Documenti di Didattica
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100 years, ACI has achieved the maturity to feel proud about
the progress attained and has the maturity to look forward with
to build a reservoir of knowledge and cooperation to meet and solve the worldwide needs of that
community. Concrete can easily be called the best construction material invented by man. For
concrete to be recognized and succeed as the prime construction material, we must work together
to develop and expand the excellence of our workforce. That workforce includes every single
individual and organization involved in making concrete the extraordinary material that it is:
When the Institute shall have acquired the venerability that one hundred years of honorable achievement will confer,
what a great privilege it will be for its members to review the marvelous progress of the industry in the light of the con-
structive work shown in the Institute records.
Richard L. Humphrey
consulting engineer and ACI past president on the occasion of ACIs 20th anniversary, 1924
T he history of an organization is a combination of events linking people, ideas, and activities. The American
Concrete Institute, and its predecessor, the National Association of Cement Users, were born of ideasthe
concept that better concrete for more durable, maintenance-free structures is possible. The American Concrete
Institute reflects developments and knowledge within the concrete industry and the field of engineering, while at the
same time influences those developments.
Space does not permit covering all aspects of ACI history and its technical efforts, or citing all the great names
and the many officers, committee members, and innovators who have contributed time and effort so generously to
ACI work and industry progress. The Institute owes its growth to many such people.
The Ward House in Port Chester, NY, was recognized by the American Concrete Institute and the American Society of Civil Engineers as
a National Historic Civil and Concrete Engineering Landmark. Built between 1873 and 1876, the house is recognized as the first and
oldest extant reinforced concrete building in the U.S. The Ward House was constructed entirely of portland-cement concrete reinforced
with I-beams and rods of iron. The structure demonstrated the practicability of reinforced concrete as a construction material for
fireproof permanent buildings.
OBJECTIVE ESTABLISHED
In the ensuing months, this trio of enthusiasts was
instrumental in arousing interest in a convention dealing
with concrete problems, which was held in Indianapolis
January 17-19, 1905. A surprisingly large number of
people605showed up. Of those 605 in attendance,
161 were enrolled as members at $5 annual dues. The
society known as the National Association of Cement
Users (NACU) was organized with the adoption of a George Barrett detailed the 1853 construction of a concrete house
constitution and bylaws. in Spring Valley, OH, in his book entitled The Poor Mans Home
An exposition at this first meeting of the NACU drew and the Rich Mans Palace or the Application of the Gravel Wall
Cement to the Purposes of Building. In the books introduction,
47 firms, showcasing 21 block-making machines along Barrett wrote: The object of the writer of these few pages is, to
with other construction equipment and materials. This add his own brief testimony to that of a few others (and but few
was so successful that these exhibits were commonplace there are) that this point had its consummation in a new
discovery, which is scientifically based upon the cement, or
at NACU conventions in the early days of the associa- concrete principles, of a material for the walls of buildings,
tion; by 1908, the convention/exhibition drew almost 130 composed of gravel, sand, and lime. And this I do under the full
exhibitors. Given was the presiding officer at the conviction, that it will be of essential service to all who may take
this little volume in hand, and adopt the plan of building therein
Indianapolis session but never held an elected NACU recommended.
office. It was Given who nominated Richard L. Humphrey Illustration courtesy of Ohio Ready Mixed Concrete Association.
EARLY HEADQUARTERS
In those early years, the paperwork of the new
association was more or less portablein the briefcase
or file of the president or volunteer secretary. Wherever
their offices were located, that was the headquarters of
the National Association of Cement Users. The executive
committee of the board had the duty to attend to the
business of the association and a vast amount of the
detail work in connection with editing and publishing of
the procedures and management of the convention and
exhibition fell on the shoulders of Richard L. Humphrey,
a consulting engineer in Philadelphia (president from A circa 1900 concrete block manufacturing operation.
1905 to 1914) and the subsequent early presidents.
The establishment of a permanent headquarters in
Philadelphia in 1908 more than fulfilled expectations. It
really was just a legal formality because the headquarters
were already located in Humphreys office. An assistant to
the president was secured and clerical force employed for
carrying on the detailed work of the association. This
made it possible to issue the convention proceedings in a
more timely fashion, and greatly facilitated the handling of
conventions and exhibitions. Up to that time, no salaries
were paid to any officials except for certain expenses of
the volunteer secretary or the exhibition manager.
(1.6 km) long. This was the first stretch of rural highway were anchored by steel rods to buried blocks of concrete. It
in North America to be paved with concrete. was believed to be the first concrete wall erected without
The lengthy report of the committee on laws and forms. The method proved so satisfactory that it was then
ordinances contained the results of a survey of owners used to build a factory, military barracks, and a mess hall.
of approximately 700 concrete buildings and a study of The latter building utilized a platform for casting the
standard regulations for reinforced concrete construction. wall units, which were then tilted into final position.
The first part of the report compared insurance rates for The trend toward searching out answers to the
various classes of construction and pointed out the unknowns in the design of concrete structures continued
disparity in rates in various parts of the country and the in 1910 with reinforced concrete columns and flat plates
need for re-rating concrete structures with due allowance (girderless floors ) receiving attention. In February
for their superior fire-resistive nature. The second part 1910, the Standard Building Regulations for the Use of
of the report, relating to suggested building regulations, Reinforced Concrete were adopted.
summarized current building regulations in Europe and The use of concrete for roads and highways was still
principal cities of the United States. The regulations in its infancy with trials being made of its use as a base
themselves encompassed materials, joints, general for other materials, even including precast concrete
design assumptions, bending moments, working stresses, brick. Concrete wearing surfaces were rare. There was
and construction techniques. The recommendations of disagreement about the merits of smooth or broomed
the report conformed in general to the more complete surfaces, location and function of joints, and how to
report of the Joint Committee on Concrete and Reinforced meet the differing requirements of horse-drawn and
Concrete. The NACU committee on reinforced concrete automotive traffic. To better suggest what practice to
offered a report that accompanied the proposed follow, a standard specification for concrete roads and
regulations, explaining and commenting on various street pavements, and another for portland cement
sectionssomewhat similar to the commentary sections curbs and gutters were issued.
of the current ACI 318 building code requirements for At its sixth convention, the NACU took a strong stand
structural concrete. in favor of continuing education and extension short
At the 1909 convention, the NACU assured that courses conducted by state colleges. The short courses
proper steps were taken in the development of standards on agriculture at many state educational institutions had
by adding a new section to the association bylaws. proven their usefulness to farmers. The NACU, recognizing
Proposed Standard Specifications developed by a the value of such courses, encouraged members to
committee were to be mailed to members at least contact state institutions about introducing similar
30 days prior to the annual convention, and as amended
and approved at a convention, passed to letter ballot to
be canvassed within 60 days. A specification would be With the development of the portland cement industry
considered adopted unless 10% or more of the total and the rapid extension of the use of concrete, it is not
membership voted in the negative. strange that reinforced concrete has come into favor
and that its use in buildings, arches, and foundations
NEW IDEAS, NEW ANSWERS has grown rapidly. The advantages offered by rein-
Robert Aikens 1909 Monolithic Concrete Wall Buildings, forced concrete for many lines of construction are quite
Methods, Construction and Cost contained the elements of apparent....
modern tilt-up construction. He described the erection of Arthur N. Talbot
reinforced concrete retaining walls that were cast flat on the Bulletin No. 1, Sept. 1904
ground like a sidewalk, raised on one edge, and tipped into University of Illinois Engineering Experiment Station
position (by a derrick) on a prepared foundation where they
One of the major selling points for concrete buildings in the early
1900s was that concrete rated high as a fire-resistant material.
CONCRETE SHIPS
A number of ACI members were called to duty
during World War I in the Department of Concrete Ship
Construction, U.S. Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corp.,
and numerous reports regarding their work appeared in
the ACI Proceedings through 1917-1919.To deal with An outstanding early bridge: the Grafton Bridge, Auckland, New
problems arising from the development of concrete ships Zealand. Opened to traffic in 1910, the bridge was made up of
during World War I, a committee on concrete barges and one 42 ft (13 m) span, two spans 78.5 and 80.5 ft (24 and 25 m),
a main arch span of 320 ft (98 m), four spans 75.5 ft (23 m) each,
ships was appointed as a joint committee of ACI and PCA. and two spans 35 and 37.5 ft (11 and 11.5 m). Design and
Its work resulted in reports of design and construction of construction by Ferro-Concrete Co. of Australia.
reinforced concrete ships and barges, layout of shipyards, ACI archives. Photo courtesy of Auckland City Engineers Office.
and construction techniques.
Loss of ships due to submarine sinkings led to the
development of concrete ships. The scarcity of steel,
wood, and labor, and the length of time necessary to
construct ships of steel or wood directed attention to
the substitution of reinforced concrete. European
countries had been building concrete barges and
lighters, some for sea-going service. The first reinforced
concrete cargo motor ship was launched in 1917 in
Norway; the firm also built the first reinforced concrete
floating dry dock, which could accommodate a vessel
75 x 25 ft (23 x 8 m).
The pioneer of large reinforced concrete ships,
however, was the Faith, launched in the U.S. in 1918. In
1919, a special medal was awarded by ACI to Lesley The concrete Y Bridge in Zanesville, OH, was completed in 1902
Comyn of San Francisco in recognition of his work in when use of concrete was still relatively novel in the midwest.
building and promoting the first ocean-going U.S.-built The bridges peculiar shape stemmed from the nearly right-angle
convergence of the Muskingum and Licking Rivers near the city
concrete ship, the 5000-ton concrete cargo steamship center. The bridge, with a combined length in its three branches
the Faith. In presenting the medal, President W. K. Hatt of 970 ft (295 m), featured extremely flat arch spans.
remarked: In the development of reinforced concrete, it was Photo courtesy of Ohio Historical Society.
The Tunkhannock Viaduct, Nicholson, PA, completed in 1915, was the largest of its kind ever built of reinforced concrete. The double
track viaduct consisted of ten 180 ft (55 m) and two 100 ft (30 m) arches with a total length of 2375 ft (724 m). The structure was 242 ft
(74 m) high.
In the ready-mixed concrete business, steel bins of bulk cement was developing rapidly. It was an
had come into general use. The weighing method of opportune time for Committee 603s outline of progress,
controlling material proportions had supplanted the Design and Operation of Central Mixing Plants.
older methods of volumetric measurement, and the use
1904-1908
Foundation laid for an association of Grain elevator is first U.S. slipform Theodore Roosevelt was U.S.
cement users at Louisiana Purchase project. First reinforced concrete President. Third modern Olympic
Exhibition, St. Louis, MO. bridge in midwestern U.S. First games held in St. Louis. U.S. acquired
railroad tunnel under Hudson River lease on Panama Canal. New York
between Manhattan and New Jersey. City opened its first subway.
1905
National Association of Cement Users Power applied to wheels of concrete Einstein described Theory of
organized at first convention, mixer to produce first concrete paver. Relativity. There were 24,250
Indianapolis, IN. First Proceedings Albert Kahn designs reinforced automobiles sold in the U.S., up
volume appeared. concrete factory building for Packard from 4192 in 1900. Chicago reported
Motor Car Co. more than $80 million spent in
construction of buildings.
1906
Second annual convention held in Walnut Lane Bridge, Philadelphia, PA, Wright brothers patented an
Milwaukee. Membership was 312. set pattern for concrete arches in U.S. improved airplane. (First successful
NACU filed incorporation papers in Edison Portland Cement Co.s new flight was in 1903.) Radio telephone
Washington, D.C. First report on laws plant was ready to come on-line. was invented. San Francisco
and ordinances sets NACU/ACI on French engineers grouted surface of devastated by earthquake.
road to code and standards writing. railway tunnel with mortar applied by
compressed air.
1907
First standards adopted (on side- Ross Drive Bridge over Rock Creek Electric vacuum cleaner and electric
walks and hollow building block). Park, Washington, D.C., was first clothes washer invented. Financial
Membership was 427, income was open-spandrel concrete arch design. panic hit U.S. R. Baden-Powell
$3600, expenses were $2500. American Concrete Pipe Association established the Boy Scouts.
(originally Interstate Cement Tile
Manufacturers Association) orga-
nized.
1908
Headquarters established in Philadel- Thomas A. Edison mass produced Postage between U.S. and Great
phia, small staff hired. Membership 11 homes in concrete. E. S. Ransome Britain was set at two cents. Sulfanil-
was more than 600. Nine committee introduced sidewalk slipform paving amide theory described. Henry Ford
reports: topics included sidewalk machine. The 47-story concrete Singer introduced the Model T automobile.
specifications, testing cement Building built in New York. Turneaure
products, machinery, fire-proofing and Maurer published Principles of
and insurance, art and architecture. Reinforced Concrete Construction.
1909
Executive Board reported a need for Portable, horse-drawn concrete mixer First airplane flight over the English
larger convention facilities. Contribut- used in Sheridan, WY. The first 1-mile Channel. Income tax amendment
ing Member grade was created to (1.6 km) long, [18 ft (5.5 m) wide] rural offered to U.S. Constitution. First
increase income. New voting proce- concrete pavement was placed in wireless message was sent between
dure for standardization proposed. Wayne County, MI. Concrete pumped New York and Chicago. Commander
for the first time. Royal Liver Building Peary reached North Pole.
in Liverpool first concrete-framed
British skyscraper.
1909-1912
A historic marker along Woodward Avenue in Detroit, MI, marks the location of the
first mile of rural concrete highway built in the U.S. in 1909. It could be said that
the mile-long road was instrumental in putting the nation on wheels.
1910
Membership was 909. Members were Tilt-up concrete construction was U.S. census tallied 92 million people.
encouraged to use and promote the used on a three-story hotel in The U.S. public debt was $12.41
use of NACU standards. Convention Arizona. First known concrete shell per capita. Elmer Sperry invents
topics included concrete use in structure built for railway station, gyrocompass. American Road Makers
Europe and concrete in marine Bercy, Paris, France. Buffalo Bill Dam (founded 1902) changed name to
environments. Five standards or (originally known as Shoshone Dam) American Road Builders Association.
proposed standards were presented. in Wyoming was worlds highest
First building code appeared. concrete arch dam.
1911
Membership passed the 1000 mark. Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River, AZ, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen
Advertising sales and book sales of completed. A precast concrete reaches the South Pole. The first
the 1910 Proceedings exceed the railroad bridge was built in California. transcontinental U.S. airplane flight
cost of producing the volume. The Patents issued to Carl Akeley on the was recorded. Standard Oil was
authoritative nature of the information cement gun and what became the broken up into 33 separate companies
being produced was beginning to gunite (shotcrete) method for under the Sherman Antitrust Act. Air
be recognized. applying mortar using compressed air. conditioning was developed.
