Canadian Concrete Pumpers 2020

CANADIAN CONCRETE

PUMPERS 2020 edition

Massive concrete gravity structure goes up off the coast of Newfoundland Warming up the ICE District in Edmonton’s downtown Improving product efficiency with advanced concrete testing technology PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40934510

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WE DON’T JUST DABBLE IN CONCRETE AND MASONRY. We’re the authority on it. That’s why each year, WOC is the first and only annual international event to bring you all the new products & equipment, training and technology to get the job done faster and more profitably than ever before.

Join us, and in just five days you’ll find everything you need to conquer the year ahead.

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PUMPERS2020 CANADIAN CONCRETE Message from the editor, Shayna Wiwierski

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Concrete calendar of events

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Industry news

Published by: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, MB R3L 0G5 Toll Free: 1.866.831.4744 President & CEO David Langstaff Editor Shayna Wiwierski shayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Sales Manager Dayna Oulion dayna@delcommunications.com

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Tower of power: Pumpcrete draws upon technology and

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Advertising Sales Ross James Kari Philippot Anthony Romeo Gary Seamans

relies on Putzmeister to revamp Edmonton’s downtown

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Contributing Writers Alicia Hearns Doug Younger

Heads up! Con Forms drops in with the 18-3 SPIDER

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International feature: Trailer pump provides “X-cellent” results

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previous experience to create massive concrete gravity structure Warming up the ICE District: A&B Concrete Pumping

F.A. Wilhelm works faster with Tekla

Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com Art Director / Design Kathy Cable

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Focusing on concrete pump truck safety

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Improving product efficiency with advanced concrete testing technology

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Index to advertisers An-Mar Concrete Pumping.......................................................................................................................21 Canadian Concrete Expo...............................................................................................................................5 Construction Forms, Inc...........................................................................................................................IFC DY Concrete Pumps Inc..........................................................................................................................OBC Garcea Group of Companies.....................................................................................................................19 PumpPro........................................................................................................................................................30

Layout / Advertising Art DAVE BAMBURAK DANA JENSEN Cover Photo courtesy of WorkSafeBC

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

PRINTED IN CANADA | 01/2020

Editor’s Message

Shayna Wiwierski

T

here was no shortage of concrete this year in terms of project builds across Canada.

From coast to coast, we saw many projects and skyscrapers rise up in cities all over our great nation. In this 2020 issue of the Canadian Concrete Pumpers magazine we take a look at a few of them, as well as some international projects as well.

Take for instance, Edmonton’s mega-project, the ICE District, which is a 25acre development that combines condos, a public plaza, sports, entertainment, and

retail and office space in the city’s downtown. This project alone helped revitalize the area and the concrete poured helped bring it all together.

On the other coast, we take a look at the West White Rose Project, an oil platform off the shores of Newfoundland. This project, when completed, will have pumped more than 78,000 cubic metres of concrete, which is a giant feat for pumping contractor Pumpcrete, out of Toronto, Ont. But that’s not all. We also take a look into a couple American-based projects, as well as other stories and issues that are af-

fecting the industry, and a couple supplier features to keep you in the know when it comes to the world of concrete.

I hope you enjoy this issue of the Canadian­­­ Concrete Pumpers publication, and if you have any story ideas or comments for our next issue, please feel free to send them my way.

Shayna Wiwierski Shayna@delcommunications.com @DELCommInc

T: 204-434-6873 F: 204-434-6833 “Providing professional concrete pumping for even the toughest jobs”

Box 853, Grunthal, Manitoba R0A 0R0 6

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

Calendar of Events Schwing announces 2020 training service seminar schedule Schwing has announced their 2020 service seminar schedule that offers intermediate training for operators/mechanics, advanced training for mechanics, and vector training covering operator productivity, machine diagnostics, and data for fleet management. The seminars are held at Schwing’s dedicated training facility in White Bear, MN. Seminars include multi-media training aids and hands-on trouble-shooting. Students also receive a service manual on CD-ROM along with a printed copy of the training manual. Concrete pump owners, operators, and mechanics are advised to sign-up soon.

“Business is back and pumping companies are hiring so the seminars are more popular than ever,” states Jeff Popa, Schwing service manager.

“Participants may sign up for the scheduled seminars online at schwing.com/service.”

Intermediate – February 17-20 & March 9-12, April 20-23 & October 12-15

Reading Hydraulic Schematics • Troubleshooting with Schematics (Hydraulic and Electrical) • Proper Procedure for Changing Rams • Changing Differential Cylinder Rod Packings • Concrete Pump Maintenance • Hands-on Troubleshooting

• Setting Pressures • Material Cylinder Alignment • Rock Valve Maintenance • Safe Operating Procedures

Advanced – February 24-27, March 16-19, April 27-30 & October 19-22

Review of Intermediate Topics • Advanced Troubleshooting with Schematics (Hydraulic and Electrical) • Basic Load Sensing Circuits • Radio Remote Troubleshooting • MPS Systems • Maintenance • Emergency Job Site Repairs • Safe Operating Procedures • Hands-on Troubleshooting

Vector – March 23-24 & October 26-27

Basic Electrical Terminology • Reading Vector Schematics • Understanding CAN BUS • Reading E-Plan Drawings • Trouble-Shooting Using Vector Controls

• Component Designations • Identifying System Sensors • Functions & Adjustment of Vector Controls • Hands-On Easy Training

These comprehensive seminars can also be conducted at the customers’ location. Costs can be shared if more than one customer participates. Customized training can also be arranged at White Bear or in the field. For more information on scheduled or custom seminars call 1-888-292-026, or email techservice@schwing.com.

Other national and international concrete events World of Concrete 2020 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV February 4-7, 2020

Canadian Concrete Expo The International Centre Toronto, ON January 22-23, 2020

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Schwing expands field of track-mounted stationary pumps

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ustomers seeking the efficiency and advantages of a track-mounted concrete pump now have an additional model available to them. The Schwing SPTM 1000 joins its counterparts, the SPTM 1250 and SPTM 2000 models in bringing the convenience and savings of a track-mounted concrete pump to their specialized job sites.

According to Jason Zignego, Schwing sales manager, SP Division, while designed for specific applications, the track-mounted feature is proving invaluable.

“Because they are self-maneuverable, track-mounted pumps have really proven themselves with companies doing auger-cast piling using a mobile drill rig,” he said. “A standard trailer pump with axle and tires needs a skid steer or other piece of equipment — and an operator — to continually pull it along with the rig as it moves from hole to hole. The track system eliminates that additional piece of equipment and the operator.”

