Concrete Pumps Available Along the West Coast

The Conco Companies have owned and operated one of the largest concrete pumping companies in the United States for over 40 years.  To remain a leader, we continue to invest in new concrete pumps to provide customers one of the most modern, state-of-the-art operations on the West Coast.   

Get a Great Deal on Used Concrete Pumps

As one of the nation’s foremost commercial concrete contractors, The Conco Companies also own and operate a very large concrete pumping and belting company. This means we have the personnel as well as an impressive fleet of state-of-the-art concrete pumps and ancillary equipment to handle virtually any project regardless of the size or challenges.  

Impressive Concrete Structures in the United States

Concrete has been used as a building material for centuries. From early ancient structures, such as the Pantheon and Coliseum, to modern day masterpieces concrete is the material of choice for durable, affordable, and versatile construction. While the world is filled with impressive concrete structures, some of the world’s most stunning structures can be found right here in the United States. Here are five that we think are pinnacles of modern concrete construction.

Grand Coulee Dam, Washington State 

Boasting over 47 billion pounds of concrete, the Grand Coulee Dam is one of the largest concrete structures in the world. With that much concrete, you could build a highway from Seattle to Miami!

The Pentagon, Washington DC  

Much of the concrete filler for the Pentagon project was dredged from the grounds of the project and the Potomac River. In the end, the project used over one billion pounds of concrete.

The Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas

In 1999, the Venetian Hotel project captured the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous concrete pour at 21,000 cubic yards.

Wilshire Grand, Los Angeles

In February 2014, The Conco Companies conquered the Venetian Hotel’s continuous concrete pour world record of 21,000 cubic yards by 200 cubic yards on the Wilshire Grand project in Los Angeles. The 82 million pounds of concrete and was poured in just 18½ hours.

Trump Tower International Hotel and Tower, Chicago

The Trump Tower in Chicago, IL, completed in 2009, is the world’s tallest concrete-reinforced building. Weighing in at an impressive 720 million pounds of concrete, case studies have been dedicated to this incredible architectural feat.

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:constructionchat.co.uk/articles/heaviest-concrete-structures-in-the-world/, chicagotribune.com/2008-08-18/news/0808170445_1_trump-tower-concrete-trump-international-hotel

Get Expert Pumping Services for Your Next Project

As leading commercial concrete contractors for close to 60 years, The Conco Companies deliver to each project a level of unsurpassed expertise.  Our vast scope of services allows us to offer clients concrete solutions that consistently meet deadlines and remain on budget.  Services include quality concrete design, formwork, reinforcement, finishing, shotcrete and construction hauling.  In addition Conco has owned and operated one of the largest concrete pumping companies in the United States for more than 40 years.

Take a look at our website to see some of the outstanding examples of our range of pumping services.  We are extremely proud of our accomplishment of breaking the world record for the largest continuous mat pour on the Wilshire Grand Center that is under construction in L.A.  The massive mat pour required a fleet of 208 trucks that each made 10 to 14 concrete drops for a total of 2,100 trips over the duration of the 18 ½ hour pour that created the nearly 20 foot thick mat foundation.  Additionally fifteen boom pumps, two high-pressure stationary pumps, two placing booms, and more than 2,500 feet of pipe operated throughout the pour to get the concrete to the foundation. 

Our portfolio also includes successfully dealing with challenging project requirements such as a small footprint with minimal lay-down area and a quick timeline.  We were tasked with a five-day form cycle that required constant communication and coordination with all trades on site. As such, Conco utilized a perimeter protection system and perimeter netting system to ensure the aggressive schedule was met without jeopardizing the workplace. 

Another example of our willingness to improve efficiency is when we helped to design and purchase two brand-new Schwing M36/31 concrete pumps. These remarkable pumps give us the ability to lift long tremmies into caissons without the need for a crane assist, and the compact roll and fold design of the boom does not interfere with typical drilling operations.

The Conco Companies are the foremost supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. We have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience.  Conco’s concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development along with public works projects.

The Salesforce Tower Utilizes a “Performance-based Seismic Design”

Just as the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles is being constructed in an earthquake zone so is the Salesforce Tower in downtown San Francisco.  And like the Wilshire Grand, the Salesforce Tower will be constructed to withstand the strongest earthquakes known to the area.  