1912
The Associations influence was Tilt-up concrete factory building Steamship Titanic sinks on maiden
increasing overseas and many erected in Chicago. Vast amounts of voyage. The 8-hour workday ex-
standards were being used outside concrete were being mixed and tended to U.S. federal workers by
the U.S. Major U.S. cities were placed in Panama Canal locks. Congress. China, a monarchy since
adopting NACU standards. A Memorial Bridge over Tiber River, 2205 B.C., became a republic.
research fund was established to aid Rome, used reinforced concrete Packard built first truck to cross the
Building Laws Committee work. centering to withstand floods during continent under its own power.
construction.
1913
Name changed to American Concrete Keokuk Dam opened on Mississippi Schick test for diphtheria developed.
Institute to reflect true scope of River between Keokuk, IA, and Henry Ford developed first moving
organization. Wason Medal established. Hamilton, IL. Baltimore installed 9 ft assembly line. The Hetrodyne radio
Proceedings appeared in form of a (3 m) concrete pipe for water under receiver developed.
journal (venture ends in 1915). Money pressure. Concrete was mixed in a
was short and publication of 1912 central plant and hauled to the job by
Proceedings was postponed (published dump truck for Baltimore project.
in 1915).
1914
The Institute had 18 standards First Concrete Road Conference held. Archduke Ferdinand and his wife
available. A committee was appointed Portland cement consumption were assassinated, touching off World
to investigate concrete performance reached 28 million barrels. One ACI War I. Henry Ford raises wage rates
during the fire at the New Jersey convention paper reported construction from $2.40 for 9-hour day to $5 for
Edison plant. without forms where concrete was 8 hours. An ordinance proposed in
plastered on ribbed, expanded metal. Detroit would limit the height of
Construction of Panama Canal buildings to ten stories.
completed. ASTM established
Committee C9 on Concrete and
Concrete Aggregates.
1913-1918
1915
Leonard C. Wason became second ACI U.S. Bureau of Reclamation slip-forms First New York to San Francisco
president. Richard L. Humphrey had canal liners. Concrete received high telephone call completed. The
been re-elected to nine consecutive marks in Edison fire report. ACI tungsten light bulb filament invented.
terms for a total of 10 years. Dues reported the results of tests on large The neon light invented. Long-
doubled to $10 and special drive reinforced concrete columns. distance radio-telephone developed.
raised $17,000 to relieve debt. Edison Tunkhannock railroad viaduct was Albert Einstein postulated his
fire report was 110 pages. Short-lived largest concrete bridge. Cinderblock General Theory of Relativity.
Journal ceased publication. was introduced.
1916
Institute offices moved to Boston Portland Cement Association founded. National Research Council of the U.S.
with new president, paid employees A combination of a steel frame, precast National Academy of Sciences was
discontinued. The First Joint Commit- concrete units, and cast-in-place established. Largest Army budget in
tee report completed. Membership concrete offered as the way to speedy, U.S. history approved$125,000,000.
campaign established with emphasis economical construction. Research on The military tank was developed. The
on contractors. time-dependent deformations (flow) x-ray tube was developed. U.S.
was reported. National Aggregates purchased Virgin Islands from
Association organized. A Federal Denmark.
standard formula for a concrete mix
was published.
1917
ACI offered its assistance to war Finishing machines for pavements United States entered World War I.
effort. Committee appointed to study were reported. Slag was studied as an Russian Empire collapsed. Constitu-
possibility of a numbering policy for aggregate for concrete. Precast tional amendment passed by U.S.
committees. There were 14 commit- concrete unit construction was Senate forbidding manufacture and
tees active. reported for a wide variety of sale of alcoholic beverages (ratified
structures. Structural lightweight 1919).
concrete developed.
1918
War curtailed activities. Convention Expanded shale aggregate patented. World War I ended. Czar Nicholas of
delayed from January to June Slump test developed in California. Russia and his family assassinated.
because of travel restrictions. First Abrams study on water-cement ratio Influenza kills 20 million worldwide.
two Wason Medals awarded. Question published. Effect of mixing time on Mass spectroscope developed.
of permanent headquarters raised strength studied. Concrete Masonry Automatic toaster invented.
again. Effect of mixing time on Association, National Slag Associa-
strength reported. tion, and National Stone Association
organized. Reinforced concrete ship
Faith launched.
1919
Following a study by a special Board The Selma, 7500-ton concrete tanker, Versailles Peace Treaty signed (U.S.
committee, headquarters established commissioned. Mies van der Rohe Senate fails to ratify). Daily airmail
in Detroit. Harvey Whipple appointed proposed core-cantilevered floor service began between New York and
Secretary. Membership was 350. construction for Berlin skyscraper. Chicago. British dirigible crossed
Biggest project of year was Brooklyn Atlantic from Scotland to New York in
Army base, a complex of reinforced 4 days and returned in 3 days.
concrete warehouses. Department of Agricultures Office of
Public Roads and Rural Engineering
became Bureau of Public Roads.
1920
Membership climbed to 573 under Interest developed in exposed Nineteenth Amendment to Constitu-
new Secretary and staff, beginning a aggregate finishes and surface tion granted women suffrage. First
steady climb until 1929. Publication treatment of concrete. Longest span airmail flight from New York to San
Committee was formed. A newsletter concrete arch in the world at 400 ft Francisco. Autogyro developed.
was approved for regular distribution. (122 m) was under construction over League of Nations, established by
First consideration given to publishing the Mississippi River at Minneapolis. Versailles Treaty, began in Geneva.
all standards in a single book. First commercial plant dedicated to
expanded shale aggregate began
operating in Kansas City, MO.
1919-1924
1921
Financial assistance ($1000) given to Rigid frame concrete spans used in U.S. peace treaty with Germany
aid work of Westergaard and Slater many grade separation bridges. ACI declared and signed. Limitation of
and Moments and Stresses in Slabs advocated adoption of ASTM Armaments Conference convenes in
published. Committee to establish specifications for portland cement. A Washington, D.C. First radio broad-
uniform format for standards was concrete highway between New York cast of a baseball game from Polo
established. Harvey Whipple named and Atlantic City, NJ, completed. Grounds in New York City. The
Treasurer and Secretary and proposed boom of the Roaring Twenties
emphasis on field problems of began.
contractors, development of design
information, and consideration of
problems in product manufacture.
1922
Membership reached 890, short of West Port High School gymnasium, Radar invented. Leaded gasoline
the 1000 goal. Number of active the first lightweight aggregate developed. Insulin discovered. Benito
committees was 33. Committees were concrete structure, completed in Mussolini came to power. Soviet
arranged by groups and numbered for Kansas City, MO. Shotcreted house in states formally establish Soviet
first time. Committee work was Connecticut reported. Union. About 80% of U.S. highways
coordinated through headquarters. were inadequate for motor traffic; of
3.2 million miles (5 million km) of
roads, only 150,000 miles (241,000
km) were paved.
1923
Membership was 924, short of 1000. Frank Lloyd Wrights Imperial Hotel, First sound-on-film motion picture
Rules governing standing committees Tokyo, survived earthquake. Water shown. First commercially sponsored
adopted. Proceedings included 26 tank prestressed with adjustable radio program. Adolph Hitler lead
papers and 22 committee reports. bands reported. Studies on aggre- Beer Hall Putsch in Munich and was
Only papers presented at the gates suspected of causing concrete sent to prison.
convention would be considered for deterioration reported. Lightweight
publication. expanded shale concrete block
introduced.
1924
Institute commemorated 20th anniver- Structural performance in the 1923 Ford cars sold for as little as $290.
sary. Final report of the Second Joint Japan earthquake was reported in the Frosted incandescent lamp invented.
Committee. Committees were urged to literature. The economic value of Olympic games held in Paris.
use ACI newsletter to report progress admixtures was discussed. The Manmade insecticides used for first
and reserve convention time for final Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute time.
reports and significant matters. ACI was formed. Tests of impure water for
and steel companies adopted standard use in concrete were reported.
for 11 reinforcing bar sizes.
1925
President Alfred E. Lindau noted that Post-tensioning system for embedded John T. Scopes arrested for teaching
the industry is producing and storing reinforcing bars was patented. Darwins Theory of Evolution. Col.
data at a faster pace than it is making Hipped plate construction was used Billy Mitchell court-martialed for
use of it. Committees were challenged in Germany. Bronx River Parkway, the advocating expanded role for airplane
to recommend needed research to first public road with entrances and in the military. Germany agreed to
established research institutions. ACI exits rather than intersections, demilitarize the Rhineland. Caterpillar
referred subject of shotcrete for opened in New York. Tractor Co. formed.
restoration of structures to committee
for study.
1926
To reduce duplication, proposed and One grade of steel (formerly three) Admiral Richard Byrd and Lloyd
tentative standards were offered as and 11 sizes of reinforcing bar Bennett flew over the North Pole.
separate preprints, reserving (formerly 26) accepted as standards. Robert H. Goddard demonstrated the
Proceedings pages for final documents. Research on expansion and contrac- practicality of rockets. Gene Tunney
Regional meetings considered but tion reported and the value of wire defeated Jack Dempsey for the
decided against. Richard L. Humphrey mesh in controlling them. The effect heavyweight boxing championship.
left Board after 21 years; Board of curing on strength was reported.
recognition included Honorary Section of Wacker Drive, a double-
1925-1929
Membership. (Formal revision of deck reinforced concrete street, built
Bylaws creating this class of member in Chicago.
was adopted in 1927.)
1927
Henry C. Turner Medal for noteworthy End-loop form ties invented. A drop Charles A. Lindbergh flew solo nonstop
achievement was established. test for measuring workability was New York to Paris. Brookings Institute
Membership passed 2000. Dues were reported from Japan. First seismic established. Television invented.
raised from $10.00 to $12.50 when provisions appeared in 1927 Uniform Warner Brothers produced the sound
study shows costs per member Building Code. Lone Star cement film The Jazz Singer. Holland Tunnel,
over $12.00. Eight ACI convention introduced high early-strength cement. longest underwater automobile tunnel
papers discussed time as a factor in at the time, between New York and New
making concrete. Jersey opened.
1928
First edition of Concrete Primer by A method of predicting strength Television was successfully demon-
F. R. McMillan published. Committee based on water-cement ratio was strated. Iron lung invented. Kellogg-
formed to study the publication of a offered. Concrete block made with Briand Peace Pact (Pact of Paris)
periodical Journal to replace annual lightweight aggregate showed condemned war as an instrument of
Proceedings and to investigate the promise. Ford Field, Dearborn, Mich., national policy. Teletype invented.
possibility of publishing a 100-page built a 7 in. (178 mm) thick reinforced Walt Disney introduced Mickey
manual of practice on concrete and concrete pavement 2653 ft (809 m) Mouse. First highway cloverleaf in the
reinforced concrete. long runway for the new Ford U.S. built in New Jersey.
Trimotor planes.
1929
The ACI Journal was approved as a The Cement and Concrete Reference Rocket engine developed. Penicillin
monthly periodical, appearing ten Laboratory was formed. Extensive discovered. U.S. stock market crash
times per year. Institute supported column investigation underway. triggered countrys worst depression.
column investigations at University of Admixtures described as ...one of Airship Graf Zeppelin flew around the
Illinois and Lehigh University. the liveliest subjects of interest... world. The U.S. Army Engineer
Membership reached 2736 just before Hardy Cross presented his moment Waterways Experiment Station
The Great Depression, highest distribution method of design of formed in Vicksburg, Miss.
number until 1947. Publication continuous structures. Structural
Committee authorized to consider lightweight concrete used in frame
papers through an informal body of and floor system of 28-story Park
manuscript readers. Plaza Hotel in St. Louis.
The reinforced concrete thin shell American Airlines hangar at Chicagos Midway Airport, built in 1947-1948, was one of the largest
commercial airline hangars at the time; eight DC3s could be serviced in each hangar at one time. Each hangar had a clear span of
257 ft (78 m) with a rise of 42 ft (13 m).
ACI archives. Photo courtesy of Ammann and Whitney.
ACI Committee 313s report on the effect of plastic flow chairman and vice-chairman of ACI Committee 108,
and volume changes on design was the result. respectively, together with the full committee, then
The 33rd annual convention also marked the first supplemented this information by extensive field
annual open session of ACI Committee 115, Research, a surveys of more than 60 dams and other structures
feature continued for many ACI conventions. The in service.
session was a direct outgrowth of the annual survey of The Institutes building code tentatively adopted in
current research in concrete inaugurated around 1937 1936 was already the basis of an increasing body of
under the active sponsorship of Inge Lyse, formerly the municipal ordinances, in some cases adopted in large part
committees secretary. by reference. The building code committee proposed
Architectural considerations were receiving so much further revision of the tentative 1936 code to bring it up to
attention that a new committee combining science, date. The subcommittee on flat slabs had made an
craftsmanship, and architecture was organized to develop extensive analytical study of the applications of the
specifications and recommended practices for exposed principles of continuity to design of flat slab structures,
aggregate architectural concrete. The method had and revised this section of the code accordingly . Design
already been used successfully in the Bahai Temple, problems were not static, however, and the literature
Edison Memorial Tower, and other structures by John J. included reports on rectangular sections under torsion,
Earley, in the preceding 20 years. Another committee bond studies, shearing deformation in continuous beams
was authorized to study specifications and recommended and rigid frames, circular flat slabs with a central column
practices for construction of terrazzo floors. for underground tanks and reservoirs, eccentrically
Lightweight concrete pavement for bridge decks loaded columns, rigid frame bridges, and shell design.
received a big boost with completion of the San Francisco- A new committee took on the task of developing a
Oakland Bay Bridge in 1936. A $3 million savings in recommended practice for concrete stave manufacture
construction cost, and 4 miles (10 km) of six-lane rein- and stave silo construction.
forced concrete pavement with scarcely any cracks, The November 1938 Journal introduced a new approach
resulted from adopting lightweight concrete for paving to presenting practice-oriented information in a section
the upper deck of the bridge. called Job Problems and Practices. It was a way to record
There had probably been greater advances in the problems that arose in practice, and their solutions. It was
previous decade in design of mass concrete structures, in a place to ask questions and look for the answers.
construction practices, and in knowledge of the effect By 1939, the question of adopting increased allowable
of various elements upon properties of mass concrete unit stresses for high yield-strength steel reinforcement
than ever before. Raymond E. Davis and F. R. McMillan, was of current interest. Prestressing was also beginning
to 1759, developing a cement the most perfect began in 1828 to investigate methods of improving
possible to resist the extreme violence of the sea. on natural and Roman cements, trying to produce
The lighthouse stood for 120 years and was an artificial hydraulic cement. He worked
removed when the foundations were threatened independently of Aspdin toward the same end,
by erosion of underlying rock. but two years later than Aspdin; developed tensile
S.S. Aspdin (Joseph Aspdin)Generally credited strength testing techniques.
with being the inventor or originator of portland Many months before D-Day in Normandy (World
cement in 1824. This cement, as he originally War II), the Bureau of Yards and Docks, U.S. Navy,
prepared it, was obtained by lightly calcining a designed a landing craft of concrete and called on
mixture of lime and clay and grinding the product; Corbetta Construction Co. to develop a practical
it was so named because its color resembled the method of construction. The outcome was a unique
chalk cliffs at Portland, England. solutiona thin-wall concrete vessel combining
S.S. Grant (John Grant)British, 19th century; precast sections, shotcrete, and cast-in-place concrete.
first to go thoroughly into the question of cement The thin-wall [3/4 in. (19 mm) and 1-1/2 in. (38 mm)
testing, and his experiments and researches made walls] concrete LCT duplicated the over-all dimensions
him an authority on the subject. and carrying capacity of the steel LCT. How well did the
S.S. LeChatelier (M. H. LeChatelier)French concrete LCT standup? The ship outrode a hurricane
chemist who developed the chemical formula for and made landings on gravel-strewn beaches under
portland cement, establishing minimum and simulated wartime conditions and stood up well.
maximum limits of the component parts. Several
tests on cements are based on his early work.
