Get ready for an exciting and unique episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast! In this episode, Dirk Tharpe from Sakrete joins host Seth to discuss an amazing project he was involved in: the Concrete Combat show! This game show idea became a reality, bringing together contestants from the concrete and masonry industry to compete in thrilling challenges. Dirk shares the behind-the-scenes story, from the initial concept to the grand finale filmed at the World of Concrete. Each episode is packed wit...

In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Seth interviews Jim Klinger from the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC). They discuss the importance of ASCC's position statements in ensuring quality coordination between divisions of the trades in the concrete industry. These statements, which are prepared by accomplished engineers, PhDs, college professors, and industry experts, serve as a constant reminder for stakeholders of their roles, responsibilities, and costs. Jim also tal...

Looking to learn more about fiber reinforcement and its role in concrete slab design? Look no further! Join Seth on the Concrete Logic podcast as he sits down with Scott and Tim from Full Force Solutions, fiber experts with over two decades of experience in the concrete industry. In this episode, they discuss the holistic approach to concrete slab design, the sustainability of concrete, and ways to improve constructability and control costs. Don't miss out on this informative and engaging disc...

In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, host Seth sits down with Peter Paone, Director of Engineering at ZAP Engineering, to discuss the cement manufacturing process, regulations surrounding NOx emissions, and technological innovations in kiln designs. Peter dives into how the cement industry is addressing both efficiency and environmental concerns, specifically focusing on the "Good Neighbor" rule, which impacts NOx emissions from cement plants. They explore how emission control methods ...

💥 The Concrete Logic Podcast 💥 🛠️ Hosted by: Seth Tandett Thinking about using Type I/II cement? You might want to think again! Rich S. Szecsy, PhD, PE, FACI from Big Town Concrete returns to break down how Type IL cement has rapidly taken over the industry. Is this the fastest shift in concrete history? What does it mean for your next project? We’ve got the answers! 🔎 What’s Inside: ✔️ Why Type I/II cement is disappearing from the market ✔️ The surprising reasons behind the Type IL cement tak...

On a concrete restoration project, how do you make sure the repairs made address the underlying issue that caused the damaged concrete in the first place? Typically, you would chip out the spalling concrete, clean it and patch it back. But how do you make sure the root cause of the deteriorating concrete is eliminated? Hydrogel, a concrete restoration technology, is one solution that seeks to isolate the impurities that reduce concrete's greatest attribute - longevity. Jon Belkowitz with E...

Have you won a recent project, but haven't signed the contract yet? Don't sign it until you listen to this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast! Cian Brennan of Quantum Contract Solutions joins the show to share what he looks out for in a subcontract. He points to three key contract terms that you want to make sure to exclude in all your contracts. In the last few minutes of the episode, Cian provides a career-changing approach all contractors should have when they find themselves in a meetin...

Are we detailing the placement of vapor barrier in the typical slab-on-ground design all wrong? When moisture develops on a concrete surface, where is it coming from? Below the surface or above? Bob Higgins, a concrete and waterproofing expert, joins the podcast to help us answer these questions. We discuss extensively the science of how water vapor is created and why today's concrete must be internally cured to perform its best. If you want to learn about another controversial topic in the conc...

A patent is “the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling” an invention. The U.S. government awards between 200,000 to 300,000 patents per year including ones associated with the concrete industry. Are patents good for the concrete industry? Returning to the show, Jon Belkowitz of Intelligent Concrete shares his experience with patents and why he believes they benefit the industry. He tells how his ideas were stolen by others in the past and how he protects...

Think about where we were two years ago. Did you think we would still be worrying about material and labor shortages in 2023? In our never-ending quest to discover more efficient ways to build with concrete, we got an opportunity to meet Claire Gandee of Bekaert. Claire joins the Concrete Logic Podcast to teach us all about reinforcing concrete with steel fibers. Steel fibers could be another creative way to reduce concrete construction labor and time on your next project! Listen to the epis...

A bonus episode of a couple of concrete guys venting about the college football playoffs. U of M fans may want to skip this episode. Episode References Guest: Matt McCombs | Intelligent Concrete | matt@intelligent-concrete.com Guest Website: https://www.intelligent-concrete.com/ Music: Mike Dunton | https://www.mikeduntonmusic.com | mikeduntonmusic@gmail.com | Instagram @Mike_Dunton Host: Seth Tandett, seth@concretelogicpodcast.com Host website: concretelogicpodcast.com

These days, every concrete supplier quote has some kind of future price escalation. It seems all the price increases stem from one ingredient of concrete - cement! This raises a lot of questions... Why are cement prices constantly on the rise? What does limestone have to do with the price increases? How is it that all the major cement manufacturers switched to type IL cement at the same time? Do we know how type IL is going to perform over time? Matt McCombs from Intelligent Concrete joins...

