Offering Cost-effective Solutions for Parking Structures

The Conco Companies’ decades of experience in the industry means we are at the forefront of techniques and procedures that offer our customers the ability to reduce costs and time.  One such project that did just that was a parking structure for the Lawson Lane Commons in Santa Clara, CA.

 

Conco’s professional design team and estimators quickly realized that the parking structure was an ideal candidate for shotcrete, which has the same structural characteristics as traditional cast-in-place walls.  Our team estimated the shotcrete would provide a savings of 24 percent and also complete the project several days earlier.  

 

By using shotcrete instead of traditional cast-in-place concrete, we constructed shear walls that spanned 310 lineal-ft. and 40-ft. high cost-effectively and quickly.  The foundations for the walls were poured, which followed with three separate shotcrete pours done over the course of 25 business days and used a total of 390 cubic yards of concrete.  Now complete, the large, 4-level parking garage accommodates 2,948 vehicle spaces for the new development that consist of 638,958 sq. feet of office space and an amenities facility. 

 

Developed by Devon Construction, the first phase of the project opened in July, 2012 and included two 5-story office buildings and a 2-story amenities building.  Phase II of the Commons has an additional two 6-story office buildings and includes the completion of the campus environment.  The high efficiency buildings expect to see up to a 30% savings in utilities from the Santa Clara power company.  The development is among several others that are all part of the city’s construction boom as a result of the new 49ers Stadium.

 

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

New Trends in Construction - Mixed-use Developments

The Conco Companies have had the opportunity to provide concrete services for a number of mixed-use developments over the last several years.  Many of these projects are designed to offer innovative solutions to meet housing demand and bring a range of amenities and benefits to residents and the surrounding community.  One example is the well-planned Park 20 - Essex Apartment Homes in San Mateo, CA.

The concept of today’s planned communities is different from past practices that intentionally separated housing from commercial districts.  Now many developments purposely construct residential units close to public transportation and jobs, and in pedestrian-friendly areas for shopping, dining, working and recreational activities.

The Park 20 was built by Barry Swenson Builder and designed by MVE & Partners, one of the nation’s premier residential and mixed-use architecture firms.  In addition to 197 apartment units, the building has 125,978 square feet of office space with below grade parking shared by both.  Each apartment unit is orientated to face out to common areas and include plenty of green space for recreational activities. 

As the complex is in a mixed zoning area and close to businesses and public transportation, the plan is for residents to walk or rely on public transportation, thereby reducing traffic and greenhouse gas emissions.  Along with the close proximity to a Caltrain Station and SamTrans buses, residents can walk to almost 20 restaurants and coffee shops as well as grocery stores, theaters, hospitals and churches.  

The Park 20 project presented unique challenges for Conco since the Essex-Elkhorn property was sandwiched adjacent to a hospital, day care center and residential housing.  Our crews had to lessen the impact of noise and congestion at the jobsite to the surrounding neighborhood.  To accomplish this, we scheduled large concrete pours on the weekends, and then, only during designated hours.  We also reduced traffic around the site by limiting the number of cement mixers in the area by pumping concrete from one pump to another.

The Conco Companies’ mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in the Western United States and to bring expertise, experience and quality to each project.  We continue to upgrade and expand facilities to better serve the growing market for public works projects, commercial, parking structures, educational, and other construction development. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Source:buildings.com/article-details/articleid/9004/title/the-challenges-and-benefits-of-mixed-use-facilities.aspx

Safety at the Jobsite Includes Following Hot Weather Protocols

The Conco Companies’ entire team works together to ensure that our jobsites are among the safest in the industry and that includes working safe in extreme weather conditions.  We understand the importance of educating our crew so that they aware of and recognize the signs of heat-related illnesses in themselves or in a co-worker  

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments are at risk for heat stress, which can cause heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps or heat rashes.  Heat stroke, the most serious heat-related condition, is very dangerous and can result in death if not treated quickly enough.  In addition very hot temperatures “can increase the risk of injuries in workers as it may result in sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, and dizziness.”   