The architectural captivating Salesforce Tower will be more than 200 feet taller than the city’s current highest skyscraper, the Transamerica Pyramid, which opened in 1972.   Designed by the world renowned architect, César Pelli, the Tower will be constructed using highly technical “performance-based seismic design.”  Even though the Tower sits on an area that used to be a landfill, architect Pelli is quoted as saying, “Towers are inherently safer in earthquakes than low buildings.”  He added, “If you know an earthquake is coming run to the tallest building you can find.”

Approved in 2008, the city’s performance-based seismic design is stricter than the state of California’s code.  It gives engineers and architects an opportunity to use computer simulations and technical modeling to evaluate a building’s capacity to withstand an earthquake.  The SFGate reports that the “main structural advantage is that this allows towers to be built without horizontal beams - known as moment frames - on the outer edge of each floor. Instead, seismic strength is concentrated within the vertical core of the structure.”

Structural engineered by the Seattle firm, Magnusson Klemencic Associates, the Salesforce Tower will contain no moment frame to thicken the exteriors of the 61-story building. Magnusson Klemencic state that the “structural solution was developed using a ‘performance-based seismic design’ approach, a cutting-edge methodology pioneered by MKA to improve performance of high-rise buildings in areas with high earthquake activity.”  The Tower was put through a series of 22 computer simulation tremblors that were modeled on real earthquakes that had occurred in the Bay Area.   It passed them all including the simulation of the 1906 earthquake that was estimated to be in the 7.6 range.  

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S.  We 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. We have four regional offices serving California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.

Sources: ft.com/cms/s/2/a24c4df4-0818-11e4-9afc-00144feab7de.html

sfgate.com/bayarea/place/article/How-safe-are-rising-S-F-towers-in-wake-of-Napa-5714511.php

What is Building Information Modeling?

According to the National Institute of Building Sciences’ National BIM Standard Committee, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is defined as, “a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility.   BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition.”*

The concept behind BIM is to have an integrated digital file that is created or gathered on a structure that contains coordinated, reliable information about the project from design and construction through to operations.  While the information may be proprietary, it can be shared with others who are responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining similar facilities.  BIM in itself is not propriety software but a standardized format used for storing digital files.  Although the term dates back earlier, it was widely introduced into the industry when Autodesk, a company that specializes in 3D design and engineering software, published a white paper on “Building Information Modeling” in 2002.

Wikipedia states that BIM is more than 3D visualization, but also “covers spatial relationships, light analysis, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components (for example, manufacturers' details).”  As such, BIM is a tool for not only architects but also for engineers and contractors as it helps to connect design, analysis, and documentation together.  In the early design stages, it aids in increasing performance and efficiency of a structure and allows changes to be made that are less costly than further along in the construction process. 

Since creating the BIM on a project starts from the earliest planning stages to completion of the facility, it is a time-consuming job and an expert may be brought in to manage the task.  This person is in charge of coordinating all of the processes and information that takes place throughout construction to fully represent a horizontally integrated building.

1.     http://academics.triton.edu/faculty/fheitzman/NBIMSv1_ConsolidatedBody_11Mar07_4.pdf

2.     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_information_modeling

Conco is a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States. We have built our reputation in the Los Angeles area with superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience.  Our concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.

Since Conco is hard at work on the Wilshire Grand Center in L.A., which will be the tallest skyscraper in the U.S. west of the Mississippi, we thought it only fitting to do a blog series on “super tall buildings.”  Keep in mind that skyscrapers are ranked by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and they use set criteria to designate the official height for each building.  According to the Council, “measurements are from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building.  This includes spires, but does not include antennae, signage, flagpoles or other functional-technical equipment.”  

For the new blog post in our series on tallest buildings in the world, we come to the fourth one, which is right here in the U.S.  The ultra-modern One World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan was designed by the renowned architect David Childs, of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP.  The building has received the designation as the tallest building in the U.S. and the fourth tallest in the world after some controversy regarding its height.  Recently the CTBUH declared that the mast on top of the building is a spire since it is a permanent part of the skyscraper’s architecture, which means the One World Trade Center is officially 1,776 ft. tall. 

The skyscraper is built with safety in mind as well as sustainability and has received LEEDS Gold certification.  According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who own the building, “Its structure is designed around a strong, redundant steel frame, consisting of beams and columns. Paired with a concrete-core shear wall the redundant steel frame lends substantial rigidity and redundancy to the overall building structure while providing column-free interior spans for maximum flexibility.”  The One World Trade Center is expected to open later this year.  