S.S. Vicat (L. V. Vicat)French, early 19th century,
studied cement chemistry, developing basic
knowledge in this field, greatly influencing modern
tests and technical knowledge and practice.
S.S. Lesley (Robert Whitman Lesley)Founded the
cement firm of Lesley and Trinkle, Philadelphia,
PA, 1874; associate of Saylor; took patents on
manufacture of cement; performed an important
service in commercial development and introduction
of American portland cement; was first president
of American Portland Cement Manufacturers
(Portland Cement Association); and served as
treasurer of NACU/ACI in the early years.
S.S. Thacher (Edwin Thacher)Rensselaer Polytechnic
Dry-cargo, self-propelled concrete ship built during World
Institute, 1863; inventor and patentee of Thachers War II by U.S. Maritime Commission. The hull shell was
cylindrical slide rule, improved duplex slide rule, 6-1/2 in. (165 mm) and contained from three to five layers of
developed bar for reinforcing concrete, and closely-spaced reinforcing. Cover over the steel was 3/4 in.
(19 mm) on the outboard face and 1/2 in. (12 mm) on the
system for concrete-steel floors. inboard face.
S.S. Pasley (C. W. Pasley)British, 19th century; Photo credit: ACI archives. Photo courtesy of Lewis H. Tuthill.
1933 and 1944. The massive effort was spurred by issued proposed recommended stresses for unreinforced
economic pressures of the Great Depression and later by concrete. Because military vehicles and movement of
wartime demands for electric power. TVAs 480 ft (146 m) unusually heavy loads related to the war effort were far
Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River was the in excess of the loadings contemplated when many
United States highest dam east of the Rocky Mountains. highway bridges were built, the committee on safe loads
for existing bridges published a proposed method for
WORLD WAR II REGULATIONS estimating their capacities. Problems in the design of
World War II brought with it the need for maximum bomb-resistant air raid shelters were analyzed on the
utilization of critical materials and increased efficiency basis of the degree of protection acceptable in the
in the use of labor. The seriousness of the problem was structure under consideration.
reflected in the proposal that the ACI Building Code be Realizing that the procedure for adopting a new
modified in furtherance of the proposed National standard or for changing an existing one requires
Emergency Code for the conservation of steel and other considerable time, ACI established emergency standard-
strategic materials, chiefly for defense construction of a making procedures during World War II (which could be
temporary nature where time was urgent and steel used again in the event of future emergencies).
supplies were low. However, the predominant view was Among some of the more notable wartime construction
that significant savings could be made without modifying events (although not related to concrete) were the
the ACI Building Code. Rather than code changes, some activation of the Naval Construction Battalions
type of emergency regulations seemed preferable. (Seabees)Admiral Ben Moreell, ACIs 1941 president,
This latter concept resulted in issuance by the War was credited with the ideaand the construction of the
Production Board of a set of National Emergency Alaska (Al-Con) Highway by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Specifications for Design of Reinforced Concrete In the face of statements from the Office of Defense
Buildings to conserve steel in buildings constructed Transportation (ODT) about curtailing passenger traffic,
for the government. The directive required the use of ACI cancelled, for the first time in 38 years of Institute
larger structural members and higher tensile stresses history, the 1943 annual convention scheduled for
than normally prevailed. Wherever practicable, the Chicago except for a token brief meeting. The 1944
width and depth of members were increased to minimize convention in Chicago drew 376 attendees. The 1945
use of compressive and web reinforcement. Allowable convention in New York City was again curtailed at the
compressive stresses in concrete were reduced. request of ODT.
Stresses for steel increased from 18,000 to 20,000 psi During the war period, great technical progress was
(124 to 138 MPa) for structural grade bars and 20,000 to made in the practice of reinforced concrete design. Faced
24,000 psi (138 to 165 MPa) for intermediate and hard with a shortage of some of the common construction
grade bars. These temporary measures also called for materials (e.g., steel) and antiquated building codes, the
the use, where practicable, of unreinforced concrete. governments emergency measures encouraged the
For guidance on the latter point, ACI Committee 322 concrete designer and constructor to develop startling
Concrete shell structures show up in everyday service. Left: Built around 1930, this was a Shell Oil Co. service station (now a repair
shop) in Winston-Salem, NC. Although eight of these stations were built, this is the only one remaining and is now listed on the
National Register. Right: A 1962 Gulf Oil Co. service station was much bigger and featured multiple shells in dramatic fashion.
ACI archives. Photos courtesy of JoAnn Sieburg-Baker (left) and Gulf Oil Co. (right).
LONG-RANGE PLANS
The Institute had survived two
global wars and the worst economic
depression in U.S. history. The future
looked bright, but further preparations
were called for. The Board of Direction
moved to create a long-range plan,
and adopted a number of long-range
goals that included:
doubling the Institute membership
in ten years; The ACI Committee 115 annual research session always had strict time limits for the
presentation of brief reports. Prof. George W. Washa, University of Wisconsin and 115
increasing the number of and secretary (left), and Prof. Stephen J. Chamberlin, Iowa State University and 115 chair-
quality of technical papers, and man, apparently had four eyes on the watch during this session in 1948.
broadening the scope to include
more practical information; was signed in 1931) several times, but the space available
increasing the quantity and scope of technical had not kept pace with ACI needs.
committee reports;
improving the quality of convention programs; THE EARLY 1950s
encouraging more discussion of papers and reports; and By 1950, more information on precast and prestressed
holding regional meetings and developing local concrete became available in papers on corrosion protection
conferences. of thin precast sections, spacing of moment bars in precast
(There were to be a number of long-range goal reports joists, proposed specifications for minimum bar spacing and
in the years to come.) protective cover in precast concrete framing members,
For many years, methods used in the design of reinforced extent and acceptability of cracking in precast concrete
concrete footings had been based largely on studies by framing members, patents and codes relating to prestressed
A. N. Talbot published in 1913. In the meantime, there concrete, and prestressed concrete construction procedures.
had been many developments in materials and design Prestressed concrete was relatively new in the U.S. So much
methods. This led to new studies by Frank E. Richart at had been written about prestressed concrete that in 1950,
the University of Illinois on reinforced concrete wall and one author said: To date 43 books and more than
column footingsstudies that would later affect design 500 articles have been published; almost as many as the
procedures. At the same time, C. P. Siess and N. M. number of prestressed concrete structures which have
Newmark, also at the University of Illinois, proposed a been built in the world up to this time. The whole field of
new method of designing flat slabs. prestressed concrete design was in a fluid state; there was
A 1949 Iowa half-mile paving project introduced the disagreement among designers about safety factors, design
precursor of slipform paving machines. Named after the notations, steel stresses, and many other considerations.
Iowa highway engineer who conceived it, the 10 ft (3 m) The industry was not yet ready to write a code for
wide, self-propelled Jimmy Johnson slipform paver prestressed concrete as it had for reinforced concrete.
made two passes to pave a 20 ft (6 m) wide pavement. Raymond C. Reese traced the development of reinforcing
Slipform paving technology advanced rapidly in the bars from the original plain round or square forms to the
1950s and 60s. present deformed patterns through the early work of
After 24 years in the Uptown region of Detroit18 of Morton O. Withey and Duff A. Abrams to the 1949 report
them in the New Center Buildingthe Institute moved of Arthur P. Clarks tests. Noting that ASTM had adopted
into a new leased one-story concrete masonry structure a standard for deformed bars, he emphasized the need
in the northwest area of Detroit in late 1949. ACI had for revision of design specifications to take into account
moved within the New Center Building (the first lease the characteristics of the improved bars. The new-style
1930
Deficit budget, cost-cutting, reduction First progress report of column study London Naval Reduction Treaty signed
of Journal pages result from the published. Coolidge Dam in Arizona by U.S., Britain, Italy, France, and
Depression. Committee structure dedicated. National Ready Mixed Japan. Max Schmeling of Germany
completely overhauled creating nine Concrete Association and Wire claimed heavyweight boxing title.
departments and 39 committees. All Reinforcement Institute organized. Bobby Jones of the U.S. won the
committees appointed annually. First Low-heat cement and cooling coils Grand Slam of golf. Pluto discovered
formal specification for ready-mixed selected for use on Hoover Dam. by astronomers. Chrysler Building
concrete. completed in New York City.
1931
Budget and space limits required Tentative specification for ready-mixed British Parliament enacted Statute of
limit on papers, papers 25 pages and concrete offered. The fourth report of Westminster proclaiming Britain and
longer would be given special the University of Wisconsin long-time dominions completely equal. Japan
scrutiny, those 10-15 pages would be tests of concrete was published, as invaded and overran Manchuria.
welcomed. Review of recent volumes were the first and second progress Freon was developed (later used for
suggested papers too heavily reports of the Illinois/Lehigh column refrigeration).
research oriented, not enough on use tests. Empire State Building, which
of research. used cinder-concrete floors, completed
in New York City. ASTM established
Committee C13 on Concrete Pipe.
Construction of Hoover Dam began.
1932
Finances are bleak. Economy moves Concrete vibrators were reported Manchuria became Manchukuo, a
included staff salary decreases, used on California dam. Concrete for Japanese puppet state. Olympics held
elimination of Abstracts section of counterweights for Arlington in Los Angeles. Kidnapping and
Journal, sale of advertising in Journal, Memorial Bridge, Washington, D.C., slaying of Charles Lindberghs son
and establishing Life Memberships, was proportioned to be 271 lb/ft3 received worldwide attention. The
where members prepay dues on an (4340 kg/m3) using iron ore aggregate. neutron was discovered. Amelia
actuarial basis. Staff reduced from First double-drum paver introduced. Earhart first woman to fly solo across
five to three and move to smaller Water-reducing admixtures intro- the Atlantic. Construction of Golden
quarters. duced. Gate Bridge began.
1933
Journal issues reduced from ten to Freyssinet arch bridge method used U.S. Prohibition Amendment
five issues per year as Depression in U.S. An 8-h accelerated strength repealed. Bank holiday declared
continued to affect finances. It was test for field control developed for freezing all funds in U.S. banks. U.S.
necessary to borrow money. Bylaws Hoover (Boulder) Dam. First concrete dropped the gold standard. Presi-
revisions included Corporation and placed on Hoover Dam. Compaction dent Roosevelt launched New Deal
Student Member grades. Bylaw of concrete with vibratory tampers program to combat Depression.
changes restricted presidents to a investigated at the University of Game Monopoly invented.
1-year term. California. Ornamental concrete work Highway engineers proposed
for Bahai Temple Dome, near divided highways for greater safety.
Chicago, began; the foundation was
constructed in 1921. ASTM adopted
C94 Specification for Ready Mixed
Concrete.
1934
Effects of the Depression were Plastic flow in rigid frames subjected President von Hindenburg died and
diminishing. Suggestions for new to sustained loads for 2 years was Adolf Hitler assumes absolute power
programs and restoration of many reported. Effect of aggregate size on in Germany. IBM introduced first
curtailed programs were numerous. mass concrete studied for Hoover Dam. popular electric typewriter.
1933-1937
Membership still declining but rate National Concrete Masonry Associa-
had slowed. tion formed (formerly CMA). First shell
dome constructed in the U.S. for the
Hayden Planetarium in New York City.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used
concrete pump to build locks on the
upper Mississippi River.
1935
Awards established to encourage First rail-mounted slipform canal liner Italy invaded Ethiopia. Germany
student participation. Awards were used. First scientifically controlled rejected Versailles Treaty. The U.S.
for theses in field of concrete. More soil-cement road constructed near Congress passed Social Security
papers on design and construction Johnsonville, SC. Cement and System (old age insurance). Parking
recommendations were sought. Concrete Association formed in meter invented. First radar
Membership had stabilized. Britain. Hoover Dam set construction developed in Britain. The Zephyr, a
records that stood for years. stainless steel train, set speed
record of 112 mph (180 kph) from
Denver to Chicago.
1936
ACI and American Society for Testing Concrete Manual of USBR published. King George V of England died.
and Materials agreed to confine work to Pozzolan used in Bonneville Dam King Edward VIII, his successor,
avoid overlap. ACI would work in design concrete. Folded plate shells used for abdicated, and was succeeded by
and construction practices, ASTM the first time in U.S. tests reported on King George VI. Rhineland
would do materials and testing use of welded-wire fabric as slab reoccupied by Germany in
standardization. Plans approved to seek reinforcement. Economics of high- violation of the Locarno Pact.
larger office quarters. Membership strength concrete [to 6000 psi Spanish Civil War began. Cortisone
trend had turned and reached 1214. (41 MPa)] studied. First experimental discovered. Douglas DC-3 began
prestressed concrete piles driven in passenger service.
New York Harbor.
1937
A new standardization procedure Long-span shell roof spanned 107 ft Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco,
established first Standards Commit- (33 m) at Universal Atlas Cement dedicated. Airship Hindenburg
tee and spells out process for Plant. Properties of concrete contain- destroyed during docking at
standardization. Process included ing fly ash reported. Whitney reported Lakehurst, N.J. following Atlantic
automatic expiration after three years a new method of designing members crossing. Amelia Earhart lost in
unless standard was revised or subject to bending. Research on Pacific Ocean during attempted
readopted. Board studied direction effects of sodium and calcium chloride around-the-world flight. Nylon
Institute should take. Some staff deicers was underway with some introduced.
salary cuts restored and new results reported. Lightweight concrete
membership campaign started. pavement deck used on San Francisco-
Oakland Bay Bridge.
