MTSU Unveils Degree in Con crete Construction
By Ed Sauter, Executice Director
Where does one go to learn how to run a concrete construction business? Not the nuts and bolts of building a footing or wall, those are still best taught on-the-job. I’m talking about finance, estimating, managing personnel, marketing; the things that can make or break a business even if you pour the best wall in town. Sadly, the options are few. You can learn the way most contractors do – from their boss (who is often a parent) or from the School of Hard Knocks. There is a new, attractive alternative.
Situated 30 miles southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, in the quiet (relatively quiet) city of Murphreesboro, is Middle Tennessee State University. A rapidly growing university, MTSU is home of the nation’s only four-year bachelors program in Concrete Industry Management (CIM). Launched in 1996, this program provides a well-rounded, yet focused, education for management personnel in the concrete industry. This year, the total enrollment is estimated at 300 full-time students and MTSU’s 100th CIM student will graduate.
CIM is offered by the Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies Department in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. This program attracts students from over 20 states, Beliz and Guatemala and its graduates are employed in over 17 states.
Until recently, the program was designed to prepare graduates for entry in areas such as the ready-mix industry, supplier industries, admixtures and chemicals, and concrete plant and manufacturing operations. This fall, the University’s CIM program is the first to offer a concentration with coursework focused on concrete contracting.
The new Concrete Contracting concentration in the CIM program is flexible in terms of its ability to accommodate students. Candidates can attend directly out of high school or they can obtain their degree while employed. Second year CIM students intern to gain supervised, practical work experience in their particular field of interest within the industry. CIM is working to accommodate nontraditional students who already have jobs but want to broaden their education. The first two years of concrete coursework will be available by correspondence by 2005. Students can attend a nearby community college or university and complete their general studies and business courses, along with the concrete correspondence coursework. This will allow working students to finish their degree with one or two years of full-time study on campus.
General required courses include English Literature, writing and research courses, history, math courses (ie algebra and trigonometry), sciences (i.e. geology and chemistry), economics and psychology. Requirements for the minor in business administration include accounting, management, marketing business law, and finance courses. Concrete coursework includes industry courses, blueprint reading, fundamentals of concrete, materials and methods, concrete problems, and other concrete-related courses.
The concrete contracting concentration adds site planning, layout and preparation, formwork design and computerized drafting, concrete project estimating, advanced concrete project management, design and construction issues, concrete contracting personnel management, field management and supervision.
There are numerous individuals whose vision and tireless effort created this Program but it would not have been a success without the insight and guidance of Austin Cheney, the program Director, Dr. Heather Brown (formerly Heather Sauter – but no relation to Ed), the first tenure-track faculty hired for the program, and Debbie Londre, Marketing & Recruiting Coordinator. Staff was added as the program grew and now includes Joe Fulks, a fulltime instructor, and two new tenuretrack faculty that began in fall, 2004.
The staff and steering committee for the CIM program have their sights set even higher. In the next two years, they plan to expand the program, using the MTSU success as a model, to one or two additional universities in the United States. The steering committee also supports the development of a Masters Degree program for Business Management, with an emphasis on concrete. Future plans also include creation of a separate department at MTSU and eventually construction of CIM’s own building (concrete of course).
The CIM program is also unique because it is supported, in great part, by private industry. Yearly tuition at MTSU is less than $4,000 for in-state and for 12 southeastern states in the Academic Common Market, and less than $12,000 for those who must pay out-of-state rates. To help offset the cost of attending college more than 15 scholarships are available each year and supported by companies and associations throughout the country. A support group called the CIM Patrons, which consists of representatives from industry manufacturers, concrete associations, and other interested parties, provides guidance, funding, and most importantly, job opportunities for graduates. The Program has the full support of the University from the college dean through the president and it receives high praise form the industry and graduates alike.
CIM offers an excellent opportunity for contractors to hire quality, well-rounded, and knowledgeable people to help run businesses. Educating those already employed by your company is also feasible with the remote learning option of the program. For more information, contact Austin Cheney at acheney@mtsu.edu. For general information about the program, visit www.mtsu.edu/~concrete.
