contain all new committee standards and reports released throughout the year.
Protection Screens
Making high-rise construction safer and easier
By Michael Schaeffer
n every project, building contractors have the same

concernskeeping the schedule, dealing with the
elements, protecting workersand when the structure is
a skyscraper in a busy, congested city, these concerns
take on even more importance. For the builders of the
Legacy at Millennium Park, a luxury condominium
residence in Chicago, IL, the harsh weather and
close proximity to other structures made the project
particularly challenging.
When completed later this year, the 72-story tower
will feature 355 apartments, along with parking, retail
facilities, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Among the buildings unique features is its glass-wall
architecture providing floor-to-ceiling windows in the
residences and a design that curves in plan and tapers
with elevation.
where edge falsework and column-forming operations

are performed.
In this safe, comfortable working environment,
the workers on the Legacy project were able to move
about freely without fear of falling, while being shielded
from Chicagos high winds. The Xclimb 60 Protection
Screens modular panel system easily adapted to the
buildings challenging design and allowed work to
proceed on schedule.
The following photos illustrate how this protection
system was used on the project.
Doka USA, Ltd.

CIRCLE 51
Enclosing the Work Environment
To help ease these construction challenges, Walsh

Construction, contractor for the Legacy, wanted to create
a closed working environment on the tower that would
protect workers from Chicagos wind and ensure worker
safety while maximizing production levels. Because of the
buildings special design features, any system used would
require reconfiguration as construction progressed up
the building.
Walsh Construction chose to use Xclimb 60 Protection
Screens from Doka USA, Ltd. The system provides
protection for the working floor and up to three floors
below. The room-high enclosure provides complete
protection around the accident-prone edges of the slabs
42
June 2009
Michael Schaeffer, National Sales Manager

and Head of Product Management for Doka
USA, Ltd., has been in the industry for more
than 15 years. A formwork professional, his
career also includes engineering, sales,
operations, and regional management.
Today, his main responsibilities include
companywide sales management, product
development, new product rollout/training,
and marketing support for Doka USA, Ltd.
The versatile Xclimb 60 system can be configured as a climbing

wall formwork system or the protection screen system shown in
this illustration. Also shown is the integral loading platform
feature. Formwork or other materials can be placed on the
platform that sticks out from the face of the protection screen
so the crane has access to lift the materials to the current
working level
Due to the Legacys close proximity to other buildings and train

tracks, extreme precautions were taken to safely transport
material from trucks at the ground level. Because there was no
room on the ground to position equipment or deliver material, a
staging level was set up on the 15th floor. From this level, the
Xclimb panels were easily positioned
For the Legacy project, the protection screen panels were

preassembled at a Doka facility to save time and reduce labor
costs. The facing material can be changed to suit local conditions
for the amount of protection from the elements. During warmer
construction seasons, a screen material can be used to allow air
flow. In this application, solid metal siding was used to provide
relief from the cold temperatures and high winds prevalent
during construction of this Chicago high-rise
As individual panels of the protection screen were swung into

position, they were joined together using steel brackets and
removable drift pins. Connecting two panels together to form a
protection shield unit in this manner created a very robust,
sturdy system
/ June 2009
43
Once positioned, the protection screens provide a safe working environment for
forming the next slab level, placing reinforcement, and placing and finishing the slab.
Workers can move around freely, without the distraction of being able to see over the
edge of a floor several hundred feet off the ground. After the slab is cast, the screens
can be lifted to the next level using the crane or a hydraulic ram system can be used to
free up crane time
After the slab gains strength, removable anchors are embedded in the
concrete about 19 in. (480 mm) in from the edge of the slab to provide a
connection for floor-mounted supports. These supports transfer both
vertical and horizontal forces from the protection screen into the floor slabs
and also guide the screen unit as its raised from one floor to the next.
Because the supports are located on three slab levels, the screens are
always supported from at least two levels, even during lifting
44
June 2009
The floor-mounted supports also form an integral part of the

manually repositionable hydraulic cylinder lifting mechanism
that clamps onto the vertical screen support. The mechanism at
the top of the cylinder clamps onto and engages the hooked lug
on the blue screen support. After lifting, the cylinder is lowered
slightly so the pin on the floor-mounted support engages a
hooked lug. With the floor-mounted support holding the screen,
the upper mechanism can be repositioned to a lower hook,
and the process is repeated in 1 ft (300 mm) increments until
the screen unit has been raised to the next level. The one
hydraulic unit and four hydraulic cylinders needed to raise two
protection-screen units are moved to the next lifting position
after the lift is complete
The screen sections on the left side of this

photo are in the process of being raised to
the next level. The sections on the right
have already been raised. The hydraulic
cylinders that lift the screens act from the
level below the one that is visible.
Because the system can be raised while
the formwork is still supporting the upper
slab, crews were able to construct floors
on a 3-day cycle
/ June 2009
45
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specify ACI Certified personnel

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inspectors, supervisors, and craftsmen in 17 different
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When you have a need for qualified concrete
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CCRL Lab Tour
The Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory offers performance
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Upcoming tour locations are:
June 2009
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Indiana
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To schedule your lab for CCRL inspection, and to arrange for

performance testing, contact Jan Prowell at (301) 975-6704.
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june 2009
Visit www.ACI Certification.org for:

Descriptions of ACI Certification
Programs Includes program
requirements and reference/
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Schedule of Upcoming/Testing
Sessions Search by program
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Directory of Certified Individuals
Confirm an individuals certification
and date of expiration.
CLSM Containing
Cement Kiln Dust
Field trials of controlled low-strength material for sustainable construction
By Mohamed Lachemi, Khandaker M.A. Hossain, Abdurrahmaan Lotfy, Medhat Shehata,

and Mustafa Sahmaran
ontrolled low-strength material (CLSM) is known

by many different names, including flowable fill,
controlled density fill, flowable mortar, unshrinkable
fill, lean concrete backfill, soil cement slurry, and
K-Krete. It has proven to be an ideal backfill material
for use on street and infrastructure rehabilitation
projects. It develops high early penetration resistance,
has low shrinkage and compressibility characteristics,
is economical, is not labor intensive to place, and
is not adversely affected by varying moisture
contents. When specified with appropriate maximum
strength requirements, CLSM can also be easily
removed at a later date by hand or with conventional
excavating equipment.
In recent years, there have been significant efforts to use
various industrial by-products in the production of CLSM.
One of these products is cement kiln dust (CKD), which has
been found to improve flowability and reduce segregation
and bleeding.1,2 CKD is finely divided, dry particulate
material carried out of a cement kiln by exhaust gas and
captured by the air pollution control system. Although most
cement kiln dust is returned to the kiln as feedstock or used
for soil stabilization and other beneficial uses, about 1.4
million tonnes (1.5 million tons) of CKD was transported to
landfills in 2006 in the U.S. alone.3
In our initial studies, different CLSM mixtures containing
CKD were developed in the laboratory with satisfactory
fresh and hardened properties.1,2 For this article, two
CKD-based CLSM mixtures that were optimized for fresh
and hardened properties in previous studies1,2 were
examined. Performance requirements for the selected
CKD-based CLSM included a maximum 28-day compressive
strength of 2.1 MPa (300 psi) for ease of excavation,4 a
minimum 28-day compressive strength of 0.7 MPa

(100 psi) for adequate bearing capacity, a maximum
setting time of 24 hours, pumpability, and self-leveling
flow without segregation or bleeding. Ready mixed
concrete equipment was used to produce the CKDbased CLSM on a large scale, and experimental field
trenches were backfilled with CKD-based CLSM. The
study demonstrates that CKD-based CLSM can be used
as an alternative to conventional CLSM.
Mixtures
The mixtures contained Canadian Standard Association

General Use portland cement,5 equivalent to ASTM C1506
Type I, and a CKD supplied by a local cement manufacturing
company. The physical properties and chemical compositions of the portland cement and CKD are presented in
Table 1. Natural coarse aggregate with a 20 mm (0.79 in.)
nominal maximum size and natural sand with a 4.75 mm
(0.19 in.) nominal maximum size were used throughout
the study. The coarse and fine aggregates had specific
gravities of 2.70 and 2.43, and water absorptions of 0.30%
and 1.83%, respectively.
Table 2 details the mixture proportions. Both CKDbased mixtures contained portland cement to ensure
initial set within 24 hours. Mixture 1 had a CKD content
of 200 kg/m3 (337 lb/yd3), and Mixture 2 had a CKD
content of 300 kg/m3 (506 lb/yd3). The cement content
was 40 and 20 kg/m3 (67 and 34 lb/yd3) for Mixtures 1
and 2, respectively. Coarse aggregate was not used in
the CKD-based CLSM so the mixture could be easily
excavated at a later date. A conventional CLSM mixture
with a cement content of 25 kg/m3 (42 lb/yd3) and
no CKD was also used for comparison. Unlike the
/ June 2009
47
Table 1:
Chemical compositions and physical properties of cement and CKD
SiO2,
%
Al2O3,
%
Fe2O3,
%
CaO,
%
MgO,
%
Na2O,
%
K2O,
%
SO3,
%
Loss on
ignition, %
Free
CaO, %
Specific
gravity
Fineness,
m2/kg
Portland
cement
19.4
5.3
2.3
61.8
2.3
0.2
1.1
3.8
2.1
3.1
374
CKD
13.1
4.2
2.4
58.1
3.3
0.7
2.8
10.6
3.1
20.1
3.2
410
Material
Table 2:
Mixture proportions for field trials
Mixture 1
Mixture 2
Conventional
CLSM
Portland cement, kg/m3 (lb/yd3)
40 (67)
20 (34)
25 (42)
Cement kiln dust, kg/m (lb/yd )
200 (337)
300 (506)
1450 (2444)
1350 (2275)
970 (1635)
1053 (1775)
307 (517)
315 (531)
220 (371)
Material
3
Fine aggregate, kg/m (lb/yd )

