ACI Utah Sky

ACI Intermountain Chapter Newsletter

"Concrete News You Can Use"

In This Issue

Flatwork Finisher vs. Technician

A New Board of Directors

A Job Well Done

How Certification got Started

President's Message

Excellence in Concrete Awards

Quick Links

Chapter Website

Last Month's Newsletter

Flatwork Finisher
or Technician

"What is the difference between the certification of a Flatwork Finisher and a Flatwork Technician?"

An ACI Concrete Flatwork Finisher is someone who has passed the written examination AND has met the requirements of the performance evaluation AND the work experience.

An ACI Concrete Flatwork Technician is someone who has only passed the written examination. This person has NOT met the performance evaluation and work experience requirements.

A Flatwork Technician can upgrade their certification to a Finisher status by submitting evidence of sufficient work experience and successfully completing the ACI performance evaluation.

If you need an ACI Concrete Flatwork Finisher, you should be aware of the difference.

Election Results

We have a new Board of Directors and Trustees. The election results were unanimous. Here is our new Board:

President Todd Laker

Vice President Chris Barker

Treasurer Mark Sweat

Committees/Trustees:

Past President/Awards Ray Nelson

Certification Greg Anderson

Golf Tournament Doug Bedingfield

Luncheons Jim Cavey

Education Jerry Hall

Student Activities Paul Tikalsky

Want to get involved?

If you are interested in participating on any of these committees, please contact the committee chair or

Kristin at 801-250-3444.

We would like to thank all those involved in the 20th Annual Excellence in Concrete Awards program. These volunteers made the program a success!

Chair Greg Anderson

Presenter Chris Garris

M.C. Ben Blankenship

Jury

W. Chris Barker Dunn Associates

Enzo Calfa State of Utah DFCM

Jim Cavey Jacobsen Construction

Faris Karaghouli-Reaveley Engineers

Paul Tikalsky University of Utah

How ACI's First Certification
Program got its Start

A look back after 25 years of ACI certification

Field Testing Technician Certification

Nowadays, everyone agrees that you can't have an effective quality control program without accurate and consistent testing procedures, and good testing procedures require knowledgeable technicians. But it wasn't always this way...

The Dark Ages -- Before ACI Certification

I was on a job site doing my weekly site visit, chatting with one of my best technicians. I commented on how well he knew his job of testing concrete -- he laughed and told me that he had a really rocky start. After answering an ad in the newspaper and a brief interview, he was hired immediately and given 5 minutes of training (how to run a slump, how to make cylinders, forget air -- it was too complicated of a test), and then sent off to the job site. Luckily, he survived his first experiences, left that company, and learned how to be a good concrete technician with another company. Unfortunately, his experience was common in the 1970s. ACI deliberated this issue for many years, trying to decide whether it was within the scope of ACI's mission to develop and administer knowledge and skills assessment programs.

In 1978, the issue reached critical mass when the ACI Board of Direction charged the Educational Activities Committee (EAC) with developing a proposal for a certification program. In developing the proposal, EAC adopted the approach that ACI would assume a leadership role in "establishing and maintaining such a program (Certification) for the purpose of improving and regulating the quality of concrete." In support of developing a certification program, then-ACI President John McLaughlin pointed out in his January 1980 Concrete International President's Memo, that though barbers must participate in a training and examination program to become qualified to a set of standards, "...I have no such assurance with respect to the qualificiations of technicians who are, to a large extent, in day-to-day control of the quality of concrete construction or projects in many parts of the United States."

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Dear Kristin,

Join us on Tuesday, April 10, 11:30 a.m. at Cabela's for the Chapter Luncheon meeting. We will be combining with AGC for a special presentation on Hot Weather Concrete.

Click here for a registration form for the luncheon. Contact AGC at 801-363-2753 or aherr@agc-utah.org with questions.

President's Message

The basic goal of the Chapter is to further education in technical practice, scientific investigation, and research. Also gathering, correlating, and disseminating information for the improvement of the design, construction, manufacture, use and maintenance of concrete products and structures. We accomplish this goal by offering certifications, educational seminars and a scholarship program. These programs help to enhance the concrete industry and help further progression in concrete construction.