Don’t Get Caught in the Middle
Bob Milford, Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP
Concrete Facts recently featured several articles regarding subcontractor agreements. In one of these articles, Doug Staebler of Custom Concrete Company, Inc. pointed out that both the large national builders and the smaller local builders are insisting on the use of subcontractor agreements. Builders utilize these agreements to shift as much liability as possible downstream to their subcontractors (including foundation subcontractors). The subcontractor needs to be aware that the builders’ agreements are generally not fair or reasonable. These agreements are prepared with the goal of limiting the builder’s liability and are one-sided in favor of the builders. In order to protect your business, you must attempt to negotiate with the builders to modify these agreements. In our practice, we have found that most builders, even the large national ones, will make some changes to their subcontractor agreements if they are approached properly. In a future article, Doug Staebler will provide detailed suggestions on the best approach to take with builders in order to make changes to their subcontractor agreements.
Although builders are very busy, most of them will make some effort to be fair if they are approached properly. In dealing with builders, you should focus on the major issues (they aren’t going to make a lot of changes). You should also try to get a face to face meeting. Most people are more agreeable to making changes in a meeting. On a telephone call or by e-mail, it is very easy to just say no.
After you have met with the builder and tried to limit your liability upstream, what do you do now? Do you have a subcontractor agreement with your subcontractors? Most foundation subcontractors subcontract at least part of their jobs including excavation work, backfill, dirt hauling, flat work, etc. You should have a subcontractor agreement with each of your subcontractors for the same reasons a builder wants to have a subcontractor agreement with you. This agreement should specify business-related terms (including the scope of their work, the term, price and payments, their duties and responsibilities, changes to the work and the timing of the work) and, also legal-related terms (including remedies, indemnity and insurance).
You want to shift as much liability downstream as possible to your subcontractors. At a minimum, you want them to at least be responsible for all of their work. They should be required to maintain insurance coverage and provide you with certificates of insurance to back up their work. Without limiting your liability upstream to the builder and without shifting as much liability as possible downstream to your subcontractors, you can get caught in the middle.
Bob Milford is a partner with the law firm of Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can contact Bob at (317) 580-4848 or e-mail him at rmilford@drewrysimmons.com.
Subcontractor Agreements – The Indemnification Clause
Doug Staebler, Custom Concrete Company, Inc., Westfield, IN
You have just landed that big customer you’ve been working on for two years. Prices and scope of work have been agreed to and everyone is ready to begin. There is one last detail to take care of, the Subcontractor Agreement. At this point in the game, the last thing you want is to delay starting work by haggling over a contract. But before you start, it’s important to understand what is in the agreement, and the risks it may pose to your business.
We previously looked at why these agreements have become so prevalent and some of the administrative provisions and payment terms typically found. Most of these agreements are drafted heavily in favor of the builder, and provide little, if any protection for the subcontractor. In this article, we will look more closely at the indemnification clause, probably the most important section of the agreement.
What exactly does “indemnification” mean? To indemnify means to make whole, reimburse, or otherwise compensate for another’s loss. An example in our business is a builder who is sued by a homeowner for defective work on a home. The builder is forced to pay damages to the homeowner. If the damages were due to defective work of a subcontractor, the subcontractors will likely be required to “indemnify” the builder for its losses. If reasonably worded, such provisions are appropriate and acceptable. After all, we expect to be held responsible for defects in our work. The problems arise in the way most agreements are drafted.
Indemnification provisions will often use terminology like “claims arising from the work” or “claims related to the work”. This could serve to make the subcontractor liable for claims even if there was nothing wrong the subcontractor’s work. For example, a subcontractor could be held liable for mold claims that are related to the basement, even if all work was performed properly, and according to building codes. All that would be necessary is for a builder to demonstrate that the claim is related to the basement.
Standard AIA contracts use additional language limiting the subcontractors responsibility to indemnify to claims and damages “but only to the extent caused by the negligent acts or omissions of the Subcontractor…” This language is far better because it requires that negligence or omissions be found before the subcontractor is liable, instead of simply being related to the work of the subcontractor.
Carefully review AIA contacts. Although AIA documents are generally considered to be relatively balanced, they are often modified by the builder or developer in exhibits or addendums.