The SPTM 1000 uses two-speed hydraulic motors powered by the pump’s Tier 4 CAT diesel engine to move at speeds up to 4.6 mph, can climb a 42-per cent grade, and carries an integrated 100-gallon water tank and air compressor. Both the track system and pump functions are combined in a single radio remote control unit. Paddle style-joysticks provide directional control while Schwing Control Technology (SCT) provides pump functions and diagnostics through a digital display.

“Typically, customers purchasing these units are looking for high concrete volume performance to fill each drilled hole as quickly as possible,” added Zignego. “Their projects can often involve drilling thousands of holes, so efficiency is key. The track-mounted unit, with a 70 cubic yard output and 1,000 psi pressure on concrete, plays to those strengths nicely.”

For more information, visit www.schwing.com or call 1-888-SCHWING.  Schwing SP1000 Track-Mounted Stationary Pump.

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Putzmeister America Inc.’s Customer Advocacy Group.

Putzmeister America, Inc.

appoints Customer Advocacy group to provide industry-leading support

P

utzmeister America, Inc. (Putzmeister) is committed to providing its customer base with industry-leading support across North America. In collaborative efforts with the direct sales team, Putzmeister has developed a Customer Advocacy team whose roles will be to ensure the full satisfaction of the accounts in their assigned markets.

Putzmeister has appointed four internal staff members as territory customer advocates. In their new roles, customer advocates will be responsible for being a liaison between the customer and all other departments at Putzmeister, specifically assisting their outside sales representatives.

• Monica Drea, Midwest and South Central monica.drea@putzmeister.com • Megan Nowak, Northeast and Southeast megan.nowak@putzmeister.com • Morgan Dawson, West Coast morgan.dawson@putzmeister.com • Valentin Torres, Latin America and the Caribbean valentin.torres@putzmeister.com Previous roles held at Putzmeister by this team included sales administration and support, lead generation, customer service, and account management.

The Customer Advocacy Group has already begun reaching out to customers to begin strengthening the customer service relationship. For more information about the customer advocates, please contact them directly or contact your local sales representative.

About Putzmeister America, Inc. Specializing in concrete and material placing equipment for the construction industry, Putzmeister America, Inc. is the North American division of one of the world’s most recognized and respected heavy equipment manufacturers, Putzmeister Concrete Pumps GmbH. Putzmeister America, Inc. manufactures a complete line of truck-mounted concrete boom pumps, separate placing booms, truck-mounted telescopic belt conveyors, and trailer-mounted concrete pumps, as well as mortar, grout, shotcrete, plaster and fireproofing pumps and mixers, industrial pumps, tunneling machinery and pipeline systems. Some of the industry’s best-known brands, such as Telebelt® and Thom-Katt®, are part of the Putzmeister America family.

The company’s workforce is dedicated to hands-on customer support and advancing the industry in design and technical innovation. Visit www.PutzmeisterAmerica.com for more information on the company, its products and services.  Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Schwing Harsh-Mix Kit now includes CCI-lined backend Schwing Harsh Mix Kit.

P

umping professionals faced with applications in which the mix design is harsh can benefit from Schwing’s optional Harsh Mix Kit, which now includes a Chrome Carbide Lined (CCI) lined backend.

The Harsh Mix Kit is comprised of six-inch CCI lined pipeline on the backend that transitions into a long (three-metre) six-inch to five-inch reducer pipe. That reducer pipe is also CCI-lined and provides an extended transition to create a pumpable column of concrete while decreasing pumping pressure. Chrome carbide-lined pipe has been shown to last up to twice as long as standard hardened pipe, thereby making adaptability to even ultra-harsh mixes ideal.

The remaining component of the Harsh Mix Kit includes S3000 (TW5+2) deck pipeline which runs to the placing boom. TW5+2 pipe features a 5.6 mm wear-resistant pipe liner and a 3.0 mm steel shell, with chrome carbide-lined ends for wear protection at

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

the coupling joint.

The Harsh Mix Kit is available for Schwing boom pump models S28X through S65SXF. For more information, visit www.schwing.com or call 1-888-SCHWING. ď Ž

INDUSTRY NEWS

Schwing adds QR codes for rapid referencing

S

chwing is beginning to add QR codes to some of its equipment for operators to easily download relevant information for their machines. By placing a phone over the code, a QR code reader will download a quick reference guide applicable to that equipment. These guides cover operation and troubleshooting tips that are invaluable for keeping the machine running at peak performance.

“One of the issues we see out in the field is operators not having access to critical operating or troubleshooting guides,” according to Tom O’Malley, senior vice-president of sales and marketing

for Schwing, “We want to make this information more accessible.” The QR codes will be applied to stationary and mobile concrete pumps, conveyors and truck mixers. Printable guides along with other service instructions can be downloaded from www. schwing.com/service.

QR code readers are available as a free app and are used widely in advertising and training.

“By applying this technology to our customers’ pumps, we are providing on-demand education to maximize operation and productivity,” said O’Malley. 

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

11

Tower of power

Pumpcrete draws upon technology and previous experience to create massive concrete gravity structure Grave situation

The West White Rose Project features a huge concrete structure that is taking shape. Once joined with its wellhead platform, it will be extracting oil and gas for owners Husky Energy off the coast of Newfoundland. With the upper base caisson sections completed, the lower caissons are made ready for construction. For these operations, roughly 300 metres of five-inch pipe were used to feed the placing booms. Construction of an additional 100-metre-tall conical section will follow.

M

ention construction of an offshore oil platform and visions of a rig destined for the Middle East, the Gulf of Mexico, or the North Sea probably come to mind. However, in the industrial seaport of Argentia, Newfoundland, a huge concrete structure is taking shape that, once joined with its wellhead platform, will be extracting oil and gas for owners Husky Energy some 350 kilometres off that very same Newfoundland coast.

Heading up the concrete pumping facet of the West White Rose Project, as

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

it is known, Canadian firm Pumpcrete is using a pair of placing booms and a slipform system to help make that happen.

By project’s end, the company will have pumped more than 78,000 cubic metres (102,000 cubic yards) of concrete, and the structure will rise to a height of 146 metres (480 feet). A small fleet of tugs will then tow it to its designated location in the Atlantic, where a combination of water and ballast will allow it to take its place, rising up off the ocean floor awaiting attachment of the deck and the start of production.

Work on the West White Rose Project’s concrete gravity structure (CGS) is being conducted in a purpose-built graving dock which — testimony to the size of the CGS itself — measures 110-metresby-130-metres (at the base with a 1:1 slope) by 25-metres deep. When work is complete, the dock will be flooded to allow the structure to float, and an earthen berm will be removed, opening the dock to the port for movement of the completed structure. According to Dave Moriarty, Pumpcrete’s special projects manager, work on the CGS began with the mass pour of a 75-metre diameter, 1.2-metre-thick base slab.