3
Coarse aggregate, kg/m (lb/yd )

3
Water, kg/m (lb/yd )

3
(a)
(b)
CKD-based CLSM mixtures, coarse aggregate was used in

the conventional CLSM, as shown in Table 2.
The CLSM was batched at a portable concrete
plant and mixed using a truck mixer. After charging
the truck with half of the sand for the batch using the
plant hopper, the truck was pulled away from the
hopper and loaded with the full quantity of CKD from
bulk bags (Fig. 1). The truck was then pulled back under
the portable plant to continue adding the other half of
the sand and all of the cement. The ingredients were
blended by rotating the truck drum for 2 minutes
to provide a homogenous blend of ingredients that
prevented the formation of lumps. Subsequently, the
mixing water was added and the batch was mixed for
another 5 minutes. Our trials showed that the raw
materials can be easily charged into a truck mixer,
mixed thoroughly, discharged, transported, placed,
and finished.
Testing
Fig. 1: The CLSM was batched at a portable concrete plant: (a)

cement, aggregates, and water were added to the truck mixer
from the plant; and (b) the CKD was loaded into the truck mixer
from bulk bags with the assistance of a lift truck
48
June 2009
Immediately after mixing, material was discharged

from the truck mixer to perform tests on fresh and
hardened properties of the CLSM. The mixtures
were tested for slump flow diameter,7 J-ring height
difference,7 trench filling ability, bleeding,8 settlement,9
setting times,10 ball drop setting time,11 and unit
weight.12 The unconfined compressive strength was
also determined at 7 and 28 days per ASTM D483213
by testing at least three 150 x 300 mm (6 x 12 in.)
cylinders cast without compaction. After discharging the
material for the tests, the truck mixer was directed to
the designated trench.
Table 3:
Summary of all test results
Result
Mixture 1
Mixture 2
Conventional CLSM
Slump flow, mm (in.)
670 (26)
720 (28)
20
30
120
1.5 (0.059)
1.9 (0.075)
0.04
0.10
0.30
0 (0)
5 (0.20)
15 (0.59)
2076 (130)
2005 (125)
2325 (145)
Initial set, hours
17
20
14
Final set, hours
35
39
38
Ball drop setting time, hours
19
22
17
7-day compressive strength, MPa (psi)
0.95 (138)
0.84 (122)
1.2 (174)
28-day compressive strength, MPa (psi)
1.85 (268)
1.56 (226)
2.65 (384)
Easy
Easy
Hard
Trench filling time, seconds

J-ring height difference, mm (in.)
Final bleeding, %
Settlement, mm (in.)
Unit weight at 28 days, kg/m (lb/ft )
3
Digability
* Coarse aggregate and paste separated during test as shown in Fig. 2(b).
Two trenches were excavated for

each of the three CLSM mixtures.
The trenches had plan dimensions
of about 2 x 1 m (2.2 x 1.1 yd) and
a depth of about 1.2 m (1.3 yd).
All of the test results for the
investigation are summarized
in Table 3.
Flow and passing ability
Flowability is the most important

attribute of CLSM because it allows
the material to be placed without
compaction. The slump flow with
and without a J-ring are good
assessments of the passing ability
and flowability of CLSM, respectively.
Figure 2 shows typical slump flow
spread tests with a J-ring for the
conventional and CKD-based CLSM.
As expected, CKD-based CLSM
achieved very good flow and passing
ability. The differences in heights
between the bars (J-ring height
difference) for CKD-based CLSM
were within the prescribed limit of
0 to 10 mm (0 to 0.4 in.).7 Filling the
2.4 m3 (3.1 yd3) trench with CKDbased CLSM only took about 25
seconds on average. The traditional
CLSM, however, took more than
2 minutes to fill the trench. Figure 2
shows that the conventional CLSM
(a)
(b)
Fig. 2: To test flow and passing ability, spread diameters with a J-ring were measured
and trenches were filled using: (a) CKD-based CLSM containing no coarse aggregate;
and (b) conventional CLSM containing coarse aggregate
/ June 2009
49
exhibited considerable segregation, lower compactibility,

and poor flowability, compared to the CKD-based CLSM,
due to the presence of coarse aggregate.
Settlement and bleeding
Fig. 3: Initial set time using the ball drop test11 was the time at
which a 76 mm (3 in.) diameter indentation was produced in the
CLSM
Settlement was investigated by filling a 150 x 300 mm

(6 x 12 in.) cylinder with fresh CLSM and measuring the
drop of the top surface at the time of initial set. Bleeding
was measured by extracting bleed water from the top of a
covered sample and was reported as a percentage of the
total sample volume. Settlement and bleeding increased
slightly with increased CKD content. Mixture 1 had
almost no bleeding and zero settlement, while Mixture 2
exhibited negligible bleeding with an average settlement
of about 5 mm (0.20 in.). The conventional CLSM had
noticeable bleeding and settlement of 15 mm (0.59 in.).
The higher settlement of the conventional CLSM can be
attributed to the coarse aggregate falling to the bottom of
the specimen, allowing the mixture to release water and
entrapped air.
Setting times
Fig. 4: The ability of the CLSM to withstand typical job site

construction traffic was investigated 18 hours after placement by
rolling a concrete truck and a front loader back and forth across
the trenches five times
50
June 2009
Initial and final setting times for the CLSM mixtures

were determined using the penetration resistance
method described in ASTM C403.10 To perform the
setting time test on the conventional CLSM, the
sample was passed through a 4.75 mm (No. 4) sieve
to obtain the mortar. Mixtures 1 and 2 had average
initial setting times of about 17 and 20 hours and final
setting times of about 35 and 39 hours, respectively.
The slight extension of setting time in Mixture 2 can be
attributed to the reduction of portland cement from
40 to 20 kg/m3 (67 to 34 lb/yd3). The conventional CLSM
took a little less time to reach initial set compared with
the CKD-based CLSM.
The other hardening test performed was the ball drop
test. In this study, the time to reach a 76 mm (3 in.)
diameter ball drop indentation was designated the ball
drop setting time (Fig. 3). The ball drop setting times
showed trends similar to the initial setting times obtained
from the penetration resistance tests. According to
ASTM D6024,11 the ball drop test determines the
readiness of the CLSM to accept loads prior to adding a
wearing surface. Mixture 1 had an average ball drop
setting time of about 19 hours. Mixture 2 had a slightly
longer average time of 22 hours but was still less than the
targeted 24 hours. Setting time is critical for practical
application of CLSM and dictates the types of projects
on which the material can be used. For use as a road
sub-base or in footpath construction, its often important
to allow traffic 24 hours after placement. Thus, CLSM
mixtures with a ball drop setting time of 24 hours or less
are of particular importance. The conventional CLSM had
a slightly shorter ball drop setting time of 17 hours, as
friction between the coarse aggregate particles allowed

increased resistance to penetration.
Compressive strength and unit weight
The 7-day compressive strength12 for the CKD-based

CLSM mixtures was less than 1 MPa (145 psi), and
the 28-day compressive strength was less than 2 MPa
(290 psi). These results satisfied the maximum
28-day strength requirement of 2.1 MPa (300 psi).
The conventional CLSM had a 7-day compressive
strength of 1.20 MPa (170 psi), and a 28-day compressive
strength of 2.65 MPa (380 psi). The higher compressive
strength of the conventional CLSM can be attributed
to the presence of coarse aggregate. In the case of
CKD-based CLSM, higher compressive strengths can be
achieved by adding more cement, less water, or both.
The use of coarse aggregate in the CKD-based CLSM
may also increase the compressive strength, as in
conventional CLSM. Higher strength CLSM, however,
would be more difficult to remove using regular
excavation methods.
The CKD-based CLSM has a unit weight about 10 to
15% lower than the conventional CLSM. The unit weight
values lie well within the normal value for CLSM, which
ranges from 1840 to 2320 kg/m3 (115 to 145 lb/ft3).4
Load application
The CLSM-filled trenches were tested for their ability

to withstand wheel loads from a front loader and
an empty concrete truck 18 hours after placement.
The front loader weighed 5 tonnes (5.5 ton), and the
truck weighed 3.5 tonnes (3.85 ton). The test examined
the suitability for load application with typical job
site construction equipment less than 24 hours after
placement. Both the front loader and the truck were
rolled back and forth over the trenches five times (Fig. 4)
as the fill was observed to detect any initiation of cracks
or signs of failure. All trenches (including the trenches
backfilled with conventional CLSM) had adequate
bearing capacity and did not deform under the effect of
the wheel load on the surface.
Digability
Its important for CLSM to maintain a low level of

strength, especially where excavation may be required at
a later time. Some mixtures with acceptable early-age
strength may continue to gain strength with time, hindering
future excavation. The ease of excavation not only
depends on the compressive strength of the CLSM but
also on the ingredients in the mixtureCLSM with large
quantities of coarse aggregate can be difficult to remove
even at low strengths. No coarse aggregates were used in
the CKD-based CLSM mixtures that were developed, thus
they were expected to be easy to excavate.
The digability of the CLSM was tested 7 days after

