Nine outstanding projects from across the United States using slag cement were honored at the American Concrete Institute’s Spring Convention in Salt Lake City.
During an educational session on Wed., March 28, the Slag Cement Association (SCA) presented the 2017 Project of the Year Awards. Each project was selected by the SCA’s Technical Marketing Committee because of its exemplary and innovative uses of slag cement in concrete mix design. Nine awards were presented in the following categories: Architectural, Durability, Green Design, High Performance, Innovative Application and Sustainability.
“The SCA’s awards program does a great job of showcasing how versatile slag cement can be, and how it can help create stronger, more durable, and sustainable concrete structures,” said Ed Griffith, SCA president. “These case studies are a great resource for the industry.”
A brief overview of the nine projects are below, with more information, photos and videos on each project available at the SCA website, slagcement.org.
Barrier One Headquarters – Winter Garden, Fla.
Member Company: Lehigh Hanson
Category: Architectural
This building is using 50 percent slag cement in all concrete applications, including foundation, slab-on-grade, paving, sidewalks, casting beds and tilt-up panels. The concrete over-achieved required strength designations and the slag cement also helped contribute to the superior performance of the tilt-up concrete where early lifting strength was required.
I-91 Brattleboro Bridge – Brattleboro, Vt.
Member Company: LafargeHolcim
Category: Durability
Standing 100 ft. above the West River valley, Vermont’s first cast in place segmental concrete bridge carries Interstate 91 over Vermont Rt. 30 and West River. Slag cement was used in mass concrete pours and in ternary mixtures to increase bridge strength, reduce permeability and to improve the workability of the concrete.
Ecole Kenwood French Immersion Elementary School – Columbus, Ohio
Member Company: Votorantim St Marys Cement
Category: Sustainability
More than 20 percent slag cement was used as a portland cement replacement to enhance color and reduce overall concrete costs for this elementary school. Slag cement also helped create a more sustainable building by using recycled, local materials and contributes to the buildings overall durability.
NVIDIA Building – Santa Clara, Calif.
Member Company: Lehigh Hanson
Category: Green Design
With a unique triangular-shaped design, this building was created with a major focus on seismic activity concerns within the Northern California region. Approximately 65 percent of the concrete consists of 20-30 percent slag as a cement replacement. The use of slag cement also helped reduce the building’s environmental impact, resulting in an approximate savings of 6.7 million pounds of carbon emissions.
Panorama Building – Miami
Member Company: Lehigh Hanson
Category: Architectural
This 83-story, mixed-use building uses slag cement in more than 13,000 cu. yd. of mat foundation concrete – all vertical elements – and 50 percent of the elevated decks. The slag cement used in mass concrete allowed for higher strength gains and reduced peak heat of hydration.
Sellwood Bridge – Portland, Ore.
Member Company: Ash Grove Cement Co.
Category: High Performance
Almost 2,000 ft. of concrete pavement, widened lanes, sidewalks and two bike lanes are a part of this bridge replacement project. Slag cement was used at 50 percent replacement of portland cement in mass concrete to lower heat of hydration and had an average strength of more than 6,700 psi in 56 days.
St. Croix Crossing – Oak Park Heights, Minn.
Member Company: Skyway Cement Co.
Category: Innovative Application
After many mix designs were tested, the project team felt slag cement was a must for its beneficial effects on compressive strength, freeze/thaw durability, surface scaling, and rapid chloride permeability. The project included more than 200 mass concrete placements, most including 65-70 percent slag cement.
Tampa Airport Taxiway “J” Bridge Reconstruction – Tampa, Fla.
Member Company: Argos USA
Category: High Performance
The Tampa International Airport recently finished the reconstruction of a 300-foot long by 200-ft. wide taxiway bridge. The bridge was built to regularly support the weight of Boeing 777 and Boeing 747 aircraft and used a mix design with a 30 percent slag cement replacement of cementitious material.
Zurich North America Headquarters – Schaumburg, Ill.
Member Company: LafargeHolcim
Category: Green Design
The architectural character of the almost 800,000-sq.-ft. complex uses an interesting material palette, reinforcing the design team’s commitment to sustainability. The mix designs had slag cement replacement percentages from 18.5 percent to 24.4 percent. Overall, slag compromised approximately 23 percent of the cementitious content in the almost 33,000 yd. of concrete.
