May 7, 2026
EP #156: Is Rebar Killing Your Concrete Schedule?
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: GPRS
Before you cut, core, drill, or trench through concrete, know what is inside it.
GPRS helps contractors locate rebar, conduit, post-tension cables, voids, and other hidden hazards before they become expensive problems. Their ground-penetrating radar scanning helps reduce hits, downtime, expenses, and keeps your people safe.
Learn more here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/gprs
ON THIS EPISODE OF THE CONCRETE LOGIC PODCAST
Everyone wants concrete work done faster.
But what if one of the biggest schedule killers is not the pour, the weather, or the labor shortage?
What if it starts with the reinforcement choice?
In this episode, Seth talks with TJ Lambert of Forta about how reinforcement decisions affect labor, sequencing, inspections, procurement, finishing, mix design, carbon reporting, and overall project speed.
They discuss where fiber-reinforced concrete fits, where it does not, and why engineers, producers, and contractors need to think beyond “replace the bar and move on.”
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
00:00 Introduction: Can reinforcement choices kill your schedule?
04:02 What Forta does and how fiber-reinforced concrete fits
05:01 Why reinforcement choices affect schedule more than people realize
08:42 What fibers look like in the field
11:57 Matching fiber type to the right concrete application
13:26 What fiber use means for concrete producers
16:45 Fiber loading, truck mixing, and added time at the plant
17:17 How much time can contractors save by eliminating bar placement?
19:47 EPDs, GWP, and carbon reduction with fiber reinforcement
22:13 Why finishers struggle with some fiber-reinforced slabs
26:43 Type IL cement, paste, timing, and fiber finishing concerns
30:05 Fly ash, slag, mix design complexity, and owner expectations
31:54 What engineers need to understand before using fibers
35:03 TJ’s main takeaway: Start with design, not just substitution
37:06 How to contact TJ Lambert
GUEST INFO
TJ Lambert
Sales Engineering Manager, Forta / Helix Steel
Profile: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/tj-lambert/
Forta website:
https://fortacorp.com
Helix Steel website:
https://helixsteel.com
CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
Concrete Logic Academy is built for people who actually work with concrete.
Not theory for theory’s sake.
Not another seminar full of recycled slides.
Not some polished presentation from people who have not been near a pour in years.
This is practical concrete education for contractors, producers, engineers, architects, QC teams, plant managers, finishers, and anyone else who has to make decisions before the mud hits the ground.
If you want to better understand mixes, specs, reinforcement, troubleshooting, field problems, and how to make better calls on real projects, check it out.
Start here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/concreteschool
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
If the Concrete Logic Podcast helps you think differently, solve a problem, avoid a mistake, or make a better decision, send some value back.
That could be $5.
That could be $50.
That could be more.
The point is simple.
If the show is worth something to you, help keep it going.
Donate here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
You can also support the show through our KUIU affiliate link:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu
Interested in sponsoring the podcast or working with Concrete Logic Media?
Email Seth: seth@concretelogicpodcast.com
CREDITS
Producers: Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media
Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/
WHERE TO FIND SETH
Concrete Logic Podcast:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/
Like, subscribe, comment, and share the episode with someone who works around concrete.
Before you cut, core, drill, or trench through concrete, know what is inside it.
GPRS helps contractors locate rebar, conduit, post-tension cables, voids, and other hidden hazards before they become expensive problems. Their ground-penetrating radar scanning helps reduce hits, downtime, expenses, and keeps your people safe.
Learn more here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/gprs
ON THIS EPISODE OF THE CONCRETE LOGIC PODCAST
Everyone wants concrete work done faster.
But what if one of the biggest schedule killers is not the pour, the weather, or the labor shortage?
What if it starts with the reinforcement choice?
In this episode, Seth talks with TJ Lambert of Forta about how reinforcement decisions affect labor, sequencing, inspections, procurement, finishing, mix design, carbon reporting, and overall project speed.
They discuss where fiber-reinforced concrete fits, where it does not, and why engineers, producers, and contractors need to think beyond “replace the bar and move on.”
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
- Why reinforcement choices can slow a concrete project down before the first truck shows up
- How fibers can reduce labor, congestion, inspection steps, and field coordination
- The difference between microfibers, macro synthetic fibers, and steel fibers
- Where fiber reinforcement makes sense, and where traditional rebar still belongs
- How concrete producers handle fiber dosing at the plant or into the truck
- Why fiber-reinforced concrete can help contractors place more mud faster
- How EPDs, LCAs, GWP targets, and Buy America requirements are showing up in reinforcement decisions
- Why finishing fiber-reinforced slabs still depends on timing, mix design, vibration, and field conditions
- How Type IL cement may affect finishing timing, saw cutting, paste, and surface performance
- What engineers need to know about ACI 544, ACI 360, ACI 330, and ACI 318 when considering fiber designs
00:00 Introduction: Can reinforcement choices kill your schedule?
04:02 What Forta does and how fiber-reinforced concrete fits
05:01 Why reinforcement choices affect schedule more than people realize
08:42 What fibers look like in the field
11:57 Matching fiber type to the right concrete application
13:26 What fiber use means for concrete producers
16:45 Fiber loading, truck mixing, and added time at the plant
17:17 How much time can contractors save by eliminating bar placement?
19:47 EPDs, GWP, and carbon reduction with fiber reinforcement
22:13 Why finishers struggle with some fiber-reinforced slabs
26:43 Type IL cement, paste, timing, and fiber finishing concerns
30:05 Fly ash, slag, mix design complexity, and owner expectations
31:54 What engineers need to understand before using fibers
35:03 TJ’s main takeaway: Start with design, not just substitution
37:06 How to contact TJ Lambert
GUEST INFO
TJ Lambert
Sales Engineering Manager, Forta / Helix Steel
Profile: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/tj-lambert/
Forta website:
https://fortacorp.com
Helix Steel website:
https://helixsteel.com
CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
Concrete Logic Academy is built for people who actually work with concrete.
Not theory for theory’s sake.
Not another seminar full of recycled slides.
Not some polished presentation from people who have not been near a pour in years.
This is practical concrete education for contractors, producers, engineers, architects, QC teams, plant managers, finishers, and anyone else who has to make decisions before the mud hits the ground.
If you want to better understand mixes, specs, reinforcement, troubleshooting, field problems, and how to make better calls on real projects, check it out.
Start here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/concreteschool
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
If the Concrete Logic Podcast helps you think differently, solve a problem, avoid a mistake, or make a better decision, send some value back.
That could be $5.
That could be $50.
That could be more.
The point is simple.
If the show is worth something to you, help keep it going.
Donate here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
You can also support the show through our KUIU affiliate link:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu
Interested in sponsoring the podcast or working with Concrete Logic Media?
Email Seth: seth@concretelogicpodcast.com
CREDITS
Producers: Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media
Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/
WHERE TO FIND SETH
Concrete Logic Podcast:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/
Like, subscribe, comment, and share the episode with someone who works around concrete.