“This was really the most basic part of the entire project,” said Moriarty. “Other than the incredible amount of rebar extending from it, the slab was a basic 13,000-cubic-metre pour using a pair of Schwing SP 8800-E stationary pumps feeding Schwing SDB 35 placing booms seated atop octagonal masts. The combination of the 35-metre booms and the masts themselves — a pair of six-metre sections joined to give us 12 metres of height — afforded us all the reach we needed. We poured the slab in five separate sections: the centre and four quadrants, and did it in 400-millimetre lifts.”

Seawater ballasting pipework was also cast into the base slab to allow the CGS, when completed, to be flooded, towed, and ballasted to install it in position on the Grand Banks southeast of Newfoundland.

Giving them the slip With the base slab completed, Moriarty said they moved on to the base caissons which rise from the surface of the slab upward for 46 metres. Each of the hollow caisson sections has 500-millimetre-thick

walls. Together they are designed to disperse enough water to allow the structure to float, but also to provide stability as it sits on the ocean floor.

In order to streamline production and minimize the risk of horizontal joints during the pour, traditional concrete forms were bypassed in favour of a slipform system from Gleitbau/Salzburg.

“We’ve used the slipform approach on a couple of similar projects in the past and it really served us well,” he said. “This structure is heavily reinforced and we are constantly flying rebar in, so having to move a placing boom around to access all areas of the caisson would have made things difficult. Also, because of our geographic location, the winds can get extremely strong at times. If we had the placing booms feeding traditional formwork, we would be needing to regularly shut them down for safety. With the slipform system, since we generally know the prevailing wind direction, we are able to use the completed sections of the structure to keep the booms sheltered, minimizing the need to shut down for wind.”

All jacked up It’s important to note that, because of the slipform system design, Pumpcrete’s placing booms are not placing concrete into the form itself. Instead, they are pumping through slickline to the uppermost deck of a three-deck configuration, where a series of valves directs concrete to six hoppers. One of the team’s operators remotely monitors the distribution of the concrete via video cameras, and controls a number of functions, including the output from the batch plant, the speed of the pump, and the automatic floats in each of the six hoppers located on the slipform.

Laborers, equipped with one-quarter-cubic-metre Gar-Bro concrete buggies, take the concrete from discharge chutes on the hoppers and feed the slipform system, which is incrementally raised using a hydraulic jacking system.

“The form is on jacks and we pour

A pair of Schwing SDB 35 placing booms mounted atop 12-metre octagonal masts were the workhorses for the project. The caissons will provide both stability and buoyancy for the structure when it is eventually moved out to sea.

in lifts,” said Moriarty. “The first pour here was a 300-millimetre lift and, once that was done, we did a series of 150-millimetre lifts until we got to the top of the form. By the time we’ve completely filled the form, enough time will have passed that the concrete at the bottom has already achieved its initial set. With that confirmed, a series of jacking rods raises the form. That continues until we get to our desired elevation.”

He added that, because they can only pour as fast as the setting concrete allows, working in this manner is not a race to see how quickly they can get things done, but rather an exercise in consistency so that they can raise the system at a steady pace.

“We are not concerned with high flow rates” he said. “If we jack too fast, concrete that hasn’t set up properly will seep out the bottom of the form. We’ve really got the process down at this point. Running two slips, we went from the top of the base slab up to six metres in about five days and subsequently completed from there up to 46 metres in about 30 days.”

Specs: Project: West White Rose Concrete Gravity Structure Owner: Husky Energy General contractor: SNC-Lavalin, Dragados and Pennecon general partnership Contractor pumper: Pumpcrete, Toronto, Canada.

Equipment: Two Schwing SDB 35 placing booms, two 12-metre octagonal masts, and two Schwing SP 8800-E stationary pumps.

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

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The design of the graving dock is obvious in this image. When complete, the interior of the dock will be flooded, the earthen berm at the rear of this photo will be removed, and the CGS will be towed out to sea.

With a pair of batch plants located onsite, delivery was never an issue for Pumpcrete. Here, a readymix truck is feeding a hopper for the stationary concrete pumps which, in turn, feed the two placing booms.

Big push

Wetter the better

As mentioned, concrete is being pumped by a pair of Schwing SP 8800-E stationary pumps, which Pumpcrete has installed in a small structure located at the lip of the graving dock. Moriarty said doing so not only keeps the pumps cleaner, it also affords some protection in cold weather and makes any necessary maintenance a lot more bearable. The pumps, specifically modified for Pumpcrete by Schwing Bioset, feature a 2020-7 pump kit with 200-millimetre cylinders and a two-metre-long stroke, as well as a pair of 300 HP motors.

“We could have easily ordered those pumps with a 600 HP motor in each, but opted instead for the pair of 300s to provide a level of redundancy,” said Moriarty.

“In that way, should anything fail — and to this point nothing has — we have another motor that can still run that system and production will not be impacted.”

While the distance from the stationary pumps to the placing booms is significant, Moriarty said they have had no issues in that regard either.

“When we did the base slab, I had upwards of 300 metres of five-inch pipe laid out at different points — that was our longest push so far,” he said. “However, I’ve been doing test pours in preparation for pumping the conical slip up to the 146-metre elevation. Although there is nothing currently onsite that is that high, I need to confirm that we can pump that distance. So, I’ve been laying system out on the ground and have pumped as much as 550 metres of line. The 8800 had no problem at all with that, so I’m confident we’ll be fine.”

Getting the mix design to where they needed it for pumping proved to be one of the more challenging aspects of the West White Rose project for Pumpcrete. Moriarty estimates that they spent about a month working with a contracted mix developer and ready-mix supplier (Capital Ready Mix/ LaFarge Partnership) to fine-tune the mix to get it the most pump-friendly.

The end result of that effort is a semi-lightweight, high-slump concrete with a very low water-to-cement ratio, a Sika plasticizer, and a 13-millimetre (halfinch) Stalite aggregate in it.

“When developing a mix in a lab environment, things can seem great,” he said.

“But putting it through a pump and a long length of line can be a whole different issue. That’s particularly true in this case in which we are dealing with a semi-lightweight concrete with a coarse aggregate.

Because of the low water-to-cement ratio, it’s easy to end up driving all the moisture into the aggregate, so having a good pre-soaked material is critical for us. In addition, the air that we have in the concrete also needed to be dialed in because density is a critical component of this lightweight concrete mix in order to maintain as much buoyancy as possible.”

