You Learn Alot From Your Boys

One of my greatest releases from the daily grind is to sit back and watch movies with my sons Brady and Caleb.  I get excited every weekend when it’s too cold out or too rainy out because I know its movie day.  One of Brady’s favorite movies is Ratatouille, the story of a mouse who has acquired a special talent that makes him an effective chef in the kitchen just like his idol, famed chef Gusteau.  One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Remy, the mouse is talking with his father Django.  Remy and Django are arguing over life and death matters and meshing between rodent and human.  In front of a mouse trap store Django says to Remy. “Take a good long look, Remy.  This is what happens when a rat gets a little too uncomfortable around humans.  The world we live in belongs to the enemy, we must live carefully.  We look out for our own kind, Remy.  When all is said and done, we’re all we’ve got.  Remy replies, “No.” “What?” Says Django.  Remy mutters, “No. Dad I don’t believe it.  You’re telling me that the future is – can only be more of this (this being mice killed in traps)?” Django replies, “This is the way things are. You can’t change nature.”  Remy wittingly says, “Change is nature, Dad.  The part we can influence. And it starts when we decide.”  As Remy walks away Django says, “Where are you going?”  With a sparkle in his eye Remy turns and says, “With luck, forward.”  There is such a positive message in this conversation that maybe my sons don’t see, but I do and I hope they do one day.  Change is nature, but it only happens when we decide.  When we get off our asses and say I’m going to be better, I’m going to rebuild this, I’m going to write this and it’s going to be successful.  The motivation in that piece is so powerful, as buffered as it is in a Disney movie it’s still present.  I’ve been beaten down my whole life, told you can’t do that, no it will never work, you can’t do that.  You know what that does to me?  Motivates me, I love showing thet world that I don’t live to the standard, I make the standard.  That’s who I am and I hope my boys live this way too. 

            The last part of this piece where Remy says “With luck, forward” is a tremendous message for everyone.  I can’t stand being around negative backwards thinkers.  It drives me up the damn wall.  Think positive, generate ideas, and above all move forward.  The waters get murky from time to time, but if business was easy everyone would do it.  It’s hard at times, but creative thinking goes along way.  I encourage my people to bring up their thoughts; it is the only way we learn as an industry.  Owners don’t always have the best ideas.  Typically it’s the guys who do the day to day stuff every day.  Its pure ignorance of the owners to deny these people their God given right of change.  Listen, learn, and for Christ sake change.  Get out of the wheels and sprockets of history.  History is important, but it’s also a school subject.  Change isn’t.  We make change by what we do every day.  So do it and stay motivated. 

            So it’s been a blog of ranting and raving, but it’s time to change folks.  We live in a constantly changing world; let’s apply this to the way we think.  Live, learn, and listen.  Sometimes a little listening goes a long way both to the person listening and to the person speaking. 

Social Media is Here to Stay

 I remember days of old; of course I’m only 27, but I remember being young and not a care in the world, playing outside from sun up to sun down, scraping knees, painting with mud, and collecting every bug, critter, and animal I could get my hands on.  As I grew up, I was able to and am still living an ever changing world.  A world where real farming is becoming less important Farmville farming, a place where videos of babies laughing can make you a six figure salary, and a place where important news changed from what’s going on in world to what is going on the bathroom.  There is no doubt that social media is here and it is here to stay.  I work in an industry where you wouldn’t necessarily think that social media should exist.  A precast concrete manufacturing facility has to be one of last places you’d expect to have Facebook page.  However, we do and we feel it is important to have and maintain it.  But why does a manufacturer have a Facebook page, Twitter account, or use things like YouTube, Flickr, or even do this fancy thing called Blogging. 

To understand social media it is best to dispel the myths.  First social media is for the young generation and not for me…I don’t want to take the time to learn.  Untrue, social media tools are very easy to learn, with many of them having tutorials to help you get set up.  Social media is not only for the younger generation, all generations can benefit from social media.  Social media is growing in popularity everyday as more and more generations get hooked on the social media revolution.  Second, social media is just for wasting time and has no place in the workplace.  Untrue, more and more consumers are buying products based off pictures posted on Flickr, consumer posts on Facebook, and YouTube videos showing production of a good.  Get your company into the Social Revolution.  Social media is a free marketing tool.  It costs nothing.  It takes a little time to learn, but results show up almost instantly.  The main thing to understand is that getting your company on social media get’s your name and face out there and helps you relate to web viewers everywhere.  Showing people what you do and how you do it gives you a certain sense of pride unattainable in the day to day grind and it gives consumers an appreciation for you to show them how you do things.  So to say that only certain industries can fit in the social media revolution is wrong.  All industries have their place it’s only a matter of how deep you want to climb.   Third, times are inevitably changing.  We mark humanity by change.   Centuries ago, times changed with the Industrial Revolution.  Times changed, people changed, changed for the better.  This change is happening again, just in the virtual world.  Will this make peoples’ lives better like it did in the Industrial Revolution, maybe.  Will it impact the world like the Industrial Revolution, definitely.  If you’re not in the Social Media Revolution, GET IN IT, BE A PART OF IT.  We will see you on Facebook my friends.

