Pittsburgh District: Research takes regular ‘Conk Creet’ to
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District used a concrete batch plant with a conveyor belt system to construct a navigation lock at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 4 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. The plant could produce 165 yards of concrete per hour, surpassing the industry standard of 150 yards per hour needed for the lock. Construction of the plant began in October 2005 and completed in June 2006. Pittsburgh District geotechnical and concrete material engineers team have worked with the Engineer Research & Development Center to develop a concrete method intended for cold-weather pouring and curing. The cold weather concrete technique is known as Additive Regulated Concrete for Thermally Extreme Conditions (ARCTEC). ARCTEC is a concept where concrete is self thermally regulating in extreme temperatures such as hot summers and frigid winters. The technology allows contractors to pour concrete in temperatures between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which they would not be able to achieve unless they took additional costly and time-consuming precautions. The Pittsburgh District plans on assembling a concrete batch plant for the construction of a new lock at the Montgomery Locks and Dam on the Ohio River which may incorporate ARCTEC mixtures during winter months. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)