Another important consideration is the issue of proportional liability. In most cases, problems are caused by a number of factors. Often, the builder, architect and subcontractor all bear a share of the responsibility. Unfortunately, many indemnification clauses provide that the subcontractor must indemnify the builder, if the claim is due in part to actions of the builder. A better solution is to make responsibility proportional. If the subcontractor is deemed to be 40% at fault, then the subcontractor is responsible for 40% of the damages.
The impact of these losses can be increased substantially in class action type situations. Zaring (Cincinnati) and Trinity Homes/Beazer (Indianapolis) are both examples of builders that became embroiled with a large number of mold related claims, involving hundreds of homes. In cases like these, plaintiff attorneys will seek to recover from every source possible, including subcontractors. These losses could easily exceed the coverage limits of your general liability insurance policy. Additionally, most insurance policies have excluded mold claims from policies, leaving subcontractors uninsured for mold related claims.
The increased use of indemnification is a direct result of the explosion of liability claims by homeowners against homebuilders. These claims pose significant problems to builders. Insurance has become increasingly difficult to obtain for builders. Their response has been to push as much of this exposure down to the subcontractor as possible. Since we are supplying most of the labor and materials for our work, we will be the final stop on this trail of liability claims. Our long-term survival may depend on our ability to manage this exposure to liability claims. Insurance will be part of the solutions, but these claims can exceed our coverage limits, and if claims losses become excessive, our insurance coverage may be jeopardized.
As with other important contract provisions, it is often possible to negotiate changes with builders, even large national builders. In the next article, we will look at the best strategies for negotiation changes to subcontractor agreements.
Putzmeister America Promotes Bill Dwyer to National Sales Manager
Bill Dwyer was recently promoted to the new role of National Sales Manager. He will now directly supervise all national field and office sales personnel who sell the company’s comprehensive line-up of products. The Putzmeister equipment range includes new and pre-owned concrete boom pumps, separate placing booms, belt conveyers, trailer pumps and mortar machines. In addition, Dwyer manages the overall sales and operational efforts of the company’s Pre-owned and Refurbishment Center located at the Sturtevant, Wis. Facility. Dwyer’s construction background includes over four years of sales experience at Rotec Industries prior to Putzmeister’s acquisition of Rotec belt conveyers – later renamed Telebelt®. After joining Putzmeister America, he spent the past eight years involved with sales. With his new role, Dwyer’s office is based at the main Putzmeister facility in Sturtevant.
Putzmeister America is a world leading heavy equipment manufacturer that specializes in concrete and material placing equipment. Putzmeister offers a complete line of truck-mounted concrete boom pumps, separate placing booms, truck-mounted telescopic conveyers, and trailermounted concrete pumps. In addition, the company provides a wide range of mortar, grout, shotcrete, plaster and fireproofing pumps and mixers, industrial pumps and tunneling equipment.
The company achieved international ISO 9001 quality certification in 1998 and successfully completed the transition audit to the recently revised and more stringent ISO 9001:2000 standards.
Spread the Word
This year’s Annual Winter Meeting is going to be just what we are looking for, a low-key night in a fun atmosphere with three hours to eat, drink, and talk concrete. The Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas is a great German restaurant with a unique atmosphere, tasty German beer (and soft drinks) and traditional style food. We are bound to have a good time!
But I don’t want you to forget, without the financial support of our National Associates we would not be able to have events like this for such an affordable price. Many of the National Associates donated monies that will be used to cover such costs as entertainment and refreshments, and in return reduce our registration fees. The associates who have participated in this sponsorship are listed on page 10. Their banners will also be hanging in the restaurant, so make sure you thank them for their generosity. National Associates help make the CFA a successful association – one that continues to grow and prosper.
That being said, I encourage contractor members and associates alike to invite potential members to the event. This is a prime opportunity to show others why it is great to be a part of the CFA. We know that networking, talking with other contractors about their problems and successes, is a priceless benefit. And since there is no speaker or presentation, there will be three hours available to connect with these potential members and show them first-hand the power of exchanging ideas and information.
This Association was established to improve the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place concrete foundations, and we do this through educational seminars, publications, and events – such a the Winter Meeting – where contractors and suppliers from across the United States can get together and discuss the industry. I encourage all of you to attend and bring a guest or two. The greater our numbers, and the more active our members, then the stronger our voice is. Now do your part…spread the word!