placement by using a hand-held spade. The CKD-based
CLSM mixtures were digable with a hand-held spade,
but the conventional CLSM was hard and not easily
penetrated with the spade.
Increasing use
Self-leveling CLSMs with excellent fresh properties and

sufficient compressive strength were produced by
incorporating CKD, a small amount of portland cement,
and no coarse aggregate. Moreover, such CKD-based
CLSM mixtures were successfully used to backfill trenches
that could be loaded and opened to traffic within about
24 hours of placement. The development of environmentally
friendly, CKD-based CLSMs, as illustrated in this study, is
a step toward sustainable development as it consumes a
co-generated by-product.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of
the Cement Association of Canada (CAC) in this research project.
Sincere thanks to the industrial partners involved in this project
Essroc Italcementi Group; Innocon, Inc.; Lafarge Canada, Inc.; St.
Lawrence Cement; and St. Marys Cement Co.for their funding,
help, and support. This research was also funded by the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
References
1. Lachemi, M.; Hossain, K.M.A.; Shehata, M.; and Thaha, W.,
Controlled Low Strength Materials Incorporating Cement Kiln Dust
from Various Sources, Cement and Concrete Composites, V. 30,
No. 5, May 2008, pp. 381-392.
2. Lachemi, M.; Hossain, K.M.A.; Shehata, M.; and Thaha, W.,
Characteristics of Controlled Low-Strength Materials Incorporating
Cement Kiln Dust, Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, V. 34,
No. 4, Apr. 2007, pp. 485-495.
3. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Study on
Increasing the Usage of Recovered Mineral Components in Federally
Funded Projects Involving Procurement of Cement or Concrete to
Address the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, EPA530-R-08-007, June 2008, p. ES-6.
4. ACI Committee 229, Controlled Low-Strength Materials
(ACI 229R-99), American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI,
1999, 15 pp.
5. CSA A3001-03, Cementitious Materials for Use in Concrete,
Canadian Standards Association, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2003.
6. ASTM C150-07, Standard Specification for Portland Cement,
ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2007, 8 pp.
7. EFNARC, Specification and Guidelines for Self-Compacting
Concrete, The Self-Compacting Concrete European Project Group,
Knowle, West Midland, UK, Feb. 2002, 32 pp. (available at www.
efnarc.org)
8. ASTM C940-98a(2003), Standard Test Method for Expansion
and Bleeding of Freshly Mixed Grouts for Preplaced-Aggregate
/ June 2009
51
Concrete in the Laboratory, ASTM International, West Conshohocken,

PA, 2003, 2 pp.
9. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Controlled Low Strength
Material with Coal-Combustion Ash and Other Recyclable
Materials, Publication No. ETL 1110-3-496, Washington, DC, Dec.
1998, 14 pp.
10. ASTM C403/C403M-08, Standard Test Method for Time of
Setting of Concrete Mixtures by Penetration Resistance, ASTM
International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2008, 7 pp.
11. ASTM D6024-07, Standard Test Method for the Ball Drop on
Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) to Determine the Suitability
for Load Application, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA,
2007, 3 pp.
12. ASTM D6023-07, Standard Test Method for Density (Unit
Weight), Yield, Cement Content, and Air Content (Gravimetric) of
Controlled Low-Strength Material (CLSM), ASTM International,
West Conshohocken, PA, 2007, 4 pp.
13. ASTM D4832-02, Standard Test Method for Preparation and
Testing of Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) Test Cylinders,
ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2002, 5 pp.
ACI member Mohamed Lachemi is a

Canada Research Chair in Sustainable
Construction and a Professor in the
Department of Civil Engineering at Ryerson
University, Toronto, ON, Canada. He is a
member of ACI Committees 231, Properties
of Concrete at Early Ages, and 237,
Self-Consolidating Concrete. His research
interests include the use of high-performance
materials in the built infrastructure such as the development and
use of self-consolidating concrete in construction.
ACI member Khandaker M.A. Hossain is an
Assistant Professor in the Department of
Civil Engineering at Ryerson University. His
research interests include blended cement
and concrete, structural application of
self-consolidating concrete, composite
construction, and finite element analysis of
reinforced and composite structures.
Abdurrahmaan Lotfy is a doctoral student
in the Department of Civil Engineering at
Ryerson University. His research interests
include self-consolidating concrete
technology, durability of concrete, and
development of special types of selfconsolidating concrete.
ACIs Career Center

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This job search engine is specifically targeted to the
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Easy online job management

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of the industrys best and brightest!
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52
June 2009
ACI member Medhat Shehata is an

Associate Professor in the Department of
Civil Engineering at Ryerson University. He
is a member of ACI Committee 201,
Durability of Concrete. His research
interests include concrete durability,
sulfate attack, alkali-aggregate reaction,
recycled concrete aggregate, and use of
supplementary cementitious materials
in concrete.
ACI member Mustafa Sahmaran is an
Assistant Professor in the Department of
Civil Engineering at Gaziantep University,
Turkey. He is a member of ACI Committee
237, Self-Consolidating Concrete. His
research interests include concrete
technology, durability of concrete, and
composite materials development for
sustainable infrastructure.
A contribution from ACI Committee 236
Detecting the
Fluid-to-Solid
Transition
in Cement Pastes
Comparing experimental and numerical techniques
By Gaurav Sant, Mukul Dehadrai, Dale Bentz, Pietro Lura,

Chiara F. Ferraris, Jeffrey W. Bullard, and Jason Weiss
he time of set for concrete is extremely important

when scheduling construction operations. The
fluid-to-solid transition that occurs during setting is
crucial in assessing practical construction operations,
such as finishing, sawcutting, and curing, and determining
when test procedures such as early-age shrinkage
measurements should be initiated.
The solidification of cementitious mixtures can be
identified using a variety of techniques. Each of the
investigated techniques indicates that solidification
occurs after a similar time period and contributes to a
more detailed understanding of the fluid-to-solid transition.
The interpretation of the results of each technique are
described from a fundamental viewpoint, along with
additional insight into the behavior of concrete that the
techniques help explain or illustrate. Details of the
investigated test methods can be found in a companion
paper1 available with the online version of this article at
www.concreteinternational.com.
Techniques sensitive to volume change
The total volume reduction that occurs when cement

and water react is described as the chemical shrinkage.2
The reduction in external volume under sealed, isothermal
conditions is described as the autogenous shrinkage. One
method proposed to identify the fluid-to-solid transition
is the deviation between chemical and autogenous

shrinkage.2-5 An illustration of this approach is provided
in Fig. 1 for two paste mixtures containing portland
cement and water with a water-cement ratio (w/c) = 0.30.
One mixture (labeled w/c = 0.30WRA) contained a polycarboxylate-based high-range water-reducing admixture
(HRWRA). The other mixture (labeled w/c = 0.30) did not
contain any admixtures. At early ages, while the paste is
fluid, its unable to support stress as shrinkage occurs. As
such, the cement paste collapses onto itself preventing
the formation of internal vapor spaces. As a result,
chemical and autogenous shrinkages are similar. As the
system hydrates and a solid structure develops, however,
the material is able to resist stresses, and the reduction
in total volume (chemical shrinkage) begins to exceed the
reduction in external volume (autogenous shrinkage) due
to formation of vapor spaces in the system, commonly
called self-desiccation. At this point, the chemical and
autogenous shrinkage curves diverge.2-6 The times of
solidification were identified using this method to be
4.3 hours for w/c = 0.30 and 7.0 hours for w/c = 0.30WRA.
The list of references and a companion paper
containing details of the test methods discussed are
available with the online version of this article at
www.concreteinternational.com.
/ june 2009
53
-9000
-9000
w/c = 0.30
Chemical
Autogenous
-12000
0
Time, h
12
-6000
Initial Set
Final Set
Strain x 106
-6000
(a)
Chemical
Autogenous
-3000
Initial Set
Final Set
Strain x 106
-3000
w/c = 0.30WRA
-12000
15
18
(b)
Time, h
12
15
18
Fig. 1: The deviation of the total (chemical) and external (autogenous) volume change
measurements used to identify solidification: (a) plain cement mixture (w/c = 0.30);
(a)a polycarboxylate-based high-range water-reducing
(b)
and (b) mixture containing
admixture (w/c = 0.30WRA). Initial and final set values determined from Vicat tests
200
54
june 2009
Rate of Chemical
Shrinkage, mLH O /gcem/h
Yield Stress, kPa
Initial Set
Final Set
Initial Set
Acoustic Emission Events
Final Set
In concrete construction, the

