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Hotel Rooms to Sell Out Soon
for Government Affairs Fly-In

ACPA is urging members to make their hotel room reservations as soon as possible for the Transportation Construction Coalition's (TCC) government affairs conference and national 'fly-in.'

The conference will be held on April 26 – 27 at Hotel Washington, 15th and Pennsylvania Ave., NW. 20004. Hotel rooms are available at the special rate of $165 per night (available until March 25 or until rooms sell out). Reservations can be made by calling 202-638-5900 or 800-424-9540. Be sure to mention the 'TCC Fly-In' group code to receive the special rate.

The conference provides a unique opportunity for ACPA members to meet directly with elected officials to continue advocating for quick passage of a well-funded highway bill. It also provides a venue to learn the latest about Federal-aid highway and airport programs and a range of other timely topics.

The event is sponsored by the Transportation Construction Coalition, of which ACPA, the Portland Cement Association, and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association are members.

Brochures are being produced by the American Transportation Road Builders Association and will be available soon. For more information, contact Bill Davenport at 847-966-2272.

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Riva Scholarship Fundraiser Draws Nearer

The Concrete Pavement Education Foundation (CPEF), an affiliate of the ACPA, is urging members to sponsor the scholarship fundraiser held in honor of the late Val Riva. The last day to become a sponsor is March 7.

Riva was chief executive of ACPA from August 1997 until his passing in September 2004. Proceeds will go to the Valentin J. Riva Scholarship Fund for civil engineering students focusing on concrete pavement materials. Two sponsorship levels are available:

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ACPA: Whitetopping has always
been eligible for funding

In response to several recent inquiries about airfield whitetopping projects, ACPA is distributing an important message to the design and construction community: Whitetopping projects are and always have been eligible for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding, and if selected, the FAA P-501 concrete pavement specification needs only minor modifications to accommodate a whitetopping project.

FAA's official position on whitetopping has been in print for many years. Paragraph 410 of the FAA Advisory Circular on Airport Pavement Design, AC 150/5320-6D, includes concrete overlays on flexible pavement, for example conventional whitetopping, as a viable pavement design option.

The Advisory Circular even provides thickness design curves for determining the whitetopping thickness. The concrete pavement designer, specifier, and constructor need to be aware of certain aspects of whitetopping design and construction that differ from new pavement. The FAA specification for concrete pavement, P-501, found in the FAA Advisory Circular on Construction Specifications,
AC 150/5370-10A, needs minor modifications to work well with whitetopping.

Changes should be made in the measurement and acceptance criteria, and the changes should address thickness variability and material quantities. The concern about thickness can be resolved by milling the existing asphalt to a uniform profile, however, this step adds cost and is not necessary. The specifications for most whitetopping projects are modified to address the thickness variability and to allow acceptance of concrete by the cubic yard with a unit cost for placement by the square yard.

For more information, contact Jim Lafrenz, ACPA Director of Airports, at 202-842-1010.

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ACPA Offers Limited Supply
of Traffic Management Video

Don't miss the opportunity to own one of the last copies of a popular video tape on traffic management. Traffic Management is one of the crucial factors in rehabilitating today's roadways. This video, "Fast and Under Traffic," focuses on replacing worn pavements with long-lasting concrete, while still maintaining traffic.

To order this video (ACPA catalog number VC523P), log-in to the ACPA members only section at www.pavement.com or call toll-free 1-800-868-6733.

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Blastrac Features Newest Grinder

Blastrac, a registered trademark of the International Surface Preparation Corporation, recently introduced the BG 250, the company's latest surface grinder. The BG 250 is a 10" high production surface grinder used for concrete cleaning, leveling, and removal of mastics, epoxies, urethane, paint and other coatings. It can be used for leveling out high spots and curled joints.

The walk-behind grinder has oversized rear wheels for easy transport and superior control on uneven surfaces. A flexible coupler helps provide even grinding and maximum grinding disk life. The unit's transport kickstand allows for easy starting, plus protects the grinding disk and flexible coupler during transport and storage. Rubber mount handle bars reduce vibration and operator fatigue. It is available in two sizes: 11 h.p. and 13 h.p. The 13 h.p. model includes a convenient electric start. For more information on the Blastrac brand, visit www.blastrac.com.

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Soff-Cut Introduces New Paving Saw

Soff-Cut introduces the X-750 Prowler®, the newest self-propelled gas saw. The saw is designed for ease of use and convenience on commercial and industrial applications. Features include a low dust blade block system that allows the saw to cut dry, while controlling debris for easy cleanup.