Terry Lavy, CFA President, Lavy Concrete Construction Inc. terry@lavyconcrete.comACI Publishes 332 Standard
IT FINALLY HAPPENED!
The long-awaited 332 Standard, the first accepted consensus document for residential concrete, was approved by the Board Standards of the American Concrete Institute. Several CFA members have worked towards this goal for over ten years. Buck Bartley, Barry Herbert, Ron Colvin, and Brent Anderson are to be congratulated for their input and guidance throughout the process. Jim Baty, the committee’s new secretary, also put forth a tremendous effort in the final push to get the document ready for ACI review.
ACI is an engineer, university professor, and supplier-dominated organization; therefore, the incorporation of the contractor perspective was not only helpful, it was essential. Without the input of those who have to live with documents drafted outside the construction industry this would have been a vastly different and cumbersome document.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE AVERAGE CFA MEMBER?
Once it is published, which should occur after the first of the year, it can be referenced as a document that bears the weight and significance of other ACI Standards, most notably, ACI 318 (the engineering and code “bible” for concrete construction). Application was already made to the International Residential Code (sponsored by PCA, ACI, and CFA) to reference the 332 Standard in the next edition of the IRC. The document does not formally become a code until a legal jurisdiction, such as your local city government, formally adopts the Standard.
This document further defines acceptable practices and design guidelines, beyond the IRC. It includes extensive tables for empirical design of foundation walls that incorporate less stringent design parameters than ACI 318 uses and many other less obvious, but equally important, regulations.
While this is a significant milestone, it is just a beginning. Many compromises, deletions, and restrictions were accepted by the committee, which now need revisited. Above grade concrete wall construction, for both ICF’s and traditional solid walls with reusable forms, was entirely deleted in order to gain the consensus needed for approval. A new structural design section, which was more residential friendly, was also deleted. Acceptance of a residential standard is a point of departure from more stringent and conservative commercial construction requirements where guidelines and standards for residential construction can be developed. The CFA and its members will continue to play a vital role in this process.
Ed Sauter, Executive Director, CFA esauter@cfawalls.orgTHANK YOU
It was in September 2000 the CFA kicked off this study with funds coming from the Research and Education Fund. The initial tests were done at Bowser-Morner testing Labs in Dayton Ohio, on materials graciously provided by Henry Ernst and Dick Hoying of Piqua Concrete Co., Piqua, Ohio. After this initial test, our studies sort of stalled out for lack of direction until a chance meeting of Ed Sauter, myself and John Gnaedinger of Con-Cure Systems at the New Orleans W.O.C. in January 2002. When Ed and I explained to John what we were trying to accomplish, the light bulbs went off in everyone’s heads, (yes, mine was a bit dimmer than Johns and Ed’s) that we needed to team up on this thing.
We very soon decided that we wanted to use John’s equipment to monitor some real world walls in real cold temperatures, so since winter was winding down, we needed to move quickly. Because of his central location, we leaned on Bill Esker of J.B. Esker and Sons of Teutopolis IL. Bill graciously allowed us to pester his help, and donated more materials for this testing. At about the same time we were calling on volunteers to serve on the formal committee. The list that we settled on was:
• Kevin MacDonald & Kevin Heindel of Cemstone Concrete Products, Minneapolis, MN
• John Gnaedinger of Con-Cure Corporation, Chesterfield, MO
• Jim Baty, Technical Director for the CFA, Mount Vernon, IA
• Joe Daczko of Degussa/Master Builders, Cleveland, OH
• Mark Markovitch of Dependant Foundations, Brighton, MI
Ron Colvin of JC Concrete, Berrien Springs, MI
• Terry Lavy of Lavy Concrete Construction, Piqua, OH
• Scott Smith of Modern Poured Walls, LaGrange, OH
• Brad Barnes, P.E. of North Central Engineering, Canton, OH
• Rick Buccini of Osborne-Medina Concrete, Medina, OH
• Frank Ramey of Tri-County Excavating, Inc. Richfield, OH
• Arie VanWyk of Van Wyks Inc., Waldo, WI
Our committee first met in Rosemont, IL on June 15th, 2002. It was here that we devised a formal plan on how to progress with this testing. Because we had a very willing ready mix supplier in close proximity to, and evidently in very good standing with Degussa/ Master Builders Lab, we decided to do the testing in this locality. The fact that it was also the area of Ohio where the issue was in the fore-front, was just icing on the cake test cylinder. We can not thank Rick Buccini and Osborne-Medina Concrete enough for their facilities, materials, time, and those little Italian pastries! Many thanks also to Joe Daczko and his able-bodied team at Degussa’s Lab. Some days it seemed as though they were working for pizza.