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

“We worked with engineers from SDP (SNC-Lavalin, Dragados and Pennecon), the consortium heading up this project, to come up with an arrangement that will work best for us,” said Moriarty. “To add pipe as the form rises, we will be using a ’scissors’ setup, modeled somewhat after the approach Schwing uses on their S 31 HT boom pump. So as the structure goes up and we need to add an additional two-metre section of pipe, I can simply shut off a valve, disconnect the scissor pipe from the stand pipe, raise it, insert the section of pipe and start the process again.

“The level of cooperation between everyone involved — SDP, our equipment suppliers, the tradespeople — has been great. When the CGS is completed and taken out to sea, we should all be proud of what we’ve accomplished out here.”

The structure is scheduled for a 2020 completion and will be operational by 2022. 

Running with scissors The test pours are particularly important, given that Pumpcrete will not be using the placing booms for the conical section of the CGS, opting instead to feed a standpipe that will rise along with the slipform system.

Pumping is achieved through the use of a pair of Schwing SP 8800-E stationary pumps.

Pumpcrete opted to enclose the pumps to minimize exposure to the Newfoundland climate and make maintenance easier.

In order to complete Edmonton’s ICE District, officials turned to Edmonton-based A&B Concrete Pumping (also known as Reach CSG) to handle its particular demands and they turned to their Putzmeister equipment. Photos courtesy of Putzmeister America Inc.

Warming up the ICE District

A&B Concrete Pumping relies on Putzmeister to revamp Edmonton’s downtown

E

dmonton’s ICE District — a 25acre development that combines condos, a public plaza, sports, entertainment, retail space, and office space — serves as the heart of downtown for one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. In addition to Rogers Place, which provides home ice for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, it also includes two underground parkades and three high-rise towers that punctuate the city’s skyline: The City of Edmonton Tower, JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District, and Stantec Tower. As one of Canada’s largest multi-use projects, it has become a living urban district that unites the community and welcomes visitors from all over the world. In order to complete the unique project, ICE District officials turned to Edmonton-based A&B Concrete Pumping (also known as Reach CSG) to handle its particular demands and they turned to their Putzmeister equipment.

“The ICE District is, by way of scale,

one of the largest sports and entertainment districts in North America, if not the world,” said Glen Scott, president of real estate at Katz Group, who partnered with the City of Edmonton to bring the ICE District to life. “It’s an extraordinarily large project. You don’t typically see projects like this in North America. You don’t really see them outside of the Middle East or China.”

On site, there were five separate MX 34/38Z placing booms; RS 850 column systems; a BSA 14000 HP series trailer pump; a CP 2110 HP truck-mounted line pump; and 56Z-Meter, 47Z-Meter, and 28Z-Meter boom pumps — in order to rise to the challenge.

“From our perspective, this was a once-in-a-lifetime project,” said Daryl Dika, corporate asset manager of A&B Concrete Pumping. “It was an excellent opportunity to showcase our strengths and gain unparalleled knowledge and expertise.”

Starting strong Construction began in 2014 with work on Rogers Place. This phase required a variety of pours that consisted of piles, grade beams and walls, slabs on grade, and suspended slabs. It was kicked off with the arena’s first pour — the seating risers — which utilized a Putzmeister 56Z-Meter Truck-Mounted Concrete Boom Pump to give shape to the stadium’s seating capacity of 21,000.

“The Putzmeister equipment not only performed, but it was reliable and highly efficient for the project,” said Dika.

One of the arena’s most significant slabs — the ice slab — required a 12-hour process with approximately 20 workers pouring more than 320 cubic metres to complete the eight-inch slab. Because Rogers Place is one of the few NHL arenas to sit atop a parkade, another 16 inches of concrete structural slab sits below the ice slab.

“There was a lot of engineering that Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

15

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One of the arena’s most significant slabs — the ice slab — required a 12-hour process with approximately 20 workers pouring more than 320 cubic metres to complete the eight-inch slab.

Specs: Owner/Developer: Katz Group Real Estate/One Properties—Edmonton, Alberta General Contractor: PCL Construction—Edmonton, Alberta Ready Mixed Supplier: Rolling Mix and Lafarge Equipment Supplier: A&B Concrete Pumping/Reach CSG— Edmonton, Alberta Equipment: Putzmeister MX 34/38Z placing booms, RS850 Column Systems, Putzmeister cruciform bases, a Putzmeister BSA 14000 HP series trailer pump, City Pump CP 2110 HP truck-mounted line pump, and 56Z-, 47Z-, and 28Z-meter boom pumps.

Construction_7x3.indd Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020 1 18019786_Putz_Canada

went into this,” said Bob Black, chief project development officer of the Oilers Entertainment Group.

In addition, the arena’s raft slab required multiple pumps to complete the task. Three 56Z-meter boom pumps were employed along with one 47Z-Meter boom pump connected to a City Pump CP 2010 HP truck-mounted line pump.

When all was said and done, the pour totaled approximately 9,000 cubic metres.

For all the components that came together to complete the arena, Dika believes it was just the beginning for what the arena means in terms of city pride.

“It used to be an outdated piece of land,” Dika said. “Now it’s brought hockey downtown. That brings a lot of people together.”

The City of Edmonton Tower was also constructed at roughly the same time as Rogers Place: a 29-storey, 129.84-metre (426.0-foot) tall, LEED Gold office building

Once the arena and the first tower were finished, work shifted to the JW Marriott and Stantec Tower.

that is currently listed as Edmonton’s seventh tallest.

The tower challenged Dika and his team to overcome obstacles associated with pumping concrete in a cold-weather urban centre —freezing conditions had to be accounted for, spatial constraints needed to be managed, and nothing could be left on site permanently. The mobility of equipment, particularly the City Pump CP 2110 HP truck-mounted line pump, was essential to the project’s success.

“Working in the downtown area was a challenge due to the space,” Dika said.

“Plus, we’re working in a sub-zero climate where wet cement can freeze six months out of the year. Dependability is not always a given with other manufacturers, but Putzmeister met the demands.”

Rogers Place and The City of Edmonton Tower opened in 2016.

12/12/19 4:50 PM

Hitting new heights Once the arena and the first tower were finished, work shifted to the JW Marriott and Stantec Tower. The JW Marriott high rise — completed using Putzmeister’s MX 34/38Z placing boom — is 600 feet tall and became the ICE District’s first luxury hotel. Utilizing Anglia Concrete, it was the project’s third major pour and one of its most unique.

“Because of the reach and position, all access to our piping system was eventually eliminated,” Dika said. “It actually became encased in concrete, and remains part of the tower. That’s only happened on a few projects across North America.”