Education is the Key!!!

This is a simple concept, yet time and time again I see this simple concept ignored and overlooked, EDUCATE.  I see this in precasters not educating customers and plumbers and pumpers not educating homeowners.  There is one thing that we do know as producers, there is a problem.  In previous blogs I have explained the nature of the Thiobicillus bacteria and how it attacks concrete.  I have also explained how precasters are helping the problem, but these are just words.  We have to be the teachers in our own mind and spread the word.  Explain to your customers that we understand we have a cancer in our industry, but we feel this cancer is curable.  It just takes time.  We need to evaluate mixes and this takes time.  The average tank failure is 7-10 years, YEARS, not hours.  If you explain to your customers that you know you have a problem, but you and your organizations are doing something to solve the problem, your customers have no reason to be upset with you.  Explain to them that mixes are being evaluated.  Tests are being done and results are coming in, but definitive answers have not been found.  The person who is in the dark and knows nothing until the problem is staring them in the eyes is the scared person.  That is the person who comes looking for answers and point fingers.  Don’t waste your time with useless guarantees and promises.  Bring the problem out to the open and don’t be afraid to admit you have a problem.  Society was built on exposing problems and fixing them.  Don’t leave your people in the dark!

Similarly, educate your homeowners.  Explain to them that there is a problem in this industry.  It is very unique and we do not have many answers yet.  Again we do not what is going on, but we need years to evaluate its effectiveness.  One of the primary questions I get asked on site in this problem, is how long will my tank last when I notice corrosion?  My answer to that is that it is very tough to estimate.  There is no definitive gauge or timeline on this problem, but the last thing you want to do is say your tank is ok don’t worry, or your tank is junk buy a new one.  A very simple answer would be it is hard to say, your tank’s structural integrity is definitely jeopardized, let’s monitor the situation and see how aggressive the attack is.  It is very easy to jot down some notes, take some pictures on what you have seen and record them for further evaluation.  On your next pumping cycle , service call, or sooner stop by.   I know we are all busy people, but monitoring and educating is the key to solving this problem.  The last thing you want to do is put your name on a guaranteed timeline.  Evaluate and Educate.  Another simple question is how did this happen?  This is usually where I put the ball in their court.  Ask them simple questions, what kind of cleaners do you use? Have you been taking prescription medications?  How many people are living in the home? Do you have any information regarding the groundwater and surrounding ground conditions? Any relevant information?  People tend to feel better if they are part of the solution and you would be surprised how many answers you can get from homeowners.  Again don’t ignore this problem.  It will not go away.  Instead bring it out in the open and EDUCATE!

MIC pt 3: Additives vs Coatings

To continue talk on MIC Corrosion, the next topic is the addition of additives and coatings along with quality concrete.  I want to make this known upfront, I am a firm believer in the addition of additives to concrete in contrast to post applied concrete.  My  reason being is that I think additives take out as much of the human element as possible.  With coatings you have a greater chance of not applying or not mixing chemicals correctly and thus leading to problems.  That being said, I do believe there is a time and place for coatings and if used properly they can be effective in extending the life of concrete products.  Now, I will have the opportunity to listen to a gentleman speak about a poly urea coating he uses effectively; what interests me is to see how this process works and how effective it is.  Poly urea is a coating similarly used in truck bedliners and I have really started to see this technology catch on quickly.  My only other question to ponder with regards to coatings is, will the coatings degrade? and if they do will they get mixed into the groundwater? and what are the repercussions of that?  The water table is under threat already and compromising it more with chemicals that soil can't break down is a bad news for everyone. 