Much like the entire line of Soff-Cut saws, the X-750 Prowler works in conjunction with Soff-Cut blades and patented skid plates to allow for ultra early entry cutting to minimize chipping and spalling while getting the job done the same day.

Other features include a low noise and low dust blade block enclosure; 6.0 HP engine with cyclone air filter and low oil shutoff; mechanical blade depth control; non-marking and non-stick polyurethane wheels; mechanical remote retractable front guide system; center lifting point; high strength single piece frame; roll cage style framework; safety arbor; ant-ravel skid plate; easy pull start engine; dry cut diamond blade; and an hour meter/tachometer. For more information, visit www.soffcut.com.

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Uretek Offers Free Webinar

Uretek is offering the second in a series of free webinars, an internet-based seminar, on the several services that the company provides.

The webinar, called 'Why URETEK Deep Injection?,' will be held on March 3 at noon (CST). The half-hour interactive webinar explores all the aspects of URETEK’s patented 'Deep Injection Process.'

Uretek offers companies control of their pavement lifting and soil stabilization problems. To register for the webinar, which will include a question & answer session, go to www.uretekusa.com/webinar.

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A Tribute to Bob Packard

Following the death of retired ACPA and PCA employee, Robert G. (Bob) Packard, P.E., the Concrete Pavement Education Foundation (CPEF) has proposed a scholarship in his name. The award is among other planned awards, scholarships, and grants for students and professionals in the concrete pavement industry.

As proposed, the "Robert G. Packard Award," will be presented to an undergraduate or graduate student for an outstanding paper on concrete pavement design. For additional information, please contact Robb Jolly at 202-842-1010.

Packard retired from ACPA in 2000 after more than 45 years of service to the cement and concrete pavement industries. Many of technical works, including those written early in his career, are either still in use or have become the basis for other advanced technical documents. He also was a two-time recipient of the distinguished ACPA Hartmann-Hirschman award.

In related news, a very fitting tribute to the late, world-class engineer was written by John Hodgkinson of Sydney Australia. He recalled: “The professional and personal hospitality and his vast technical knowledge were of material significance in transforming concrete highway development in Australia from the late 1970’s.” The full tribute appears on the website of the International Society of Concrete Pavements (ISCP) http://www.concretepavements.org/BPtribute.html.

ACPA extends its sincere thanks to Shiraz Tayabji, Ph.D., P.E., for sharing this information with our readers and the ISCP’s site visitors.

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Chapter/States Announce New Workshops ... This week's list of events includes one new workshop. It is the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association Southern Wisconsin Workshop on April 6.

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Colorado
Hundreds Gather for Colorado Workshop ... More than 500 people attended the Colorado/Wyoming Chapter's 22nd annual concrete workshop in Greeley, Colo. The two-day event featured a diamond grinder, smoothness indicator, slip-form pavers, and other paving materials. Highlights included breakout sessions that provided basic training and demonstrations on concrete paving practices.

Several ACPA company members, as well as ACPA National and Chapter/State staff presented technical information on an array of topics. The workshop covered everything from airport pavement smoothness criteria to decorative concrete for streets and local roads.
	Hundreds of state agency engineers, contractors, consultants, and other industry professionals gathered in Colorado for the 22nd Annual Concrete Workshop, one of state's biggest construction events of the year.

For more information, contact the Colorado/Wyoming Chapter at 303-297-1789.

Michigan
State Association Hosts Action-Packed Event ... The Michigan Concrete Paving Association (MCPA) conducted it's 35th Annual Concrete Paving Workshop recently. The two-day workshop, themed "Quest for Quality," featured technical topics focused on improving the quality of concrete pavements and using technology that ensures longer-lasting, cost-effective solutions.

The first day included an opening general session that highlighted the latest innovations in testing and process control and stockpile management. The day also featured breakout sessions covering a variety of technical topics, including ride specifications, proper jointing, intersection construction, concrete pavement restoration, and proper mix and gradation.

The second day began with featured speakers. They were: Kirk Steudle, Michigan DOT Chief Deputy Director; Jerry Voigt, P.E., ACPA President & CEO; Mark Johnston, MCPA President (Ajax Paving Industries); and Ted Ferragut, TDC Partners.

The day also featured an interactive workshop designed to formulate training topics and techniques for Michigan’s Construction Quality Partnership for concrete pavements. The CQP is an industry-initiated partnership with MDOT to develop training and certification for project development, construction, and inspection personnel.

Events ended with an Awards Dinner. During the dinner, MCPA recognized Michigan's best concrete pavement projects. For more information on the event, contact MCPA at 877-517-6272.