Next up was Stantec Tower: a mixeduse skyscraper that, at 800 feet and 66 storeys, has become the tallest building in Western Canada. To complete a project of that magnitude, A&B needed reliable, high-performing equipment.

“The selection and support when it came to marrying the Putzmeister system to the client’s forming base is where the Putzmeister equipment really shined,” said Dika.

Two Putzmeister MX 34/38Z placing booms were attached to hydraulic self-climbing cores — a setup that allowed for unique, aggressive pours. For instance, on the 32nd floor, a transfer slab of 3,600 cubic metres was poured at 300 feet in the air over the course of 30 hours.

Self-consolidating concrete with molecular elasticity was used due to the vertical height of the buildings. A high-strength mix design of 70-90 MPa was also used.

Other pours on this tower included piles, core walls, columns, large mat pours in excess of thousands of metres of concrete, and suspended slabs that grew vertically as the high-rise climbed.

“We were continually pouring every single day,” Dika said. “We were responsible for staying on target with the owners’ timelines.”

JW Marriott opened in August 2019; Stantec Tower began welcoming tenants in September 2018.

Looking back fondly With Phase 1 of the ICE District near completion, revitalization of the Edmon-

Throughout the project, 300,000 cubic metres of concrete were poured, making it one of the largest projects Western Canada has seen.

ton Core is in full swing. Throughout the project, 300,000 cubic metres of concrete were poured, making it one of the largest projects Western Canada has seen.

Reflecting on the project, Dika said, “I’m ecstatic with how it turned out. Everybody involved, the whole team, came together for a strong joint effort.”

It was a “strong joint effort” in which Putzmiester people and equipment

played a vital role.

“The Putzmeister people are very helpful,” Dika said. “This required a lot of logistics and planning to manage the intricacies. They have so much large-scale project experience, which was very helpful. We consider them our partners.”

Phase 2 of ICE District construction was set to begin in late 2019. 

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19

Heads up! Con Forms drops in with the 18-3 SPIDER

The lightweight Con Forms 18-3 SPIDER© Placer was lowered by crane into the 70-footdeep hole in downtown San Francisco to pour the base for the 75-storey skyscraper.

20

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

I

nterstate Concrete Pumping in French Camp, CA is using the Con Forms 18-3 SPIDER© Placer to pour the foundation and parking decks for the 75-storey Oceanwide Center high-rise tower in San Francisco, CA. These pours offered a number of challenges unique to high-rise projects –primarily that the footings start 70-feet below street level to provide the support needed for such massive structures. This presents obstacles for the efficient placement of concrete from the street level, high above. Even with large booms that could reach the base, there are substantial issues with maneuverability to effectively and efficiently reach all areas, such as countless walls and columns. Forms, columns, shoring, and other obstacles already in place would make the pour nearly impossible using a typical placing boom or the boom truck from above.

Interstate turned to Con Forms for a solution. The solution; a self-propelled 18-3 SPIDER Placer on tracks, with an 18-metre (60-foot) reach to quickly and accurately place concrete. The 18-3 SPIDER© is a cost-effective and low-impact alternative to tower-mounted placing booms, and in this case, a great alternative to dragging long lengths of hose on the mats. Unlike its large-scale cousins, the rugged, compact, and self-propelled 18-3 SPIDER© offers versatility and low jobsite impact with the same productivity. The crane capacity and shoring requirements are drastically decreased due to the low overall unit weight, and the SPIDER© unit requires minimal site preparation prior to placement.

The lightweight Con Forms 18-3 SPIDER© Placer was lowered by crane into the 70-foot-deep hole in downtown San Francisco to pour the base for the 75-storey skyscraper. The self-propelled, tracked placer unit was able to easily maneuver around the founda-

There will be a total of 55 different pouring sites creating walls and columns with a projected total of over 9,000 yards of concrete being placed with the SPIDER©

tion to provide additional reach for the

Once complete, the high-rise build-

be a mix of commercial, residential, and

38-metre pump that fed it from street lev-

ing will be 910-feet tall, second only to the Salesforce Tower in scale, another

public spaces. Con Forms is proud to be

el above. There were many obstructions and restrictions that were safely avoided

Con Forms designed-and-engineered

by reaching from underneath shoring

high-rise concrete-placing system proj-

scraper project that will add to the iconic

where a street level placing boom would

ect solution. The building is planned to

San Francisco skyline. 

involved in yet another high-profile sky-

not have been able to get to.

There will be a total of 55 different pouring sites creating walls and columns with a projected total of over 9,000 yards of concrete being placed with the SPIDER©. Once the project reaches ground level, Interstate Concrete Pumping plans to move on to more traditional placement methods. But, that doesn’t mean that Con Forms involvement is over. Con

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21

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

Trailer pump provides “X-cellent” results

Working with the X Games essentially meant creating a pair of technically challenging, world-class skate parks – in a week’s time. Jensen Concrete Pumping Services’ successful performance for the organization has ensured them another go-around in next year’s games.

Pumper helps make all the Backside 180s, Noseblunt Stalls, Pop Shove-its, and Fakie 720s possible at this year’s X Games

B

rad Jensen, founder and owner of Jensen Concrete Pumping & Services (CPS), sees himself as a traditional concrete-pumping professional. And the tagline of his company – Serving all 10,000 Minnesota Lakes’ Concrete Pumping Needs – reflects that.

However, during one particular week — one full seven-day period — Jensen puts on his specialty concrete pumping hat and does so in a huge way.

During that challenging week, Jensen CPS becomes the concrete pumping company of choice for the X Games which, for the last three years, have originated from US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. Shotcreting with a Schwing SP 1000 trailer pump and using a skill set that continues to grow with each annual session, the company played a key role in transforming the Minnesota Vikings’ home turf into what, for four days, became the centre of the skateboarding, BMX, and Moto-X world. Jensen’s work helped bring the event to life, and score big points for “cool” with the teenage children of some of his employees. A medal-winning performance, indeed.

Let the games begin To the uninitiated, the X Games are an annual event that showcases highly skilled athletes in the extreme sports mentioned above. Owned and produced

22

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

by ESPN, the X Games have steadily grown in popularity since their introduction in 1995 (total on-site attendance for last year’s games was 119,000). They offer both summer and winter competitions, and have proven a viable, bankable commodity for the owners and sponsors alike.

As one might imagine, getting a facility like US Bank Stadium prepped for each year’s event is no small task. And it’s made even more challenging by the fact that some events — and the features needed for them — change from year to year. According to Jensen, they worked alongside a company called California RampWorks, which heads up the X Games’ course design and construction.

“The crew from CA RampWorks is a phenomenal group of people to work with,” he said. “It’s amazing to see the transformation that takes place over the course of one week of intense effort. We work as the concrete subcontractor to them and have been doing so since we were first contacted for the 2017 games.