development of these vapor spaces
160
promotes the suction of surface
water into the concrete. This is
120
commonly observed as the absorption
of bleed water from a slab surface,
80
which is an indicator often used to
signal that the slab is beginning to
40
set and is nearly ready for finishing
operations to begin.
0
An alternative method that has
0
3
6
9
12 15 18
Time, h
been proposed to detect vapor-filled
spaces is acoustic emission measureFig. 2: The increase in acoustic emission
events caused by the formation of vapor
ment. The response of cement paste
cavities is an indication of solidification in w/c = 0.30WRA is shown in Fig. 2.
a sealed paste mixture (shown for w/c =
After an initial period of low acoustic
0.30WRA). Initial and final set values
determined from Vicat tests
activity, a dramatic increase in
acoustic events occurs at
an age of 7 hours. The
0.0025
12
initial period of acoustic
w/c = 0.30WRA
activity is not significant
C
0.0020
in that it corresponds to end
9
of settlement of the cement
0.0015
paste in some mixtures and
6
is characterized with low0.0010
energy acoustic events.
The increase in acoustic
3
0.0005
activity that initiates at
B
A
7 hours agrees with the
0
0.0000
time of solidification
0
2
4
6
8
10 12
assessed using the
Time, h
divergence of the volume
Fig. 3: Increase in yield stress identified by rheological
change response (Fig. 1).7
property measurements of a hydrating cement paste
This increase in acoustic
(w/c = 0.30WRA). Initial and final set values
activity can be explained
determined from Vicat tests (1 kPa = 0.145 psi,
1 mLH O/gcem/h = 1 lbH O/lbcem/h)
by the formation of vapor
2
2
w/c = 0.30WRA
spaces when the chemical shrinkage

and autogenous strain curves diverge.
Consequently, the dramatic increase
signals the formation of a loadresisting solid skeleton.7 This acoustic
activity decreases after a few hours,
as it is believed that the vapor-filled
spaces are expanding at this time
(which would not correspond with
acoustic activity) as opposed to
forming new spaces.
techniques sensitive to
stress resistance or
development
For cement pastes, the most

common technique used to identify
set (initial or final), is the Vicat test
that relates decreasing penetration of
a needle under a constant applied
load to the formation of a structure
in the material. Another technique
that may be used to study early-age
behavior is rheological testing, which
relates deformation under an applied
shear stress to the development of a
solid structure in the material. The
development of a solid network can
also be related to the ability of the
material to generate a stress, identified
using the ring test.1
Figure 3 shows the evolution of
yield stress assessed by rheological
testing, the rate of chemical shrinkage,
and Vicat test setting times. The yield
stress is seen to dramatically increase
at Point B prior to the Vicat test set
time. This corresponds more closely,
however, to the end of the dormant
period in cement hydration, when the
rate of cement hydration (chemical
shrinkage) begins to increase.8 This
observation is consistent with
increasing hydration that results in
decreasing interparticle distances and
strengthening interparticle bonds,
causing the measured yield stress to
increase before the material solidifies.8
The traditional interpretation of
initial and final set using the Vicat
test are penetration depths of 25 and
0 mm (1 and 0 in.), respectively. At
these penetration depths, the
material has a shear resistance of
about 20 and 32 kPa (2.9 and 4.6 psi),

respectively.8 Consequently, the
Vicat test is unable to detect material
property development until the shear
resistance of the material is at least
20 kPa (2.9 psi), which is higher than
the values in Fig. 3 measured using
the rheology test.8
The ability to identify solidification
using residual stress development
can be demonstrated using the
restrained ring test. In this test, a
ring of paste is restrained against
shrinkage by an inner and outer ring
instrumented with strain gauges.
Stress and strain can only initiate in
the system when the material
Initial Set
Final Set
Wave Velocity, m/s
Connected Solids, %
Initial Set
Final Set
Initial Set
Final Set
Wave Velocity, m/s
Strain x 106
not de-aired, the preferential

propagation medium is air. In these
cases, the transmission velocity at
early ages corresponds to the
velocity of sound in air of about 340 m/s
(1100 ft/s), as shown in Fig. 5(b).13
After a solid structure has developed,
the transmission velocities in the
pastes are similar whether or not
they have been de-aired. In systems
with and without air, set occurs when
Techniques sensitive to
the longitudinal velocity is greater
structure development
than a value of about 1500 m/s
Ultrasonic testing has been
(4900 ft/s) (the velocity of sound
extensively used to assess the time
in water).
that it takes a high-frequency pulse
Results of numerical hydration
to propagate through a cementitious
modeling performed using the
sample.10-12 The velocity of the
National Institute of Standards and
ultrasonic pulse increases as the
cementitious material hydrates (Fig. 5). Technologys CEMHYD3D can be
2
used to provide virtual information
Initially, when the cement paste is a
of the progress on hydration and the
suspension of cement particles in
Expansion
development of solid hydrates in a
water,
the
preferential
propagation
0
medium is water (in de-aired pastes). cementitious material. As hydration
Shrinkage
progresses, an increase in the
When a skeleton develops, however,
-2
fraction of solids connected by
the pulse velocity begins to increase
hydration products can be used to
as the solid hydrates form an interidentify the fluid-to-solid transition.
connected network that preferentially
-4
CEMHYD3D identifies cement
propagates the ultrasonic pulse.13-15
particles connected by hydration
The increase in velocity corresponds
-6
products and differentiates these
with the time of initial set as assessed
0
3
6
9
12 15 18
by the Vicat test. This increase in the hydrate connections from those that
Time, h
may result from simple initial cement
ultrasonic velocity also corresponds
Fig. 4: Restrained shrinkage strain in a
particle contacts. As seen in Fig. 5(a),
to the development of elastic
sealed hydrating cement paste (w/c =
the results indicate a dramatic
properties in the solid material such
0.30WRA) assessed using the dual
as bulk and shear moduli. It should be increase in the fraction of connected
ring test. Initial and final set values
determined from Vicat tests
solids at the same time that the
noted that, in plastic pastes that are
ultrasonic wave
velocity is noted to
3600
60
3600
increase, namely at
3200
3200
50
3 hours. It is important
2800
2800
to indicate that the
2400
40
2400
kinetic factor of the
2000
2000
model that allows
30
Velocity in Water
Velocity in Water
1600
1600
translation of model
cycles to real time
1200
20
1200
w/c = 0.30WRA
De-Aired
w/c = 0.30
was calibrated using
800
800
Experimental
Plain
10
experimental measureNIST
Model
400
400
ments of chemical
Velocity in Air
0
0
0
shrinkage performed
0
3
6
9
12 15 18
0
3
6
9
12 15 18
on the plain cement
Time, h
Time, h
(a)
(b)
mixture (w/c = 0.30).
Fig. 5: Ultrasonic wave velocity as a function of time: (a) comparison with connected solids content for a
These results correlate
de-aired plain cement paste mixture (w/c = 0.30); and (b) comparison of a de-aired paste mixture and a
solids forming in three
paste mixture containing dissolved air (w/c = 0.30WRA). Initial and final set values determined from
Vicat tests (1 m/s = 3.28 ft/s)
dimensions to the
possesses an elastic modulus, which
is indicative of structure formation.6,9
Consequently, the development of
residual stress (or restrained strain)
indicates the existence of a solid skeleton in the system. The development
of restrained strain initiates at about
8 hours, as shown in Fig. 4, for paste
mixture w/c = 0.30WRA.
/ june 2009
55
0.00
1.6
-0.06
1.2
0.8
-0.12
w/c = 0.30
Conductivity, t
dt /dt
-0.18
0.4
-0.24
0.0
1.6
(a)
Time, h
12
15
1.2
0.06
0.00
0.8
-0.06
-0.12
0.4
-0.18
0.0
-0.30
0
0.12
w/c = 0.30WRA
Conductivity, t
dt /dt
18
-0.24
0
(b)
Time, h
12
15
18
Fig. 6: Electrical conductivity and the rate of conductivity change (dt/dt) for a sealed hydrating paste:
(a) plain cement mixture (w/c = 0.30); and (b) mixture containing a HRWRA (w/c = 0.30WRA). Initial and
final set values determined from Vicat tests
0.0020
0.0016
4
3
0.0012
2
0.0008
0.0004
Chem. Shrinkage
Iso. Calorimetry
0.0000
0
w/c = Low
Heat Release, mW/g
Initial Set
Final Set
Rate of Chemical
Shrinkage, mLH O /gcem/h
0.0024
10 12 14 16
Time, h
Fig. 7: The rate of chemical shrinkage and the
isothermal heat release as a function of specimen
age for a cement paste containing a HRWRA (w/c =
0.30WRA). Initial and final set values determined
from Vicat tests (1 mLH O/gcem/h = 1 lbH O/lbcem/h)
2
56
june 2009
w/c = High
Fig. 8: An illustration of cement systems

having varying (low and high) w/c
Rate of Conductivity Change,

S/m/h
2.0
Initial Set
Final Set
Conductivity, S/m
where t is the conductivity of the

bulk paste, 0 is the conductivity of
the pore solution, f is the volume
fraction of the liquid-filled pores
(capillary and gel pores), and is the
connectivity of the pore fluid. As the
cement paste hydrates and water in
the system is consumed, the volume
solution connectivity ().16 Because

changes in pore solution conductivity
and liquid volume act in opposite
directions and tend to counterbalance
each other at early ages, the change
in pore solution connectivity () has
been found to be the most significant.17,18
Figure 6(a) shows the electrical
conductivity of a plain cement paste
(w/c = 0.30) as a function of specimen
age. After showing a small increase
over the first 1.5 hours, paste
conductivity decreases an order of
magnitude during the time the test
was performed. The rate of electrical
conductivity change has previously
been used to identify solidification
in cementitious materials.17,18 The
Initial Set
Final Set
(1)
Conductivity, S/m
t = 0 f
Rate of Conductivity Change,

