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 […]
Insights
Beton welcomes senior lab and field technician
We’re pleased to welcome Brad Ahrens as a senior lab and field technician. Ahrens has over 20 years’ experience in concrete lab and field testing, quality control, and inspection. Brad […]
Helpful Hints for Concrete Canoe Mix Design from 2018 Minnesota team
The American Society of Civil Engineers has hosted the National Concrete Canoe Competition since 1988. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities has participated in the event for over 30 years. […]
Beton to Assist in Cleanup of Manhattan Project and Cold War Nuclear Wastes
The Hanford Nuclear Reservation was established in Washington State in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project and the Cold War to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. The Manhattan Project was […]
Not All Cements are Created Equal
“We can be using the same kind of technology, the same kind of techniques, but when we use it, we get something different.” Shigeru Miyamoto Have you ever experienced a […]
Volumetric and Hardened Air Contents the Same
Air entrained concrete is still the biggest headache in concrete production. We have recently been discussing comparisons between the pressure meter and the microscope. It may seem counterintuitive, but the […]
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 […]
Petrographic examination of historic stone-veneer mortar
As a petrographer, I have had the opportunity to examine many historic mortars and historic concretes from around the United States. They silently tell stories about natural elements and sometimes, […]
Beton Wins Residential Concrete Pavement Award
A 4-inch thick residential concrete street? We must be talking about a sidewalk, right? Actually, four inches is possible when the street base is properly designed and consolidated. And Beton recently […]
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 […]