Concrete practitioners and professionals in Minnesota and Iowa recently had two opportunities to see how the new concrete test methods that are part of the Performance Engineered Mixtures (PEM) initiative will work for them. The PEM program—a joint industry/government effort—centers on measuring and controlling the concrete mixture in tandem with engineering properties that actually relate to performance. The CP Tech Center helped host two Midwestern demonstrations highlighting the PEM initiative’s progress.
The two locations for the opportunity to learn about the uses of new PEM tests: Minnesota Open House: July 18—I-35 paving project in Forest Lake in Washington County
Iowa Open House: August 1—US 20 paving project in Ida and Sac counties
The Federal Highway Administration’s Mobile Concrete Trailer (MCT) was present at both events to demonstrate PEM techniques in design and construction. The days’ programs included presentations on state agency and industry perspectives on PEM.
The MCT displays introduced agency and industry personnel to the state-of-the-art concrete technology in materials selection, mixture design, field and laboratory testing, and pavement evaluation. It featured new test methods related to the PEM initiative and other innovative tests related to concrete materials and construction that are relevant to field performance. Demonstrations and interaction for PEM test methods provided by the MCT included:
- Super Air Meter (SAM)
- Surface Resistivity
- Box Test
- V-Kelly
For the ISCP July 2018 article titled, “Did You Know It Is Easy for Contractors to Borrow FHWA’s Mobile Concrete Trailer & Testing Equipment?”, please go to: https://www.concretepavements.org/2018/07/17/did-you-know-it-is-easy-for-contractors-to-borrow-fhwas-mobile-concrete-trailer-testing-equipment/
For the ISCP April 2018 article titled, “CP Tech Works with PEM program: Delivering Concrete to Survive the Environment”, please go to: https://www.concretepavements.org/2018/04/30/cp-tech-works-with-pem-program-delivering-concrete-to-survive-the-environment/
For more ISCP article on the PEM Program, please go to: https://www.concretepavements.org/?s=PEM
Home photo created from images: http://www.virginiadot.org/VDOT/Business/asset_upload_file806_3638.pdf