Remembering Ron

by Ed Sauter Those who knew Ron Colvin (RC) will never forget him. Beneath the ever-present beard, overalls, Hawaiian shirts and sandals was a kind, smart, and caring individual who would do anything to make life better for those who worked with him. Ron was a little unconventional in his appearance and approach to things, […]

Twisted Steel Micro-Rebar in Load-Carrying Concrete Walls

by Samhar Hoz, Jeff Novak, Luke Pinkerton   Concrete walls are widely used in building construction. Concrete is strong in compression; however, its tensile strength is only 8 to 15 percent of the compressive strength. Thus, plain concrete does not have good tensile properties. Cracks can develop due to loads, restrained shrinkage, or temperature changes […]

UNDERSTANDING PYRRHOTITE IN CONCRETE

Photo courtesy of CT Home Inspedtors - www.allied123.com

by James Baty, Gary Ehrlich, Jamie Farny, Don Penepent, and Dennis Purinton Concrete, the most widely used construction material in the world, is a complex matrix of materials that transforms into a reliable structural product. With so many variables—different ingredients, different performance requirements, varying exposures—specifiers are faced with many choices when designing durable concrete mixtures […]

2017 Product & Services Showcase

This feature brings you the current products & services that may be found represented by the member companies of the Concrete Foundations Association to make the work of concrete contractors more efficient and of higher quality. PRODUCT & SERVICES SHOWCASE AUTOCAR  |  www.autocartruck.com |  877-973-3486 At Autocar, building trucks isn’t just what we do – it’s […]

Give A Little, Learn A Lot

There is something to be said for those who take the time and energy to go out of their way to help somebody in need, even more so for those who are able to ask for help when it is needed. Oftentimes the benefits of helping others are not always tangible, and it is that […]

Water: Is It The Basement Contractor’s Worst Enemy?

Sit down at any contractor’s round table and start a discussion about the predominant headache or source of callbacks for basements and you are likely to get common agreement that it is water or moisture. The presence of moisture is a sure sign to the homeowner that a) something dire is wrong with the foundation […]

Planning for the Future Workforce

Understanding how to recruit, train, and motivate a younger generation is helping create successful industry leaders – and social media is helping. by Tina Grady Barbaccia, AEC Editorial Specialist, Constructive Communication, Inc.   One of the common stories in concrete construction that remains today is that of the son or daughter who began working with […]

Recharging Your Leadership

CFA Board of Directors adds four new faces for 2017-2020 By James Baty Like most organizations, the Board of Directors is the governing body for the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA).  It consists of leaders volunteering their time, attention and financial resources in response to their pride and passion for this industry. As the CFA fiscal […]

CALLING ALL FOUNDATION PROFESSIONALS!

The Concrete Foundations Association announces Concrete Foundations Convention 2017, consisting of both a 3-day professional pass and a 1-day opportunity to interact with the Concrete Foundations Convention in Nashville, TN on July 20, 2017. The 1-day registration is extended to the regional industry for companies wishing to expose their key workforce to a great concrete […]

2017 Projects of the Year | Non-Wall Structural Element

Non-Wall Structural Element Burnett Residence Site Walls SCW Footings & Foundations Salt Lake City, Utah The category for non-wall structural element was created to honor the many projects where contractors are asked to deliver a concrete structure other than the typical load-bearing foundation wall. In other words, any element that is not a simply supported […]