S/m/h
of the pore fluid (f) continuously

decreases. The pore solution
conductivity (0) increases, as the
consumption of water due to hydration
increases the electrolyte concentration,
and the ionic strength of the solution
increases due to the release of
potassium and sodium ions from
the cement clinker phases. Further,
electrical conduction pathways
become more tortuous due to the
formation of connected solid phases
and the formation of vapor spaces.
During self-desiccation, the largest
remaining water-filled pores will
empty first. Consequently, the
change in tortuosity can be quite
dramatic, which decreases the pore
development of a solid structure in

the system as assessed by wave
velocity measurements.
Another method of determining
set time uses the modified parallel
law to model the electrical response
of cementitious materials16,17
maximum rate of electrical conductivity

change correlates well with the time
of solidification as measured by
other techniques (Fig. 6). This
corresponds to a decrease in moisture
connectivity (and conductivity) as
the system gradually changes from a
fluid to a solid. This is related to the
development of a solid structure and
the formation of vapor spaces in the
system. A similar response is observed
for both paste mixtures investigated.
Relating Structure
Development to Degree
of Reaction
An important consideration in
assessing the fluid-to-solid transition
in cementitious materials is to
identify a distinction between the
degree of reaction experienced by
the system and the development of a
solid structure. The rates of chemical
shrinkage and isothermal heat
release have been extensively used
to identify the rate at which the
hydration reaction is progressing.6,19-22
Equivalency between these two
measures has been demonstrated in
several past studies.19,23,24 For the w/c
= 0.30WRA paste, the rates of heat
release and chemical shrinkage are
shown in Fig. 7. Several studies have
attempted to correlate solidification
and the rate of heat release.25,26 From
a fundamental viewpoint, however,
solidification should not be related to
the rate of reaction, but rather to the
development of a solid structure. 27
This conclusion is justified by
rheological evaluations of cement
systems that have correlated the
increase in the yield stress to an
increase in the rate of heat release
and chemical shrinkage.8,28 In these
experiments, it was observed that
the time the yield stress begins to
increase does not correlate to solids
formation, but rather corresponds to
an increase in the rate of hydration.6,28
The early-age physical development
of a solid network depends on the
particle size (cement fineness), w/c,
and the solid-to-solid spacing in the
system (flocculation versus dispersion).

This is illustrated by the simple
example in Fig. 8, showing two
systems having different w/c. These
systems have significantly different
initial solid-to-solid spacing. The
extent of structure development
(and reaction) needed to develop the
solid structure is obviously greater in
the case with a high w/c and larger
interparticle distances. Consequently,
low w/c systems (with smaller
interparticle spacing) would need a
smaller volume of hydration products
and a smaller extent of reaction to
form a solid network capable of
resisting a stress. This can be
extended to the case of the two
mixtures evaluated in this article, a
dispersed system containing an
HRWRA and a flocculated system with
no HRWRA, that have equal volume
fractions of cement and solution.

These considerations show that it
is incorrect and inappropriate to relate
solidification to a single discrete value
of the degree of reaction experienced
by the material. To further support
the inherent difficulty in using
chemical shrinkage or isothermal
calorimetry alone to assess setting,
its noted that the Vicat time of
setting may vary by several hours as
w/c is increased from 0.30 to 0.45, but
the isothermal calorimetry heat of
hydration and chemical shrinkage
curves obtained for cement pastes
within this range of w/c may be
nearly identical to one another.29-31
It must also be recognized, however,
that most cement-based materials
with w/c in the range of 0.30 to 0.50
will set soon after the end of the
dormant period. Because the increase

/ june 2009
57
in hydration rate at the end of the dormant period is so

dramatic, sufficient hydration to achieve setting (for this
range of w/c and typically encountered cement finenesses)
will occur in just a few hours. This helps explain how, in
engineering practice, calorimetric measurements are
used to estimate physical setting times, while from a
materials science perspective, heat generation and
setting time are not directly related.
Summary and Conclusions
Although each of the assessment techniques discussed

in this article probes a different material response,
solidification is identified within a similar time interval.
Tests that assess volume change and the creation of
vapor spaces correspond well with the development of
solids and the development of a stress-resisting network.
Techniques such as calorimetry, rheology, and chemical
shrinkage show a more gradual increase over time
because they are related to the hydration reaction that
accelerates before the time that the fluid-to-solid transition
occurs.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Center for
Advanced Cement Based Materials (ACBM), and the National
Science Foundation (NSF). This material is based in part on work
supported by NSF Grant No. 0134272: a CAREER AWARD granted to
the last author. This work was conducted in the Material Characterization and Sensing Laboratory (MCSL) at Purdue University and in
the Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) at National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As such, the authors
gratefully acknowledge the support of these laboratories in making
this research possible. The contents of this paper reflect the views
of the authors, who are responsible for the accuracy of the data
presented herein.
References
References for this article can be found in the electronic version
available at www.concreteinternational.com.
Received and reviewed under Institute publication policies.
ACI member Gaurav Sant is a Research

Assistant in the School of Civil Engineering
at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. He
received his BSCE and MSCE from Purdue
University and is currently pursuing a PhD.
He is the Past President of the ACI Purdue
University student chapter.
58
june 2009
ACI member Mukul Dehadrai is a Project

Engineer with the Tourney Consulting
Group in Kalamazoo, MI. He received his
BE from Nirma Institute of Technology
(Ahmedabad, India) and his MSCE from
Purdue University.
ACI member Dale Bentz is a Chemical

Engineer in the Building and Fire Research
Laboratory, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD. He is a
member of ACI Committees 231, Properties
of Concrete at Early Ages; 236, Material
Science of Concrete; and 308, Curing
Concrete.
Pietro Lura is Head of the Concrete/

Construction Chemistry Laboratory at EMPA,
Switzerland. He received his MS from
University of Brescia, Italy, and his PhD from
Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands.
He has been an Assistant Professor at the
Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, and
a Visiting Researcher at Purdue University.
Chiara F. Ferraris, FACI, is a Physicist in the
Materials and Construction Research
Division of the NIST Building and Fire
Research Laboratory since 1994. She is
Chair of ACI Committee 238, Workability of
Fresh Concrete, and the Past Chair of ACI
Committee 236, Material Science of
Concrete.
Jeffrey W. Bullard is a Materials Research
Engineer in the NIST Building and Fire
Research Laboratory. He received his BS in
ceramic engineering from University of
Missouri-Rolla, and his MS and PhD in
materials science and engineering from
University of California, Berkeley.
ACI member Jason Weiss is Professor and

Associate Head of the School of Civil
Engineering at Purdue University. He
earned his BAE from Penn State University
and his MS and PhD from Northwestern
University. He is the Associate Director of
the ACBM.
So what are you

still waiting for?
Its time to get your

nozzlemen trained
and certified!
The American Shotcrete Association, in
partnership with the American Concrete
Institute, has developed a comprehensive
program to upgrade the knowledge and
skills of shotcrete nozzlemen and to facilitate
ACI examination and certification. Provide
your clients with the assurance that your
nozzlemen have demonstrated that they
have the capabilities to perform the job
rightthe first time!
To learn more or to schedule an ASA
training session and an ACI Shotcrete
Nozzleman Certification examination, visit
www.shotcrete.org or call (248) 848-3780.
Congratulations Long-Time
Members of ACI
It is our pleasure to congratulate individuals who have supported ACI for 25 and 45 years. The support these
individuals have shown represents a level of interest and improvement in concrete technology that is the backbone
of the Institute. Members like these have made and continue to make ACI a vibrant and diverse organization and lend
stability to the Institute. Their unwavering support over the years has helped make ACI the global knowledge leader
on concrete.
Thank you
25 Year member Names

Ted Allured
Akthem A. Al-Manaseer
Neal S. Anderson
Philios Angelides
Al Argento
Matthew J. Ashe Jr.
John William Asselstine
Charles M. Ayers
Scott C. Babbidge
Thomas Allan Baier
Marvin Joseph Baker Jr.
Joseph Stephen Balik
Jeffrey L. Bane
Steven John Banik
Henry H. Bardakjian
Leonard George Basaraba
Claude Bdard
Zvonimir Belfranin
Asghar Bhatti
Jeffrey L. Birkenthal
Victor A. Bochicchio
Ronald Jack Boehm
Mikael W. Braestrup
Michael L. Brainerd
Philip Brandt
David P. Brosnan
Ray Bucklin
Ronald G. Burg
John R. Byerly
David G. Cabral
Michael A. Caldarone
Jose R. Capo
Ronald F. Carducci
Arnold B. Carson
Humberto F. Casariego
Joel Chaignon
David Chan
Matthew Brock Chislett
Teck L. Chua
60
june 2009
Vitor M.B. Coias e Silva

Daniel N. Condiles
Christopher H. Conley
John J. Cowin
Andrew Lawrence Cuaderes
Mohamed Nasser Darwish
Robert J. Demas
Daniel A. De Nero
Thomas M. DePuy
Jack Alan Diamond
Paul Doak
Jose Dominguez
James Edward Drapp
Michael Thomas Drewyor
Donald O. Dusenberry
Doug Easter
James M. Ebmeier
Eric L. Edelson
John Russell Edwards
Rolf Eligehausen
Rodney M. Ems
Alvin C. Ericson
Manuel Fernandez
Ronald D. Flach
Jimmy Ellis Fletcher
Catherine E. French
Kimio Fukuzawa
Frank Thomas Gay
Carl L. Goldknopf
Jorge A. Gomez
J. Eduardo Gonzalez
Thomas J. Grisinger
James Ben Grow
Kurt D. Gustafson
William Edward Gustafson
Kenneth S. Harmon
David William Harnagel
G. Terry Harris Sr.
Rich Herman
William A. Hodgins
David Harold Holbert

