The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
With a track record of flexibility and versatility that’s hard to match, concrete is used to build bridges more than any other material in the world. And, thanks to advancements in technology, concrete is being used to rehabilitate highway systems to extend usability and years of service.
Most bridges are built to be purely functional, but functional doesn’t have to mean boring. Decorative concrete contractors have played a key role in some recent artistically striking bridge construction projects. Using materials that add character and can withstand exposure to the outdoors, contractors are transforming concrete bridges.
The U.S. Highway 80 Corridor in southwest Jackson, Miss., is one of those aging main drags that could use some aesthetic improvements. To the relief of many locals, much-needed changes are being made.
Spanning 480 feet across Interstate 520 in Redmond, Wash., the NE 36th Street Bridge is not your average overpass.
Flying Turtle Cast Concrete, Modesto, Calif., built this 10,000-pound all-concrete bridge at a homeowner’s estate in Woodbridge, Calif. Looks like something out of a fairy tale, doesn’t it?
Along the Willamette River’s eastern shore, where it cuts through the heart of Portland, Ore., there stretches a long walkway, a favorite spot for locals to run or ride along the riverfront.
An electrical engineer at Missouri University of Science and Technology is using microwave energy to test concrete and rehabilitated aluminum, and in the future her work could lead to safer bridges and aircraft parts.
Of all the lists we compiled for this special issue, this one was probably the hardest. It wasn’t because there were so few good jobs to choose from — quite the opposite.
Dr. Clay Naito, associate professor of structural engineering at Lehigh University, was named PCI’s Distinguished Educator for 2015. Dr. Adel El-Safty, professor of civil environmental engineering at University of North Florida, was chosen as PCI’s Educator of the Year. Awards will be presented during the Fall 2015 PCI Committee Days Conference in October.
The American Concrete Institute recognized the winners of its inaugural Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards during the ACI Awards Gala at the Concrete Convention & Exposition, Nov. 9, 2015, in Denver, Colorado.
Researchers look to bones and shells as blueprints for stronger, more durable concrete.