 

The Concrete Construction magazine recently published a reminder of safety rules that need to be followed on a jobsite during hot and humid weather conditions to keep workers safe.  As temperatures rise, construction companies need to provide workers with plenty of water, rest and shade.  Also if a worker is new to the site or has been away from work for a few weeks, they should be allowed to adapt to the heat by providing them with more frequent breaks.   All workers should wear light-colored, breathable clothing such as cotton.  

 

Symptoms of heat stroke are fainting, seizures, high body temperature, and profuse sweating.  Also as one of the signs of heat stroke is confusion, a person may not be aware of the danger.  Immediate medical attention is required.  While waiting for assistance, get the person out of the heat, loosen clothing and apply ice packs or cold water to the skin. 

 

Although heat exhaustion is less serious than heat stroke, a worker needs water, rest and relief from the heat.  Common symptoms range from a headache to nausea, dizziness, weakness, thirst, and heavy sweating.  

 

The Conco Companies’ mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in the Western United States and to bring expertise, experience and quality to each project.  We continue to upgrade and expand facilities to better serve the growing market for public works projects, commercial, parking structures, educational, and other construction development. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Sources: cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/, concreteconstruction.net/safety/managing-heat-related-illness-in-onstruction_o.aspx?dfpzone=general  

New Research on the Cause of Concrete “Creep”

Recently a group of U.S. scientists put forth a solution for “What makes concrete creep?” that was published in the latest issue of The Journal of Chemical Physics.  To study the problem, researcher used a combination of experimental and theoretical methods. 

 

Typically concrete mixes are made up of water, aggregate (rock, sand, or gravel) and Portland cement.  The curing process starts immediately once the concrete is placed.  To ensure it cures properly, which increases strength and decreases permeability, concrete contractors protect the concrete from loss of moisture by keeping it in a reasonable temperature range.  While it is curing, concrete shrinks, and that can cause cracks. 

 

As the cement paste in the concrete reacts with the water, the pressure or stress on concrete known as “creep” can cause it to slowly deform or change shape.  This generally occurs in the same direction as the force applied on the concrete.  The amount of cement paste and its quality influences creep, however, it does not cause concrete to fail or break apart.

 

Until now the cause of creep has been a mystery.  This new study by researchers from UCLA suggests that they have found the exact mechanisms that cause concrete creep and its “origin is in the calcium–silicate–hydrates (C-S-H) that form once water is added to cement.”  The scientists add that, “It’s all seemingly down to a process called dissolution-precipitation, so-called because the sticky C-S-H compounds dissolve in some areas of the concrete, while they are precipitated (or deposited) in other areas.”

 

Since concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world, a better understanding of creep will give researchers an opportunity to create concrete that minimizes creep.  A more durable concrete is good for the industry as well as the environment.    

 

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Sources:forbes.com/sites/lauriewinkless/2016/08/18/we-finally-understand-what-makes-concrete-creep/#6d25844b78de, scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/jcp/145/5/10.1063/1.4955429

Sophisticated Earthquake Resistant Features on the Wilshire Grand

The Conco Companies are providing the entire cast-in-place concrete for the new Wilshire Grand Center currently under construction in Los Angeles.   As it is the tallest building to be constructed in a “seismic hot zone,” the tower’s structural design had to be put through a series of some of the most technologically advanced earthquake modeling available today. 

 

Designed by architect, David Martin, the Wilshire Grand has large windows on every floor, which required the construction of a concrete core and further complicated the earthquake resistance of the skyscraper.  With a core that is only 33 feet wide along its narrowest side for a building 1,100 feet tall, the geotechnical firm, AMEC, was brought in to reduce the likelihood of damage to the structure from a quake. 

 

AMEC’s task was to create simulated earthquakes that tested the structural integrity of the tower and evaluate “the maximum acceleration — the greatest jolt — that the building could experience.”  They conducted a series of tests and studied damage to structures from past earthquakes in Southern California that were built on similar faults and in comparable soil conditions.  Based on the results of the tests,  engineers redesigned the size and depth of the foundation to resist a much as “13.2 million pounds of force pulling up and 25 million pounds of force pushing down on each of the 20 perimeter columns as the tower swayed during an earthquake.” 