At that time, though we had shotcrete experience doing things like walls, pools, and small construction projects, we’d never done anything of this scale. But we love a challenge; we were grateful for them believing in us, and took it on.”

Things have apparently gone well since that first contact. The customer was pleased with the results and Jensen has

been providing its shotcrete expertise every year since then.

Needing CPR From a strictly job-size perspective, Jensen’s role in the X Games build might seem minor. After all, the entire project only involved application of 155 yards of concrete material. As it turned out, even getting that modest volume down was not without its initial challenges.

“This has been an extremely busy year for us,” Jensen said. “So, we had our regular trailer pump booked for the entire time X Games needed us to do their work. As a result, we had to do some last-minute scrambling to secure a replacement. But the folks from Schwing and their CPR (concrete pump repair) division in North Branch stepped up to rent us a mint-condition SP 1000 trailer pump. Not only was that a life-saver for us, it also gave us an opportunity to see some of the features built into that newer model. Two of those — smoother hydraulics and an electric stroke limiter, which controls material output directly from the remote — came in handy on the X Games job.”

Helping Jensen out of a bind was a pleasure for Jerry Anderson, CPR’s vice-president and general manager.

“I’ve known Brad since he started out in this business a few years back and really like him,” said Anderson. “So, when he

A crew member from California Ramp Works assembles the surface that will be sprayed with shotcrete, then finished to create one of the X Games’ main skateboard areas.

With their own pump booked out, Jensen Concrete Pumping Services called upon Concrete Pump Repair (CPR) for help. The Schwing-owned company responded, renting them a virtually new SP 1000 trailer pump.

came to us, I knew what pump he was currently using and knew exactly what we could do for him in a rental. We had a 2018 unit in inventory that had only been out on one job; it was as close to new as you can get. We set him up with a shortterm rental agreement and he was on his way. I like to see these younger guys building their businesses and was glad to be able to help.”

form-and-pour construction. Using about 200 feet of four-inch hose with the trailer pump, Jensen CPS was able to access all the areas they needed inside US Bank Stadium.

“That pump did an outstanding job for us,” said Jensen. “The shotcrete operation was smooth and consistent — we couldn’t have been happier.”

No walk in the park

Jensen said that their mix design was heavy on sand and Portland cement and they tried to get the material down as smoothly as mechanically possible.

However, he added that the final, skateboard-ready product is the result of a dedicated, talented screeding/finishing crew which followed them.

“These guys were impressive to see in action,” he said. “They seem more like artists than labourers, taking our rough work and turning it into something the pros can skate on.

Concrete for the project was provided

by Marshall Concrete Products which had a batch plant set up nearby. For seven days straight, at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., one truck would deliver nine-to-10 yards of concrete to us inside the stadium.”

Jensen feels it’s important to note that Marshall was very accommodating to that weekend schedule, saying, “I’m fairly certain that many other suppliers wouldn’t be so keen to opening up on Sunday.”

That trailer pump was, in fact, the centerpiece of the entire shotcrete operation at X Games. What the job lacked in volume was more than made up for in the unique nature of the work, starting with a pair of features called Skateboard Park and Skateboard Street. Need a mental image? Picture your neighbourhood skateboard park on steroids.

“Essentially these were two separate huge bowls — not unlike swimming pools,” said Jensen. “For the sides, CA RampWorks’ carpentry crews first created a wooden skeleton which tapered from the floor of the structure to the top, then they screwed one-eighth-inch plywood to it to create the signature bend. With that in place, they attached wire mesh and it was ready for the shotcrete. Other areas utilized pre-manufactured bent pipes — created to the angle they need any particular ramp to be — which also got the plywood and mesh treatment before we went to work with them.”

It’s not surprising that shotcrete is the technique of choice for CA RampWorks for this and all the other extreme sport venues they create worldwide (among their portfolio is work in Australia, Russia, China, and more). Going that route requires less formwork, provides the strength and durability needed, and can be installed much quicker than using

Racing to the finish

On their game Although Jensen CPS has done its share of unique projects in the past, Brad Jensen feels the X Games work definitely affords them bragging rights as something of a specialty concrete pumper.

“The volumes might not reflect it, but that was still a challenging project; you

have to be on your game and know what’s going on at all times. You have one chance to get it done right — there is no time for tear-outs or re-dos. We wrapped up done on Sunday and they needed to have everything finished, painted, cleaned, and prepped for the Thursday opening. I’m grateful for the help I got from Schwing and CPR, loved the performance I got from the pump, and was glad, once again, to have been a part of such a cool cultural event right here in the Twin Cities.” 

Shotcrete is sprayed to a specific thickness, then worked by California Ramp Works’ finishing crews to an impressively-smooth finish.

Specs: Project: The X Games, US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis 2019 Owner: ESPN, Bristol, Conn.

General Contractor: California RampWorks, Vista, Calif.

Concrete Supplier: Marshall Concrete Products, Minneapolis, Minn.

Contractor Pumper: Jensen Concrete Pumping & Service, Rosemount, Minn.

Equipment: Schwing SP 1000 trailer pump.

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

23

F.A. Wilhelm works faster with Tekla Unrivalled speed and accuracy for formwork and concrete pour planning

T

o Wilhelm, concrete is the bread and butter of building. The company, founded in 1923 by Francis A. Wilhelm, was built on a strong

he explains. “Something that’s got all

foundation of values - and concrete - and

even the rebars and embeds. Virtually

now serves as a construction manager,

everything.”

the points exactly the way they should be. The slopes and slabs in it, as well as formwork and layout pours. If need be,

general contractor, and design builder.

The constructible and accurate mod-

It’s the largest employer of construction

el helps ensure the team that they are

labour in Indiana and mostly operates

on the right track.

in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Wilhelm

“With the model, we know we are

works on various kinds of projects from

right,” Joraanstad says. “We know we

health care to entertainment, with higher

have the right material, we know where

education, parking structures, and wastewater infrastructure as examples.

things are supposed to be. We can communicate better with that, too”.

Quick and easy modeling Wilhelm uses Tekla software particularly in formwork planning and planning their concrete works. Tekla software provides unique technology to plan pours using modeled cast-in-place concrete geometry. Utilizing concrete

The top tool for concrete contractors

models and automated tools in Tekla,

Tekla Structures is an advanced structural BIM software, purpose-built to meet the needs of concrete construction. Enabling efficient creation and management of accurate and constructible models and offering purpose-built functionalities from pre-construction to on-site management, the software is an essential tool for those building concrete to estimate, plan, and manage their projects better.

