In today’s concrete industry, while we are fortunate to have options, the wide variety can also create a paradox of choice: With dozens of commercially available fiber types and countless variations, how do you choose the right fiber for your application, performance requirements, and project goals?
European Shotcrete Tech: An Overview of Permanent Shotcrete Lining Codes and Standards from Different Jurisdictions
This article examines the range of codes and standards applicable to the design of permanent shotcrete (sprayed concrete) linings, for underground construction. The relevance of these codes and standards to the designer will be dictated to some degree by the location of the project. There is no single approach to the design of such linings…
Shotcrete Doesn’t Have Cold Joints
A typical question on projects using shotcrete placement is, “How do you deal with cold joints when shotcrete placement is interrupted?” The brief answer is that we don’t have cold joints — when we properly prepare the joint…
Sculpted Shotcrete Solution Supports Retail Redevelopment in Maryland
The redevelopment of a former Sears building in Hagerstown, Maryland presented an unusual stabilization challenge: Engineers had determined that the building’s exterior wall had effectively become a retaining structure, supporting the roadway above it…
Advances in Silicate Accelerators for Shotcrete
Sodium silicate has long history of use in construction and geotechnical applications due to its versatility and reliable performance. In shotcrete placement, sodium silicate solutions were widely used as…
Automated Shotcrete Application in Tunnelling
The tunnelling industry has again been working toward the automation of shotcrete application for some years now, after research and development stalled around 2005. Robots had been developed with the capability of…
Buddha Statue
… then I got a call from a local Buddhist monastery: They asked if our company would build them a 110 ft (34 m) tall concrete statue of the Buddha. It would be the tallest statue of Buddha in the Western Hemisphere. How could I say no? I forgot all about retirement…
Fire-Spalling Resistant Dry-Mix Shotcrete: For the Rehabilitation of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel
Since 1967, the bridge-tunnel Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine has been one of the most critical transportation arteries for one of Canada’s busiest cities. Located in Montreal, Quebec, this unique structure combines…
Shotcrete Placement in a Constrained Corridor: Execution Strategies from the I-17 Flex Lanes Project
On large infrastructure projects, shotcrete placement is rarely defined by design drawings alone. Instead, production is dictated by access, logistics, terrain, and the ability of field crews to adapt in real time….
The Art of Coastal Resilience: Shotcrete REstoration at the Geraldine R. Dodge Estate
This article details the technical restoration of a historic seawall in Rockport, Maine, designed to withstand intense Atlantic wave action. The project showcases how modern engineering can preserve coastal history while enhancing structural integrity.