Brad Barnes, P.E. has given so much time, effort, and brain power to this endeavor, he can never be paid enough. John Gnaedinger, thank you- thank you, thank you. Frank and Kristi Ramey, diligently took notes and pictures of every step of the process. Franks crews faced the cold weather to form and place our walls during phase two, and used his Tele-Belt for the pour. Western Forms graciously lent us brand new forms for the test. Charles Korhonen, M.ASCE of the US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, and Chair of the A.C.I. 306 committee on Cold Weather Concrete, has been a constant source of information and encouragement. We received great ideas and input from this entire group, other members of the CFA and the concrete industry. Most of all, many thanks to all the CFA Members who contributed so graciously to the education and research fund, and to the late, great Bob Sawyer who made it happen.
It’s been a Chilling Experience!
Thank You All,
Terry Lavy, Chairman
CFA Cold Weather Research Transitions to Contractors
Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director
“You can feel it in the air, you can feel it on the breeze…” isn’t that how the song goes? For many contractors throughout the middle to upper states, cold weather is not only on the horizon, it is approaching rapidly. What better time for the CFA to finish production of its long-awaited Cold Weather Research Final Report available to the Association.
Those who attended the CFA’s Summer Meeting in Breckenridge, Colorado this past July were able to receive the very latest presentation based on this research. John Gnaedinger of Con-Cure and CFA President, Terry Lavy, conducted a seminar during the opening day of education in Breckenridge presenting the results of the third phase—Durability: Freeze/Thaw Performance and wrapping up the current program with a concise summary of the impact it will have on the market. Attendees were provided with a draft copy of the final report to gauge the readability and the interpretation of the data.
“Everyone that I talked with in Breckenridge was satisfied with the results that we presented and discussed in the draft form of the final report,” said President Lavy. “The editorial committee that I worked with on this including Brad Barnes, John Gnaedinger and Jim Baty gave a tireless commitment to making this document not only presentable to the Association and inspectors, but immediately useable for this next cold weather season.”
The information contained throughout the report is a thorough representation of the scope and success of this two-year study. The size of the report is far too significant to reproduce in this publication; however, the key components of where you, as a foundation contractor, concrete supplier or building inspector should go from here can best be summarized with the following information:
RESULTS FROM THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
The data resulting from this research suggests the following insights:
1. Ambient temperatures, although having an affect on the drop in concrete temperature, should not set the restrictive condition. All concrete mixes tested displayed a significant lag in internal temperature in relation to ambient temperatures— remaining above the freezing point much longer than the ambient temperature.
2. All the concrete continued to gain strength even at early ages and at low temperatures which would suggest that cement hydration does not stop at 40°F (4.4°C).
3. The strengths determined using the maturity curves created with prediction software very closely match the actual strengths obtained from testing the cylinders and cores in both phases. This relationship gives further support to the theory that in-place strength can be accurately and adequately determined using maturity meters for prediction purposes—making it easier to adjust mix designs to suit individual and regional differences and requirements.
4. Admixtures that reduce water content enhance strength gain at lower temperatures.
5. Many references state that concrete must not freeze before it reaches 500 psi. While this may or may not be a valid benchmark for concrete in general, our research indicates it may be less important as a target for residential foundation walls. The amount of “free” water in the mix has a direct relationship to the affect freezing has on concrete. Concrete produced with modern technologies can continue to gain strength even if the internal temperature drops below 32°F (0°C) before it reaches the 500-psi level. The “frozen state”, as predicted by the ambient temperature, did not negatively affect the strength of the concrete. All samples reached or exceeded their designed ultimate strength. Mix designs did cause variable time intervals for gaining target strengths. This provides contractors with information to use with their own mixes to achieve specific performance requirements.
