Rocking the Concrete World: Trends and Connections at the ACI Convention
December 26, 2024
While it’s impossible to take full advantage of the endless opportunities at ACI, Ashraf Hasania and Kevin Quan made the most of their time to learn, connect, and stay on top of current trends at the November 3rd-6th ACI Concrete Convention in Philadelphia.
Kevin represented Cortec® MCI® (an “Admixture” level sponsor) at our booth and had the pleasure of reconnecting with engineers and consultants he works with in the Philly area. He also chatted with visitors from India, Latin America, and the Middle East, including one engineer from Saudi Arabia involved in the Neom project and already familiar with MCI®. Many professors and students stopped by, too, some of whom were new to MCI® and others who had already heard about the technology from working
on research papers that discuss concrete corrosion inhibitors.
Ashraf spent much of his time attending committee meetings: ACI 212 (Chemical Admixtures), ACI 201 (Durability), and the inaugural meeting of ACI 243 (Seawater Concrete). ACI 243 took all day, as several speakers gave extended presentations on topics related to the use of seawater in concrete. Ashraf learned as much as he could to see what role Cortec® might be able to play in the future and realized that much of that depends on whether the industry moves toward the use of metallic reinforcement or other materials.
One topic that repeatedly surfaced in committee meetings was the issue of sustainability. Ashraf noted that the industry is now at a crossroads as they realize that many of the attempts to reduce carbon footprints and lower emissions are shortening the concrete lifespan. Ashraf sees the importance of looking at the bigger picture to choose materials that extend service life, thus reducing carbon emissions in the long run.
In the end, it was great to keep in touch with the people and trends that make up our industry. We look forward to being part of the answer to the questions many are asking as we continue to promote sustainability through better durability and corrosion control in reinforced concrete. Don’t hesitate to reach out for a corrosion solution between now and the next ACI!
Keywords: concrete trends, ACI Convention, Cortec, MCI, concrete admixtures, sustainable construction, seawater concrete, reduce carbon footprint, extend service life, concrete corrosion
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