David M. Honan
Alan Robert Horeis
Toshikatsu Ichinose
Brian M. Ide
John Eli Isbell
Arthur C. Ivey
Jos M. Izquierdo-Encarnacin
Nelson R. Jacobs
Wen-Chen Jau
Patrick Allan Johnston
Keith T. Kallberg
Jitendra V. Kalyani
Gregory Scott Katzenberger
Jeffrey Paul Kennedy
Alfred Kern
Tarek S. Khan
Jerome R. King
Patrick A. Kinsley
Theodor Krauthammer
Kosalram Krishnan
Michael Edward Lastovica
Meir E. Lieblich
Robert E. Liljestrand
Ekasit El Limsuwan
Albert Lien-Pang Loh
Richard I. Lowndes
Kenneth M. Lozen
Jeffrey O. Lyon
Jim D. Mack
Nicholas F. Maloof
Luis J. Malvar
Richard Perry Martter
Atul K. Mashruwala
Larry W. Matejcek
Angelo Mattacchione
Ronald D. Maxwell
Raymond James McCabe III
Gerald Edward Mercer
Robert L. Miller
Nenad M. Mirkovic
Farhad Mohsenian
Edmund T. Moody
Richard Neil Morton
Krish Narayanappa
Kumar C. Natesaiyer
William H. Newell
Hector Ramon Nova
Byung Hwan Oh
Jeffrey S. OLeary
Kari Heikki Paasikallio
Yannis P. Pasgianos
Tibor J. Pataky
Rolf P. Pawski
Attilio Gabriel Pecora
Henry Pena
Alfred J. Perrone Jr.
Stephen Pessiki
Richard Edward Peters
Myron B. Petrovsky
Alan Richard Phipps
D. Gary Pickett
Francis Anthony Pietrini
Ruben Ponce Jr.
John H. Pye
Frank O. Reagan
Robert B. Redwine
Patrick R. Reisnour
Armand Rheault
Alan H. Sample
Kenneth G. Scheller
Robert F. Scherzinger Jr.
Stephen Schmidt
Paul G. Scott
Frieder Seible
Satish B. Shah
Gary D. Shelton
Thomas L. Shenberger
Robert D. Shierk
Takayuki Shimazu
David Christopher Shock
James L. Silva
Robert Skelton
Gordon L. Smith
Gambhirsinh Solanki
Parviz Soroushian
Jeffrey F. Speck
Armen Tajirian
Daniel J. Thurston
Paul J. Tikalsky
Steven Bradley Tipping
Ray H. Tresch
Long I. Tzeng
Theunis A. van der Veen
Marvin H. Veuleman Jr.
Bradley K. Violetta
Benjamin John Wallace
Dan Ross Werdowatz
Richard E. Weyers
Curtis White
Sugeng Wijanto
Clinton R. Wilkins
Terry J. Willems
Robert Trevor Williams
H. Lee Wimmer
Richard E. Wollmershauser
Ray Woods
Ronald G. Woolfe
Kenneth W. Wylie
Peter T. Yen
Thomas Youseng Young
Carl N. Ytterberg
Terry Michael Zaudtke

Dale W. Zimmerman
45 Year Members
John F. Abel
Karl J. Anderson
Jon B. Ardahl
William H. Bossenberger
Paul Carrier
Robert E. Chester
Kun-Young Chiu
Bernardo Deschapelles
Vincent J. Desimone
Bernard M. Feinberg
Sidney Freedman
Anand B. Gogate
Barry A. Goldberg
Teodoro E. Harmsen
Hanny A. Hassan
Shoji Ikeda
Hideo Kawakami
Jack F. Llewellyn
John P. Lloyd
Tito R. Marzotto
Gary R. Mass
Victor M. Pavon
Alexander Popoff Jr.
James Owen Power
John R. Robinson
Gajanan M. Sabnis
Sakda Santathadaporn
Edmund P. Segner Jr.
R. Narayan Swamy
David C.K. Tay
The American Concrete Institute has a policy of reduced membership dues for long-time members, whereby, upon
application, a retired member who reached age 65 and has been a member for 25 years is eligible for continued
membership at half of the regular dues. In the case of members who have belonged to ACI for 45 years or more, there
is no charge for continuing membership.
If you have questions regarding this policy or would like to apply for this type of membership, please contact the
Member Services Department by telephone at 248-848-3800, by fax at 248-848-3801, by e-mail at member-services
@concrete.org, or by writing to:
Attn: Member Services
38800 Country Club Drive
Farmington Hills, MI 48331
USA
/ june 2009
61
Vacuum features excellent filtering

System protects high-rise workers
The EFCO Power Shield is a multi-purpose protection

system that surrounds the perimeter of a high-rise building
during construction. The system is designed to provide
wind and weather protection for construction workers
while also safeguarding workers and pedestrians from
falling debris. Because they are enclosed, workers will feel
safer and be more productive. Including the current
working level, the system provides protection on multiple
floors of the structure. Ideal for buildings 12 stories or
higher, the system can be crane lifted or lifted hydraulically
like the EFCO Power Tower system.
EFCO Forms
CIRCLE 52
The Nilfisk CFM 127 is a compact intermittent-duty

vacuum, designed with all the features of larger models.
The large main filter provides more surface area for
filtering and resists premature clogging, while the
optional upstream HEPA filter provides 99.97% efficiency,
down to and including 0.3 microns. The external filter
shaker handle keeps the main filter free of dust, maintaining
maximum suction power and filtration performance.
Suction performance is monitored by a manometer and
light, letting the user know when the filter needs to be
cleaned or replaced, and a sound suppressor diffuses the
exhaust air for optimum noise control. The vacuum is
ideal for general cleaning and collection and containment
of fine powders and toxic debris in specialized applications.
Nilfisk-Advance America
CIRCLE 53
Panels can be used for potable water structures
Octaform Systems, Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality stay-in-place forms and single-sided forms for the
precast and tilt-up industries, has completed the requirements of the NSF Drinking Water Certification Program.
NSF/ANSI Standard 61Drinking Water Treatment ComponentsHealth Effect is certification that applies to
every water contact material, product, and system and is required by regulation in most U.S. states and Canadian
provinces. With this certification, Octaform panels can now be used in water treatment plants and agriculture
and food-processing facilities that require potable water certification.
Octaform Systems Inc.
CIRCLE 54
Click on the Free Product Information link at www.concreteinternational.com for more information or to be directed to
the companies Web sites. You can also obtain more information by using our reader service inquiry system and
circling the appropriate number for the items of your choice.
62
June 2009
Anchors receive ICC-ES reports
The 2006 International Building Code features

strict guidelines for anchors in cracked concrete.
Set-XP Epoxy-Tie adhesive (ICC-ES evaluation
report ESR-2508) and Strong-Bolt wedge anchors
(ICC-ES evaluation report ESR-1771) are now code
listed for use in cracked concrete. Set-XP anchoring
epoxy was formulated and tested to meet the strict
ICC-ES AC308 cracked concrete requirements. It can
be used with threaded rod (carbon or stainless
steel) and reinforcing bar and is recognized for use
at embedment depths up to 20 times the anchor
diameter. The 1/2 and 5/8 in. (13 and 16 mm)
diameter Strong-Bolt anchors received a Category 1
rating, meaning they offer higher load values than
before. The anchors offer increased reliability to the
most adverse conditions including cracked concrete
under static and seismic loading. The proprietary
tri-segmented clip has dual undercutting embossments
on each segment that enable secondary expansion if
a crack forms and intersects the anchor location,
increasing load-bearing capacity.
Simpson Strong-Tie
CIRCLE 55
Trowels offer simple maintenance
The Whiteman HHX Series ride-on power trowels

feature innovative new designs that deliver utility and
convenience. The patented swing-away upper frame
offers easy access for simplified maintenance. The
helical gearboxes feature an efficient, trouble-free
design, while the continually variable transmission
provides optimum performance during pan floating and
final finishing. Proportional hydraulic steering offers
improved responsiveness with minimal effort from the
operator, and twin pitch control makes adjusting the
blades fast and easy.
Multiquip
CIRCLE 56
Coating rejuvenates concrete

surfaces
Flo-Coat is a flowable concrete resurfacing material

designed to restore the appearance of worn or discolored
concrete surfaces. Its a great alternative to expensive
concrete removal and replacement. Simply mix, pour, and
spread using a squeegee. Flo-Coat restores existing
structurally sound slabs, walkways, and driveways to
like-new conditions, providing an easy way to extend the
life of structurally sound concrete.
Sakrete
CIRCLE 57
/ June 2009
63
Information on the items reported in Products & Practice is

furnished by the product manufacturers, suppliers, or developers
who are responsible for the accuracy of the information. Also, the
descriptions of these items do not represent endorsement by this
magazine, by the American Concrete Institute, or any of its staff.
They are published here simply as a service to our readers.
Formwork enables complicated design
The Military History Museum in Dresden, Germany, comprises a