6. Wall samples in Phase II that were uncovered developed similar strengths to those that were covered for the first 18 hours. Petrographic examination showed improvements in the surface characteristics and reduction in micro-fracturing in the cores taken from the walls which were covered for the first 18 hours. Samples subjected to 300 freeze-thaw cycles were proven to be durable, but the data suggests better durability can be achieved with higher cement contents and/or Type III cement.
7. Mix designs using Type III cement were shown to gain strength much faster than those with Type I cement, and usually with less accelerating admixture.
8. The incorporation of calcium chloride up to 2% as an accelerating admixture provides faster strength gain at a low cost. Nonchloride accelerators (NCA) provide a similar benefit without corrosive affect to steel reinforcement, but at a higher cost.
RECOMMENDATIONS AS A RESULT OF THE RESEARCH
• The CFA cautions the perception that all concrete practices and mixes are appropriate for cold weather. Casting a wall is very different than a four-inch thick driveway. Good common sense and concrete procedures should be observed.
• Rules and Regulations based on ambient temperatures have little or no validity.
• Contractors should work with their local ready-mixed concrete producer to design concrete mixes that will perform well based on the expected variables for a placement. The mix designs used in this research provide a sound basis for your own mix development but should be used after localized testing.
• There is no single mix design that works best for cold weather concreting. Results vary as mixes vary but all are predictable and economy can be kept in mind when designing and selecting a mix.
• Use maturity meters or other instrumentation on your cold weather projects to evaluate how your concrete mixes perform and provide a documented history of their maturity.
• There is a significant impact resulting from adding excessive water to concrete under cold weather conditions—the greater the water content, the greater the affect those freezing conditions will have on the concrete. A six-inch slump may be acceptable, but a high water to cement ratio is not.
• Placing concrete early in the day will normally give you an advantage by capitalizing on solar gain to dampen the affect that ambient temperature has on internal concrete temperatures.
• Finally, cold temperatures do cause slower strength gains than normal, so don’t remove structural supports from a wall too early—top and bottom restraint must be in place prior to applying any lateral loads to the walls.
A NOTE TO CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS
It should come as no surprise that it is to everyone’s benefit to provide our customers with the best possible product, at the most economical price. In today’s business climate, the economic impact of stopping construction unnecessarily is huge. Listed below are a few notes and suggestions as to what each of us can do to help.
CONTRACTORS:
Keep in mind that this study discusses cast-in-place concrete walls only. While many of the findings will apply to other types of pours, there are many variables that should be considered.
The CFA wants to make it absolutely clear that we are not saying you can pour any ol’ mix design in any kind of weather, this would be irresponsible thinking. If you have been doing that and see no need to improve your procedures, file this report away and forget it.
For the rest of you – either you just have a desire to learn to do things better, or you are seeing pressure from customers and/or code officials to change your ways. The CFA is seeing, what we believe to be, overly restrictive codes being adopted all over North America. The problem is growing like a cancer. Chances are good that you will see the effect of this in your area sooner or later.
Work with your local Ready- Mix Producer to develop a few different mix designs for the conditions you are likely to encounter. Some of our suggested recipes may be a starting point; however, consideration should be made to using some form of instrumentation and/or maturity testing on each selected mix design to validate its performance. The goal is to get the hydration process “kickstarted” so that the material can generate its own heat. Keep in mind that if anything in the mix changes, ie; water/cement ratio, type or brand of cement, admixtures, etc, the performance will change as well. (Note:It is not essential to wait until the first cold day to perform testing. However, the mix design used during cold weather must be identical to that tested.)
Pay attention to possible shrinkage problems with some of the hotter mixes. We have the shrinkage data from our test mixes, but the potential will vary greatly from local differences.
Type III cement, where available, really does set much faster and usually requires less accelerator.
The temperature of the concrete when it hits the forms is of great importance. Material that is 60° to 70°F (15.5° to 21.1°F) is much preferable, and usually not to hard to accomplish.
Water/cement ratio is also a huge factor, eliminate as much water as you can.
Type E, (accelerating) Mid-Range water reducers are a great tool, talk to your supplier about them.
Good old Calcium Chloride is probably the best “bang for your buck” accelerator, as long as steel corrosion is not a big concern. You may want to consider adding your own dry calcium at the job-site as opposed to the liquid calcium from the producer. Non-Chloride Accelerators do a wonderful job, they do not promote corrosion, and may work in even colder weather, but they do cost more. Use them where applicable.
