When it comes to any construction project that requires the use of concrete, whether it’s a hospital, residential building, road, bridge, or dam, concrete strength testing is an essential step in ensuring the integrity and durability of a structure. Furthermore, whether or not a project will move forward…
Understanding Compressive Strength vs Tensile Strength Ensuring your concrete is durable and stable isn’t just about achieving an acceptable level of compressive strength, which is the concrete’s ability to withstand loads that crush or squeeze it. You also need to consider its tensile strength, the concrete’s ability to withstand…
As social media platforms continue to grow, it can be overwhelming to decide who to follow. That is why we created this list of our favorite concrete influencers, five from Twitter, five from Instagram, five from YouTube, and ten from LinkedIn. These users cover many different facets of…
The internet has an extraordinary amount of knowledge on any topic, including concrete and construction! At the same time, we know that not all of this knowledge is trustworthy. This is why we’ve created a list of our favorite resources that you can use to grow your concrete…
Have you ever been driving over a bridge and wondered who is in charge of making sure it is safe? Or how they test for rust and corrosion? Or maybe you have some knowledge of testing methods for corrosion, but you still aren’t sure of the best way…
Wood and concrete have been used in construction for thousands of years and for good reason. Both materials have properties that make them appealing building materials. Get Your First SmartRock Concrete Sensor for FREE Free Demo Kit In this blog, we will tackle the age-old debate between wood…
Corrosion is a natural process that begins when the steel rebar within reinforced concrete starts to rust. According to ACI, “corrosion occurs when the protective layer in concrete steel reinforcement is destroyed. Steel in concrete is usually protected against corrosion by the high pH of the surrounding portland-cement…
Concrete has numerous properties that can be studied and recorded, but its compressive strength has generally been the center of attention. Indeed, in most projects, structures will use mix designs with the main focus being to reach a certain compressive strength as well as flowability and air content…
Concrete testing methods differ from place to place and each country has their own specifications that must be followed. While engineers and project managers in America adhere to the American Standard Testing Method (ASTM) C39 / C39M , Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens,…
Make the Most of the Concrete Maturity Method with These Calibration TipsOne of our favorite subjects to write about is concrete maturity. One of—if not the—most important part of using concrete maturity onsite, is the calibration process. Get Your First SmartRock Concrete Sensor for FREE Free Demo Kit…
Mass concrete pours are becoming more and more present in the construction industry. As our ambition grows, the size of our concrete structures grow with it. Massive pours have their specific set of challenges that must be anticipated and prepared for, including the thermal cracking of structures. In…
Giatec would like to recognize Najeebullah Tareen, Junkyeong Kim, Won-Kyu Kim, and Seunghee Park of Sungkyunkwan University for their incredible research regarding the strength estimation of fresh concrete based on ultrasonic wave propagation and maturity. In their academic research, they used SmartRock® sensors to access data regarding the…
In 1971, the One Shell Plaza pierced the Texas skyline, breaking the city record for the tallest building. This 52-storey building broke another record as the world’s tallest building made of lightweight concrete. Get Your First SmartRock Concrete Sensor for FREE Free Demo Kit Today, this record has…
Potholes are a huge problem all over North America, but nowhere are the detrimental effects more evident than in Canada’s capital, Ottawa. According to CTV News, the city experienced over 40 freeze-thaw cycles during the 2018-2019 winter, which created tens of thousands of potholes that need to be…
As the demand for new concrete structures continues to boom, better and more efficient ways to test the quality and durability of concrete are needed. Multiple tests for obtaining and understanding concrete durability by measuring its ability to resist chloride penetration have widely become accepted. This method, commonly…
Norman Lauzon is the Senior Project Manager at Ledcor, a successful and diversified construction company that partners with projects across North America. Norman has more than seventeen years of experience in the construction industry and has managed the development of hospitals, airports, light rail transit, and a variety…
The strenuous job of planning a reinforced concrete structure doesn’t end after your project is complete. Concrete structures can be exposed to elements like salt water, CO2 and chloride, which can penetrate the concrete all the way to the steel reinforcement, resulting in corrosion. If corrosion is not…
The concrete curing process, which contains five phases, is designed to maintain appropriate moisture content and temperature levels in early-age concrete so it can reach its specific mix strength. Why is achieving the right amount of moisture so important during this process? Because hydration tends to dry out…