1938
An official policy to encourage and A shell dome for a water clarifier tank Germany took over Austria. Douglas
seek practical papers translating was first U.S. prestressed structure. C. Corrigan flew the wrong way to
research into practice was adopted. Bonneville Dam was dedicated. Los Angeles and landed in Dublin.
Journal frequency was increased from Effectiveness of curing compounds Xerography developed. Orson Welles
five to six times per year. Membership was being researched. Vacuum radio broadcast of War of the
was up to 1559. Committee on concrete potential recognized. Air Worlds caused panic among radio
architectural concrete of exposed entrainment identified as a beneficial listeners in U.S. Japanese troops had
aggregate type organized. process for concrete. taken control of most of China.
1939
Standardization procedure was revised A large-scale concrete apartment Germany invaded Poland, beginning
so that after four years without action a project was completed in New York. Hitlers march across Europe, causing
committee would be appointed to Bond between concrete and steel was World War II. Uranium fission theory
recommend revision, readoption, or a current question. Concern was was developed. The jet engine was
other action. The first Reinforced raised about overvibration and developed. Pan American Airways
Concrete Design Handbook (SP-3) on revibration of concrete. Publicly began regular flights between U.S.
working stress design was published. funded projects constituted two- and Europe. FM (frequency modula-
A new guide for committees was thirds of construction. tion) radio invented. John Steinbeck
developed and the committee published Grapes of Wrath.
1938-1942
structure altered.
1940
War in Europe made it difficult for Final report of the Third Joint U.S. started first peacetime military
members in that area of the world to Committee on Concrete and draft. Winston Churchill became
obtain U.S. funds. A flexible policy Reinforced Concrete was presented. British Prime Minister. Plutonium
was established regarding dropping Lake Washington Floating Bridge fission discovered. The Battle of
them for nonpayment of dues. opened in Seattle. Tolerances for Britain fought in the skies over
Publication schedule for discussion concrete construction were being British Isles. The retreat from Dunkirk
changed to consolidate it into two proposed. Four million square yards left the western continent in Axis
issues. Subject of tolerances first of pavement were placed in 2-1/2 hands. Tacoma Narrows Bridge
dealt with in a systematic manner in months for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. collapsed due to wind stresses.
John R. Nichols paper, Tolerances in
Building Construction.
1941
A new Publication Committee formed, Inclined axis, high-discharge transit Pearl Harbor, HI, was attacked and the
combining program and publication mixer introduced. Alkali-aggregate U.S. enters the war. The Atlantic
functions. A committee set to work to reaction investigated as cause of Charter was issued by the U.S. and
prepare a publications policy. concrete deterioration. Multiple arch Great Britain. The first practical use of
Advertising was limited to one Journal bridge built over spillway of Grand penicillin. Germany invaded Russia.
issue per year. The first Building Code Coulee Dam in state of Washington. Jeeps adopted for general use by U.S.
under the ACI 318 label was issued. Army. The U.S. Navys Construction
The first ACI Manual of Concrete Battalion (Seabees) was activated.
Inspection (SP-2) was published.
1942
Junior Member grade established to Grand Coulee Dam, with more than Tokyo was bombed using carrier-based
help recent graduates in the financial 10.9 million yd3 (8.3 million m3) of B-25 bombers. Bataan and Corregidor
transaction from Student Member concrete, opened ahead of schedule. fall in the Philippines. North Africa was
status. ACI turned its attention to Emergency building code proposed invaded by U.S. and British troops.
helping the war effort. Means of to save reinforcing steel. A vacuum Battle of Midway turned tide in the
speeding the results of important method for measuring air content of Pacific. First nuclear chain reaction
committee work into print were given fresh concrete was reported. The accomplishment at University of
priority. A formal Publications Policy Contra Costa Canal in California, was Chicago by Compton and Fermi.
was published. being placed by new machine First electronic digital computer
methods. constructed at Iowa State University.
U.S. Army engineers built Alcan
Highway in eight months.
1943
Wartime restrictions necessitated Vacuum mats used on Shasta Dam in Italy surrendered unconditionally to
holding only a token convention. A California to remove excess water. the Allies. President Roosevelt and
post-war planning committee was Hydraulic jacking for vertical slip- Prime Minister Churchill met in
established to speed a return to normal forming developed. Emergency rules Casablanca to plan second front.
activity when hostilities ceased. to conserve reinforcing steel were German army defeated at Stalingrad.
issued by the U.S. War Production
Board. Tests began on timber-
concrete composite beams in Oregon.
Five concrete shipyards were in
operation during World War II.
1944
Charter was revised to reflect actual Hollow concrete caissons several D-Day in Normandy. Allies crossed
activity of the Institute and to present hundred feet long were floated to the English Channel and invaded
it in more contemporary language. Normandy Beachhead to provide the continent. General MacArthur
Larger office space acquired in artificial harbor in support of D-Day returned to the Philippines. The
anticipation of staff increase. A study invasion. Gasoline-resistant coatings Battle for Leyte Gulf was largest
was authorized to investigate possible and concrete tanks for gasoline naval action ever fought. The Battle
demand of a bound collection of ACI storage were reported. Shortage of of the Bulge was Germanys last
standards. The Construction Practice steel met by using concrete for variety major offensive action. The GI Bill
1943-1947
Award was established. of applications including bathtubs and began to put millions of veterans
ballast. An 80 acre (32 hectare) through college.
industries building for Chrysler Corp.
in Chicago featured extensive use of
precast concrete.
1945
Wartime restrictions again necessitated Wartime restrictions on portland Germany surrendered, ending the
a smaller convention. ACI staff was cement were lifted. A committee war in Europe. Adolf Hitler
increased by one. Membership reached report was issued on admixtures. The commited suicide. The Yalta
2227 and income was about $43,000; wartime work on concrete ships was Conference mapped allied strategy
the latter was the largest in Institute reported. A method was proposed for against Japan. First atomic bomb
history. First ACI Book of Standards predicting 28-day strength of concrete was exploded in New Mexico, then
(six standards) issued as a from 3- and 7-day strengths. was used on Hiroshima and
separate publication. Nagasaki, Japan. Japan surrendered,
ending World War II. United Nations
Conference adopted charter.
1946
A Board Committee was appointed to Tests on prestressed concrete pipe Philippines became independent
study raising funds for an ACI-owned containing a steel cylinder were nation. The United Nations began
building. The Journal returned to a reported. A four-year study on field use work and League of Nations was
schedule of ten issues per year. The of cement containing vinsol resin dissolved. War crime trials began at
Advisory Committee and the Publica- concluded that appropriate air Nuremberg, Germany. Churchill
tion Committee were combined into entrainment constituted a major denounced Soviet Union in Iron
the Technical Activities Committee. improvement in concrete manufacture. Curtain speech at Fulton, MO.
1947
First Regional Meeting was held in Mangfall Bridge, Darching, Germany, Marshall Plan to aid in the rebuilding
Birmingham, Ala., the forerunner of designed using prestressed trusses. of Europe was proposed. India and
fall conventions. The Alfred E. Lindau Long-time cement investigation at Pakistan gained independence. The
Award was established. Membership Hoover Dam reported. Powers and world land speed record was set at
exceeded 3400, passing 1929 high. Brownyard reported on hardened paste 394.2 mph (634 kph). First supersonic
Income passed $100,000 for the first studies. Precast concrete was enjoying flight by U.S. Air Force Capt. Chuck
time. A bylaws revision provided for a new surge of interest. Work began on Yeager. Housing, flood control, and
election of all Board members at large Montanas Hungry Horse Dam, a 564 ft highway construction received
rather than by region. First ACI (172 m) concrete arch dam. major attention.
Detailing Manual published.
1948
An index of the ACI Journal covering Tilt-up construction was being Israel proclaimed an independent
1937-1947 was published. The manual recognized as an economical construction state. Polaroid camera introduced.
Detailing Reinforced Concrete Structures method. Cast-in-place barrel shell Indian leader Mohandas K. Gandhi
was adopted as a standard, as was the at Chicago airport spanned 257 ft was assassinated. Citation won U.S.
1947 Building Code. The trend in (78 m). Concrete was the major Triple Crown of horse racing. U.S. and
membership was steeply up, reaching material in the rebuilding of war-torn Britain airlift food and coal to Berlin
almost 4400. countries. Norwegians tested silica when USSR began land blockade of
fume as a concrete admixture. city. A 200 in. (5000 mm) reflecting
telescope became operational at Mount
Palomar, CA.
1949
The Journal, past and present, The Reinforced Concrete Research North Atlantic Treaty Organization
became available on microfilm. New Council was formed. Concrete (NATO) was formed. United Nations
leased quarters were acquired for highway median barriers were dedicated headquarters in New York
staff in a building in northwest introduced in New Jersey. The City. U.S. atom bomb monopoly ended
Detroit. American Concrete Pressure Pipe when Soviet Union exploded its own
Association was formed. John device. Hans Liebherr of Germany
Hancock building in Boston used developed tower crane that could be
cellular steel decking filled with easily broken down for mobility.
1948-1950
1950
A 20-year (1929-1949) cumulative First hyperbolic paraboloid shell built U.S. Senate investigated charges by
index was published. Membership in U.S.; first prestressed pavement Senator McCarthy that Communists
passed 5000. Sales of the Concrete laid; and lift-slab construction have infiltrated government. North
Primer exceeded 75,000. Institute was introduced. Portland cement Korea invaded South Korea. An
formed first joint committee with the production reached 225 million attempt was made on President
American Society of Civil Engineers. barrels in the U.S. Walnut Lane Trumans life. U.S. decided to produce
Bridge, Philadelphia, PA, became first hydrogen bomb. Peanuts comic
prestressed concrete bridge built in strip with Charlie Brown, by Charles
North America. M. Schulz, debuted.
Walnut Lane Bridge, built in 1950 in Philadelphia, PA, was the first major
prestressed concrete bridge in the U.S. The bridges 13 parallel 160 ft
(49 m) long main span girders were also the longest prestressed girders
in the U.S. for a number of years.
Photo courtesy of the Portland Cement Association.
1951
San Francisco convention, first on the Schmidt Test Hammer developed. President Truman relieved General
West Coast, took place. The convention Current research looked at spacing of MacArthur of his command in
approved a Building Code revision, a reinforcement, prestressing thin Korea. U.N. voted arms embargo
revised detailing standard, a revision to beams, automatic freezing and against Mainland China. The first
the pavement standard, and a new thawing test equipment, determining television transmission between
standard on shotcreting. A dues air content of hardened concrete, and U.S. west and east coasts occurred.
increase was also passed. use of radioactive salts for studying The U.S. Constitution amended to
concrete properties. limit president to two terms.
Chrysler introduced power steering
for automobiles.
1952
Harvey Whipple retired after 32 years. The Centennial of Engineering King George VI of England died and
Fred F. Van Atta becomes Acting recognized 100th birthday of civil was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth
Secretary-Treasurer, but resigned in engineering in U.S. Concrete Industry II. The first jet passenger service
September. William A. Maples was Board of New York was established. was inaugurated between London
named Acting Secretary-Treasurer. Prestressed girders and slabs used in and Johannesburg, South Africa.
buildings in midwest U.S. Ultimate The first hydrogen-fueled thermo-
load design procedures were being nuclear device was exploded at
investigated and proposed. Expanded Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific.
1951-1954
Shale Clay and Slate Institute formed. Vaccine for polio developed.
1953
William A. Maples was appointed The 24-mile precast, prestressed Korean Armistice was signed.
Secretary-Treasurer. A Joint ACI-ASCE Lake Ponchatrain Causeway was Joseph Stalin died. Edmund Hillary
Steering Committee was recommended completed in Louisiana. Current conquered Mt. Everest. Willie
to consider revising or rescinding the research was on creep, silicone Mosconi won the World Pocket
1940 Joint Committee Report; it was waterproofers, gap graded aggregates, Billiards Championship for the
later rescinded. grouts, glass prestressing cables, eighth time. Rocket-powered U.S.
prestress beams, strength of T-beams, plane was flown at more than
and model studies of short highway 1600 mph (2500 kph).
bridges. Heavy media separation of
river gravel for aggregate was used
for the first time in the U.S.
1954
The staff position of Technical The Precast/Prestressed Concrete First atomic-powered submarine
Director was created to better serve Institute was organized. High-density was commissioned. Roger Bannister
committee and public needs. There concrete for radiation shielding was of Britain was the first human to run
were 12 standards in force and 50 being researched. Construction of the a mile in under 4 min. French
committees active. Membership was Mackinac Straits Bridge piers were withdrew from Indochina. Measles
about 7000 and income was about underway using the preplaced vaccine was developed. Frozen TV
$184,000. aggregate technique. dinners were developed and
marketed.
The only cast-in-place concrete above the foundation in the Philadelphia Police Administration Building was the elevator-staircase
core. The rest of the superstructure was precast and prestressed.
Photo courtesy of the Portland Cement Association.
concrete on vertical formwork were preliminary steps in standards were translated into Spanish and published
preparation of ACIs recommended practice for design and cooperatively with the Instituto del Cemento Portland
construction of concrete formwork. ACI also proposed a Argentina. Many ACI standards and handbooks would be
procedure for proportioning structural-grade lightweight translated in the years to come.
aggregate concrete and a recommended practice for hot The late 1950s saw the development of plastic forms
weather concreting. A new committee was activated to for architectural concrete. The early 1960s were also
develop a handbook containing data and design aids for notable for the AASHO Road Test, a $25 million project
use in designing reinforced concrete by the ultimate designed to study the performance of highway pave-
strength method. Tentative recommendations for design of ments and short-span bridges subjected to controlled
prestressed concrete, issued by a joint committee of ACI traffic loadings.
and ASCE, were widely used. A 1960 ACI Journal readership study found that the five
most-read types of papers were, in order: construction
10,000 MEMBERS practice, structural design-construction, structural
By 1959, Institute membership had reached 10,000; design, structural research, and materials research. At the
there were 50 technical committees and three chapters same time, a new committee was organized to expedite
in operation. The year marked several international the publication of a series of monographs on specialized
milestones: the Institute held a regional meeting in subjects in the concrete field. A guide to more than a half-
Mexico City, Mexico,* a three-member delegation was century of important writings in concrete progress rolled
appointed to collaborate with the Comite Europeen du off the press with publication of the ACI 55-Year Index:
Beton in the exchange of information, and several ACI 1905-1959. In 1961, after more than six years of work,
Committee 622 issued its Recommended Practices for
*
There had previously been meetings in Canadaan annual Concrete Formwork, later adopted as an ACI standard.
convention in Toronto in 1934 and a regional meeting in Research and application in materials and methods
Montreal in 1956. continued to expand concrete knowledge and the use of
The Ninian Central Platform, a concrete gravity base for drilling and oil production, became the largest floating object built by man
when it was towed to location in the North Sea in 1978. The Jarlan-type breakwater wall that crowned the concrete structure was built
by assembling rows of quadrant-shaped precast units in a mammoth assembly yard.
