We are very excited to announce the launch of our annual research paper contest! This is a great opportunity for civil-engineers to expose their research and development to a global audience of industry experts. Plus, the winner will receive a monetary award of $1,000 US. The “Giatec Award for…
Reinforced concrete structures have shaped our cities for thousands of years, from historical buildings stretching as far back as the Romans to present day, such as the 3-storey parking garage adjacent to the mega shopping mall a few miles from your home. As individuals living in the 21st…
The process of demolishing a building involves heavy machinery to crush concrete and separate valuable materials that can be reused. Current methods consume quite a significant amount of time and money in order to safely disassemble the building, extract parts, and transport the materials to off-site centers for repurposing. Furthermore, these processes use a large volume of water to prevent dust clouds from…
Concrete is a porous material which contains microscopic voids known as pores. These pores range in size, vary in connectivity (pore structure) and can be added to the concrete via air-entraining admixtures. The water-to-cementitious material and type of cementitious materials used have a significant effect on the pore…
The global pandemic that hit our North American shores early in 2020 has brought profound change to how we work, live, and operate in the construction industry. Many companies weathered the storm, and those that did it the best relied on their resiliency to not only adapt to…
Year over year the construction industry goes through a recurring cycle. During summer construction worksites explode in number and activity. This is the time when concrete strength development takes place at a steady pace, as the weather contributes and does not slow strength gain. *For eligible new customers only Get a Free Trial Kit Free Sensor*…
Concrete curing temperature is undoubtedly a critical part of construction. According to a report by ACI Committee 308, the American Concrete Institute defines “curing” as “the process by which hydraulic-cement concrete matures and develops hardened properties over time.” This process can be negatively impacted if freshly placed concrete…
Winter in colder climates such as Canada, Alaska, and the Upper Mid-West entails treacherous and unpredictable driving conditions, with snow and ice build-up making roads unsafe. For over 70 years, the solution to this problem has been to cover roads with sodium chloride…
By now, you might have noticed that we recently released a newly re-engineered version of our leading concrete sensor. This flagship product, SmartRock®, was introduced to the market back in 2015. In September of 2020, we were thrilled to release the third generation. The purpose of this blog…
As global initiatives to go carbon-neutral continue to push the demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources, many are looking to wind farms as a green solution to energy needs. Wind power has been used as an energy source for centuries – from windmills grinding grain to sailboats traversing bodies of water. However, as more and more of…
Photo by Art Davis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Margaret McDermott Dallas Bridge over the Trinity River in Dallas, Texas was intended to replace the I-30 bridge built in the late 50s to early 60s. The bridge cost over $100 million to build and features a…
Helping our customers and partners use concrete in an environmentally friendly way is one of our top priorities here at Giatec. It is no secret that concrete, particularly the cement in a concrete mix, can have a negative impact on the environment due to the CO₂ it produces….
Since the commercialization of the maturity method, there have been important advancements in monitoring and computing technologies such as a simple thermocouple for concrete, wireless sensors, manual data entry, cloud sharing systems, and more. *For eligible new customers only Get a Free Trial Kit Free Sensor* Free Shipping…
The quality of your concrete directly depends on proper curing and accurate strength tests. While there are several different methods used to test concrete strength, not all of them are equally efficient. Below, we compare two methods of strength testing: concrete coring and concrete maturity. *For eligible new…
What is Post-tensioning? Concrete has compressive strength, meaning that it can withstand its own weight within a structure. However, it lacks tensile strength. Therefore, as soon as everyday loads are added to that structure, such as vehicles in a car park or on a bridge, it struggles under…
How Does Concrete Impact the Environment? You have probably noticed that we are big fans of concrete here at Giatec. It is an amazing, durable, and cost-effective material used around the world. In fact, concrete is the second most used material after water! Still, we are aware that…
Monitoring the temperature of your pour after placement is one of the most important steps in the construction of a concrete structure. That is why ensuring optimal curing conditions for your element is critical, especially during extreme weather conditions. The hydration process (the chemical reaction between hydraulic cement…
Does your company provide condition assessment services to your clients? When was the last time your customers had an accurate understanding of the corrosion levels on the surface of their reinforcement? It’s strongly advised that annual and even semi-annual testing take place so they can understand the condition…