 

When additional testing still simulated some buckling, AMEC’s solution was to add devices called buckling-restrained braces rather than increase the amount of concrete.  These devices are long steel bars encased in a steel box filled with grout that allows the bars to compress or stretch as the building moves.  There are 170 of these devices used in the construction of the new Wilshire Grand Center. 

 

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. and got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. Our offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.

Sources: graphics.latimes.com/wilshire-grand-earthquakes/ - Sources: Leonard Joseph, Thornton Tomasetti; Tammy Jow, Joseph Varholick, Carey McLeod and Noel Moreno, A.C. Martin; Steve Carroll, Schuff Steel; Ian Aiken, SIE Inc.; Nippon Steel Engineering USA; G.G. Schierle, USC School of Architecture; Dave Eichten, Pankow.

Competitive, Cost-efficient Construction Hauling

The Conco Companies offer a broad range of professional concrete solutions including operating our own construction hauling company.  The Reliable Trucking Company brings the same level of professionalism and dependability to construction hauling as we do to all of our other concrete services.  By owning one of the industry’s most modern, up-to-date fleets, we have the capability to provide cost-efficient hauling of cement, aggregates and other construction materials.  Currently our services are available throughout California and Southern Oregon.

 

Furthermore, with our many decades in the industry (Conco was started in 1959), we have established relationships with local material suppliers and dump sites that allow us to offer very competitive freight and material options to meet most any jobsite demands.  Reliable’s fleet consists of pneumatic tankers, bottom dumps, semi-end dumps, ten wheelers, transfers and flat beds.  In some areas, we also offer crane rental services. 

 

In addition we adopt the same philosophy toward safety as Conco’s concrete divisions; all of our drivers possess a CDL and strictly adhere to the regulations put forth by the Department of Transportation (DOT).  In addition Reliable employees participate in weekly training and quarterly safety meetings on driver courtesy, regulatory compliance, accident prevention and management compliance audits.   Please see our website or contact us for more information on Reliable Trucking’s comprehensive services.  

 

Presently Reliable Trucking has job postings across our California locations for Bulk Pneumatic Drivers and Bottom Dump Drivers.  For both positions, we require applicants to possess a Class A license with double/triples endorsement.  Applicants for our bulk pneumatic driver positions must also have tank endorsements.  See our website for all of the job requirements and how to apply.   

 

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Shortage of Concrete Construction Workers Across the Country

The National Ready Mix Concrete Association (NRMCA) reports in their spring issue of Concrete InFocus that the shortage of skilled labor continues to be a problem.  Furthermore, they add that it has become even more evident with the increase in construction projects that will need more construction workers to fill the gap.  In fact the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics cites an average growth of 13 percent or 227,500 additional laborers and helpers that will be needed from 2014 to 2024.  The statistics indicates a faster that average growth than other occupations. 

 

There have been a few steps taken to help attract and train workers to meet the demand but more needs to be done.  For the ready mix industry, there are already some programs in place such as the Fox Valley Technical Institute in Appleton, WI that runs a dedicated cement mixer driver program.  It is open to anyone and not limited to Wisconsin drivers.    

 

In the case of concrete construction workers, there are several programs in the works to address this issue such as one at the Pennsylvania College of Technology.  Currently being developed, the two-year program will culminate in an Associate Degree in Concrete Technology.   According to an instructor, Frank Reber, the Penn Tech program will focus on “practical aspects of concrete construction, with an emphasis on forming, placing and finishing concrete.”   Currently there are two other programs like this in the country, one at Alpena Community College in Alpena, MI and the other at Rhodes State College in Lima, OH. 

 

Another strategy for recruiting concrete construction workers is using media awareness campaigns.  One example is from the Nebraska Concrete and Aggregates Association that put together a series of YouTube videos to reach out to young people who may be interested in working in the industry.  Also unions such as the Cement Masons’ International Association are running ads on TV touting the benefits of a career in concrete construction.  