Make sure that all of your employees and anyone else involved understand that concrete does indeed set slower in colder weather. Things to consider are the safety of stripping a cantilevered haunch, or door openings, or backfilling before the wall has gained enough strength to support itself. Also, damage can be done by applying torque to the anchor bolts prematurely.
Working in a freshly excavated hole has large benefits. Capitalize on the heat of the earth. Try to get the foundation in quickly and backfill a couple of feet around it ASAP.
Making your cold weather pours early in the day can help a lot. The solar heat gain on the walls and forms will boost the concrete temperatures substantially, even on a dreary day.
Help to promote the idea that rules and codes based solely on weather forecast, are out of step with reality.
Please document and report any problems you do see to the CFA. The research contained in this report is not finished; we will continue to study the affects of cold weather on concrete mixes as they pertain to residential concrete foundation walls.
SUPPLIERS:
Learn about Maturity testing and make an investment in it. You will find it becoming more and more a part of the specs on government and commercial jobs. Be pro-active.
Depending on your location, making Type III cement available in the winter could be a huge benefit to all concerned.
Take a good look at your material heating systems, you need to be able to provide concrete to the job site at a consistent 60° to 70°F (15.5° to 21.1°F). Some plants are installing concrete storage pads with hydronic heat systems.
Work with your Contractors to provide the Maturity Testing required to assure the customers and code officials what your products can do. Several Ready-Mix suppliers around the country market special mix designs which have been proven.
It appears to most members of this committee that dry (flake or powder) calcium added at the job site works better than the liquid calcium typically added at the plants. Consider stocking calcium in dry form, and teach your contractors how to be responsible in its use· Please document and report any problems you do see to the CFA. The research contained in this report is not finished; we will continue to study the affects of cold weather on concrete mixes as they pertain to residential concrete foundation walls.
A NOTE TO CODE OFFICIALS
Understand that the American Concrete Institute 306 (Cold Weather Concrete) Committee, is currently re-writing the entire cold weather code, including the definition of what is cold weather. While it will be several years before the new language reaches your code books, it is important to understand that the experts agree big changes are necessary. Please do not pass or go overboard in enforcement of codes that we already know are outdated. Please do not ignore the fact that we currently cast basement walls in extremely cold weather and with a very, very low incidence of problems.
If the code says “concrete should achieve 3,000 psi in 28 days” request that the contractor provide the assurance (maturity prediction) as to how this concrete will reach this strength and make this your area of enforcement.
Please document and report any problems you do see to the CFA. The research contained in this report is not finished; we will continue to study the affects of cold weather on concrete mixes as they pertain to residential concrete foundation walls.
As you can see from the details above, the effects this research should have on the foundation environment are quite significant. However, this research also reinforces a lot of the information many of the CFA contractor members already know…good sense makes good practice. The main thing to remember going forward is that the CFA needs your communication and assistance in making this a success. Reports will be available for supplemental purchase. We encourage you to distribute this information to the entities that you work with throughout the year to help them prepare for working with you. Finally, we encourage you to contact us periodically with a report on the successes and shortcomings you are experiencing as a result of this research. If you begin concrete monitoring to supplement this data as presented, we’d love to receive copies of these logs to further supplement our data records. If you experience differing results or take photos of interesting notations, please send us these as well. The entire industry will continue to benefit from us recognizing that the work isn’t finished…it’s just beginning. Contact Jim Baty at CFA for more information at phone number should be 866-CFA-WALLS or jbaty@cfawalls.org.
CFA Standard Updated
The CFA published the “2003 CFA Standard” in late 2002. It was our first attempt to present a wide variety of foundation construction information and minimum standards in a “code format” for use by our members, yet it goes well beyond the basic code approach. The Standard established a base-line for construction. It followed the layout of current and proposed building codes but was enhanced by some “real life” experience. It included details and procedures that are incorporated and used daily by our members but which are not documented in any code or publication. It includes a section on soils, waterproofing, and materials in addition to chapters on footings, foundation walls, and backfilling.
The Standard is currently referenced by several local building codes, developers, and other groups in the foundation industry. CFA headquarters is out of this document so a reprint is needed. Errata were corrected and a few update paragraphs were incorporated.
