Author Archives: Emma Dolan

ACPA and CP Tech Center Upcoming Webinars

 

ADA Webinar Series

Register for our ADA Webinar Series by clicking here – it’s a 2-part webinar on May 12 and 19 @ 11 am MDT.  Engineers are faced with ongoing planning, design, and construction challenges when it comes to following ADA guidelines. Whether you are with a DOT, county, city, consultant, or contractor there will be lots to learn on implementing your ADA program.

This ADA Webinar Series is offering Professional Development Hours (PDH’s).  Attendees will:

  • Learn the requirements and importance of an ADA Transition Plan
  • Learn the design and construction requirements detailed in PROWAG 2011
  • See how these guidelines are being implemented in Wisconsin and Missouri

Sign up is required, and we have an improved two-step process to ensure proper processing for PDH’s.  Please click here to register.

Sustainability in Concrete Pavements


Content provided by Shaped by Concrete

The role of concrete in connecting us to our daily lives and keeping our economy moving

The roadways and airstrips connecting our nation are integral to our society and daily lives. We expect smooth drives and safe landings, yet we rarely stop to think about the foundation of those expectations: the best material that can be used to surface roads, runways and other infrastructure.

Concrete pavements are a staple of our infrastructure – a durable, economical and sustainable solution for our roadways, airstrips, military bases, parking lots and sidewalks. Additionally, concrete pavements offer many safety benefits to drivers.

Durability
Simply put, concrete pavements have the longest lifespan of any paving material. It can withstand the freezing winters of the upper Midwest to the scorching summers of the Southwest, with an average service life of 30 to 50 years.

Sustainability
Concrete pavements consume minimal materials, energy and other resources throughout its lifespan, giving it a lower overall energy footprint, and offers better fuel efficiency for drivers. Concrete pavements have a lower energy footprint associated with production, delivery and maintenance than asphalt pavement.

  • Concrete’s lighter color reduces the amount of power necessary for illumination and mitigates the urban heat island effect.
  • Tires driving over smoother roads get better mileage per tank of gas; the overall better condition of concrete pavement compared to asphalt gives drivers better roads and better mileage.
  • Concrete can be 100% recycled at the end of its service life, making it a renewable pavement option.

Economical
Concrete pavements require minimal materials and energy for initial construction and do not require repeated resurfacing, spot repairs or patching. Compared to other road surfacing materials which require constant maintenance, concrete is cheaper to use at the outset and less expensive throughout its lifespan because it does not require extensive upkeep.

  • It was estimated that using life-cycle cost analysis for pavements alone can save an average $91 million for every $1 billion spent, or 9.1 %, when comparing equivalent concrete and asphalt pavement alternatives.
  • The use of concrete pavement is less disruptive to traffic – the construction of concrete pavements does not require lengthy lane closures and roads can be reopened in as short as six hours.
  • Concrete pavement can dramatically increase the life of transportation systems, cutting the amount of yearly repairs and spreading them out over longer time periods.

 For more information visit: www.shapedbyconcrete.com

Thank you for attending the 2020 CO/WY ACPA Concrete Pavement Workshop!

 

We are so glad you were able to join us for a day of education and discussion around the future of the concrete paving industry.

Congratulations to all the Award Winners!

We hope everyone is staying safe and well.

Please feel free to reach out to the association if we can provide any assistance to you or your employees at this time.

We look forward to seeing you next year!


Thank you to our 2020 Workshop Sponsors!

Platinum
Concrete Works of Colorado
CRCC
CEMEX
Flatiron Constructors, Inc.
GCC of America
Holcim (US) Inc.
IHC
Lawson Construction
Millstone Weber
RockSol Consulting Group

Gold
Chato’s Concrete
Mountain Cement Company
Faris Machinery

Silver
COMMAND Center
CR Minerals Pozzolans
Euclid Chemical Company
GCP Applied Technologies
GOMACO
MAPEI Corporation
SIMPLEX

Thank you to our 2020 Workshop Exhibitors!
Arcosa
Barton Supply
BASF
Concrete Stabilization Technologies Inc.
Esch Supply
Hot Shot Supply

Additional Partners
Colorado State University – Pueblo
Colorado Public Works Journal
Transportation & Construction Girl

Reducing Emissions in Concrete Production

Concrete is the universal building material – from pavements and bridges to buildings, water storage tanks, counter tops, and everything in between.  The manufacture and construction of building materials produces emissions, and concrete has recently been singled out.  The reality is that emissions from cement production make up less than 1.5% of the national total, and the concrete industry in the US has been actively working to reduce emissions for many years.

