Category: Concrete
-
What the Steel and Aluminum Tariff Could Mean for Construction
In an effort to protect America’s steel and aluminum industries, on February 11, President Trump signed proclamations to close loopholes, restoring a “true” 25 percent tariff on steel, raising the tariff from 10 to 25 percent on aluminum. As quickly as President Trump addressed these tariffs on what are vitally imported construction materials, it didn’t…
-
Working with alternative concrete binders: BSI’s new guidance
Traditional Portland cement, a major ingredient in conventional concrete, plays a huge role in global CO2 emissions. This is because its production requires a lot of energy. In the UK alone, according to the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation, about 11.7 million tonnes of Portland cement are used annually. This results in millions of tonnes…
-
Precision pouring: how digital surveillance boosts concrete quality
New digital surveillance technology is proving its worth in improving concrete quality assurance, as well as advancing safety and sustainability, writes Mott MacDonald’s Sudarshan Srinivasan. A wide range of digital technologies such as sensors, data acquisition systems, data analysis and decision-making tools are being implemented in large infrastructure projects. However, there are challenges to be…
-
Tracking Leased Concrete Equipment | For Construction Pros
In the concrete and construction sectors, leased equipment is vital to project success. From concrete mixers to cranes, leasing enables companies to leverage high-performance machinery in a much more cost-effective way than through outright ownership. Effective management of these leased assets is challenging and can directly impact profitability, compliance, and operational efficiency. Asset management software…
-
Construction Experts Unite to Bring Tech to the Industry, Built by Builders Q&A
In the consumerism industry, products are constantly being updated and changed to better suit the consumer. In the construction industry, it can be hard to find the perfect product that tackles the problems that contractors are actually dealing with. When the producer has personal experience with your field of expertise, the products are more likely…
-
Could graphene be the future of concrete?
Graphene was discovered by researchers at the University of Manchester in 2004, a super-strong material that is just one atom thick. Its strength and thermal conductivity mean that its potential applications seem almost endless, with applications in electronics, composites and coatings, biomedicine, energy and sensors to name but a few. But there are many versions…
-
Three concrete technologies to watch
Construction wants to improve its productivity and sustainability – and these emerging concrete technologies could be central to that. Self-stressing concrete Arriving in the UK from Latvia is a chemically self-stressing concrete, which contains a patented combination of three admixtures and steel fibres. Called PrīmX, the concrete has been developed by Primekss to be both…
-
Arizona Congressman Sponsors Bill To Abolish OSHA
On January 3, 2025, Andy Biggs (R – AR – 5) introduced a new, if exceedingly brief, piece of legislation that would result in the abolition of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Its formation was the result of the Occupation Safety and Health Act, signed into being by former Republican President Richard Nixon on…
-
PTI Reveals New Post-Tensioning Building Code and Certification Program
During the 2025 World of Concrete trade show, the Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI) shared that it teamed up with the American Concrete Institute to put together an updated set of post-tensioned structural concrete building code requirements — ACI-PTI 320-25, Building Code Requirements for Post-Tensioned Structural Concrete. The PTI also revealed its new certification program for multistrand and bar…
-
What concrete costs tell us about construction inflation
Ready-mixed concrete also serves as an interesting indicator of local construction inflation. While its price is affected by global commodity markets and energy costs, it cannot be transported over long distances due to its short shelf life. This necessitates domestic production, making the price of ready-mixed concrete sensitive to local factors such as the cost…