STUDENT PROJECTS
The spring of 1970 marked the beginning of a fun A second building was added to the Detroit headquarters facility
project that was to grow into an international competition. in 1969. Ribbon-cutting at the dedication was handled by (left to
right) Vice President S. D. Burks; Past President Arthur R.
The civil engineering honors class at the University of Anderson; Executive Director William A. Maples; President
Illinois in Urbana, studying under Prof. Clyde Kesler, Joseph J. Shideler; and Past President Graydon E. Burnett.
The Institute expanded the Detroit headquarters with the construction of a second building in 1969. The east building (right)
featured reinforced concrete beam-and-column framing, faced with two-story exposed aggregate precast panels using Michigan
crushed stone aggregate.
U.S. BICENTENNIAL
Recognizing that the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976 offered
a unique climate for presenting U.S. contributions to the
technology of concrete and reinforced concrete, the ACI
committee on history published A Selection of Historic
American Papers on Concrete: 1876-1926. Men of vision
were remembered, and significant landmark articles on
concrete, long out of print, were collected in this volume.
The classic papers were by Thaddeus Hyatt, William E.
Ward, Arthur N. Talbot, Arthur R. Lord, C. A. P. Turner,
Ernest L. Ransome, and Duff A. Abramswhose thinking,
experiments, practices, and teachings influenced
Executive Vice President George F. Leyh served as ACIs chief their contemporaries as well as their successors in
staff officer from 1975 until 1998.
concrete technology.
certification of nuclear concrete inspection and testing The year 1976 highlighted international activity for
personnel in accordance with the ACI-ASME code. ACI. The fall convention, cosponsored with IMCYC, was
The publication in early 1975 of the six-volume held in Mexico City and drew participants from 24 coun-
National Concrete Technology Reference Shelf brought tries. The Bicentennial spring convention in Philadelphia
to a close a seven-year educational effort by PCA, ACI, attracted conferees from 15 countries. The Philadelphia
and the National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association. meeting featured a symposium sponsored by ACI, Comite
The National Concrete Technology Curriculum Project, Europeen du Beton, Federation Internationale de la
initiated in 1968, had developed course content and Precontrainte, and the Prestressed Concrete Institute
teaching materials to train technicians for the concrete (PCI), comparing design practices in Europe and the U.S.
industries, and also included development of career ACI assumed responsibility for administering and
guidance materials. conducting the qualifying examination for Level III
Inspection Engineers required by ACI 359, Code for
EXPANDING SIGHTS Concrete Reactor Vessels and Containments. This
In late 1975, the Board of Direction named George F. examination had previously been given by the National
Leyh executive director of ACI to succeed William A. Council of Engineering Examiners.
Maples on his retirement. The Institutes international Another grade of membership was approved in 1977
programs continued with a number of cosponsored when members ratified a Bylaws revision creating the
seminars and conferences in Latin America, Europe, and grade of Sustaining Member. The grade was created to
North America. The First Panamerican Symposium on
Concrete Education was held in Mexico City during the
ACI 1976 fall convention there. The symposium was Throughout the many years of the Institutes history,
sponsored jointly by ACI, the Panamerican Federation of the chartered goals have been achieved by the efforts
Engineering Societies (UPADI), and IMCYC. It was appro- of thousands and thousands of members, past and
priate that the second Panamerican symposium was present, who have given, and are currently giving
scheduled for 1979 in Washington, D.C., in conjunction willingly of their time and talent so that ACI can
with ACIs 75th anniversary celebration. progress and fulfill its obligations.
The Board of Direction approved a historic landmarks George F. Leyh
program in 1975 to identify and designate historic ACI Executive Vice President, 1975-1998
concrete projects, structures, and sites that represented
1955-1957
The second edition of the Reinforced Concrete houses built in the desert at Winston Churchill resigned as
Concrete Design Handbook and the Yucca Flats, New Mexico, stood up Britains Prime Minister. Giant U.S.
third edition of the Manual of well to atomic blast. Precast roof labor unions, AFL and CIO, merged.
Concrete Inspection were published. slabs were effective deterrent to fire. Federal Republic of West Germany
Bibliography No. 1 on prestressed Properties of initially retarded became a sovereign state. Warsaw
concrete was published. concrete and set-retarding admix- Pact signed. U.S. used its first
tures were subjects of current atomically generated power.
research. Commercially produced Disneyland in California opened.
slipform paver appeared.
1956
Site purchased for ACI-owned Kelly Ball Test was developed. A Nobel Prize was awarded for the
headquarters building. Journal Current research was considering invention of the transistor. Liners
schedule was increased to 12 times creep and creep recovery, cracking Andrea Doria and Stockholm
per year. Membership was over 8000 resistance of hydraulic cement, collided in the Atlantic. The first
and income passes quarter-million concrete strength under combined trans-Atlantic telephone cable
dollar mark. A revised Building Code stresses, stresses in shells, stress system was put into service.
was adopted with an appendix that losses in prestressed beams, and fire FORTRAN was developed.
introduced ultimate strength design resistance. Construction began on
to the Code. Committee 301, Specifi- Brasilia as new capital of Brazil.
cations for Concrete, organized. Federal-Aid Highway Act passed to
start construction of U.S. interstate
1957 highway system.
1958
The new headquarters building was The first mile-a-day concrete paving Conquest of space moved forward
occupied. Official dedication took project was constructed. Chapter 11 with the U.S. launching of five
place during fall convention, which of the long-time study of cement separate satellites. Aluminum beer
was held in Detroit. A color photograph performance was published. High- cans introduced. Charles de Gaulle
of the new building was the first to strength steel and 6000 psi (41 MPa) elected Premier of France. Jet service
appear on the Journal cover. Henry L. concrete used in columns of Dallas between U.S. and Europe began.
Kennedy Award was established to apartment building to reduce size.
recognize outstanding technical and Fatigue strength of prestressed
administrative service to the Institute. beams was being researched.
The establishment of local chapters
was authorized and the first, Southern
California, was organized.
1959
Small parcel of property surrounded Executive House Hotel in Chicago U.S. space agency selected trainees
by ACI property was purchased to became worlds tallest concrete for forthcoming manned space
preserve the appearance of the site. A building at 371 ft (113 m). A 700 ft flights. U.S. grew to 50 states with the
committee on long-range objectives (213 m) long prestessed concrete admission of Alaska and Hawaii. Fidel
was formed. The Journal cover was trestle was built in South Carolina. Castro assumed power in Cuba.
modernized by the addition of a Continuously reinforced concrete
photograph. Fall meeting was held in pavements were studied. Exposed
Mexico City. Membership passed the aggregate panels and plastic forms
10,000 mark. were being used to obtain pleasing
architectural concrete. St. Lawrence
Seaway opened, connecting the Great
Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.
1960
The Monograph Series was approved. Pier Luigi Nervis unique ferrocement John F. Kennedy became the youngest
The Charles S. Whitney Medal for sports arena in Rome was site of the man to be elected U.S. president. U.S.
noteworthy engineering development Olympic Games. AASHO was studying reconnaissance plane was shot down
in design or construction was performance of pavement and highway over the USSR. First meteorological
established. The Publications Policy structure in a full-scale test in Illinois. satellite Tiros I launched. First
was revised with an emphasis on Current research was looking at the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS
shorter contributions. Convention correlation between flexural and tensile Enterprise launched.
in New York was first to exceed splitting strength, autogenous healing
1000 attendance. mechanisms, and stress corrosion
failures in prestressed concrete. New
Jersey installed reinforced concrete
barriers to separate opposing lines of
highway traffic.
1961
The publication schedule for the Marina Towers in Chicago claimed Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union
Journal was changed so volume year tallest concrete building title at 585 ft became the first human space
coincided with calendar year. A (178 m). Freezing and thawing tests traveler in a one-orbit flight. Alan B.
cumulative index of ACI Proceedings on lightweight aggregate concrete Shephard, Jr., and Virgil I. Grissom
from 1905 through 1960 (55 years) were reported. Rectangular stress of the U.S. follow shortly with
was published. Joe W. Kelly introduced distribution in ultimate strength suborbital flights. The Berlin Wall,
the Memo from the President. design was offered for design separating East and West Berlin, was
consideration. Passage of the Federal- built. The United Nations headquarters
Aid Highway Act secured funding for was dedicated. Roger Maris of the
the National System of Interstate and New York Yankees broke Babe
Defense Highways with much of the Ruths home run record with 61 in a
system being concrete pavement. single season.
American Society of Concrete
Contractors organized.
1962
An Institute chapter was formed in Concrete shells were popular in John Glenn of the U.S. completed a
Japan. The regional meetings construction and in literatureeight three-orbit space flight. First
officially became full-fledged fall papers on shells appeared in the ACI communications satellite Telstar
conventions. The first separate Journal. Researchers were looking launched. Soviet missiles in Cuba
1961-1964
symposium volume was published. at shear in prestressed I-beams, provoked a U.S. naval blockade.
ACI Committee 326 published an yield hinges in columns, splitting Algeria became an independent
extensive report on shear and phenomenon in bond failure, creep nation.
diagonal tension. The second color rates under repeated loads, light-
photograph appeared on the Journal weight aggregate effect on strength
cover. Members submit suggestions and durability, and false set. Concrete
for a new ACI symbol and motto. was used extensively in structures at
the Seattle Worlds Fair.
1963
The first edition of Formwork for The terminal at Dulles International U.S. President John F. Kennedy was
Concrete was published. A revision to Airport, Washington, D.C., was a assassinated. Valentina V. Tereshkova
the Building Code was published in a major concrete achievement. The of the USSR became the first woman
restructured format. Keyword research was in such areas as ultra- in space with a 48-orbit flight. A
indexing was added to Journal high-strength concrete, influence of limited nuclear test ban treaty
papers. The committee numbering cement paste content on creep, between the U.S. and the USSR was
structure and grouping were reorga- lightweight aggregate concrete, shear signed.
nized. Board goes on record in favor in members of circular cross section,
of metric equivalent in ACI publications. and fatigue of prestressed beams. A
record 2 miles (3 km) of concrete
highway was paved in one day.
1964
The new ACI logo and motto were Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona Hello Dolly was a big hit on
introduced. ACI entered into joint completedcontained almost Broadway. U.S. Congress passed
sponsorship of the Monograph 5 million yd3 (3,823,000 m3) of Civil Rights Act. Verrazano-Narrows
Series with Iowa State University concrete. Ongoing research was Bridge opened; longest suspension
Press, and the first monograph was considering shrinkage and creep in span at the time. Nikita Khrushchev
published. An architectural contest lightweight prestressed beams, was ousted as Soviet premier. The
for third-year students was held at galvanized reinforcement, and effect U.S. began major involvement in
the annual convention with a of finishing methods on bridge-deck Vietnam War. Ranger VII yielded
donated cash prize to the winner. concrete properties. Spans of close-up photographs of the moons
The annual convention in Houston Chesapeake Bay Bridge built of surface. Alaska hit by massive
reconvened for one day in precast concrete components. The earthquake.
Monterrey, Mexicothe first American Concrete Pavement
convention held in two cities. A Association was founded. Montreals
5-year supplement to the 55-Year Place Victoria became the tallest
Index was published. concrete building at 624 ft (190 m).
1965
There were 16 active local chapters. Computers for designing in concrete The first space walks were
The annual convention in San were becoming popular. Research accomplished. One Soviet and four
Francisco reconvened in Hawaii for a was reported underway on factors U.S. space flights, one lasting almost
2-day program. Coordination in the that influence concrete resistance to 14 days, were completed. Rhodesia
concrete industry and international deicers, strength under triaxial stress, proclaimed independence. The two-
cooperation were prime objectives of volume changes in paste at early year New York Worlds Fair closed.
the Institute. A long-range planning ages, bond in lightweight concrete, The silicone chip was introduced in
committee was appointed to develop tensile strength of concrete, columns the U.S. First indoor baseball game
plans through the year 2000. ACI and with special large bars, and slender played in Houston Astrodome.
ASTM reviewed and renewed the columns bent in double curvature.
agreement about spheres of work. The Japan National Council on
First commentary to the Building Concrete (later the Japan Concrete
Code was published. Income Institute) was formed from a former
exceeded $500,000. ACI chapter. The National Precast
Concrete Association was organized.
1966
A technical committee on education Portland Cement Association Mainland China launched a cultural
was formed, launching ACI into this celebrates 50 years. The 3-1/8 mile revolution in power struggle. Prime
new field. Monograph Nos. 2 and 3 (6 km) Oosterschelde Bridge opened in Minister Hendrik Verwoerd of South
were published. Additional property Holland. U.S. delegation toured Russian Africa was assassinated. France
in Detroit was purchased near building projects as part of technical withdrew armed forces from NATO.
headquarters to provide for expansion. exchange program. Over 102, 000 yd3 Soviet Lunar 9, followed by U.S.
ACI suggested possibility of a (78,000 m3) of concrete were placed at Surveyor 1, made soft landings on
federation of organizations in the Mossyrock Dam in Washington in just moon surface.
concrete field to improve coordination. 23 days. Researchers were studying
Policy to include metric equivalents epoxy-bonded composite beams, finite
in ACI publications was adopted. element analysis of members, and shell
behavior. The Concrete Society in
England and Architectural Precast
Association in United States
were organized.
1967
Policy was established to submit all The 70-story Lake Point Tower, Expo 67 Worlds Fair was held in
standards for adoption by American Chicago, at 645 ft (197 m), built of Montreal. The six-day Arab-
National Standards Institute. The 3rd lightweight structural concrete, Israeli War resulted in large
edition of the Reinforced Concrete opened. Topics under study included territories changing hands. The
Design Handbook was published. The blast resistance of slabs, load first successful human heart
ACI Journal was published in the transfer, frames under cyclic loads, transplant was accomplished.
larger magazine format. The first effects of variable repeated loads, Large-scale protests against the
ultimate strength design handbook integration of seismic systems in flat Vietnam War began. Green Bay
(SP-17) was published. The Book of plate structures, strength under high Packers football team defeated
Standards was succeeded by the ACI temperature, and concrete with nylon Kansas City Chiefs in first
Manual of Concrete Practice. fibers. Habitat 67 in Montreal Super Bowl.
constructed from prefabricated
concrete units. First continuous
reinforced concrete pavement on I-70
near Pocahontas, Ill.