Kansas
State Officials Gather for Chapter Event ... Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, state Senators and Representatives, members, and staff participated in a concrete pavement promotion event on Wednesday.

Hosted by the Missouri/Kansas Chapter, the event was attended by more than 750 participants and was aimed at supporting full funding and completion of Kansas' comprehensive transportation program.

Attendees enjoyed frozen custard, symbolizing concrete, while discussing key issues in a relaxed setting in the state capitol rotunda. The event, named 'Eat Concrete,' was co-sponsored by the Chapter, Kansas Ready Mix Concrete Association (KRMCA), and the Concrete Promotional Group of Kansas City.
	Photo (l to r): Todd LaTorella, P.E., Missouri/Kansas Chapter; Robert Blevins (Rinker Material) representing the Kansas Concrete Pipe Association; Kansas Governor Sebelius; Kurt Kitson, Monarch Cement Company; Wendy Harms, KRMCA; and Christy Martin, Concrete Promotional Group of Kansas City.

Northeast
Chapter Hits the Streets in New York ... The Northeast Chapter (ACPA-NE) recently conducted a concrete pavement seminar at the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown, N.Y. Regional Director Jim Shea trained dozens of New York State DOT engineers on the fine points of concrete intersections and overlays. It's reported that the state plans to use more concrete. For more information, contact Jim Shea at 716-648-7556.

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Three Important Parts of a Grinding Machine

Diamond grinding is done with specially designed equipment that uses gang-mounted diamond saw blades to cut through bumps in the concrete surface. The function of diamond grinding equipment is similar to that of a common wood plane. The saw blades shave off the fault or bump and the rear wheels follow behind in the smoothened path.

Diamond grinding equipment is also used to remove bumps from new pavements. The equipment may be smaller for new pavement bump grinding, but many of the same principles apply.

To remove bumps and reprofile the surface effectively, the proper equipment should be used. Figure 1 shows the basic components of a grinding machine. The three most important aspects of a grinding machine are:

• The weight of the machine,
• The horsepower available to the grinding head, and
• The grinding head.

For more information, refer to ACPA's Diamond Grinding and Concrete Pavement Restoration (TB008P). To order this publication, log-in to the ACPA members only section at www.pavement.com; call toll-free 1-800-868-6733; or fax requests to 847-966-9666.

Do you have a technical problem or question, or would you like to contribute to TECH CORNER? Contact ACPA Technical Services at 847-966-2272 for technical support or information.

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Volume 5, Number 8
February 25, 2005

Articles

• Hotel Rooms to Sell Out Soon for Government Affairs Fly-In
• Riva Scholarship Fundraiser Draws Nearer
• ACPA: Whitetopping has always been eligible for funding
• ACPA Offers Limited Supply of Traffic Video
• Blastrac Features Newest Grinder
• Soff-Cut Introduces Newest Paving Saw
• Uretek Offers Free Webinar
• A Tribute to Packard
• ACPA Executive Committee Slates Meeting

Departments

• Chapter/State News
• Tech Corner: Three Important Parts of a Grinding Machine
• Members Only

February

• Southeast Chapter Concrete Airfield Pavements Seminar
  Atlanta, Ga.
  February 28-March 1
• Northwest Chapter Concrete Pavement Workshop
  Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
  February 28-March 1

March

• Illinois Chapter Annual Meeting
  Springfield, Ill.
  March 1
• PCA Spring Meetings (including PCA Paving Committee
  Chicago
  February 28-March 2
• Missouri/Kansas Chapter Annual Concrete Paving Workshop
  Kansas City, Kan.
  March 1-3
• 6th Annual Concrete Pavement Seminar
  Milwaukee
  March 2
• North Dakota Chapter Concrete Paving Workshop
  Bismark, N.D.
  March 8-9
• Virginia Concrete Conference
  March 10-11
• Minnesota Concrete Paving Workshop
  March 16-17
• Southeast Chapter Spring Membership and Board of Directors Meeting
  Atlanta
  March 21
• 3rd Annual South Dakota Concrete Conference
  Deadwood, S.D.
  March 23-24
• Oklahoma Concrete Paving Workshop
  Oklahoma City, Okla.
  March 29

ACPA Executive Committee Slates Meeting

The first quarterly meeting of the ACPA Executive Committee will be held Wednesday, March 16, from 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The meeting, open only to Executive Committee members, will be held during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005 in Las Vegas, Nev.

For additional information, contact Maryann Beckman at 847-966-2272.

Access special "members only" features of ACPA's website.

To create a user account, enter the following key code at the 'Members Only' log-in page:

SLIPFORM

For assistance, contact Andy Gieraltowski at 847-966-2272.