Become a Better Construction Manager - Learn About Concrete
What you'll learn
- Describe the difference between concrete and cement
- List the basic components or ingredients needed to make concrete
- Define terms used to describe concrete and its components
- Explain how the concrete industry utilizes industrial by-products to enhance its products and proceses while being more eco-friendly
- Describe the chemical process through which concrete gets hard
- Discuss the various ways that chemical admixtures can be used to alter the properties of concrete
Requirements
- There are no prerequisites for this course and there is not any particular self-study needed before beginning this course. The short introduction section in this course will ensure that everyone understands the fundamentals before continuing with the course.
- If you are new to the construction industry you can download and refer to the Guide to Concrete Terms and Definitions published by the American Concrete Institute. There is a link to download this reference for free in Lecture 4 of this course.
- You will need a software that allows you to view PDF files in order to download the handouts attached to this course.
Description
Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world. Today's construction professional needs to understand how this material works, how it has evolved and how it is made. The course includes discussions on the chemistry behind making concrete, and the evolution of the science behind making concrete. These are things that today's construction professional needs to understand in order to effectively manage today's projects. You will learn the meaning and origins of the terms and processes used in the industry by today's concrete producers and engineers so that you become a more effective and more professional construction pro.
Gain a better understanding of the chemistry behind the Worlds most widely used building material and learn how its production has evolved to produce a more advanced and eco-friendly finished product.
After completing this course you will be able to...
- Describe the difference between concrete and cement
- List the basic components or ingredients needed to make concrete
- Explain how concrete uses industrial by-products
- Discuss how these by-products enhance the properties of concrete
- Describe the chemical process through which concrete gets hard
- Explain how chemical admixtures can be used to alter the properties of concrete
- Define the terms used by designers and producers when they are preparing and reviewing concrete mix designs
Learn from a professional
My courses have been created as a place where everyone, whether you are an experienced professional, a young project engineer, new to a trade or a seasoned journeyman, can come to learn more about the industry that we have chosen as our profession. That's what this platform is about. These courses are meant to be a way for you to increase your knowledge of the construction industry in a variety of cutting edge topics from concrete reinforcing and prestressing, to micro trenching, to safety management systems. These are not meant to be how-to courses. These are meant to be courses that educate you on a construction topic and give you a real understanding of how something works or why its being used. This is also meant to be an unbiased platform that discusses both the advantages and the limitations of the topic being taught.
This course is a great way for you to increase your knowledge about the material science behind the production of concrete.
Who this course is for:
- This course is meant for anyone that has responsibilities as a construction management professional. This course will give you a basic understanding of the chemistry behind the making of modern concrete, and will get you familiar with the terms used by the professionals and experts in the industry. This course is ideal for construction professionals that may not have formal training in concrete or material sciences. This course is also ideal for anyone that is just getting started in the industry, or anyone that wants to go beyond a basic understanding of concrete and move to a level of understanding that will help you communicate with designers, producers and other professionals.
- If you have ever wondered what terms like "pozzolan" or "hydraulic cement" mean, or if you have ever wondered if things like "fly ash" make the concrete better or is just a filler, then this course is definitely for you!
- Do you work with concrete every day, but need a refresher on the terminology, or an update on things like admixtures? This is a great course for your continuing education.
- If you are already have a solid background in material science related to concrete, or if you are someone like an ACI Certified Lab Technician, then this course may not be for you.
Instructor
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 316 Reviews
- 1,853 Students
- 2 Courses
I work in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University. I have been a faculty associate in the construction management program and have taught many undergraduate and graduate courses in that program, including courses in concrete, scheduling, productivity and safety. I am currently the Director of the school's OSHA Training Institute Education Center where I develop, produce and teach many courses in occupational safety and health for construction and general industry.
Prior to joining ASU, I spent many years in the construction industry including roles managing a public works contractor in California, a large concrete contractor in Arizona and I managed a division of one of the largest post-tensioning companies in North America. In between my industry roles and my latest role teaching, I spent some time working for industry associations and acting as a consultant for a large construction union. I learned a lot in these different roles and as I have progressed I have come to realize that our industry has a real need to do a better job disseminating knowledge.
My teaching experience includes the following academic courses taught at Arizona State University:
--CON 100 - Introduction to Construction
--CON 271 - Construction Safety
--CIM 205 - Concrete Construction Methods
--CIM 306 - Concrete Plant Management
--CIM 494 - Reinforcing and Post-Tensioning
--CON 494 - Temporary Structures and Reinforcing Methods
--CON 495 - Planning and Scheduling
--CON 540 - Construction Productivity
I also have a number of published articles and write a regular construction safety collumn for Concrete Construction Magazine.