Did you know that Division 9 Floor Covering specifications have concrete floor flatness requirements that don't line up with Division 3 Concrete tolerances? Does the concrete contractor on your project even know there is a Division 9 specification??? In this podcast episode of Concrete Logic, Keith Robinson of DIALOG joins the show to make us wiser on another concrete industry conundrum - floor flatness. He suggests a proactive approach to ensure concrete slabs meet or exceed floor inst...

Flooring can be a sticky situation for concrete contractors on construction projects. When the flooring won't adhere to the concrete or if the installed floor starts to bubble up, guess what gets the blame? That's right - the concrete! In this episode of the Concrete Logic podcast, Dean Craft of ISE Logik Industries shares his insights on the flooring industry. Dean opens our eyes to who is really controlling the concrete moisture testing standards and why flooring warranties are a mirage....

Did you know that you can get a Concrete Industry Management (CIM) degree? Currently, there are only five schools in the U.S. that offer a CIM degree! We were lucky enough to have Ryan Penlerick, CIM Program Director at Texas State, on the Concrete Logic Podcast to give us insight into his program. Ryan shares with us what classes are offered as part of the Texas State CIM program. He also shares that the demand is so high for CIM graduates, that they are experiencing 100% job placement. Ther...

What if we told you there is a concrete mix out there that is fast curing, high-strength, impenetrable, and less labor-intensive than the standard concrete but it is rarely used? If such a product exists, why isn't it used more? That's what Bill Kulish of Steelike, Inc. is going to share with us on the newest episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast. In this episode, we'll find out what is ultra-high performance concrete and how it is currently used. You may be driving over it everyday and not e...

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how is it being used in the concrete industry? That's what we are going to find out on this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast. Alex Hall, CEO of Concrete.ai, joins the show to give us an introduction to AI and share how his company is changing the way concrete is being produced. Alex opens up our eyes to how AI can assist suppliers in providing the most efficient and sustainable concrete mixes with locally sourced materials. You don't want to mi...

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) was signed into law in August. It's been a catalyst in the latest push for project stakeholders to demand concrete reduce its CO2 use. Do these stakeholders know what they are asking for? In this episode of Concrete Logic, Eric Koehler of Titan America joins the podcast to help us understand who is requesting carbon-reduced concrete in addition to the general government. Also, Eric proposes that we look beyond the concrete to truly appreciate the o...

Have you ever heard of the "cobra effect"? The cobra effect explains an incentive structure that originated to solve a problem, but in the long run, makes matters worse! Are we as an industry creating a cobra effect in our efforts to reduce concrete's carbon footprint? Chris Bennett of Bennett Build joins the Concrete Logic Podcast to help answer this question. Chris shares a few examples of carbon-reducing solutions that are being used today that could very well lead us to cause more h...

One of the most widely used augmented reality (AR) technologies out there is the Pokemon Go app. I've never played but my kids are always asking to play it on my wife's phone. Apparently, the object of the game is to catch virtual critters that appear on your phone as you walk around in the real world. Did you know this same technology, AR, is being used in the construction industry? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Steven Ostrowski from Trimble joins the show to discuss AR techn...

Did you know that there are two types of sand that can be used for concrete? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Paul Fendley of Active Minerals and Add Ten Gallons Concrete Podcast fame helps us understand the differences between natural and manufactured sand. Depending on where a concrete supplier is in the world, it could realize positive economic and environmental outcomes if it chooses to use manufactured sand. But wonder if using manufactured sand makes the concrete less user-...

It seems everywhere you turn these days, someone is trying to peddle the next best admixture for concrete. Most of these people have never placed a drop of concrete in their life but somehow know that their product works best because they have proved it works in a lab. Should we listen to them? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Joe Shetterley with Specification Products joins the show to share his story about discovering an admixture that actually made his life easier as a concre...

What commodity do you think has seen the most volatility in price since March 2020? Could it be wood? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Ryan Benson from Universal Forest Products (UFP) joins the podcast to discuss the wood market and concrete forming systems. Ryan helps us relive the ups and downs of the wood market since the lockdowns occurred in 2020. We also discuss what has happened to the wood imports during the tumultuous geopolitical scene we are living through and how some ...

If we told you that you had one meeting before the job started that prevented you from losing thousands of dollars in profit and hundreds of hours of frustration, would you make sure that meeting happened? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Matt McCombs with Intelligent Concrete shares his thoughts on the importance of having such a meeting before the first drop of concrete is placed on the job. We discuss the various issues that come up on every project and how to prevent the sev...