Kyle Turner

02/27/2025

Le Creuset in Early Branch, SC is placing the first slab today. Pad looks great and the team is ready!

02/11/2025

Want to know what kind of foundation is at the bottom of a cell tower. Here it is.

01/27/2025

Snow day in the creates a great opportunity for ACI training. hosts three times per year and the next date falls at the end of January.

Fun Fact: We added some sugar to the mix to increase work time and 4 days later the cylinders were still soft.

01/23/2025

Concrete Washout Areas

I ran across this gem the other day—it gave me a good laugh, but honestly, it might just do the trick if done right!

Here’s how to make any washout setup effective:
☑️ Use lined pits or containers to catch the waste.
☑️ Keep them away from drains and water.
☑️ Check and clean them out regularly—don’t let them overflow!

Concrete washouts protect the environment, help you stay compliant with EPA rules, and make site cleanup way easier and safer for everyone.

01/21/2025

Are you curing concrete cylinders with the WRONG LIME!?!?

Here we take a dive into ASTM C511 to discuss using the correct lime for concrete cylinder curing. Hint: It’s not available at most agricultural box stores such as Tractor Supply.

Should we test the difference in curing with correct lime vs. incorrect lime vs. no lime?

01/20/2025

Le Creuset in Early Branch, SC is coming along nicely! Rock is on the pad and foundation construction will be starting soon!

Terracon


Thomas & Hutton

01/16/2025

Concrete testing edition…

This article blew me away. They made enough concrete testing cylinders for a 100 year study! In 1910, University of Wisconsin–Madison professor Owen Withey initiated a 100-year study to understand concrete’s long-term properties. Over the century, successive UW–Madison engineers tested more than 2,500 concrete samples, providing invaluable insights into the material’s durability and performance. The study concluded in 2010. You can read the full story here.

https://news.wisc.edu/100-year-study-mirrors-u-s-history-of-concrete/

https://buff.ly/4049nTz

100-year study mirrors U.S. history of concrete December 16, 2010 By Renee Meiller Almost since the beginning of recorded history, people have used concrete substances in everything from infrastructure to artwork. In the second century B.C., for example, the Romans combined powdery volcanic ash, lim...

01/14/2025

In a perfect world, every job site would have power, and we’d always have a perfa-cure curing box ready to store cylinders.

But the reality? That’s not always the case. Sometimes, you have to adapt and make the best of what you’ve got. For this project, a cooler and some blankets did the trick to keep the cylinders properly cured.

It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done. At the end of the day, it’s about finding solutions that work, even when the conditions aren’t perfect.

Terracon

01/13/2025

Ever catch yourself giving someone a hard time for something they did, but letting yourself off the hook because you meant well?

It’s wild how often this happens. We judge others by their behavior, but we judge ourselves by our intentions. It’s human nature, but it’s also a blind spot that can hurt relationships, teamwork, and trust.

What if we flipped it? Show a little more grace to others—assuming their intentions were good—and hold ourselves accountable for the impact of our actions, not just what we meant to do.

Easier said than done, right? But it’s a mindset worth practicing, both at work and in life.

Terracon

01/09/2025

I love this quote. It’s a powerful reminder that enthusiasm is contagious, transformative, and foundational to any great achievement. Whether you’re leading a team, building a project, or simply encouraging others, the energy you bring can inspire those around you to reach new heights.

In our work, especially in fields like construction or engineering, it’s easy to focus solely on the technical side of things. But often, it’s the passion we bring to our craft that truly sets us apart and creates extraordinary results.

Your energy impacts the people around you.

Terracon

01/08/2025

Reusable Concrete Cylinder Molds?

Our friends at Myers Associates, Inc. sent us these prototype reusable cylinder molds to test out! While they may or may not come to market, it’s exciting to see sustainable innovations being explored in our industry. Every step toward the reducing waste counts. Here are my first impressions.

Would you use them?

Terracon

01/07/2025

Statistics say approximately 80% of the population will have a back injury during their lifetime.

Ever lifted a full 5-gallon bucket of soil? If you have, you know it’s no joke—it can easily weigh over 60 pounds! After doing that a few times, your back definitely feels it.

That’s why I’ve been thinking: why not switch to 3-gallon buckets for soil sampling? They’re way easier to handle, reduce the strain on your back, and still get the job done. It’s a simple change that could save a lot of wear and tear over time.

So we did it…

Sometimes, it’s the small adjustments that make the biggest difference. What other tricks have you picked up in the field to make the job safer or easier?