Conco is a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States and is once again involved in doing concrete work for a major landmark project. The new Wilshire Grand Center will reshape the Los Angeles skyline as the tallest building west of the Mississippi.  As a part of the project, Conco successfully poured the largest continuous mat foundation ever done in the U.S. on February 15, 2014.

 

How is Concrete Recycled?

Concrete is used in many countless applications and is the most widely used man-made material in the world.  Even after the many decades it serves as a building or as a part of a highway, the concrete is easily recycled. 

In the past, concrete was not reused and was just taken to landfills for disposal which was wasteful and took up space.  Now concrete is routinely recycled and the aggregate that is produced is used to create new concrete or for a multitude of other purposes. 

Once a building is demolished, crews prepare the concrete by removing as many contaminates as possible such as roofing, trash, wood, and other materials.  The care that is taken at the site helps to ensure how good the product will be down the road and recycling facilities will not accept concrete that has not been reasonably cleaned.    

The reinforced steel (rebar) in the concrete is removed at the recycling site.  Huge magnets are used to attract and identify the steel for removal.  After removal, that too is targeted for recycling and sent to facilities that specialize in steel materials. 

At the recycling plant, the concrete goes through several steps that involve crushing, pre-sizing, sorting, screening and further elimination of contaminants.  It is cleaned by a water method to get rid of dirt and other remaining materials.  Especially important is getting rid of things like asphalt, sealant, chlorides and gypsum.  

There is also a market for used concrete that has not processed and screened as carefully. This aggregate can be used for fill, drainage, or as sub-base gravel before asphalt or new concrete is poured.

Conco is a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States. We have built our reputation in the Los Angeles area with superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. 

Why Concrete Makes Such a Good Building Material

Why Concrete Makes Such a Good Building Material

Concrete is an enormously important resource to the construction industry and the infrastructure of our country.  There are many reasons why building with concrete is such a great idea.  It is one of the most durable materials available and will last for decades, especially when you compared it to wood, asphalt or other materials.  Since concrete is extremely fire resistant, it is also a much safer material to use.

Another factor to consider of why concrete is such an excellence building material is that it is produced locally here in the U.S.  It is estimated that the concrete industry provides over two million jobs to Americans.  Furthermore, the concrete used for a project is generally produced somewhere near to the construction project, which cuts down on transportation and energy cost.  The Portland Cement Association (PCA) sites the regional nature of the cement industry and that nearly 98% of U.S. cement is shipped to customers by truck with the rest by barge or train.

Even after several decades of use, concrete can be recycled into an aggregate that has a hundred or more different uses.  The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) points out the fact that concrete is “green” as it does not have any toxic runoff as asphalt does and is produced locally from abundant local sources.  Thus the mere sustainability of concrete makes it a good choice both environmentally and economically.

The newer high-strength concrete can save a project time and labor cost with earlier form stripping times and less post-tensioning required in floors.  This also results in columns with less rebar congestions.   

To fully appreciate the significance of concrete, you need to know that concrete is the single most widely used man-made material in the world.  It is used to construct the skyline in cities and to build highways, schools, hospitals, factories, entertainment venues and public work projects.  

One of the properties of concrete is that of a natural insulator.  The thermal mass of a concrete wall acts as an efficient insulator in commercial and residential structures that helps to save on heating and cooling expenses.  The concrete forms an integral wall that is exceedingly airtight and solid without allowing any cracks that cause air leaks.  The largest percent of energy lost in a wood structure comes from air leaks.

Concrete buildings offer year-round benefits by allowing the concrete to absorb energy slowly and hold on to it for a much longer period of time than less massive building material.  This both delays and reduces heat transfers, which slows down the temperature fluctuations in a thermal mass building.  Today, modern concrete walls utilize both external insulation and thermal mass to form an energy-efficient structure with fewer spikes in heating and cooling demands.

Some construction is done using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) that are hollow forms or molds with built-in insulation made of foam or rastra filled with reinforced concrete.  Studies have shown that residential buildings constructed with ICF can provide energy savings of over 20% when compared to the same size wood-framed home in a cold climate.  Structures build using ICF are very quiet, safe buildings that can be outfitted with smaller heating and cooling units, which again saves money.

Conco is a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States.  As one of the leading commercial concrete contractors in the San Jose area, we have been involved with large-scale projects in the area including the Mineta Airport.  We have built our reputation in the Los Angeles area with superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience.   Our concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects and highways.