Topic
Concrete
Concrete pump market gaining ground as cities grow upward, contractors see time and safety benefits
August 26, 2019 by David KennedyCities across North America are on an upward trajectory, literally, as more and more mid- and high-rise developments take root to accommodate an increasing number of people moving to urban centres. As skylines in places such as Toronto, Seattle, Montreal,…
Getting on track: Urban transit projects roar to life, creating opportunity for Canada’s construction sector
August 21, 2019 Jillian MorganWorking in tandem along a stretch of highway in Montreal, a pair of launching gantry cranes hoist 50-ton concrete segments into the air off flatbeds below. The gantries slide the prefabricated segments into place, steadily forming a single 30-metre span…
Adding to the mix: Using admixtures to get your concrete to do what you want it to
August 19, 2019 David KennedyLooking up at the coffered dome of the Roman Pantheon, several thousand tonnes of ancient concrete overhead, the majesty of the nearly 2,000-year-old temple is lost on few. The building’s dome, still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world,…
Drilling down: Concrete cutting and coring equipment advances on the job site
August 13, 2019 Jillian MorganScarcely any structure can be built without concrete, leaving no shortage of work for the crews that cut, core and demolish the ubiquitous building material on a diversity of job sites. The labour-intensive process is necessary to deliver most projects,…
Shotcrete firm fined after worker killed falling into hopper on Toronto job site
July 10, 2019 On-Site StaffTORONTO—A British Columbia-based shotcrete service company is facing a $130,000 fine for an incident that left one worker dead on a Toronto condo construction site in January 2017. While there were no eyewitnesses to the incident in the city’s Beaches…
Taking shape: 3D printing revolution on the horizon
April 24, 2019 Jillian MorganAt Sika AG’s research facility in Widen, Switzerland, the nozzle of a 3D printer pumps out billowy concrete at one metre per second. The material cures almost instantly, just in time for the machine’s printing arm to deposit the next…
On the Perimeter: Major Winnipeg project brings concrete solution to longstanding bottleneck
April 23, 2019 David KennedyInfrastructure rarely ages gracefully. When there isn’t much elegance to the original design, 20 or 30 years can be particularly cruel. The junction of a pair of provincial trunk highways northeast of Winnipeg was just such a case. For years,…
Toronto compromises on changes to noise bylaw that threatened construction
April 18, 2019 by David KennedyTORONTO—Continuous concrete pours and heavy crane work will continue to be permitted overnight throughout Toronto, but will be subject to new restrictions following a vote at city hall April 17. The change represents a compromise between councillors pushing for a…
Mississauga, Ont. kicks off road construction season as it paves way for major LRT job
April 18, 2019 by David KennedyMISSISSAUGA, Ont.—More than 30 new and continuing road construction jobs are on the books this year in Ontario’s third largest city as Mississauga construction crews and commuters brace themselves for years of work on the Hurontario Light Rail Transit project.…
Wood construction renaissance may not be quite all it’s built up to be, report says
April 4, 2019 On-Site StaffWINNIPEG—Sustainability has taken on an increasingly important role in Canadian construction in recent years. The energy-intensive processes required to manufacture concrete and steel have, at least in part, propelled another age-old building material back to the fore. In numerous projects…
Sika to buy Ontario-based concrete maker King Packaged Materials
March 7, 2019 by David KennedyOAKVILLE, Ont.—Sika AG is making a major move into the Canadian concrete market. The Switzerland-based chemical company and building materials supplier said March 7 that it has agreed to buy Oakville, Ont.’s King Packaged Materials Co. for an undisclosed price.…
Wirtgen introduces new 3D control system for slipform pavers that make string lines obsolete
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffAmong a range of new products, Wirtgen introduced a new 3D control system at the Las Vegas show that make setting up string lines unnecessary. Designed for slipform pavers, AutoPilot 2.0 can produce any kind of offset and inset profiles…
Topcon launches new workflow bundle to help operators refine concrete floors
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffShining the spotlight on technology, Topcon introduced a new workflow bundle this January. Designed to reduce costs by modernizing concrete floor flatness and levelness applications, operators can find mistakes in near real-time, while project teams can easily visualize different elevations…
Putzmeister introduces new series of pickup-mounted pumps
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffConcrete pump maker Putzmeister introduced a new series of pickup-mounted pumps. It showed off the VSP 70 – a Thom-Katt TK 70 mounted on a Dodge Ram 5500 chassis – that features a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,845 kilograms…
Mack brings mDRIVE AMT to cabover pumpers
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffThe mDRIVE is coming to cabover pumpers. Following the World of Concrete announcement, Mack’s versatile 13- and 14-speed automated manual transmission will be available in the company’s TerraPro concrete pumper models. The AMT delivers improved performance and durability to maximize…
Ligchine aims to modernize high-rise upper deck work with new SpiderScreed
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffIntroducing a compact, lightweight and manoeuvrable screeding machine at World of Concrete, Ligchine is looking to take high-rise upper deck work to the next level. The drive-in SpiderScreed offers an industry-best power to weight ratio of 25-kilograms per horsepower and…
Husqvarna introduces new lightweight, battery-powered power cutter
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffInjecting some lithium-ion into a new power cutter at this year’s show, Husqvarna gave attendees a look at its new K 535i. With low vibration, user-friendly ergonomics and side-placed battery, the lightweight cutter requires little maintenance. It can be used…
Gomaco’s new Xtreme GT-3600 improves tight radius paving, accuracy
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffDisplayed on a show floor for the first time, Gomaco’s new Xtreme GT-3600 curb and gutter machine builds on the success of its predecessor, the GT-3600. The Xtreme package improves tight radius paving, adds G+ radius software with slew drives…
Brokk launches new lineup of hydraulic breakers ranging from 500to 700-kilograms
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffRemote-controlled demolition machine maker Brokk brought a new lineup of hydraulic breakers to this year’s show. The Brokk Hydraulic Breaker series includes eight models, ranging from the 50-kilogram BHB 55 to the 700-kilogram BHB 705. With bodies machined from a…
Bosch introduced new rotary hammer for heavy-duty concrete applications
February 27, 2019 On-Site StaffFor heavy-duty concrete drilling, Bosch has introduced its GBH18V-36C SDS-max 18V 1-3/8 In. Rotary Hammer. Strong enough to take of tough jobs, the hammer weighs less than 15 pounds and delivers 5.5-ft.-lb. of impact energy. The hammer includes an interface…