restored Saxonian arsenal building and a new structure integrated into the
old building. A bold, nearly 100 m (330 ft) long wedge made of reinforced
concrete, complete with a 30 m (100 ft) high steel and glass wedge tip,
forms an architectural incision through the old building.
The architectural walls are inclined in different directions, and the
absence of perpendicular walls, while imparting a unique perception for
visitors, represented a difficult challenge during construction. Also
adding to the difficulty of the project were space constraints and the fact
that load transfer during construction couldnt affect the structural fabric
of the old building in any way.
As the architectural concrete walls can neither be drilled nor milled
at any point in the future, the enormous display cabinets and all other
openings had to be considered in advance. The variable VARIO GT 24
wall formwork system provided the ideal basis for constructing the
complicated layouts with wall inclinations ranging from 3 to 39 degrees.
These distinctive features meant that the formwork for each structural
component had to be planned individually and specially mounted.
For the higher, inclined wall structural elements, climbing units were
formed using components taken from the PERI SKS single-sided climbing
system and VARIO girder wall formwork, allowing the massive structural
parts and internal walls to be concreted at the same time and safely
transferring lifting forces into the building. With a specially designed
transverse lifting system comprising PERI system components, the crew
was always able to attach the SKS/VARIO moving units to the crane in
the exact center of gravity.
PERI GmbH
CIRCLE 58
Saws are easy to operate
The MK-4000HY and MK-4000KB water-cooled, self-propelled concrete

saws feature a T-handle traverse control and a variable plunge speed
control, allowing easy, simultaneous one-handed operation of traverse,
blade plunge, and water flow functions. The power-actuated throttle
control holds the power setting exactly at the designated RPM, and the
three-position handlebar adjustment offers operator comfort. The blade
guard is equipped with flexible water tubes that ride directly on the
blade, which significantly decreases water mist, reducing water use and
producing less slurry while still providing maximum blade cooling and
lubrication. Removable panels ease maintenance accessibility, and
the right/left mounting of the blade guard is simple to change with
quick release spade mounts and waterhose disconnect. The saws are
engineered for both front and rear pivoting, making them extremely
maneuverable on the job site.
MK Diamond Products, Inc.
CIRCLE 59
64
June 2009
PCI Connections Manual for Precast and Prestressed

Concrete Construction
Connections are fundamental to all structures regardless of what material is used. The
purpose of a connection is to transfer load and provide stability, which means the design
of connections is one of the most important steps in the engineering of precast/prestressed
concrete structures. PCI Connections Manual covers the array of connection applications
required to construct all types of buildings using precast concrete components with
design examples and diagrams highlighting each chapter. It takes a typical connection
and establishes a nominal connection capacity using typical design examples with each connection detail table to
illustrate the design method used to arrive at a particular connection capacity. The manual is an extremely helpful
guide for practicing engineers who design connections of precast concrete components to precast concrete,
cast-in-place concrete, or steel.
To order, visit the PCI Bookstore at www.pci.org or call (312) 786-0300.
Field cards ease use of

epoxy-coated bars
Bulletin covers
environmental design
The goal of sustainable design

is to reduce the impact on the
environment and society by
evaluating and verifying the
environmental performance of
the design. Environmental
performance can be evaluated
in terms of resources, waste,
energy, and emissions, among
others, while the necessary performance requirements
for the verification of environmental performance are
determined based on legislative regulation or the objective
of specifiers, designers, and owners. The objective of fib
Bulletin 47, Environmental design of concrete structures
general principles, is to provide the principles and
procedures for designing concrete structures that take
environmental aspects into account. It establishes general
principles concerning the integration of environmental
impacts in the design, construction, use, maintenance,
demolition, disposal, and reuse of a concrete structure.
The report is applicable to both new and existing
concrete structures.
To order this Bulletin, use the form at
www.fib-international.org/publications/order/.
The Epoxy Interest

Group (EIG) of the Concrete
Reinforcing Steel Institute
has produced two laminated
pocket cards that can be used
as references for fabrication,
field handling, and job-site
repair of epoxy-coated
reinforcing bar. Laminated
for use in-plant or on-site,
the cards are also punched
so they can be attached to
outgoing reinforcing bar shipments for use by field
personnel. The first reference card, Field Handling of
Epoxy-Coated Reinforcing Bars, shows all the basic field
instructions for truck unloading, storage, job-site handling,
bar placement, bar supports, tie wire, field cutting,
patching material, and concrete placement. The second
card, Fabrication Practices for Epoxy-Coated Reinforcing
Bars, is a checklist of procedures for storage, shearing,
bending, patching material, handling, and loading. Both
cards also feature the four necessary steps for the proper
repair of damaged epoxy coating at the job site: cleaning,
mixing of the patching material, application, and curing.
For more information or to obtain the field cards, visit
the EIG Web site at www.epoxycoatedrebar.com.
/ June 2009
65
Form Release Agents
Nox-Crete Form Coating offers

maximum performance, improved
concrete surface appearance, extended
form life, cost savings, and worker and
environmental safety. It comes in a
variety of formulations to match the
needs of almost any job site, including
solvent-based, water-based, biodegradable, and concentrated versions.
Forms are cleaner and have less concrete buildup with
continued use, and Nox-Cretes wood chemical technology
protects plywood forming panels from absorbing damaging
alkaline bleed water. Resulting concrete surfaces are stain
free and uniformly colored, and they exhibit fewer bugholes
and surface voids. Form Coating can be used on bare and
MDO overlaid plywood forms, steel forms, and more.
CIRCLE 60
Vexcon Chemicals, Inc.
Starseal EF Release is a nonstaining, water-based form

release agent that provides exceptional release properties.
It doesnt contain oils or waxes, and it wont crater, bead,
run, or sag on vertical applications. It increases useful
form life while decreasing maintenance and labor costs.
It wont damage concrete, reducing surface preparation
and painting costs. Starseal EF Bio-Release is a waterbased form release agent made from biodegradable, rapidly
renewable materials that
offers the same benefits as
Starseal EF Release. It contains
no petroleum-based oils, is
odor free, and meets all VOC
standards throughout the U.S.
Vexcon Chemicals, Inc.
CIRCLE 61
Form-Eze Natural concrete form

release agent is an all-natural
emulsion of biodegradable oils that
minimizes surface defects and
provides a quick, easy release of
concrete from all types of forms. This
environmentally friendly, no-odor
formula will not stain or discolor the
surface of concrete. It helps eliminate
surface defects and reduces clean-up costs. Applications
include metal, fiberglass, plastic, and wood forms; hoist
buckets; wheelbarrows; paving machinery; hand tools;
and other types of concrete construction equipment.
With a zero-VOC content, Form-Eze Natural is compliant
with all regulations nationwide.
CIRCLE 62
W.R. Meadows, Inc.
Duogard Citrus is a citrus-scented, multireactive form

release agent. Its composed of an organic chemical that
reacts with the alkali content of the concrete to form a film
that effectively prevents the concrete from bonding to
the form. It also contains a high-molecular-weight,
nonreactive, chemically inert ingredient to assist in clean and
quick form release and removal, combining the effectiveness
of a chemically reactive type and an inert barrier. It increases
the life of wood forms by penetrating into the wood to
waterproof and prevent deterioration. It also reduces
maintenance requirements on metal forms by forming a
rustproof film that makes the metal form essentially selfcleaning and rust free and cuts machine cleanup time by
minimizing concrete buildup. It can be
used on wood, steel, fiberglass, and
aluminum forms, as well as fiber
tubes and meets the maximum VOC
content for form release compounds as
required by the U.S. EPA architectural
coatings rule.
W.R. Meadows, Inc.
CIRCLE 63
Click on the Free Product Information link at www.concreteinternational.com for more information or to be
directed to the companies Web sites. You can also obtain more information by using our reader service inquiry
system and circling the appropriate number for the items of your choice.
66
June 2009
See the events calendar at

www.concreteinternational.com for more listings.
2009
June
4-6
25-28
8-10
14-16
June/July
29-2
13-15
Super Pile 09, San Francisco,

CAcontact Brian Husbands,
telephone: (973) 423-4030; fax: (973)
423-4031; e-mail: bhusbands@dfi.org;
Web site: www.dfi.org.
1st International Conference on

Civil Engineering Towards a Better
Environment, Coimbra, Portugal
contact CI Premier, telephone:
+65-67332922; fax: +65-62353530;
e-mail: cipremie@singnet.com.sg;
Web site: www.cipremier.com.
16-19
CONSTRUCT2009, Indianapolis,
INcontact Hanley Wood, telephone:
(972) 819-7601; fax: (972) 536-6364;
e-mail: help@constructshow.com;
Web site: www.constructshow.com.
17-19
4th International Conference on the

Concrete Future, Coimbra, Portugal
contact CI Premier, telephone:
+65-67332922; fax: +65-62353530;
e-mail: cipremie@singnet.com.sg;
Web site: www.cipremier.com.
17-19
The Fred Glasser Cement Science

Symposium, Aberdeen, Scotland
contact Marie-Alix Dalang-Secrtan,
telephone: +41-21-693-58-45; fax:
+41-21-693-58-00; e-mail: marie-alix.
dalang-secretan@epfl.ch; Web site:
www.nanocem.org/glassersymposium/.
22-24
Concrete: 21st Century Superhero,

London, UKcontact Stuart Thomas,
e-mail: stuart.thomas@emap.com;
Web site: www.fiblondon09.com.
American Society of Concrete

Contractors CEO Forum 2009,
Farmington, PAcontact ASCC,
telephone: (866) 788-2722 or
(314) 962-0210; fax: (314) 968-4367;
e-mail: questions@ascconline.org;
Web site: www.ascconline.org.
3rd International Conference on