Note:  Cement emissions are included within the Industry category.

Major cement producers with plants in Colorado have reduced net emissions per ton of cementitious product by 21-25% since 1990 and are utilizing renewable energy sources for up to 26% of their power consumption.  In partnership with owners and specifiers, the concrete industry in Colorado is focused on providing an even higher quality product while reducing the impact on our environment.

Join our efforts in reducing emissions by following these recommendations:

Innovations

  • Use portland limestone cement (PLC), which incorporates up to 15% finely ground limestone during production, to reduce clinker factor and corresponding carbon footprint.
  • Optimize aggregate gradations to construct a more durable pavement with a reduced cement content and corresponding lower emissions impact.
  • Introduce recycled CO2 into new concrete through CO2

Reducing & Recycling

  • Eliminate minimum cement content and include performance specifications instead of prescriptive to specify properties related to increased durability.
  • Replace 20% or more of the cement with fly ash to improve concrete quality and beneficially dispose of a waste product.
  • Incorporate recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) into new concrete pavement to reduce mining, processing and transportation.

Longevity

  • Build long lasting pavements to extend the time between recycling pavement and reduce construction emissions caused by frequent rehabilitation cycles.
  • Diamond grind the surface of concrete pavement to restore smoothness and extend life without the need for additional raw materials.

For additional details about the concepts described and how they are being implemented in Colorado and around the country, please refer to the resources below or contact Angela Folkestad (afolkestad@pavement.com).

MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub:  cshub.mit.edu

National Concrete Pavement Technology Center:  cptechcenter.org

CO/WY ACPA Spring Updates

The Colorado/Wyoming Chapter of ACPA kicked off a busy spring on March 14th at the Annual Concrete Pavement Workshop. We work closely with our sponsors, exhibitors and industry partners to present on educational and innovative changes happening across the nation and here in Colorado and Wyoming.

This year the workshop and ACPA staff faced an additional challenge with a once in a generation “Bomb Cyclone” blizzard. As the storm approached, calls started coming in from speakers, who said their flight plans (including double- and triple-booked alternative flights) were being canceled.  Eventually, all but two out-of-state participants were grounded at home or at intermediate connection points. With the help of ACPA National staff, the out of state speakers were able to remote in and give virtual presentations.

The CO/WY ACPA staff are grateful for the flexibility of all the speakers in working through the schedule and format changes and for the persistence of workshop sponsors and exhibitors and all those who braved the storm to attend and make the 2019 Concrete Pavement Workshop a snowy success!

Concrete Day at the Capitol

On Tuesday, April 23, the CO/WY Chapter of ACPA was pleased to again partner with the Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association (CRMCA) and the Colorado Chapter of the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA) to host the 2019 Concrete Day at the Capitol.

The event took place on the southeast lawn of the Colorado State Capitol. Governor Jared Polis was in attendance to address the crowd of legislators, staff and members of the concrete industry. The message from the Governor focused on the recently signed budget allocating $300 million to transportation funding and to thank legislative staff for all their hard work during the 2019 session.

While the industry is excited to be taking steps toward funding, it is important we look ahead toward more long term, sustainable funding options as well. For more information on transportation funding be sure to follow the CO/WY ACPA on twitter (@cowyacpa) and Facebook (CO/WY Chapter – ACPA) as we promote the #FundTheFix social media campaign to raise public awareness and continue the conversation on funding Colorado’s transportation needs.

Thanks to all our members who came out to celebrate Concrete Day in Colorado!