From: Phil Diekemper, Executive Director – PRO: An ACI Center of Excellence for Advancing Productivity  Poorly coordinated and/or incomplete design drawings result in inaccurate bids, and they force contractors to complete the needed coordination and design through multiple requests for information (RFIs). The disjointed process leads to delays, added costs, change orders, and a gene...

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Tom Pelo, Jeff Huff, Tarek Khan, and John Luciano (Retired) Master Builders Solutions Admixtures US LLC – June 2025 Introduction Given the recent interest in low-embodied carbon concrete (LECC), there are new cementitious materials, multiple supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) and admixture chemistries available to reduce the embodied carbon content of concrete. For example, Typ...

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Jim Klinger, Concrete Construction Specialist The Slab Newsletter July 2025 Question:  We just returned to our office from a mandatory project kick-off meeting with major project stakeholders, including the Owner (a well-known, high-profile winemaker), the architect, the structural engineer, and the general contractor (GC). Based on a few of the meeting discussion topics, we now find ou...

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Jim Klinger, Concrete Construction Specialist The Slab Newsletter June 2025 Full Disclosure: On 18 May 2025, Dr. Ward Malisch--The Original ASCC Hotline Operator--passed away after a long battle with cancer. The following morning, a memorial tribute summarizing and showcasing Ward's extensive concrete industry accomplishments--including his significant contributions to the ASCC--was publ...

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Mike Hernandez, Technical Director The Slab Newsletter June 2025 ASCC contractors may need to revisit material prices considering recent tariffs, including the 50% tariff on steel announced last month. In the near term, rebar prices have been rising since January. From June 2–9, four major rebar manufacturers raised prices by $60/ton. If bids were submitted this spring and not yet awar...

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Jim Klinger, Concrete Construction Specialist The Slab Newsletter May 2025 Question: We have been asked by the general contractor (GC) to place cementitious slurry backfill in a MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) trench containing a group of 2-inch diameter CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) pipes. Our scope of work is to pump, place, and finish cementitious slurry to cover CPVC pipin...

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Mike Hernandez, Technical Director The Voice Newsletter May 2025 Several weeks while attending the Annual Conference of the Design & Construction Excellence Exchange (The DCX) it hit me that ASCC Contractors should strive for a Culture of Quality like the Culture of Safety has been developed for the last few decades. Why? Let’s start with safety. Surprisingly, two ENR top 20 con...

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ASCCSAFE Spring 2025 “The Latest” By: Joe Whiteman, CSP, CHST, ASCC Director of Safety Services Each May, the construction industry shines a light on two critical initiatives: National Mental Health Awareness Month and Construction Safety Week (May 5–9, 2025). These efforts remind us that true jobsite safety must include not only physical protection but also mental and e...

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ASCCSAFE- Spring Edition Director of Safety Services Message Joe Whiteman, CSP, CHST ASCC’s annual Safety Awards program has officially entered a new era — one focused not only on recognizing achievement, but on fostering a deeper culture of learning, leadership, and innovation across the concrete construction industry. With a new digital platform, updated award criteria, and ...

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ASCCSAFE Spring Issue Safety Moment Lan Moody, Finish Safe General Manager Martin Concrete Ensuring safety during tilt-up operations is a top priority for construction contractors, particularly when handling large concrete panels and their critical bracing systems. Regular inspections should be integrated into daily routines, including thorough checks of braces for cracks or dents, brace...

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