Concrete: the potential crisis

As you read this you are probably surrounded by the most important artificial material ever invented by the human race. Is there a floor below you?, walls around you?, a ceiling above? It is very likely that they are made, at least in an important part, of that amazing material: concrete. For most people, concrete…

Concrete waits for no one!

This truth affects key aspects of life and business in all the concrete and construction world. Once it is poured, concrete begins to dry and concrete finishers work with this reality. The ‘on the tools’ trades don’t have the time to mince words as the concrete is drying. This is a trade grounded in action.…

Canada, global leader in low-carbon cement and net-zero carbon concrete

In 2021, the honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Cement Association of Canada (CAC) Chair, Marie Glenn, and Michael McSweeney, President, and CEO, affirmed the partnership between the Government of Canada and Canada’s cement sector to support the development and implementation of a ‘Roadmap to Net-Zero-Carbon Concrete’. This work will provide the…

Understanding formwork, part 3

Classification of formwork based on its structural components Continuing with this short series of articles to understand what formwork is all about, we present the last part of this series where we will talk about the classification of formwork based on its structural components. In addition to being classified by materials, formwork can also be…

Understanding formwork, part 2

When developing formwork it is important to consider the type of concrete and the pouring temperature, since both affect the pressure exerted. Also, formwork must be capable of resisting loads of wet and dry concrete. Formwork requires planning, and structures such as poles and stabilizers to avoid movement during construction procedures, and these are called…

Understanding formwork, part 1

Formwork is a term used for the process of creating a temporary mould into which concrete is poured and formed. Traditional formwork is fabricated using timber, but it can also be constructed from steel, glass fibre reinforced plastics and other diverse materials. While formwork is a broad term that is used concerning the forming process…