The $21-million three-story, four-building residential complex in Palm Springs, Fla., built by Tom Murphy, Jr., and his company, Miami-based Renco USA, hardly appears unusual from the outside.
Structural materials have not changed all that much since reinforced concrete was introduced to construction in the late 19th century, but a fiber-reinforced, mineral composite system from a Florida company offers a new alternative.
Fiber-reinforced polymer composites, high-performance concrete and other innovative materials and technologies appear to be fulfilling their promise to reduce infrastructure maintenance and life-cycle costs, and cut construction time, according to a recently released Transportation Research Board consensus study.
Code Requirements for Assessment, Repair and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures addresses spot fixes that might be needed after a structure has been in service.
Following the merger of two cement giants, customers in New Zealand are unlikely to feel much of a change, but onshore jobs will disappear as product sourcing moves to Japan.
The world’s number two cement maker is making steady strides in closing a €3.7 billion deal in a consolidating building materials market. It’s also doing some interesting tinkering in the Caucasus and West Bank.
HeidelbergCement is turning its eyes to Washington in anticipation of an antitrust ruling, perhaps in as soon as two weeks, which is the German-based building materials giant’s next big hurdle in its ongoing effort to acquire Italcementi.