Meet New Board Member, Shauna Hallmark: When the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CPTech Center)‘s Executive Board of Directors considers which initiatives can make the greatest impact, the voices of professionals working in the concrete industry are important to hear. A state’s concrete paving association is generally its go-to organization for contractors needing training for their crews or advice on particular projects. Association staff have their finger on the pulse of contractors’ everyday frustrations and are familiar with the state’s most challenging projects and most innovative solutions.
Shauna Hallmark, Director-InTrans, is responsible for overseeing InTrans’ 15 centers and programs and represents Iowa State University on the CP Tech Center’s Executive Board of Directors. Since the CP Tech Center is housed within the Institute for Transportation (InTrans)—Iowa State University’s hub of local, regional, and national transportation-focused research and technology transfer. Thus, Shauna is vital on the CP Tech Center Executive Board of Directors!
Shauna is quite accomplished in her research:
• Developed a wide range of Workbooks
• Produced Many Guidance Documents
• Created Technology Transfer Resources related to her Traffic Safety Research
• Strongly supports the CP Tech Center’s goal of quickly getting proven new approaches and technologies into the hands of practitioners to start making a difference in the real world—increasing day-to-day practice of engineering research!
The CP Tech Center welcomes Shauna to its Executive Board and to its mission of expediting the transfer of scientific research and proven technology relating to the design, construction, and preservation of concrete pavements and bridge decks. The Board’s 17 members include representatives of organizations that provide substantial financial support. For the CP Tech Board of Directors Webpage, please go to: https://cptechcenter.org/executive-board-of-directors/
CP Tech Document Released: “Reduced Cementitious Material in Optimized Concrete Mixtures”
This document, from Minnesota DOT‘s National Research and Road Alliance (NRRA) Rigid Pavement Team, reports the activities and observations of a research team that performed on-site and laboratory testing of concrete mixtures with reduced cementitious materials content placed in two cells at the MnROAD facility in Albertville, Minnesota. The overall objectives of the research project included investigating the early age characteristics of concrete paving mixes containing reduced cementitious contents as well as their long-term performance. It was observed that while workability was marginal in the mixture proportioned with 470 lb/yd3, all other properties of the test sections were similar to those of the control section. For the PAPER, please go to: https://www.dot.state.mn.us/research/reports/2021/NRRA202102.pdf
CP Tech Released 2 NEW GUIDES on GEOTECHNICAL CEMENT:
—Removing and replacing unstable or expansive soils to increase the durability of rigid and flexible pavements as well as structures costs time and money. “Guide to Cement-Stabilized Subgrade Soils“, produced by The CP Tech Center in collaboration with the Portland Cement Association (PCA), describes how cement-stabilized subgrade can economically and sustainably ensure a strong, nonexpansive subgrade across a range of climates. For this guide, please click on image above, or go to: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/2020/05/guide_to_CSS.pdf?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=e97aaaacd2-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-e97aaaacd2-169971045
—Another CP Tech Center guide recently produced in conjunction with PCA is the “Guide to Lightweight Cellular Concrete for Geotechnical Applications“. This guide shows how portland cement and water slurry mixed with preformed foam to create air voids is a strong, lightweight, durable, and inexpensive alternative to soil or fill replacement, reducing ground settlement and improving embankments’ bearing capacity as well as static and seismic stability. Because lightweight cellular concrete is highly flowable, it is also useful in confined spaces where placing earthen fill is difficult—or even impossible. For this GUIDE, please go to: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/2021/01/guide_to_LCC_for_geotech_apps.pdf?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=e97aaaacd2-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-e97aaaacd2-169971045
CP Tech Center VIRTUAL “TRAVEL”
FEBRUARY 23–24: Concrete Paving Inspectors’ Workshop
At the state level, Peter Taylor, Director-CP Tech Center, and Jerod Gross, Engineer-CP Tech Center Technology Transfer held a National-Concrete-Consortium (NCC)-sponsored concrete Paving Inspectors’ Workshop for the North Dakota DOT on with more than 150 attendees total.
FEBRUARY 25:
CP Tech Center Iowa location is where Peter Taylor served as guest speaker in a webinar at Iowa State University. He presented to 50 engineers-in-the-making enrolled in the “Design of Concrete” course.
WINTER 2020–2021 Iowa Concrete LUNCH & LEARN SEASON
At the local level (Iowa, USA), COVID forced the quarter’s Lunch & Learns to be held online (versus its traditional format of 1-at-a-time topic in person presentation throughout each quarter in 10 different Iowa locations). Online presentation format enabled this winter’s Lunch & Learn season to address 6 different topics—and attracted a record-breaking 1,509 total attendees from around the country!!
EX: March 5—Finale Webinar: “PCC paving inspection“—Jerod Gross, CP Tech Center and John Hart, PCC Field Engineer–Iowa DOT presented to 309 agency, county, and consulting engineers. For the Webinar, please click on image above, or go to: https://cptechcenter.org/concrete-lunch-and-learn/?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=e97aaaacd2-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-e97aaaacd2-169971045
WEBINAR PRESENTATIONS continue to play a key role in CP Tech Center technology transfer at the national, state, and local levels:
MARCH 2:
—Peter Taylor and Kamran Amini, CTLGroup, hosted an American Concrete Institute (ACI) webinar to 150 attendees and presented on salt scaling.
—Jerod Gross also presented a webinar on March 2 about “Optimizing Bases, Subbases, and Subgrades for Concrete Pavement” to an audience of 78 attendees for the Michigan Concrete Association’s virtual workshop series.
MARCH 9:
—Dr. Larry Sutter, PE, Michigan Technological University; Patricia Baer, Pennsylvania DOT; and Jim Casilio, PE, Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association, presented to 531 attendees at CP Tech Center’s Concrete Pavement Technology Tuesday webinar titled “Advancements in Our Knowledge and Action to Control Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) in Concrete Pavements.” For the webinar, please click on image above, or go to: https://cptechcenter.org/webinars-and-videos/?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=e97aaaacd2-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-e97aaaacd2-169971045#best
Why and how to build with concrete for long-life pavements and bridges must be communicated not merely at the national level but also to our local engineers working on the ground—and to our engineers of the next generation. This is why the CP Tech Center values its involvement in all of the above.