1968
The Institutes Education Department Relationship of cement properties to U.S. shocked by assassinations of
was formed. A growing staff required performance were reported by U.S. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Senator
renting additional space and begin- National Bureau of Standards after Robert F. Kennedy. The Warsaw-
1967-1970
ning plans for building larger quar- long-time tests. Researchers were Pact nations invaded Czechoslovakia
ters. The Distinguished Service looking at corrosion of steel in and overthrew the Alexander
(Bloem) Award was established. lightweight concrete, rapid tests for Dubcek regime. U.S.S. Pueblo
Katharine Mather first woman elected strength potential of cement, accelerated seized in the Sea of Japan by North
to Board of Direction. The first testing, connections between precast Korea. France was paralyzed by
glossary of cement and concrete members, and behavior of deep general strike. Apollo 8 with three-
terms was issued. slabs at ultimate capacity. Polymer- man crew orbited moon. Cable
impregnated concrete showed high television introduced.
strength. Morrow Point Dam in
Colorado was the first double-
curvature, thin-arch dam constructed.
1969
The titles of Executive Secretary and Construction began on the Shell Oil Neil Armstrong and Edwin Buzz
Assistant Secretary were changed to Building, Houston, TX, said to be Aldrin of the U.S. became the first
Executive Director and Deputy the tallest concrete building at 714 ft men to walk on the surface of the
Executive Director. The first Technical (218 m). Ferrocement for boats was moon. Charles de Gaulle resigned as
Committee Manual to guide capturing the imaginations of many. president of France. Peace talks to
committee operations was published. Canada dropped the barrel as a end Vietnam War began in Paris.
A 10-year supplemental index was shipping unit for cement. Reinforcing
published. The first educational concrete with glass fibers was
seminar was held. Ground was broken reported to be successful. A patent
for a free-standing addition to the was issued for a steel wire-fiber
Detroit headquarters building. A reinforcing technique. Concept of
standard was proposed for cast-in- square concrete pipe initiated.
place pipe.
1970
The new headquarters addition was Atlanta airport construction teams Aswan High Dam completed in
occupied. The second floor was leased placed 326,000 yd3 (249,000 m3) Egypt. Thor Heyerdahl and crew
out. An education tour of European concrete pavement in 40 days. sailed from Morocco to Barbados
construction was organized. The Current research was looking at in papyrus boat. To accommodate
Educational Activities Committee is accelerated strength tests, ultrasonic the new 747 jumbo airliner, most
formed and several education tests for microcrack detection, major airports were building new
committees appointed. interaction of frames with filler walls, runways and facilities. First tower
and behavior of thin-walled members. of New Yorks World Trade Center
University of Illinois students built topped out. U.S. Gross National
and floated a ferrocement canoe, Product reached $1 trillion.
starting a wave of building and racing
activity that became annual events.
First practical use of steel fiber-
reinforced shotcrete by U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers.
1971
A vastly changed Building Code with Studies on low-cycle fatigue, pro- Sixty-three nations signed treaty
ultimate strength design (USD) was longed monomer saturation, moisture banning nuclear weapons on the
issued. A Specification Review movement through low-density seabed beyond the 12-mile (19 km)
Committee is formed. The Raymond C. concrete, cold-formed mechanical limit. Mainland China was seated in
Davis Lecture Series is authorized. splicing systems, ferrocement at the U.N., replacing the Formosa
Monograph 6 and six symposia cryogenic temperatures, beam- government. Load factor design
volumes were published. The first column connections, behavior under introduced for steel highway bridges.
standard on notation was issued. The triaxial stress, accelerated testing, Pocket calculators introduced.
new Code changes were explained in a and shrinkage compensating concrete
series of ACI-PCA closed-circuit are underway. Precast monorails
television seminars. ACI Committee 318 for Disney World in Florida were
established an annual supplement shipped 3400 miles (5470 km) from
revision policy and five-year cycle for plant in Washington. The effect of
Code revision. melamine resin additions on concrete
showed high-strength and water-
reducing possibilities. Portland
cement industry in U.S. was 100 years
old. First fiber-reinforced concrete
pavement placed on Ohio I-71 weigh
station entrance.
1972
1971-1974
Membership exceeded 15,000 and First cantilevered box girder, segmental Japan and China renewed diplomatic
income was more than $1 million. bridge in the U.S. built in Texas. relations, ending an official state of
An educational tour of construction Worlds tallest load-bearing concrete war beginning in 1937. The arrest of
in Australia and New Zealand was block building, a 196 ft (60 m) high five men at the Watergate Complex
organized. The Arthur R. Anderson hotel in Disney World, used epoxy offices of the U.S. Democratic Party
and Roger H. Corbetta Concrete adhesive instead of conventional touched off a political scandal that
Constructor Awards were established. mortar. Engineering News-Record brought down the Nixon administration.
Committees on conventions, planning, named Fazlur Khan its Man of the The U.S. President visited Mainland
and industry advancement were Year. Concrete Sawing and Drilling China, opening communications for
established. First Chapter Association organized. The U.S. Navy the first time in 20 years.
Roundtable held. was researching deep ocean
concrete structures.
1973
The first education bulletin was Designers specified 7500 psi (52 MPa) Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark
published. Concrete Abstracts was concrete for One Thousand Lake formally entered European Common
purchased and published under ACI Shore Plaza, Chicago. Concrete was Market. East and West Germany
auspices. The membership grade of pumped 473 ft (144 m) vertically for established formal relations. The
Fellow was established. Indiana National Bank, Indianapolis. Greek monarchy was abolished and a
Expansive cement concretes, republic was established. The U.S. put
polymers in concrete, and probabilistic a manned space laboratory into orbit.
code format were symposia topics.
Offshore oil discoveries in the North
Sea lead to designs in concrete sea
drilling platforms. Sail-like sculptural
Sydney Opera House, Australia, built
with precast and prestressed
components.
1974
Membership passed 16,000. The Econocrete highway paving system Richard M. Nixon became the first
Education Department produced a was introduced. Attention was devoted U.S. president to resign. India
tape cassette program on the Strength to industrialized construction, exploded a nuclear device, becom-
Design Handbook. The Joe W. Kelly durability, fiber-reinforced concrete, ing the sixth nation to do so. The
Award was established. The first and concrete under extreme temperature. emperor of Ethiopia was deposed
nuclear containment structure Research was underway on confined after a 58-year rule. Sears Tower,
standard was published. lightweight concrete, time-dependent 1454 ft (443 m) high, in Chicago,
behavior of an 855 ft (260 m) was highest example of tubular
structure, acoustic emission test for building design. U.S. Mariner 10
evaluating concrete, and 12,000 psi satellite transmitted pictures of
(83 MPa) concrete. both Venus and Mercury.
1975
George F. Leyh became Executive Water Place Tower, Chicago, assumes U.S. involvement in Vietnam ended.
Director, succeeding William A. Maples the position of tallest concrete The Suez Canal was reopened for
who retired after 27 years with ACI. Six building at 847 ft (258 m). The first the first time since 1967. Two
symposia volumes were published. World of Concrete exposition was held attempts were made on the life of
The sixth edition of the Manual of in Houston, TX. Topics of interest U.S. President Gerald R. Ford.
Concrete Inspection is published. The were offshore structures, progressive Personal and affordable computers
result of several years of cooperative collapse, safety, and sulfur-infiltrated began to appear.
effort with the Portland Cement concrete. Torontos CN Tower 1815 ft
Association and the National Ready (553 m) tall shaft was slipformed and
Mixed Concrete Association was the post-tensioned. Concrete Foundations
publication by a commercial publisher Association organized.
of the National Concrete Technical
Reference Shelf.
1975-1977
Water Tower Place, Chicago, a 75-story reinforced concrete building was
higher than any reinforced concrete building when it was built in 1972-
1975. The 859 ft (242 m) tall building featured a concept combining
tubular design for the upper 63 stories with conventional design for the
lower 13. Column concrete strengths varied from 9000 to 4000 psi (62
to 28 MPa). Lightweight aggregate concrete was used in all floor slabs.
1976
ACI assumed task of administering Portland Cement Industry Museum The U.S. commemorated 200 years
Level III Nuclear Inspection Engineer dedicated in Coplay, Pa. The Post- as a nation, the oldest existing
examination. A special historical Tensioning Institute was organized. democracy. The World Trade
volume of significant papers of the The Rapid Analysis Machine for Center in New York was completed.
past was published as a U.S. Bicenten- determining cement content of fresh Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird plane set
nial project. The Cedric Willson concrete was developed by the Cement new world speed and altitude
Award was established. The third and Concrete Association. Topics being records. The failure of Teton Dam
edition of the Field Reference Manual researched included: internally sealing led to changes in the design and
was published. Chapter Activities concrete, self-stressing cements in construction of dams.
Award established. reinforced concrete, early strength gain
characteristics, seismic resistance
of precast panel buildings, high
temperature effects, control of
corrosion in marine environments,
and steel fiber concrete mixture
proportioning.
1977
Plans were approved to publish two The Koror-Bebelthuap Bridge on the The British-French Concorde
monthly periodicals. Institute agreed Palau Islands was completed and supersonic jet approved to land in
to hold its annual convention in claimed record as longest box girder selected U.S. cities. Nationwide
conjunction with the World of bridge at 790 ft (240 m). Topics being farmers strike by the American
Concrete exposition in 1980. A new, discussed included: polymer concrete, Agriculture Movement. Israeli-
reformatted Building Code was limit design, accelerated strength Egyptian peace talks began.
adopted. tests, seismic design, refractory The 799-mile (1285 km) Trans-
concrete, and bridge design. The Alaskan Pipeline completed at a cost
Masonry Society was founded. of $9 billion.
1978
Income exceeded $2 million. The Cement shortage slowed construction Environmental concern over the
second edition of V. 2, Columns, of in some parts of the U.S. Interest was Snail Darter halted plans for TVA
the Strength Design Handbook (SP-17) focused on lessons from structural Tellico Dam. U.S. Senate approved
was published. A slab design supple- performance, expansive cement, treaty, turning control of Panama
ment to V. 1 of the Design Handbook evaluating strength of existing Canal over to Panama by the year
was published. The ACI Journal and structures, vibrations of concrete 2000. Representatives of Israel and
Concrete Abstracts were available in structures, slump loss, control of Egypt agreed to terms of peace
microfiche editions. The member cracking, segmental construction, treaty, ending 30 years of conflict.
grade of Sustaining Member was and fiber-reinforced concrete. The Atlantic was crossed for the first
established. Chapters were formed in time in a hot air balloon.
Iran, Colombia, and Ecuador.
1979
The first monthly issue of the new The Pasco-Kennewick Bridge com- Two U.S. space satellites photographed
magazine Concrete International: pleted, purportedly the longest cable- Venus. The U.S. space lab fell to Earth
Design & Construction was published. stayed concrete bridge in North in Australia. U.S. gasoline hit $1.00 per
The new digest-size ACI Journal was America at 2503 ft (763 m). Water- gallon. Personal stereo, or Walkman,
published. ACI celebrated its 75th ways Experiment Station, U.S. Army was introduced by Sony. Two Soviet
anniversary. Publication sales passed Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Miss., astronauts orbited Earth for a record
1978-1979
the $1 million mark. Membership marked its 50th year of operation. 175 days. Spaceships Voyager I and
climbed over 14,200. Building code Washington states Denny Creek Pioneer II passed by the planets of
requirements for concrete masonry Bridge, the first in the U.S. to be Jupiter and Saturn and transmitted
structures issued. erected by a three-stage incremental photographs and atmospheric data
launching system with traveling back to Earth.
formwork, neared completion.
Construction began on the Long Key
Bridge, the first of the concrete
segmental spans that would provide a
new highway linking the Florida keys.
John F. McLaughlin
1979
During ACIs 75th anniversary convention in Washington, D. C. in 1979, the Smithsonian Institutions Museum of History and Technol-
ogy featured a display depicting 75 years of ACI and concrete history. The exhibit contained samples of reinforcing bars from the early
days to 1979 along with other artifacts and publications, including the ACI Building Code.
ACI had several important committees that championed compacted concrete (RCC) construction methods.
interests of the contractor. A major effort was aimed at Following two years of design and investigation,
attracting contractors to become involved in writing construction began in 1981. Roller-compacted concrete
concrete industry standards and to promote dialogue and had previously been used only as a portion of construction
the exchange of information between designers and for various dams and diversion structures. The Japanese
contractors. The Construction Liaison Committee (CLC) had used RCC as central fill in construction of two
had a broadly-defined responsibility for developing gravity dams. Willow Creek Dam was 1780 ft (542 m)
programs and seminars for the contractor in cooperation long, 169 ft (53 m) high, and contained 425,000 yd3
with the Education Department. The Construction Review (307,000 m3) of roller-compacted concrete. RCCa no-
Committee, a subgroup of the CLC, was responsible for slump concrete that could be hauled in dump trucks,
reviewing all Institute technical documents for spread with a bulldozer or grader, and compacted with
constructibility, and, of course, the newly authorized a vibrating rolleroffered an efficient method for
certification program offered a way to improve field testing producing mass concrete at high production rates and
of concrete, thus reducing problems during construction low costs.
and after completion of the structure. Another massive concrete project under construction
In an effort to reach and teach construction workers, was the Oosterschelde Barrier in The Netherlands. The
ACI began publishing the Concrete Craftsman Series. storm-surge barrier, designed to be closed during flood
The first of this series of pocket-sized handbooks for tides, consisted of 66 prefabricated concrete piers
the worker in the field became available in mid-1982. equipped with huge sliding steel gates that could be
The first handbook was a how-to-do-it illustrated guide dropped within 2.5 h during storm conditions. The
to what craftsmen and others should know about slabs prefabricated concrete piers were 131 ft (40 m) high and
on grade. The second in the series, issued in 1984, dealt weighed 15,000 to 18,000 tons (13,600 to 16,300 tonnes).
with cast-in-place walls. After the piers were floated into position and sunk, they
The Institute moved quickly into the next phase of were built up an additional 43 ft (13 m) with cast-in-
the new certification program. It was expanded to place concrete to accommodate the 500-ton (454
include concrete laboratory testing technicians (Grades I tonne) flood gates and concrete box girders supporting
and II) in addition to Grade I field technicians already a highway on top.
being certified.