 

Then there are companies like Conco who are willing to hire and train unexperienced workers such as our posting for “Concrete Boom Pump Operators.”  For more career opportunities from The Conco Companies, please see our website.

 

The Conco Companies are one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We got our start in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and Washington.

Source: nxtbook.com/naylor/NRCQ/NRCQ0116/index.php#/16

Update on the Wilshire Grand Center

For the last couple of years, The Conco Companies have been busy supplying the entire cast-in-place concrete for the Wilshire Grand Center under construction in Downtown Las Angeles.  The project is really moving forward, and in early June, we completed the pour on the last floor of the 73-story tower.  At the end of February, we celebrated another milestone by topping off the 892-feet, 6-in concrete core for the building.   

 

This sizable project included Conco breaking the world record for the largest continuous mat pour that required 21,200 cubic yards of concrete.  In addition we used high strength concrete for the inside of the core walls.  For each of the 73 floors, we used light deck fill concrete.  The project also includes structural deck concrete for below grade walls and columns.  The perimeter walls were done using shotcrete.    

 

Now that the last floor of the tower has been poured, work has begun on the steel and glass crown of the tower.  Eventually the crown or “sail” will has a spire on top that will make the Wilshire Grand tower 1,099-foot high to become the tallest building west of the Mississippi.   The U.S. Bank Tower, which currently holds the title stands at 1,018-feet high.    

 

Iron workers are using steel beams to create the skeleton of the glass sail, which when finished will ensure the tower stands out in the Los Angeles skyline as the majority of buildings are flat-topped.  The design of the Wilshire Grand takes advantage of a relax policy by the Los Angeles Fire Department that had previously required skyscrapers to have flat roofs in order to accommodate a large helipad.  The tower is scheduled to open in March, 2017 and will contain a 900-room InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown hotel along with restaurants, businesses, and nightlife offerings.  

 

The Conco Companies is one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  While we tackle projects both big and small, our experience includes providing the complete concrete package for the Levi’s Stadium along with other notable projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Researchers Develop a New Bendable, Flexible Concrete

As The Conco Companies have always been at the forefront of implementing and developing innovative technologies involving concrete, we were fascinated to learn about a new invention out of Singapore.  Developed by a research team from the NTU-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation Centre (I³C) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore), their new ConFlexPave is “bendable yet stronger and longer lasting than regular concrete which is heavy, brittle and breaks under tension.”

 

Along with being more sustainable than traditional concrete, ConFlexPave’s characteristics allow slim precast pavement slabs to be created that will make installation quicker and require less maintenance.  Chu Jian, the Interim Co-Director of the NTU-JTC I³C, stated that, “We developed a new type of concrete that can greatly reduce the thickness and weight of precast pavement slabs, hence enabling speedy plug-and-play installation, where new concrete slabs prepared off-site can easily replace worn out ones." 

 

Furthermore, the Co-Director of the NTU-JTC I3C, Mr. Koh Chwee, explains that the new concrete will reduce labor intensive on-site work, improve workers’ safety and reduce construction time.  In addition the concrete’s longevity will lessen the need for future road repairs as well as the subsequent inconvenience to those who travel the road. 

 

Researchers describe ConFlexPave as being engineered with certain hard materials that are mixed with polymer microfibers.  The synthetic fibers allow the concrete to flex and bend under tension and also improve its skid resistance features.  Asst. Prof Yang En-Hua from NTU's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, states that the technology’s breakthrough occurred once scientists “understood how the components of the materials interact with one another mechanically on a microscopic level.”  Scheduled to begin shortly, there will be a three-year testing period for ConFlexPave involving both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

 

The Conco Companies are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  While we tackle projects both big and small, our experience includes providing the complete concrete package for the Levi’s Stadium along with other notable projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Source:phys.org/news/2016-08-bendable-concrete-stronger-durable.html