February 8th, 2018 was the 20th Annual Product Expo for the Kansas City chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute. Hundreds of members from across the Midwest gathered at the Kansas City Marriott Hotel to see new technologies, reconnect with colleagues and hear from event speakers Chris Bennett and Rae Taylor, PhD.
Chris Bennett described the benchmarks of creating safe, sustainable architectural exposed structural concrete (AESC) and Rae Taylor provided insight on the chemistry that can make (or break) your concrete applications as well as concrete’s evolution over time. Feedback was well received. By the end of the sessions attendees were more comfortable with specifying concrete as well as understanding the chemical reactions that help create calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H).
Engineering and construction students from Johnson County Community College joined the list of attendees and enjoyed learning enjoyed taking notes on the hypothetical origins of concrete, involving volcanoes, fly ash and sea water as well as more practical information on control joints, material durability and the Aspdin family history of modern Portland cement (named after the grey rocks found on the Isle of Portland near Dorset, England). One student remarked, “I learned quite a bit… how far back concrete has been used, how fast chemical reactions happen and differences among concrete materials.
Architect and specifier Chris Ricke, RA, CSI, CDT had this to say about the sessions, “The presentations had a scientific view of what concrete is, how it works and why we use it. Then we were shown a clear method of how to apply that information in design application. If you haven’t seen these presentations you are missing out.”
ISCS would like to send a very special thanks to everyone that made the event and presentations possible with a special thanks to CSI chapter president Sara Gilliam and her team for making everything so easy and everyone feel so welcomed. See you next year!