Diagnosing scaled concrete flatwork
Exterior concrete flatwork in a freezing climate experiences the most severe freeze-thaw concrete exposure class, F3. It undergoes cycles of freezing and thawing in the presence of water and deicing […]
Insights
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 […]
Troubleshooting concrete on the jobsite
Heidi Lukkarila, Beton’s field technician, has many years’ experience troubleshooting concrete on the jobsite. Troubleshooting requires the ability to think on your feet, as time is always of the essence. […]
The value of failure
A few weeks ago I met with a student team to coach them on their final report for their senior design project. The students were discouraged because they’d spent two […]
Concrete acceptance testing
Concrete acceptance testing refers to the testing of concrete sampled directly from the ready mixed concrete truck. Its purpose is to verify the compressive strength of the material as delivered […]
Surprise endings
As a fan of detective stories, I see plenty of surprise endings and plot twists. They can make good entertainment, but they don’t belong in technical writing. Recently I read […]
Student learning objectives
When developing a curriculum, one should have an eye to accreditation. In the US, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits STEM curricula at universities. Graduation from an […]
Meet Sam Kurachek
Sam Kurachek, PE, is our new Senior Engineer. He works primarily on thermal control plans. He also performs on-site investigative work and helps with the development of concrete mixture proportions. […]
Adult learning
After I got my master’s degree, I spent about a year working on the design of an oil exploration structure for the North Slope of Alaska. That project led to […]
Models help you understand how it works
In teaching engineering, I’ve come to realize that it’s essential to help students intuitively understand how it works. A lot of engineering instruction revolves around using formulas to calculate things. […]