Concrete Repair, Venice/Padua,
Italycontact Concrete Solutions,
telephone: +44-7917-785160; fax:
+44-7884-603383; e-mail: info@
concrete-solutions.info; Web site:
www.concrete-solutions.info.
29-2
8th International Conference on

the Bearing Capacity of Roads,
Railways, and Airfields, Champaign,
ILcontact Elaine Wolff, telephone:
(217) 244-9687; fax: (217) 333-9561;
e-mail: BCR2AConference@ad.uiuc.edu;
Web site: www.conferences.uiuc.edu/
conferences/conference.asp?ID=412.
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American Concrete Pavement

Association Midyear Meeting 2009,
Oak Brook, ILcontact ACPA,
telephone: (847) 966-2272; fax: (847)
966-9970; Web site: www.pavement.com.
6th International Conference on

Maintenance and Rehabilitation of
Pavement and Technological
Control, Torino, Italycontact ACTA
Conferences and Events, telephone:
+39-011-591871; fax: +39-011-590833;
e-mail: info@mairepav6.it; Web site:
www.mairepav6.it/uk/.
9th International Symposium
on Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Reinforcement for Concrete Structures,
Sydney, Australiacontact the
secretariat, telephone: +61-2-9368-1200;
fax: +61-2-9368-1500; e-mail:
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Amelia Island, FLcontact CFA,
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Web site: www.cfawalls.org.
August
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National Concrete Masonry

Association Midyear Meeting,
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(703) 713-1900; fax: (703) 713-1910;
Web site: www.ncma.org.
Upcoming ACI Conventions
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/ june 2009
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Increasing Shear Capacity Within

Existing Reinforced Concrete
StructuresACI 364.2T-08
What options are available to increase the shear

capacity of members within existing reinforced concrete
structures? This TechNote provides an overview of the
variety of materials and methods available to increase
shear capacity, including the use of external steel
reinforcement, section enlargement, internal steel or
fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement, supplemental members, FRP plates and strips, both steel and
FRP near-surface-mounted reinforcement, and external
prestressing. Available in PDF format from the ACI online
bookstore at www.concrete.org.
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Guide for Cementitious Repair

Material Data SheetACI 364.3R-09
Report on Polymer-Modified
Concrete ACI 548.3R-09
This report addresses concrete made with organic

polymers combined with hydraulic cement and discusses
the polymer systems used to produce polymer-modified
concrete, including their composition and physical
properties. It explains the principle of polymer modification
and reviews the factors involved in selecting appropriate
polymer systems. The report also discusses mixture
proportioning and construction techniques for different
polymer systems and summarizes the properties of fresh
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applications. Available in hard copy or PDF format.
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A TechNote is a committee document that is a

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Guide for Design and Construction with
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Maximum Size versus

Nominal Maximum Size
Q.
The specification I prepared for a project calls for

Maximum coarse aggregate size to be 1 in. nominal.
I intended this provision to mean that almost all of the
coarse aggregate used in the concrete would pass the 1 in.
(25.0 mm) sieve and some would be retained on the 3/4 in.
(19.0 mm) sieve, such as a Size Number 57 stone per ASTM
C33.1 The contractor, however, has interpreted this provision
simply to mean that all of the coarse aggregate must pass a
1 in. (25.0 mm) sieve. Therefore, they believe that the pea
gravel (Size Number 7) coarse aggregate they submitted
should be approved. They want to use this mixture so the
concrete can be pumped using a masonry grout pump they
own rather than having to rent a concrete pump for the
small quantity required. I can see how my specification
could be interpreted both ways, but many of the boiler plate
specifications Ive reviewed or referred to contain very
similar language. For this small project, specifying ASTM
size number wasnt a good option because much of the
locally available coarse aggregate doesnt quite meet the
ASTM gradation requirements. What is the proper way to
specify the aggregate I want in such a case?
A.
The ACI Web site has a free online dictionary, titled

ACI Concrete Terminology,2 that defines terms
common to the concrete industry. It is available at
http://terminology.concrete.org. The definitions have
been approved by the ACI Technical Activities Committee.
The definitions for maximum size of aggregate and
nominal maximum size of aggregate in Concrete
Terminology are as follows:
maximum size (of aggregate) in specifications for
and in description of aggregate, the smallest sieve
opening through which the entire amount of aggregate
is required to pass.
nominal maximum size (of aggregate) in specifications
for and in descriptions of aggregate, the smallest
sieve opening through which the entire amount of
the aggregate is permitted to pass.
ASTM C125, Standard Terminology Relating to
Concrete and Concrete Aggregates,3 contains nearly
identical definitions for these two terms and also includes

the following discussion for the term nominal maximum
size (of aggregate):
DISCUSSIONSpecifications on aggregates usually
stipulate a sieve opening through which all of the
aggregate may, but need not, pass so that a stated
maximum proportion of the aggregate may be
retained on that sieve. A sieve opening so designated
is the nominal maximum size of the aggregate.
Its not surprising that these terms are often confused,
as the definitions differ by only one word.
To illustrate the difference between these two terms,
the aggregate gradation requirements from ASTM C33 for
Size Number 57, 67, and 7 coarse aggregates are shown in
Table 1. For Size Number 57 aggregate, the smallest sieve
size through which 100% is required to pass is the 1-1/2 in.
(37.5 mm) sieve. The maximum size for Size Number 57
aggregate is therefore 1-1/2 in. (37.5 mm). The smallest
sieve size through which 100% is permitted to pass is less
apparent because 95 to 100% is permitted to pass the
1 in. (25.0 mm) sieve, but theres no requirement for the
amount permitted to pass the next smaller 3/4 in. (19.0 mm)
sieve. Because 100% is allowed to pass the 3/4 in. (19.0 mm)
sieve, it could be argued that this aggregates nominal
maximum size is 3/4 in. (19.0 mm). In these situations,
its important to consider the discussion provided in
ASTM C125, which clarifies that its the smallest sieve
size through which all of the aggregate may pass but
that also allows a maximum percentage of retained
Questions in this column were asked by users of ACI documents
and have been answered by ACI staff or by a member or members
of ACI technical committees. The answers do not represent the
official position of an ACI committee. Only a published committee
document represents the formal consensus of the committee and
the Institute.
We invite comment on any of the questions and answers published
in this column. Write to the Editor, Concrete International, 38800
Country Club Drive, Farmington Hills, MI 48331; contact us by fax at
(248) 848-3701; or e-mail Rex.Donahey@concrete.org.
/ june 2009
75
the Size Number 7 coarse aggregate meets the specification.

Your specification language, however, would be clearer if
it was changed to require a nominal maximum aggregate
size of 1 in.
aggregate. Based on this clarification, Size Number 57

aggregate is a 1 in. (25.0 mm) nominal maximum size
aggregate. Similarly, Size Number 67 aggregate is a
1 in. (25.0 mm) maximum size and a 3/4 in. (19.0 mm)
nominal maximum size material.
As for the contractors claim that the Size Number 7
pea gravel meets your specification requirements, you
can see from Table 1 that the smallest sieve sizes the
aggregate is required and permitted to pass are the
3/4 and 1/2 in. (19.0 and 12.5 mm) sieves, respectively.
This aggregate is therefore a 3/4 in. (19.0 mm) maximum
size or a 1/2 in. (12.5 mm) nominal maximum size material.
Because your specification required a maximum aggregate
size of 1 in. nominal, the contractor cannot claim that
References
1. ASTM C33/C33M-08, Standard Specification for Concrete
Aggregates, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2008, 11 pp.
2. American Concrete Institute, ACI Concrete Terminology,
American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 2009, http://
terminology.concrete.org (accessed Apr. 28, 2009).
3. ASTM C125-07, Standard Terminology Relating to Concrete
and Concrete Aggregates, ASTM International, West Conshohocken,
PA, 2007, 5 pp.
Table 1:
Aggregate grading requirements from ASTM C331
Amounts finer than each laboratory sieve (square-openings),* mass percent
Size
number
Nominal size*
2 in.
1-1/2 in.
1 in.
3/4 in.
1/2 in.
3/8 in.
No. 4
No. 8
No. 16
(50 mm) (37.5 mm) (25.0 mm) (19.0 mm) (12.5 mm) (9.5 mm) (4.75 mm) (2.36 mm) (1.18 mm)
57
1 in. to No. 4
(25.0 to 4.75 mm)
...
100
95 to 100
...
25 to 60
...
0 to 10
0 to 5
...
67
3/4 in. to No. 4

(19.0 to 4.75 mm)
...
...
100
90 to 100
...
20 to 55
0 to 10
0 to 5
...
1/2 in. to No. 4

(12.5 to 4.75 mm)
...
...
...
100
90 to 100
40 to 70
0 to 15
0 to 5
...
* SI units are the primary units for sieve sizes and nominal sizes in ASTM C33.
Referencing ACI
Concrete Terminology
Q.
A.
How is this online document referenced?
ACI Concrete Terminology can be referenced in

guides, reports, and other nonmandatory-language
documents using the following format with the appropriate
year and access date:
American Concrete Institute, 2009, ACI Concrete
Terminology, American Concrete Institute,
Farmington Hills, MI, http://terminology.concrete.org
(accessed Apr. 28, 2009).
ACI Concrete Terminology should be referenced only
76
June 2009
in the commentary or nonmandatory-language sections

of mandatory-language documents, such as codes and
specifications. If its necessary to define a term in a mandatorylanguage section, it must be included in the document.
Q.
A.
How do I know if a definition has changed?
For definitions that have been revised, a link marked

History is provided at the end of the definition.
This link provides past definitions and revision dates.

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