PRESS RELEASE: Portland Cement Association Grant

Portland Cement Association Grant
Portland Cement Association Grant Group


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

PULLMAN, Wash. – A Portland Cement Association grant to improve cement testing methods has been presented to Washington State University researcher Somayeh Nassiri.

Nassiri, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and her fellow researchers hope to improve the efficiency of durability testing methods for concrete by using embedded sensors to measure concrete permeability.

Unlike traditional testing methods that are conducted on cast specimens on certain test dates, embedded sensors can provide real-time and continuous data. The long-term goal of the research is to improve the durability of concrete infrastructure against road salt and deicer application and freeze-thaw cycling in cold climate regions.

Nassiri has been at WSU since 2014. She conducts research on concrete pavement design, construction, repair and maintenance, concrete material characterization, and pavement performance monitoring using instrumentation and nondestructive testing.

The PCA is the premier policy, research, education and market intelligence organization serving America’s cement manufacturers. PCA promotes safety, sustainability and innovation in all aspects of construction, fosters continuous improvement in cement manufacturing and distribution, and promotes economic growth and sound infrastructure investment.

Contact: Tina Hilding, Communications Director, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, 509-335-5095, thilding@wsu.edu
Press Release: Somayeh Nassiri — $35.000 Cement Grant

 

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Construction in Concrete — Top 10 Myths

Carbon Neutral Cement

Get a candid look at ten popular, but mistaken ideas that still exist in concrete construction.

In this video, using examples, interviews, and demonstrations, this revealing video from the Portland Cement Association exposes and explains the most common misconceptions associated with the cement and concrete industry. The video is designed as an educational training tool for workers of all experience levels. Running time: 17 minutes © 2005 Portland Cement Association

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Some of the myths and misconceptions related to concrete construction:

“Adding water to the mixed is believed to be the only way to increase slumps, while water reducers and superplasticizers can also be used to increase slumps while maintaining the water-to-cement ratio. Specification of a concrete mix by the number of bags of cement is an incomplete form of specification and the specification should be based on performance requirements. Water and other substances in liquid and vapor forms can pass through concrete and it is wrong to believe that concrete is impermeable. Another misconception is that calcium chloride is an antifreeze agent, while the truth is that calcium chloride is only an accelerator. Precautions should be taken to protect concrete and prevent future soil problems in adverse weather conditions. Another misconception is that reinforced concrete won’t crack, it only holds the crack faces together. Top 10 myths in concrete construction.” ~ ResearchGate.net

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