Write an effective executive summary
For technical writers, the executive summary is one of the most challenging aspects of a report to a client. A good executive summary contains everything the busy executive needs to […]
Author: Rachel Detwiler
Can you get a representative sample of concrete?
A representative sample of anything is an unbiased selection from the whole population. It’s a statistical concept that applies to everything from opinion polls to laboratory testing. In principle it […]
Aggregate suspension mixture proportioning method makes for high performance concrete
Many people think of high performance concrete in terms of compressive strength. However, strength is not the only or even the most important design criterion. The concrete must be easy […]
Concrete Failure Analysis is Complex
Concrete failure analysis is a complex process. That’s because engineering is a conservative profession. After all, who wants us to take unnecessary risks when public safety and millions of dollars […]
Synopsis: Who is Watching Out for the Concrete Cylinders?
A recent paper in Concrete International recommends changes to the relevant ACI and ASTM specifications as well as the AIA MasterSpec to ensure that concrete cylinders get the appropriate curing. […]
Organizing the material in technical writing
Engineers need training in organizing the material in technical writing. In teaching engineering students how to write reports for clients, one of the first things I talk about is how […]
Internal curing with lightweight aggregate gaining traction
Lightweight fine aggregate for internal curing is not new. But it has been slow to gain traction in everyday use. Even so, I have a feeling it will become more […]
Rating the suitability of local aggregates
You don’t usually think of gravel or aggregates as a resource until you’re trying to make concrete. In many parts of the country, good-quality aggregates for concrete are in short […]
Welcome to a blog about concrete performance
Telling someone at a neighborhood party that you specialize in concrete performance is an effective way to end the conversation before it gets started. People can’t imagine there’s anything to know […]