Kent Beecham named 2018 Construction Intern of the Year
March 4, 2019—Construction software developer HCSS celebrated the close of its annual Construction Intern Awards program by presenting Kent Beecham a $10,000 Intern of the Year scholarship check at HCSS’s Users Group Meeting. The fourth-annual Construction Intern Awards presented by HCSS also featured three $4,000 scholarship finalists, 12 weekly $2,000 scholarships and a special Fourth of July $4,000 scholarship. The program was open to students enrolled in a construction-related internship lasting at least two months during the January 2017–August 2018 school year. Beecham has a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and is currently working toward receiving his Master of Business Administration at California Polytechnic State University—San Luis Obispo. He interned with general engineering contractor, John Madonna Construction, San Luis Obispo, Calif., as an operating engineer on the Highway 1 landslide project in Big Sur. He was a dozer-excavator operator.
Hitachi introduces factory-integrated Grade Guidance
Feb. 28, 2019—Hitachi is taking efficiency to a new level with Hitachi Grade Guidance, integrated and developed in cooperation with Topcon. Leveraging the latest components and technologies, Grade Guidance is a “one-stop shop” solution that helps complete precision-excavation more efficiently. The new option is now available on the ZX210-6, ZX210LC-6 and ZX350LC-6, and will be offered on additional Dash-6 models in the future. From trenching and shaping ditches and slopes to digging foundations, Grade Guidance helps increase efficiency on a variety of projects. The real-time display of distance-to-grade reduces time to final grade, so jobs can be completed quickly. A real-time grade indicator also allows for grade management without leaving the cab, and reduces the need for a grade checker or grade stakes. Supported by Hitachi’s reliable dealer network, Grade Guidance is installed and calibrated at the factory, so it arrives on jobsites ready to work. Full integration into the machine’s cab and structures helps shield key components such as wire harnesses and sensors from damage while also providing effortless control with conveniently placed joysticks to enable easy fingertip control.
Redi-Rock International announces winners of the 2018 Rocky Awards
Feb. 26, 2019—Redi-Rock International is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 Rocky Awards. Redi-Rock presented the awards during their annual Producer Meeting. The Rocky Awards honor the best Redi-Rock walls annually. Many Redi-Rock manufacturers across the world competed for these prestigious awards. Signature Stone of Greeley, Colo., won the Transportation Project of the Year award for the Deer Creek Crossing Bridge project. Growing demand for water from farmers in northeast Colorado spawned the need to build an improved reservoir perimeter road, and Signature Stone had the perfect solution for a necessary bridge. Engineers used Redi-Rock Positive Connection (PC) blocks to build the bridge abutment walls up to 18 ft. Freestanding walls and caps topped off the project, while the Ledgestone texture complemented the nearby Colorado mountain range. Materials Inc./Buildology of Albuquerque, N.M., won the Community Impact Project of the Year award for the Mogollon Road Restoration project. In 2013, Mogollon, N.M., suffered severe flooding that destroyed the only access road to the historic community. To protect the newly repaired roadway, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) needed drainage solutions that worked within tight space limitations. Project engineers found the perfect solution in Materials Inc./Buildology and Redi-Rock. The completed project combined over 3,000 Redi-Rock Positive Connection (PC) and Gravity blocks, reaching 16.5 ft.
Hycrete approved as Type S admixture by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
Feb. 20, 2019—Hycrete Inc., a leader in waterproofing and corrosion protection technologies for concrete, is proud to announce that it has been approved for use as a Type S admixture under AASHTO’s guidelines for Chemical Admixtures for Concrete. Hycrete’s X1002 met or exceeded all requirements and has been fully approved by AASHTO for use on bridge decks and roadway infrastructure. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is comprised of members from all 50 state Departments of Transportation. As the standards setting body for building design and construction on all highway, air, rail, water and public transportation infrastructure in the U.S., AASHTO publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines used for transportation projects. As part of its approval, Hycrete X1002 was tested against control mixtures to ensure that the Hycrete treated samples could meet the requirements of AASHTO M194 and Table 1 of ASTM C494. Through three rounds of testing, Hycrete treated concrete exceeded the standards of compressive and flexural strength against the control.