Adam Joraanstad, formwork detailer at Wilhelm, tells how Tekla Structures significantly speeds up the planning process, but also makes it more accurate.

“For us, constructible models represent exactly what we will be producing,”

formwork plans quickly and easily. The

24

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

users can also create accurately detailed

Formwork planning taken to the next level As formwork is one of the most time-consuming phases of concrete construction, good planning is of crucial importance. For Wilhelm, Tekla’s formwork planning and detailing functionalities were one of the biggest reasons for deciding to start using Tekla.

Joraanstad says he doesn’t know any other software that even tries to do formwork the way that Tekla does.

“It’s benefited us a lot, because we’ve been able to use the software with all formwork systems we have. There’s really nothing you can’t do. We use it for everything from our wall panels to beam sides to supported slabs.”

software’s capability to create and manage structured pour-related information efficiently brings great accuracy and efficiency to planning processes and enables contractors to prepare to pour at a completely new level.

Intuitive modeling functionalities, like direct modification, make the work quick and easy – what you see is what you get.

“You can basically push and pull every point and face of an object in the model. If you find something that’s wrong, you can just drag it to where it needs to be,” Joraanstad says. “It really lets you do what you need to and makes modeling really fast.”

Wilhelm primarily works using Gates formwork systems, which are known for their flexibility. “For our walls, it’s kind of our take at Gates. When it comes to beam sides and everything else, it’s a form that we build,” Joraanstad explains.

One of the benefits of using Tekla Structures for formwork is that it can be used with any system.

Tekla offers automated formwork modeling tools with intelligent object placing, which adapts automatically to concrete geometry, thickness, and angle. Joraanstad has experienced the productivity the software brings to formwork planning.

“With Tekla Formwork placing tools, it’s a breeze to lay out a wall really quick, add ties, platforms and other parts and pieces really fast. You can select the whole wall at once, trap everything on there, and it’s quick and easy. The amount of speed that’s behind it, nothing I’ve seen matches it.”

To communicate formwork plans to the field, one obvious way is to use drawings.

“It’s pretty simple and straightforward with Tekla. We’re able to make drawings in less time than we ever did before. There’s an automated labeling implemented in Tekla, as well as dimensioning that just make things a lot faster,” Joraanstad tells.

Concrete pour planning unrivalled speed and accuracy When it comes to pour planning, Joraanstad says that the speed and ease of Tekla are unparalleled. So is the level of detail, which helps significantly in planning sequencing, reliable material takeoffs and communication with the field.

“One of the big benefits of using Tekla for us is creating a pour layout,” he explains. “I can do the sequencing of the pours by drawing a line at each location, and it cuts my wall, slab, footing, or whatever I need into pours.”

The unique pour functionalities of Tekla Structures set it apart from competitors.

Pour break tools enable splitting design intent models to pours without actually breaking the geometry. Those planning and sequencing pours can utilize the same model that is used for detailed planning and coordination of structures, and all changes are updated automatically.

“It also gives you all the quantities, all the information you need about the pour,” says Joraanstad. “And once it’s modeled, it doesn’t take longer than half an hour to get that drawing out. I don’t think there’s anything you can improve upon on there.”

The depth of detailing enables careful planning. The team can add every bolt and plate on the model, including all connections. This minimizes costly surprises and waste of material and thus boosts the profitability of projects by optimizing the entire process.

“We can do things that we never would have done with any other software before Tekla. The level of detail is just beyond

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anything we could imagine”, says Joraanstad. “You go and pour, and you can quickly see if something is out of place. There’s nothing out there that matches the pour planning in Tekla.”

to resource management and significant-

Tekla at work in Canada

ly increases the productivity of the Tekla

A little closer to home, Coffrage Santco, one of the largest formwork contractors in concrete structures and superstructures in Quebec, used Tekla solutions in 2017 to coordinate their efforts in a unique collaboration platform for estimation, 3D modelling, and coordination needs. The company used BuildingPoint Canada’s help in selecting Tekla and quickly saw the advantages of using Tekla CIP compared to the old model.

“3D modeling of complex projects allows us to accurately obtain the amount of formwork and the volume of concrete for tenders, helps to establish and plan the pour joints before the project starts, it clearly defines the phasing and the deadlines of the project, we can produce 3D shop drawings for complex formwork structures and we can create 3D renderings for clients and allow all of our employees to access the 3D model quickly and easily via a smartphone, tablet, or PC,” says the team.

Coffrage Santco also benefits from modeling projects by exporting Tekla data to their Trimble robotic solutions to execute field layouts. They complete the cycle by re-importing as-built data in Tekla to make further quality checks (positioning of anchor bolts after casting and dimension of some elements).

Coffrage Santco has also added laser scanning to its workflow in order to quickly obtain slab flatness analysis, as well as detailing complex structures.

They are also able to import point cloud data in Tekla and quickly compare it against the 3D model.

The involvement of the Coffrage Santco team, as well as BuildingPoint Canada, helped to develop a strategy for implementation within the company, starting with the demonstration of capabilities of Tekla CIP, the planning of a training schedule, and the design of custom formwork components. Teamwork has been the key of a successful implementation. 

Structures users.

“Tekla Model Sharing allowed us to do a garage in half the time, because two people were modeling together, and we all saw it virtually live,” Joraanstad tells. “As we get to see things updating throughout the process, it speeds up modeling and reduces work in comparison to having one person model it once, or modeling the project numerous times. It just

Work faster by sharing the workload

works.”

Just keeps on getting better

Tekla Structures enables sharing the

In the future, Wilhelm plans to take

project workload by letting different

advantage of Tekla Structures to further

team members work on the same proj-

refine the technology they use and make

ect regardless of their location. With Tekla

modeling work better and better for their

Model Sharing, teams can work on the

purposes.

same model at the same time, but their

Joraanstad describes Tekla as a huge

work never collides. This powerful collab-

benefit to the company – and the team

oration technology brings great flexibility

likes where the tool is headed.

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

Focusing on concrete pump truck safety Safe set-up, operation and maintenance is key to preventing injuries

By Doug Younger, WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer

As part of WorkSafeBC’s efforts, a decade ago they established a Crane Inspection Initiative, which includes concrete pump trucks, as well as mobile cranes, boom trucks, sign trucks, overhead cranes and gantries, rigging and below the hook lifting devices, and marine and foundation construction equipment.

O

ver the past few years, many of Canada’s urban centres have been experiencing a construction boom, adding new residential complexes, office towers, and retail space.

Some of these construction sites — particularly in cramped downtown cores — often experience congestion, with multiple pieces of complex equipment working simultaneously, including concrete pump trucks. Because of this congestion, the safe placement, operation, and inspection of concrete pump trucks is essential to a safe worksite.