STUDENT CHAPTERS
NOTABLE PROJECTS The distinction of being the first ACI student chapter
Willow Creek Dam in Oregon was the worlds first went to Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA,
gravity dam to be totally designed and built using roller- in the spring of 1982 under the auspices of the ACI New
England Chapter. This marked a new era for the organized technical Committee 118, Use of Computers,
Institute. Wentworth, founded in 1904, offered a 20 years earlier. As a trial balloon on a possible Institute
building construction/engineering technology program service, ACI Committee E 702, at the Kansas City fall
on a cooperative educational basis where students convention, offered seven mini-micro computer programs
divided their time between the classroom and applicable to the design of reinforced concrete. Results
employment in the construction industry. The second were later published as COM-1 (83). Six programs involved
student chapter was established later the same year design analysis and the other concerned quality control
at California State University, Fresno, CA, under the at the construction level. Each contained a brief summary
auspices of the ACI Northern California Chapter. of theory and logic used, and a sample run was shown
Involvement with college students had mushroomed. along with a listing of the program.
Programs included an annual cube testing Rapid growth of personal computers (PC) opened the
competition at Institute conventions, a photography doors for more productive, efficient, and interactive
contest, concrete canoe races, and other chapter- communication in preparation of ACI documents.
sponsored events. ACI actively encouraged the use of computers and the
telephone modem for committee communications.
COMPUTER REVOLUTION Documents drafted on a PC led to more productive face-
It is interesting to note that Time magazine named the to-face sessions at a convention and a faster turnaround
personal computer Man of the Year for 1982. ACI had rate among committee members. It was not too long
not been asleep during the computer revolution; it had before hotel facilities were providing services where
MATERIALS PLACING
Advances were also being made in materials placing
technology. The development of latex-modified concrete
allowed the paving industry to install concrete overlays
At the ground-breaking ceremonies (1995) for the new headquar-
as thin as 1 in. (25 mm) thick and polymer concrete ters facility, Executive Vice President George F. Leyh shared the
overlays as thin as 3/4 in. (19 mm) using specialized shovel with four ACI presidents and/or future presidents (left to
placing and finishing equipment. Roller-compacted right): Dean E. Stephan, 1994 president; Leyh; Robert F. Mast,
1995 president; George C. Hoff, 1993 president; and James S.
concrete, initially used in construction of gravity dams, Pierce, 1996 president.
had found a new application as a high-quality paving
material for heavy-duty industrial pavements. Recent
advances in cohesion-inducing (antiwashout) admixtures HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE
were allowing placement of concrete underwater without During the early 1990s, high-performance concrete
the use of conventional tremies. (HPC) was a topic of major interest in the industry.
At a workshop sponsored by NIST and the ASCE Civil
MANY MILESTONES Engineering Research Foundation on high-performance
At the end of 1990, total Institute membership materials, recommendations were developed for a high-
reached more than 20,000 for the first time. From its level National Research Program. An agreement was
founding in 1904, it took ACI five years to reach 1000 reached that any research or development activities
members. After that, membership numbers fluctuated involving HPC would be spearheaded by ACI or ConREF
sharply through World War I, the Great Depression years, and CRC. It was noted that technology transfer of
and World War II. The 10,000 mark was attained in 1959, information might be as important as new research
15,000 in 1972, and 20,349 in 1990. for HPC.
A little-known milestone was reached in 1991 when The Portneuf Bridge, a short-span post-tensioned
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cast its eight millionth bridge using a 60 MPa (8.70 ksi) air-entrained concrete,
articulated concrete mattress at its yard in St. Francisville, was built in the fall of 1992 on the north shore of the
LA. The mats were used to protect Mississippi River St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. It was said to be
banks and levees from erosion. the first air-entrained high-performance concrete bridge
A persistent recession affected the construction built in North America. The structure was a rigid frame
industry in the early 1990s. In many respects, ACI weathered with a 24.8 m (81.4 ft) clear span. By using high-strength
the recession quite well without serious impact on most concrete with external post-tensioning, a span-to-depth
of its programs. The new headquarters facility moved ratio of 35 was achieved, compared to 28 for a regular
closer to reality with inauguration of a capital fund-raising beam post-tensioned bridge deck.
drive and development of a preliminary building design.
The Institute chartered its 78th chapter in Denmarkits STANDARDS ACTIVITY
first chapter in Europe. The mission of the Concrete International standardization continued to be of high
Materials Research Council (CMRC) was revised so that interest. With the cooperation and agreement of ASTM,
all concrete research would be covered; CMRC became which sponsored the U.S. Technical Advisory Group
the Concrete Research Council (CRC), reporting to (TAG) to the International Standardization Organizations
the Concrete Research and Education Foundation Technical Committee on Concrete (ISO/TC-71), ACI
(ConREF). Of great significance, ConREF and CRC were became a participating member on the committee and
the recipients of a sizable grant from industry sources to the TAG was expanded to become a joint ASTM/ACI TAG.
finance a research project at the National Institute of ASTM continued to handle the portion of TC-71 activity
Standards and Technology (NIST). The role of ConREF and involving materials and testing, whereas ACI became
CRC was to monitor the research and help ensure that the involved with all matters involving structural design.
results could be transferred into practical technology. In late 1992, ACI assumed the secretariat for ISO/TC-71.
simultaneously with the World of undertaken on Interstate 94 (Edens Gandhi won landslide victory at the
Concrete exposition. The ACI Manual of Expressway) in Chicago. Long Key polls in India. The first women
Concrete Practice, introduced in 1967 in Bridge, Florida Keys, completeda graduate from U.S. military acad-
three volumes, was published for the precast, post-tensioned concrete emies. Mount St. Helens erupted in
first time in a five-volume set. Institute bridge consisting of 103 spans of up state of Washington. The nation
launched construction development, to 118 ft (36 m) in length. National endured a weak economy and Iran
concrete technicians certification Ready-Mixed Concrete Association hostage crises. World Health Organi-
program. With the largest single gain in and Wire Reinforcement Institute zation announced eradication of
25 years, ACI membership jumped over celebrated 50th anniversary. Sixteen small pox.
the 15,000 mark. pairs of prefabricated steel-shelled
concrete tubes, each 42 ft (13 m)
high, were placed for the Fort
McHenry Tunnel across the inner
harbor in Baltimore, MD.
1981
ACIs Long-Range Plan, which set The Texas Commerce Tower, Houston, Fifty-two American hostages were
pertinent objectives and goals and the worlds sixth tallest building, was freed from Iran. The first woman,
recommends plans for the completed by using concrete pumped Sandra Day OConnor, was named to
organizations future, was adopted by to a height of 1030 ft (314 m)the the U.S. Supreme Court. Anwar Sadat
the Board of Direction. With the highest such pumping ever under- of Egypt was assassinated. Federal air
addition of new chapters in Israel and taken. The structure was also the controllers were fired for striking.
Korea, the number of ACI chapters tallest composite (both concrete and The space shuttle Columbia made a
climbed past 50. Institutes Executive steel) building in the world. Rehabili- successful test flight. IBM launched
Committee met in South America, a tation of railroad track between its home or personal computer.
first for ACI. First concrete cube Boston and Washington, DC, used Worlds fastest train, the French TGV,
testing contest for students held 1.1 million concrete tiesthe largest went into operation.
during the Dallas, TX, convention. concrete tie installation in the U.S. up
until that time. Bureau of Reclamation
Concrete Laboratory 50th anniversary.
1982
The first student chapters, at Cantilevering of the main span of the Recession and year-long rise in
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Houston Ship Channel Bridge, the unemployment occured in the U.S.
Boston, MA, and California State longest post-tensioned girder span in and other industrial nations. Argentine
University, Fresno, CA, were established. the U.S., got underway. Worlds first soldiers took over the Falkland
ACI certification program launched. floating prestressed concrete container Islands but the islands were recaptured
ACIs first Concrete Craftsman Series, dock was built in Tacoma, WA, and the by Great Britain. The population of
Slabs on Grade, was published. First of a 700 ft (213 m) long structure was towed China passed the 1 billion mark. Worlds
series of roundtables/seminars in 1400 miles (2250 km) to Valdez, AK. Fair was staged in Knoxville, TN.
foreign nations held; ACI officials visited Willow Creek Dam in Oregon is the first
Israel, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, concrete gravity dam built entirely by
and Japan. roller-compacted concrete methods
and is essentially completed in less
than a year.
1983
ACI 318-83 Building Code and The first diagonally braced tube First American woman to travel in
Commentary and 318.1, Structural structure designed and constructed in space, Sally Ride, is a crew member
Plain Concrete Code, published by reinforced concrete was completed at of the space shuttle Challenger.
the Institute. ACIs local chapter 780 Third Ave., New York City. As use of Menachem Begin resigned as prime
movement observed 25th anniver- high-strength concrete in tall structures minister of Israel. A South Korean
sary. Publication sales exceed $1.5 increased, two experimental columns airliner was downed269 killed.
million; membership passed 16,100. of 14,000 psi (97 MPa) concrete were Terrorist attack on the U.S. Marine
Los Angeles convention drew 1176, erected during construction of the new headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon
second highest registration in 38-story Chicago Mercantile Exchange 191 killed. Lech Walesa, founder of
Institute history; meeting in Kansas Building. First International Conference Solidarity, Polands free labor
City, attracted 996, a new record on Use of Fly Ash, Silica Fume, Slag, and union, was awarded Nobel Peace
for fall conventions. Program of Other Mineral By-Products in Concrete Prize. Ameritech receives FCCs
interpreting ACI codes and held at Montebello, Canada, sponsored first cellular phone license.
specifications established by the by ACI and CANMET. First precast
Board of Direction. segmental concrete construction for a
railway used in the Metropolitan
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
(MARTA) system.
1984
1983-1986
Membership exceeded 17,700, the Work began on the 4.2 mile (7 km) U.S. President Ronald Reagan visited
highest in 80-year Institute history. Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa, FL, China. Olympic games held in Los
Concrete Materials Research Council which would be the longest Angeles but were boycotted by
established. ACI officials traveled concrete span in North America when Soviet Union and other nations. For
16,000 miles (25,700 km) and visited completed. The span would include a the first time, a woman, Geraldine
eight Latin American nations. superstructure of box girders Ferraro of New York, received a vice
Associate Member category created supported by stayed cables from presidential nomination from a
for ACI technical and educational pylons atop the two main piers. major political party (Democrats).
committees. Fall convention featured Construction began on Utahs Upper Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor
a debate on crack width, cover, and Stillwater Dam, the worlds largest began a major renovation. Apple
corrosion and also a three-part roller-compacted concrete dam. Macintosh microcomputer was
symposium on offshore concrete launched. Worlds Fair held in New
platforms. Orleans, LA.
1985
By the end of 1985, almost 4200 were Hoover Dam on the Colorado River British survey team discovered hole
certified as Grade I field technicians. (border of Arizona and Nevada) in ozone layer over Antarctic.
Educational committee on microcom- celebrated its 50th anniversary. A Reformer Mikhail Gorbachev came
puters established. New York City concrete engineering masterpiece, it to power in USSR. Microsoft
Buildings Department required all is still the western hemispheres Windows debuted. National
concrete field testing technicians to highest concrete arch gravity dam. Building Museum in Washington,
pass ACIs Grade I certification test. First ferrocement windsurfer race D.C., opened. Severe earthquake hit
A committee on concrete aesthetics held in the Netherlands. Construction Mexico City.
was activated. Limits for chloride neared completion of first phase of
content debated. Chicagos cast-in-place reinforced
concrete River City.
1986
A guide for use of polymers in concrete The Oosterschelde storm-surge barrier, Lightweight airplane Voyager took
issued. Some national and state south of Rotterdam, completed to 9 days to make first nonstop flight
agencies were requiring ACI certified protect the Netherlands from storms on around the world without refueling.
technicians on concrete construction the North Sea. One of the worlds most Nuclear disaster at Chernobyl.
projects. Pakistan chapter established. expensive and challenging construction Space shuttle Challenger exploded
Delaware Valley chapter held concrete projects, it began in 1953 and was a on take-off, killing all on board.
beam testing competition for college concrete project of massive propor-
and university students. Spanish tions. Lunar soil, gathered by the crew
translation of Manual of Concrete of Apollo 16, was tested to determine its
Inspection was available. suitability as an aggregate for making
concrete for lunar base construction.
Worlds first floating concrete heliport,
Port of Vancouver, BC, Canada, as large
as a football field, constructed from
styrofoam-filled cellular concrete. Tilt-
Up Concrete Association organized.
1987
ACI Journal was retired, making Construction began on a 65-story U.S. and USSR signed treaty
way for two new expanded Journals: office tower in Chicago. At 959 ft eliminating intermediate-range
ACI Structural Journal and ACI (292 m), it would be the worlds missiles. Twenty-fifth anniversary of
Materials Journal. ACI marketing of tallest reinforced concrete building the launch of Telestar communications
proprietary computer programs when completed (January 1990). satellite. New Jersey adopted first
became operational. Concrete Continuous placement of high- statewide recycling law.
Flatwork Finisher Certification strength concrete for the 8 ft (2.4 m)
program authorized. Mission and thick mat foundation required
goals for Committee on Responsibility delivery of at least 24 yd3 (18.4 m3) of
in Concrete Construction approved. concrete every 4 minutes by ready-
Formation of chapters in Philippines mixed concrete trucks. Olympic Oval,
and Argentina. University of Calgary, AB, Canada,
included the first 437 ft (400 m)
covered speed-skating track in the
world. The long-span roof structure
featured a system of intersecting
segmental precast concrete arches.
Patent awarded for self-propelled,
laser-controlled screed.
1988
1987-1990
The 10,000th technician was certified Clyde Dam, New Zealand, completed. First transatlantic optical fiber
in the ACI Concrete Field Testing With 1,307,190 yd3 (1,000,000 m3) of telephone cable linked U.S., Britain,
Technician Grade I program. concrete, it was New Zealands largest and France. One of the nations worst
Ferguson Lecture Series began. dam. Dames Pointe span over the toxic waste sites, much of Love Canal
Building code requirements and St. Johns River, Jacksonville, FL, with in Niagara Falls, NY, was declared
specifications for masonry structures a 1300 ft (396 m) span, became the clean. U.S. and Canada reached free
issued by joint ACI-ASCE committee. longest concrete cable-stayed bridge trade agreement.
Technical committee formed on lunar in North America. The early-entry,
concrete. dry-cut saws were introduced for
joint cutting in slabs. International
Concrete Repair Institute founded.
1989
ACI purchased land in Farmington Lightweight concrete pumped to a Computer viruses infected computers
Hills, MI for a future headquarters. record-breaking 1038 ft (316 m) above around the world. NASA launched
ACI chapters now totaled 77 with the ground in a single lift on the 75-story Galileo space probe to Jupiter.
formation of new chapters in Taiwan First Interstate World Center, Los Pro-democracy demonstrations
and Egypt. 318 Building Code and Angeles. American Segmental Bridge culminated in Tiananmen Square
Commentary appeared side-by-side in Institute organized. Instituto del massacre as government troops
one document. Concrete Research Cemento Portland Argentino marked forcefully disperse demonstrators
and Education Foundation (ConREF) 50th anniversary. Japanese construction in Beijing, China. East German
established. Metric edition of industry used on-site robots. government opened entire border;
ACI 318-89 available. Currently the worlds tallest rein- Berlin Wall comes down. I. M. Pei
forced concrete high-rise, 311 South designed controversial glass pyramid
Wacker, Chicago, was topped out. to cover new entrance to Louvre
museum in Paris.
