Attend the 2024 Technology Forum

There is still time to join us at the ACI Foundation’s annual Technology Forum. Hosted by the Concrete Innovation Council (CIC), the 2024 Technology Forum will take place May 14-16, 2024, at the Hilton in the historic plaza in Santa Fe, NM, USA. Highlighting innovations, the event focuses on education and networking for all members of the concrete industry.

Marc Jolin, the 2024 ACI Foundation Jean-Claude Roumain Innovation in Concrete awardee, will present recent research to develop new sensors to monitor the workability of fresh concrete. He will also highlight longer-term research objectives that explore the use of onboard sensor technology related to improving concrete quality and reducing waste and costs. The presentation will discuss the challenges to the adoption and use of such technologies in the concrete industry.

A Wednesday afternoon segment will explore the current landscape for low-carbon concrete materials. Dean Frank, Executive Director for NEU: An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete, will present a high-level summary of the state of low-carbon technology offerings based on a recent industry survey. Following the overview, representatives will provide snapshot presentations (15 minutes) of specific offerings from companies such as Carbon Limit, Fortera, and C-Crete Technologies, followed by a Q&A with forum attendees. This portion of the agenda will conclude with a presentation from Matthew Adams, FACI, on innovative solutions for the adoption of low-carbon concrete and a review of the objectives of a newly created Low-Carbon Concrete code.

Learn about several nondestructive test methods that have been developed to measure relevant transport properties of concrete related to durability from our international speaker and industry veteran, Roberto Juan Torrent. Torrent will highlight a test method he has developed to measure the coefficient of air permeability of concrete, which has been standardized in Switzerland, Japan, and Argentina. The method provides a way to assess the durability of concrete mixture designs in place as well as the possibility of compensating for it.

Interested in innovations in structural design and on-site performance? Come hear Walter Eggers, Chief Bridge Engineer, Kiewit Engineering Group Inc., discuss innovations used in the structural design of SoFi Stadium. Or hear Cary Kopczynski, ACI Past President and CEO and Senior Principal at CKC Structural Engineers, highlight innovations related to design and construction productivity.

Our Technology Forums are attended by representatives from material suppliers, architecture and engineering firms, contractors, academia, executive leadership, and government and regulatory agencies. You will learn from industry experts about current trends, emerging technologies, and new product innovations while building strategic relationships and expanding your network. Online registration is available at www.acifoundation.org/technology/forums. We hope you consider joining us in Santa Fe. 

Donor Spotlight: David Lange

David Lange, FACI, has been advancing the state of the art with ACI for over 35 years. First introduced to ACI as a student researcher while at Northwestern University, he has since served as ACI President (2018-2019) and donated his time and expertise to multiple ACI materials, technical committees, and the ACI Foundation Board of Trustees and its Development Committee.

“ACI fulfills an essential role in the concrete construction industry by maintaining standards, guides, and codes, and providing education opportunities. That is why ACI members are willing to volunteer their time to the ACI mission and invest resources in the ACI Foundation. If ACI is to be ‘always advancing,’ we need an effective ACI Foundation to encourage the next generation of professionals,” Lange said.

Lange has helped to advance the concrete industry through his 32-year tenure as a Professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign until his retirement in 2020. He now works as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and continues his involvement with ACI and the ACI Foundation.

“I believe most ACI members would consider their career to be one of service; they find reward in advancing construction, making life better for our community, and, quite literally, building the world,” he said.

For Lange and his wife, Risë, continuing a career of service also means giving where they have an impact.

“The best way to improve the industry is to invest in education. The ACI Foundation effectively mobilizes resources in the form of scholarships, fellowships, and research grants. They provide students and researchers with financial investments and contribute to the legacy of key industry players. Donating to the ACI Foundation is a way to give back to the industry and affirm ACI’s position as the most important organization in concrete.”

Lange and Risë believe that individuals act out of very sincere motivation when giving to the ACI Foundation, and that donating is truly an act of service; their contributions have helped establish and fund several awards over the years.

“The ACI Foundation provides ways to honor those who supported our education and career path. Along with Professor Kejin Wang and a large group of other donors, I helped the ACI Foundation organize a donor drive for the S.P. Shah Fellowship for PhD students working in concrete materials,” Lange said. “I am additionally proud to have sponsored the ACI Clyde E. Kesler Education Award in partnership with Neil Hawkins and Francis Young. The three of us were colleagues at the University of Illinois, and we all felt indebted to the leadership and commitment of Professor Kesler, who was a prominent figure in the Department of Civil Engineering at Illinois for more than half a century. Kesler also served as ACI President, so I have felt as though my career followed his path in concrete research, education, and service.”

Lange’s career of service to the concrete industry and continued support of ACI and the ACI Foundation will have a lasting impact on the futures of so many students and researchers. “I hope to share my motivation to invest in our future, encourage others to donate in retirement, and help ACI do what it does well. Nonprofits like ACI exist to serve. We can give back.”