The ACI Foundation’s Strategic Development Council (SDC) will host its next virtual Technology Forum on August 24-26, 2021. This 50th forum will include technology showcases that highlight new materials, industry research needs and examine collaborative research models that have the potential to advance the industry. Topics include:

Technology Showcases:

• The World's First Concrete Bridges Made with Glass Powder
• Eliminating Pour Strips with the PS=Ø® Mechanical Rebar Splicing System
• Automated Quality Control of Poured & Placed Concrete

Presentations:

A Reliable Measurement & Speciation of Sulfur in Concrete – Over the past decade, significant localized outbreaks of concrete degradation caused by oxidation of the iron sulfide mineral pyrrhotite in concrete aggregates have occurred in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Quebec, Canada, affecting thousands of residential structures. A standardized method for sulfur content in concrete aggregates will aid in the evaluation of future concrete degradation through oxidation of pyrrhotite and other iron sulfide minerals. There are considerable analytical challenges to determining sulfur concentrations of interest and distribution in aggregate sources.  A case study is made for the industry to establish precision and bias data for the most promising test methods.

A Collaborative Research Model – The mission of the Research Center on Concrete Infrastructure (CRIB) is to innovate scientifically and technologically for the purpose of developing high-performing, durable and multipurpose concrete infrastructure with minimal ecological and energy footprints while aiming to achieve a maximum performance/investment ratio. The multidisciplinary team focuses on ideas and projects with a strong commitment to cutting-edge research, training, and technology transfer. Learn how to create an environment that supports collaboration between experts in materials science, structural engineering, and economic analysis for the good of the construction industry.

Case Study: Deconstruction of the Champlain Bridge - Inaugurated in 1962, the Champlain Bridge in Montreal, Canada, carried six lanes of traffic over the St. Lawrence Seaway while the structure rested on massive piers of reinforced concrete. The bridge suffered such premature degradation that despite repeated reinforcements and repairs, it was decommissioned in June 2019 in response to safety concerns. The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), responsible for the deconstruction process, will be following a sustainable approach to managing the complex engineering project that will likely generate 287,000 tons of used aggregate and other materials.

More information about SDC Technology Forum 50 including registration, updates to the agenda, schedule and past agendas is available at acifoundation.org/technology.

SDC collaborates across the concrete industry to address technical challenges within the industry and creates a forum for the introduction and nurturing of new technologies. SDC hosts technology forums twice a year, which are 2.5-day technical conferences that highlight innovative technologies and research the SDC perceives as having positive productivity or economic impacts on the industry.