1990
Institute membership reached more Topic of major interest was high- Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait. UN
than 20,000 for the first time. Char- performance concrete (HPC). Tests of imposed economic sanctions on Iraq.
tered a chapter in Denmarkthe first a sample of lunar soil collected by U.S. mounted Operation Desert Shield.
ACI chapter in Europe. Capital fund- NASA determine that the material The Hubble space telescope went into
raising drive inaugurated for new could be used as aggregate for orbit. South Africa freed Nelson
headquarters facility. Committee on making concrete on the moon. Poured Mandela, imprisoned 27-1/2 years.
masonry structures was named Concrete Wall Contractors Associa-
National Masonry Standards Joint tion changed name to Concrete
Committee. Foundations Association.
1991
ACIs first electronic producta CD- Itaipu Dam on the Parana River Persian Gulf War broke out,
ROM containing 10 years (1981-1991) separating Brazil from Paraguay, was expelling Iraqi forces from
of Concrete Abstracts. Concrete worlds largest hydroelectric project. Kuwait. USSR was dissolved.
Materials Research Council mission Main structure was a 3270 ft (997 m) War began in Yugoslavia as
expanded and name changed to long, 620 ft (189 m) high hollow Slovenia and Croatia declare
Concrete Research Council. Educational concrete gravity dam. The 100th their independence. South
seminars were held as part of a anniversary of concrete paving in the African government repealed
convention (in Dallas) for the first U.S. celebrated in Bellefontaine, OH. apartheid laws. Japans artificial
time. First Lunar Concrete Technical The 15,000-seat Connecticut Tennis island in Osaka Bay, which was
Symposium held. Center, New Haven, CT, built entirely to hold Kansai International
of precast prestressed concrete on a Airport, was sinking at a faster
fast-track schedule. rate than originally anticipated.
1992
ACI assumed the secretariat for ISO/ Southern Illinois University at Peace accords ended 12 years of
TC-71, the International Standardization Edwardsville (SIUE) developed civil war in El Salvador. UN
Organizations Technical Committee concrete kits for elementary schools peacekeeping force established in
on Concrete. ACIs Eastern Ontario to demonstrate science of concrete what was Yugoslavia. The 500th
and Quebec Chapter cosponsored the and introduce basic engineering anniversary of Columbus landing
1991-1994
18th Great Northern Concrete principles. Denmarks Great Belt Link in the New World. ACI held fall
Toboggan Race in Montreal (the first was underway; concrete was the meeting in Puerto Rico. Naval
toboggan race was held in Alberta in prime material. Sydney Harbor Construction Battalions (Seabees)
1975). National Capital Chapter Tunnel opened, longest road tunnel in marked 50th anniversary.
started mentor program for students. Australia and featured a 3150 ft (960 m)
immersed tube made of eight precast
concrete units. Hong Kongs 1228 ft
(374 m) high-rise reinforced concrete
building completed in record time.
1993
Largest ACI certification session ever Construction started on Three Gorges Maastricht Treaty took effect. All
held staged during World of Concrete Dam in the Peoples Republic of 12 members of European Union
exhibition. Institute developed Manual China. Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge agreed to introduce a common
of Concrete Practice on CD-ROM. in Tennessee was longest concrete currency and drop trade barriers.
Traveling Fellowships were available to arch bridge in U.S. Two miles (3 km) Czechoslovakia split into Czech
help skilled professionals teach of European-style concrete pavement Republic and Slovakia. Midwest
concrete technology in developing design was built on Detroit freeway as area of U.S. flood damage
countries. Concrete Construction demonstration project. An Egyptian- exceeded $10 billion.
Inspector Certification Program was theme resort erected in Las Vegas
available in both French and English in was a bronze glass-and-concrete
Canada, but keyed to Canadian pyramid 30 stories high. Interlocking
standards and codes. Hot topics was Concrete Pavement Institute founded.
nonmetallic reinforcement and
encapsulation of hazardous waste with
cementitious materials.
1994
Responsibility in Concrete Construc- Commercial traffic began through North American Free Trade
tion Committee issued proposed English Channel tunnel connecting Agreement (NAFTA) went into
guidelines for discussion. Opened Britain and France; tunnel used some effect between Canada, U.S., and
ACI/ConREF Washington, D.C., office. 675,000 concrete tunnel liner seg- Mexico. Nelson Mandela elected
ACI certification reached 50,000. An ments. Construction started on first black president of South
educational committee on teaching Canadas Confederation Bridge Africa. Major league baseball
methods and materials formed. The spanning the Northumberland Strait; players went on strikeWorld
two Journals were expanded to specifications called for a 100-year Series cancelled.
reduce backlog of manuscripts design life. Environmental Council of
awaiting publication. Concrete Organizations (ECCO)
founded. Troll GBS (gravity base
structure) offshore concrete struc-
ture under construction; when
completed, it was 1200 ft (369 m)
highall under water.
1995
Groundbreaking ceremonies marked Roughly 2.5 million yd3 (1.9 million m3) UN commemorated 50th anniversary.
start of new headquarters of concrete used to construct Denver On 50th anniversary of bombing of
construction. Chapter on precast International Airport runways, Nagasaki, President Clinton announced
concrete expanded considerably in taxiways, and aprons. A precast, a halt of all U.S. nuclear testing.
ACI 318-95. Procedures established for prestressed girder bridge built in Terrorist bombing destroyed Federal
development of provisional Nebraska said to be the first hard Building in Oklahoma City and killed
standards. Maharashtra India metric bridge designed and built in 168. The Federal 65 mph (105 kph)
Chapter launched a certification the U.S. Chesapeake & Delaware speed limit [enacted in 1974 at
course for technicians. Canal Bridge, a precast concrete 55 mph (88 kph) in effort to conserve
segmental bridge, opened. fuel] was repealed. U.S. and troops
from other nations deployed in Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
1996
Completion of and move into new Hawaiis 16 mile (26 km) H-3 highway Centennial Olympic games in Atlanta,
headquarters. Strategic Development featured large precast concrete GA. The Interstate Highway System,
Council, a council of ConREF, formed. segments and drilled shafts. Atlantas authorized in 1956, and continued ever
ACI issued its first provisional Olympic Stadium, built with precast since, reached 44,117 miles (70,985 km)
standard. ACI launched an Internet components, was reconfigured into a of interstate network. Russians and
1995-1998
website. baseball stadium for Atlanta Braves. Chechens battled over hostages. Mad
cow disease alarmed Britain.
1997
A new program of practical publica- Canadas Confederation Bridge Fears over the environment grew as
tions launched: Toolbox Meeting completedone of the longest El Nio effect on climate produced
Flyers and Practioners Guides. ACI continuous multispan bridges in the extreme weather conditions and
Young Member Award for Profes- world. It featured huge precast variations, especially in North
sional Achievement established. ACI concrete spans and piers erected America. Hong Kong was returned to
issued new strategic plan. with self-propelled floating cranes; China. Cloning of a sheep by British
high-performance concrete used scientists. Federal guidelines for
extensively. Lehigh Portland Cement seismic retrofits of existing buildings
Co. marked 100th anniversary. introduced performance-based
Hibernia oil production platform had design.
a 345 ft (105 m) diameter serrated ice
wall that protected its slipformed
gravity base structure.
1998
Executive Vice President George F. Petronas Towers I and II, Kuala Assembly of international space
Leyh retired. James G. Toscas named Lumpur, Malaysia, completedboth station began in earnest after U.S.
chief executive. Introduced a new line 1483 ft (452 m) high. Tower II claimed attaches second component to
of CD-ROM products called Concrete a concrete pumping record1246 ft Russian-built module launched
Toolselectronic compilations (380 m) in one lift. ASTM celebrated 2 weeks earlier. Mark McGwire hits
directed at specific topics. Com- 100th anniversary. American his 62nd home run of the season,
memorative Lecture Series began Shotcrete Association organized. breaking Roger Maris single season
with first three lectures to memorial- A 197 ft (60 m) long pedestrian bridge record. Detroit Red Wings hockey
ize George Winter. Reinforced in Quebec, Canada, made from team won the Stanley Cup for second
Concrete Research Council trans- reactive-powder concrete. year in a row (1997 and 1998).
ferred from ASCE to ConREF um-
brella. Internet website containing
information about ACI activities
became fully operational.
1999
Concrete Repair Manual published by World of Concrete observed 25th North Atlantic Treaty Organization
ACI and the International Concrete anniversary. Staples Center arena, (NATO) celebrated 50th anniversary.
Repair Institute. Concrete Field Testing home of Los Angeles Kings (hockey) Panama Canal officially transferred
Technician Certification launched in and Lakers (basketball), was built from U.S. responsibility to Republic
Iran. ACI task committee published largely of precast concrete. A 22.5 of Panama. The 164 ft (50 m) high
definition of high-performance acre (9 hectare) experimental kelp Millennium Dome in London was the
concrete. Concrete Innovations reef began to take shape in ocean symbol of the UK governments
Appraisal Service (CIAS) established. waters off California by precisely millennium celebration. With launch
ACI 318-99 requirements for post- placing crushed recycled concrete. of space shuttle Columbia, Air Force
tensioning anchorage zones Colonel Eileen Collins became first
extensively updated as is rationale for woman to command a shuttle flight.
seismic design. Jo Coke became ACIs World population reached 6 billion
first female president. milestone.
1999-2000
The traditional exchange of the ACI presidential gavel
took place at the 1999 annual convention between
new president Jo Coke and outgoing president
James R. Libby. Coke was the first female to be
elected Institute president.
2000
ACI joined with Federal Highway Society of Concrete Petrographers World entered new century
Administration to develop and organized. National Stone, Sand & smoothlyY2K arrives without
present workshops to help state Gravel Association formed from a predicted global computer chaos.
highway agencies combat concrete merger of National Stone Association The NEAR spacecraft was first to
deterioration, especially alkali-silica (1918) and National Aggregates orbit an asteroid. U.S. jobless rate
reactivity. Shotcrete nozzleman and Association (1916). Total U.S. cement lowest since 1970. Wildfires in far
tilt-up supervisor certification consumption reached 110 million west destroyed nearly 500,000 acres
programs launched. ACI 318-99 metric tons. resund Link between (202,000 hectares). Blast damaged
referenced in International Code Denmark and Sweden completed British spy (MI6) headquarters in
Councils new single model code, IBC used 1.3 million yd3 (1 million m3) of London. Sydney, Australia, hosted
2000. Spanish language flatwork concrete and had a specified design summer Olympics. First crew began
finisher certification program life of 100 years. High-speed train work at International Space Station.
available and launched in Chile. railway bridge across Rhne River in
France became one of largest
prestressed concrete railway bridges
in the world.
2001
Walter P. Moore, Jr. Faculty 100th anniversary of invention of World Trade Center towers (110 stories
Achievement Award established. ACI welded wire reinforcement. Precast high each) collapsed in terrorist attack.
introduced E-Learning Program. There concrete segmental technology National Institute of Standards and
were 56,000 active certifications chosen for elevated guideways in San Technology (NIST) celebrated 100 years
representing 25 countries. First Juan, Puerto Rico, mass transit of service. U.S. businessman became
Emerging Technology Series document system. Ready-mixed concrete first tourist in space aboard Russian
appeared. Task groups activated to industry sets record with 406 million yd3 rocket to International Space Station.
plan for centennial celebration. (310 million m3) produced annually. Energy shortage forced blackouts in
National D-Day Memorial complex Slag Cement Association was California. NASA spacecraft landed on
received ACI Virginia Chapters incorporated. the asteroid Eros. Two fantasy movies
annual award for notable project. Fellowship of the Ring and Harry
Potter and the Sorcerers Stone were
box office successes.
2002
ACI 318-02 Building Code was the most Three Gorges Dam in China moved into Britain celebrates Golden Jubilee of
comprehensive revision of code since third and final phase of construction. Queen Elizabeth II. U.S. corporate
introduction of strength design in The 2309 m (7575 ft) long, 185 m community battered by accounting
1956. William R. Tolley named (607 ft) high concrete gravity dam is scandals and bankruptcies. Twelve
2001-2003
Executive Vice President. Building scheduled for completion in 2009. European countries get a new
Code for masonry structures included Turner Construction Company marked currencythe euro. Olympic winter
strength design provisions. Fiber- its 100th anniversary. Bostons hybrid games in Salt Lake City, UT. American
reinforced concrete (FRC) bowling ball cable-stayed Bunker Hill Bridge opened Society of Civil Engineers celebrated
student competition debuted. to traffic. 150th anniversary. Legislation created
American Subcontractors Association Homeland Security Departmentthe
endorsed ACIs Concrete Flatwork biggest reorganization of the federal
Technician and Concrete Flatwork government since President
Finisher certification programs. Truman combined the War and Navy
Departments into a single Defense
Department after World War II.
2003
Cooperation with concrete-related Sophisticated technology and post- 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark
organizations in other nations tensioning renovate Frank Lloyd journey of exploration. 100th
enhanced with International Partner Wrights Fallingwater creation. High- anniversary of Wright brothers first
Agreement Program. Landmark Series performance concrete used to rebuild successful powered airplane flight
of papers published. Sixth Interna- Chicagos Wacker Drive. in 1903. Ford Motor Co.s 100th
tional Conference covered seismic anniversary. Shuttle Columbia broke
bridge design. apart on re-entry.
Anthony E. Fiorato
2004
2004
Adaska, Wayne S.
Anderson, Robert B.
Babakhanian, Vartan
Bader, Maher A. M.
Bhide, Shrinivas B.
Burdette, Edwin G.
Chen, Tsung-Li T.
Darwish, Mohamed Nasser A. N.
consensus process, ACI documents are widely acknowledged as the standard of practice for
nearly everything that is done with concrete.
Not many organizations can say they have been around 100 years. The fact that ACI has is a
testament to the efforts of its members and the volunteer committees and officers. The members
are why we exist and are the reason ACI is entering its second century with the stature it has in the
concrete industry.
It is an honor and a privilege to be part of this milestone. ACI has come a long way, and it is
blessed with the opportunity to go even further. We have a chance to expand our role internationally
and develop stronger relationships with our counterparts around the world. Our history is impressive,
and our future is bright.
Progress Through Knowledge is on strong ground to continue for a second 100 years.
William R. Tolley