We go to print on the 2004 edition in a couple of months but need to know how many to print. This greatly depends on how you use the document. We will send the current version to all CFA members (around 400) but how you, our members, use it will determine home many more we print. Some contractors send it to their builders and local building code officials. If you intend to do this we need to know. We will send it on your behalf, if you would like, as long as we know how many to send and the recipient’s contact information. Contact Jim Baty (jbaty@cfawalls.org) or Talia Nelson (tnelson@cfawalls.org) or call our office at 1-866-232-9255 (toll free) with your needs.
The Tropics Call Contractor to Build Concrete Homes
By Wendy Shannon & Libbie Hough of Shannon & Company, a marketing communications firm for the Concrete Homes Council.
K-Wall Poured Walls, Inc. is located in Traverse City, Michigan and has been in operation for the last 11 years. Kubica is the owner and president of K-Wall and is a man who loves to challenge convention. From inventing new technologies, to expanding his company’s capabilities, to escaping the harsh winters of Michigan and heading for the tropics…well, that’s exactly what Rich and Patty Kubica of K-Wall did.
Take poured concrete walls, for example. Rich started out in the poured wall business, working for his father for ten years and learning all he could. Then he headed out on his own and, using the E-MAXX Insulated Concrete Wall System (a system Kubica invented, patented and sold in the late ‘90s) created a company that has a versatile portfolio and varied clientele.
K-Wall does it all—poured walls, foundations, waterproofing, flatwork and excavation, you name it. Over the years, Kubica has diversified his clientele, from traditional below-grade commercial construction to a business that includes expanding to above-grade residential and office construction, decorative treatments and architectural walls. And what he offers to all of his clients is the expertise that comes with over 20 years of experience, the openness to try something new and the opportunity to be more involved in the building process.
For instance, let’s say you are building a concrete home with an attached garage. With standard poured wall construction and insulation methods you get an all or nothing proposition – either the entire structure is insulated or it is not. Kubica’s company, however, offers clients a choice: insulate the main house or only portions of the house. Moreover, you can choose to use concrete for interior or exterior walls, and in a variety of styles and colors.
And the E-MAXX System is fast. For the concrete homeowner this means design flexibility, luxury and enhanced energy-efficiency at a fraction of the cost. For the Kubicas and their company, the speed translates into an enhanced bottom line.
Although Kubica has been successful, it hasn’t been easy. “Homeowners are always interested in better cabinets, windows, fixtures and the bells and whistles for their new homes,” explains Kubica. “But the same doesn’t hold true when you talk about standard concrete walls. It’s the insulated concrete walls that homeowners are becoming interested in now.”
So how did the concrete contractor from Traverse City end up in the Virgin Islands? One of Kubica’s Michigan clients also had property in St. John and asked Kubica to build him a concrete home on the island. Kubica has just completed a gorgeous 4,000 sq. ft. concrete home in Traverse City, another first. Leave the cold and dreary state of Michigan to work in a tropical paradise – Kubica didn’t have to think too long.
Island construction is quite different than on the mainland. First, Kubica transported the requisite equipment to Florida and then shipped it to St. John. All the concrete came first from Colombia on concrete barges to St. Thomas and then over to St. John. No calling up the day before and ordering concrete. Think two to three weeks ahead. Kubica took three crew members with him and hired three local workers to round out the building team. This 2,800 sq. ft. home, like most others on the island, was built on the side of a cliff and consumed much of the lot. The roads leading up to the site were called “switchbacks,” which means they zigzag sharply up the side of the mountain. Every day, the crew loaded the trucks with the needed supplies and headed up the mountain.
The project was challenging, due to logistical considerations, but successful. The beautiful home with 30’ tall walls—was less expensive than using a plywood wall forming system, the system traditionally used on the island—was completed in four months, a time frame well below average.
Kubica returned to Michigan in time for the poured wall business surge that comes every summer. Next December, he’s heading back to St. John for house number two. He’s not sure what the future holds, but he’s willing to go out there and see. “Changes are coming to the poured wall business,” he states. “I need to be flexible and stay on top of the new technologies and the demands of the market. If not, I won’t be in business very long.”
