Delayed ettringite formation
A few weeks ago I participated in a webinar about mass concrete and thermal control plans. I was dismayed to hear the presenter cite delayed ettringite formation as the reason […]
Mass Concrete
Cold weather concrete
It used to be that summer was the only real construction season. Now, though, construction continues all year. Those of us who live in northern latitudes would do well to […]
Thermal control plans for mass concrete
Specifications for mass concrete require thermal control plans to minimize cracking. Traditionally, mass concrete meant dams. But other structures may be large enough—or have enough portland cement—to treat as mass […]
When concrete cures at elevated temperatures
Elevated temperatures affect the mixing, placement, and finishing of fresh concrete. In our blogs about mass concrete and hot-weather concreting, we’ve alluded to what happens when concrete cures at elevated […]
I-91 Brattleboro Bridge relied on MacDonald’s expertise
Beton’s Kevin MacDonald designed the concrete mixture proportions and performed thermal control modeling for the I-91 Brattleboro Bridge in Vermont. The bridge took First Place in the Infrastructure Division of […]
Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) helped make the St. Croix Crossing a case study in sustainability
The St. Croix Crossing received a Bridge Design Award of Excellence from the Portland Cement Association. The award is based on five criteria: structural design, function, aesthetics, sustainability and economics. Michelle […]
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 […]