In March the Intermountain Chapter recognized 16 innovative and progressive construction projects at the 20th Annual Excellence in Concrete Awards Program. Winning projects were all constructed within the Chapter area and showcased the diversity of concrete in construction.

Twenty-six projects were reviewed by a jury of industry professionals. The Jury took great care in determining which projects deserved recognition. I would like to thank the Jury members for donating their time and expertise to this program.

This year the winning projects utilized concrete in a variety of ways including a shotcrete lined tunnel at snowbird, Architectural tilt-up buildings, a precast pool and pool house, a roller compacted dam, an environmentally friendly ICF home, and massive concrete pours. All projects highlighted the value of designing and construction with concrete.

The success and importance of this Chapter and its programs is shown in the sixteen projects showcased this year. The chapter congratulates the winning project teams and hopes to offer services that will benefit our membership and continue toward the future of Concrete Excellence.

I would like to thank the Awards Committee for the great evening. We appreciate their hard work to make the evening great for these deserving projects.

Excellence in Concrete Awards

On Thursday, March 22, 2007, 16 projects were recognized for "Excellence in Concrete." Those projects and involved teams are:

Commercial:

Emigration Court Plaza Deck

Salt Lake Apartment Builders, LLC

Dunn Associates

Brent Hilton Associates

Ellsworth-Paulsen Construction

Jack B Parson Companies

CMT Engineering Laboratories

Moonbeam Day Lodge

Solitude Mountain Resort

Dunn Associates

Beecher Walker & Associates

Layton Construction Company

Geneva Rock Products

Noah Corporation

Big-D Construction

Metro Ready Mix

Partners Construction LLC

Peruvian Gulch/Mineral Basin Tunnel*

Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

Seegmiller International

Doppelmayr-CTEC

Small Mines Development

Jack B Parson Companies

Education:
Hurricane Intermediate School*

Washington County School District

BHB Consulting Engineers

Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects

Hughes General Contractors, Inc.

Industrial:
Fresenius Medical Care E-Beam Sterilization Facility*

Fresenius Medical Care

VCBO Architects

Stacey Enterprises, Inc.

Jack B Parson Companies

Construction Testing & Engineering

Geneva Pipe Fabrication Facility

BHB Consulting Engineers

JM Williams & Associates

Hughes General Contractors, Inc.

Geneva Rock Products

Construction Testing & Engineering

Lakeside Power Plant

CEntry Constructors and Engineers

Union Pacific Railroad Bridge

Union Pacific Railroad

HDR Engineering

Jack B Parson Companies

Parking Structures:

China Bridge Parking Structure Expansion

Park City Municipal Corp.

Reaveley Engineers & Associates

FFKR Architects

Jacobsen Construction Company

Jack B Parson Companies

Consolidated Engineering Laboratory

Millrock West

Dunn Associates

Beecher Walker & Associates

Camco Construction

Geneva Rock Products

Wadsworth Brothers

Pavements-Airports:

West Apron Paving, Phase 3

Salt Lake City Department of Airports

Wadsworth Brothers

CMT Engineering Laboratories

Pavements - Streets:

900 South 900 East

Salt Lake City Corporation

Allstate Construction, Inc.

Jack B Parson Companies

Public Works:

Oquirrh Lake RCC Dam

Nolte Associates

Harper Ready Mix

Harper Contracting

Residential:

Balls Residence Pool House*

CYA Engineering

Valley Ready Mix

Bob & Rose Crunk Residence

Bob & Rose Crunk

Naser Engineering

Hurricane Ready Mix

* Indicates the project received "Outstanding Project" recognition by the jury.

If you would like more information about any of these projects, visit our website.

April 10th Luncheon 11:30-1:30 p.m.	HOT WEATHER CONCRETE ACI is joining with AGC to present the Hot Weather Concrete luncheon program. Presenter: Tom McNamee, PE, Senior Sales Rep for BASF (Master Builders).
Luncheon Registration Form