WHAT TO EXPECT!

The American Concrete Institute is a leading authority and resource worldwide for the development and distribution of consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational & training programs. With more than 20,000 members spanning over 120 countries, ACI members represent the best in the concrete community. During this session, learn about the history of the American Concrete Institute and how it is currently working for a future where everyone has the knowledge needed to use concrete effectively to meet the demands of a changing world.

Many issues related to construction can be alleviated by a fundamental understanding of the basics of concrete. This starts with knowledge of the standard components of a concrete mixture including cementitious materials, aggregates, water, and admixtures and their importance on the properties of fresh and hardened concrete. The combination of these materials in various proportions can produce mixtures suitable for a wide range of applications and placement methods. Once placed, the concrete must be properly cured to develop its intended properties. The fundamentals of each step of this process are covered in this course.

The structural design of reinforced concrete structures is facilitated by ACI 318, developed by experts in design and analysis. This document sets the minimum requirements for life safety.

It also deals with the durability of the structure by setting performance and prescriptive requirements on the concrete materials. The protections for sulphate exposure and permeability will be reviewed. In addition, there are numerous structures where the owner desires a defined service life. The definitions of service life, the environmental exposures and the performance and prescriptive requirements will be reviewed, with an emphasis on reliability engineering methods. ACI is currently developing a durability code to supplement the requirements of ACI 318. These topics will be reviewed in terms of specification and production of concrete where durability, not strength, is the governing durability criteria.

The ease of use of Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) is a function of the properties of the concrete as a fluid. In order to understand how to apply the material and what it can and cannot do an understanding of the basics of fluid mechanics is required. The presentation will look at the use of SCC in architectural, structural and horizontal slabs from the specifier, contractor and installer viewpoints. Practical examples will be combined with theoretical developments to show the theory and its applications.

The benefits and consequences of using the high fines and the molecular entanglement methods of mixture design will be detailed.  The use of ASTM tests to quantify the properties of the concrete will be combined with specification examples to provide clear actions to be taken to successfully implement SCC in design and construction.