Here in British Columbia, employers are responsible under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) and Workers Compensation Act for ensuring the health and safety of all workers on their worksite.

The initiative is one of 13 industry initiatives designed to align prevention efforts with specific industries that present a high risk of serious injury to workers.

Each initiative focuses prevention efforts

on identified areas of high risk in order to apply resources and effort where they will be most effective.

In addition to enforcing regulations, WorkSafeBC also has an important role in promoting safe construction worksites. As part of our efforts, a decade ago we established a Crane Inspection Initiative, which includes concrete pump trucks, as well as mobile cranes, boom trucks, sign trucks, overhead cranes and gantries, rigging and below the hook lifting devices, and marine and foundation construction equipment.

Our prevention officers focus on the concrete pump trucks’ safe set-up location, operation, and maintenance to help prevent injuries from occurring.

WorkSafeBC is working with all parties - the prime contractor, sub-contractor, concrete-placing crew and concrete pump-truck owner/operator — to review what’s required to ensure a safe machine arrives on site and is correctly set up in a safe work environment.

Our prevention officers are also confirming that annual inspectional requirements are met. The OHS Regulation requires pump trucks be inspected in accor-

dance with the CSA Z151-2009 Standard.

The standard requires that pump trucks’ critical components, including structural, mechanical, and control elements be inspected annually. Employers are also asked to provide documentation confirming all critical machine components have been inspected by a qualified person.

WorkSafeBC has also been consulting with stakeholders about proposed amendments to Part 20, Equipment Inspection, section 20.47 of the OHSR to enhance the requirements for inspecting concrete pumps and placing booms, including the requirement for a professional engineer to certify the equipment as safe for use.

The Engineers and Geoscientists of BC have developed a Certification of Annual Equipment Inspections In B.C. — Professional Practice Guideline that defines good engineering practice to be followed when inspecting and certifying equipment as safe for use. The EGBC guideline is expected to come into force in January 2020.

For more information and resources, visit worksafebc.com and egbc.com. 

The OHS Regulation requires pump trucks be inspected in accordance with the CSA Z151-2009 Standard.

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

27

Improving product efficiency with advanced concrete testing technology

By Alicia Hearns

W

hen monitoring the strength of in-situ concrete, the most common method that is used today

is gaining strength informs you about

is field-cured cylinders. This practice has

its designed strength, engineers will give

tu concrete, especially in extreme weath-

remained largely unchanged since the

the ‘go ahead’ to their team to move on

er. For this reason, alternative methods for

early 19th century. These samples are

to these next stages in the construction

testing concrete strength are becoming

casted and cured according to ASTM C31

process, such as post-tensioning or re-

more common, especially as new tech-

Standard Practice for Making and Cur-

moving formwork.

nologies penetrate the construction in-

when you can move to the next stage of your project. Usually, if field-cured specimens have reached 75 per cent of

dustry. One such alternative technique is

ing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field

Unfortunately, field-cured cylinders are

and tested for compressive strength by a

prone to inaccuracies. In particular, it is

third-party lab at various stages. Knowing

very difficult to maintain the specimen in

Concrete maturity, or ASTM C1074:

the rate at which your in-situ concrete

the same curing conditions as your in-si-

Standard Practice for Estimating Con-

SmartRock™ wireless sensor. Photo credit: Katie Roepke of Giatec.

28

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

the maturity method.

A worker connecting to the full-embedded SmartRock sensor. Photo credit: Katie Roepke of Giatec.

crete Strength by the Maturity Method, is a value that represents the progression of concrete curing. It is based on the principle that concrete strength is directly related to its hydration temperature history. Though this methodology has been used since the 1970s, it has only recently been gaining popularity on jobsites with the use of wireless sensors, such as SmartRock™.

These sensors are placed within the concrete formwork and secured on the rebar before pouring, making its application maintenance and hassle-free. The temperature of the element is measured in real-time and correlated to the in-place concrete strength based on the mixes’ maturity calibration. As they are fully embedded in the formwork, data collected by these sensors is considered more accurate and reliable as they are subject to the same curing conditions as the in-situ concrete element.

A physical connection to the sensor is not needed to obtain any data. Instead, this information is accessible wirelessly and remotely on any smart device in the SmartRock mobile app and on the Giatec

360 cloud dashboard. With SmartRock’s AI assistant, Roxi™, users receive smart notifications and alerts. This helps project managers make informed decisions directly on site, helping them to improve productivity and optimize their project schedules.

SmartRock is currently being used in over 5,200 projects across 80 countries and that number is rapidly increasing.

One project in which SmartRock sensors were implemented was a $130 million, 350,000-square-foot transit facility in Edmonton with Graham Construction. Graham’s lead superintendent, Frank Hoffmann, decided to use SmartRock for temperature and strength monitoring when thermocouples and laboratory testing proved to be too time-consuming and labour intensive. The Graham team found the sensors extremely user-friendly. This allowed them to eliminate the need for a dedicated on-site lab technician to visit the jobsite every eight hours to plug into each thermocouple, record the temperatures, and go back to the office to save and analyze the data.

“I could go to the jobsite myself once

every seven days, take readings and historical data instantly, and send them to the office right off my phone. It was great,” says Hoffmann, adding that this resulted in significant cost savings.

For strength estimation, the Graham team found the SmartRock sensors to consistently achieve 90 per cent accuracy in maturity-based strength estimation when compared to standard concrete cylinder breaks. Hoffmann also noted that “SmartRock doesn’t require paying a lab technician, waiting on results, and dealing with inconclusive breaks.” Being able to minimize cylinder breaks, thereby cutting material and laboratory testing costs, helped the team not only save costs, but minimize delays as well.

It’s no secret that field-cured cylinders are known to have their downfalls when it comes to accurate strength estimation. Advanced concrete testing technologies and IoT devices are eliminating that gap and delivering more accurate and trusted data, improving the credibility of test results and speeding up construction schedules.

Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

29

About Giatec Giatec is driving new innovations in concrete testing, bringing real-time data collection to the forefront of every construction jobsite. Their suite of hardware and software products, including non-destructive testing technologies, IoT solutions, and wireless sensors analyze data throughout concrete’s lifecycle, helping to build structures faster, safer, and more economically.

Alicia Hearns is a content marketing specialist with Giatec Scientific Inc., a global company revolutionizing the construction industry by bringing smart concrete testing technologies The Edmonton LRT Construction Project. Photo credit: Graham Construction.

and real-time data collection to the forefront of every jobsite. Learn more at www.giatec.ca. ď Ž

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Canadian Concrete Pumper 2020

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