Additives can post their own problems, but also have a very well define solution to the problem as well.  Most additive agents can be separated into two categories densifiers and anti-microbial. Densifiers are by far the most common as any precaster anywhere has access to tens of hundreds densifiers ranging from liquid to powder.  Some common densifiers  include Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, Fly Ash, and crystalline additives.  What these additives aim to do is form crystalline structures internally in the mix and close the pours making the concrete more dense and thus more resistant to chemical attack.  These products have been used for years and have been proven successful in many different situations.  The only problem with these additives is the effect on fresh concrete.  A lot of times these additives can change water demand, admix demand, workability, and finishability of your mix.  These properties can be compensated for easily, but should be taken into account before mixing.  Another disadvantage is cost.  These additives can add  $50-$100 more per yard, but I tend to believe you would be paying for a higher end mix as well.  A lot of people will see increases in compressive strength and durability that will easily justify the extra cost.  The other additive that I am not too familiar with is anti-microbial additive.  This is what I call microbiological concrete, "living concrete".  What essentially happens is the anti-microbial admix is internal in the concrete and kills the Thiobicillus bacteria upon contact of the concrete.  Again, I am not familiar with this additive, but I have heard there has been some success stories coming from using this product.  I am starting to see it speced more and more, especially in wastewater treatment plant applications.  The only disadvantage I have heard of is that it was ineffective.  This is hard to justify though because this could have been a result of poor mixing, or bad starting concrete.  Again the best place to start with MIC abating is a good mix design and good quality control.  I think given a good strong base mix, this additive can have a lot of benefits to your design.

As of late there has been a lot of discussion on the topic of revamping the oldest concrete known to man.  The ancient Romans found that if they used the ash from the volcanoes it had a good glue like property that made concrete.  This technology has been little used over the centuries, but as of late has come back with talks of corroding products and degrading infrastructure.  If the Romans built structures hundreds of thousands of years ago and they are still standing, it must have some good mix properties. Essentially the concrete has a different chemistry that makes it more resistant to corrosion and aging.  I know of two companies having great success using this product in very corrosive environments.  It is interesting to find that the technologies of old are having successes today. 

So all being said, there are many advantages and disadvantages to either an industrial coating or  additives to the concrete.  Again I am firm believe in additives over coatings, but there are some applications in which coatings can perform well and keep the concrete protected for years on end.  One should be careful and follow the mix designers parameters when experimenting with additives and coatings.  Used properly they can effectively help in extending the life of concrete longer than if it were just mixed plain.  Again, but one should start with a good mix design and good quality control before even considering these additives. NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GOOD QUALITY CONCRETE!

MIC part 2: Quality Concrete

Continuing on with discussion of MIC in septic tanks we have first identified what the problem is, now it is time to talk about solutions.  Although many additive solutions are present at this time, none have been properly tested in these situations as this is a time dependant problem.  Therefore, only time will tell if newer additives in concrete will help aid the concrete's resistance to corrosion.  The one definitive we have as precasters, is the ability to produce a quality product for your customers.  Above all others, producing quality concrete is a good starting place for fighting MIC.  With an inadequate mix, the Thiobacillus bacteria essentially has less work to do to destroy your customer's septic tank. 

Now what is meant by an inadequate mix?  Inadequate mixes are those that have reduced strength and improper water to cementitious ratios.  Right now, most codes specify either a 4000 or 5000 psi concrete compressive strength and a water to cementitious ratio no greater than 0.45.  That being said, why are we still finding concrete with water to cementitious ratios in the 0.50's and strengths less than 4000 psi?  It is my opinion that this is largely due to inadequate eduction, lack of care in what we produce, and given the times a reduction in product costs to keep prices down.  I will say, though, that now is not the time to save pennies by making less quality products.  Now is the time to get educated and make the best possible product for customers!!! 

Cement requires very little water to become hydrated enough to start the process of forming paste.  The rest of the water goes toward aiding in workabilty and making the concrete easy to form.  However most precasters should have access to admixtures that can aid in workability without the addition of adding water.  Using modern superplastizers there is no reason why a precaster cannot get his/her water to cementitious ratio down around the .40 region or lower.  And the lower the water to cementitious ratio, the lower the amount of pores in concrete, thus making a very durable product.  Modern self compacting concrete admixtures can make concrete almost like water while still maintaining high strength and low porosity.

In addition strength is something we have great control over.  Cement is typically the number cost in a concrete mix design.  The more cement the greater the cost in your mix.  However, the more cement the higher the strength.  Given the recent economic scale, it is easy to try and cut cost by making a less cement rich mix.  This, however, is not the right move!!  I would be the first to caution, cutting cost by making a more inferior product is not good practice.  Most codes specify a 4000 psi concrete for tanks.  Recent studies have found that concrete around 5000 psi or higher will stand up to more adverse conditions than a 4000 psi mix.  Some municipalities even spec a 6000-7000 psi mix for wastewater applications. Again, given the advances in concrete admixtures a 5000 psi batch is not hard to attain by today's standards.  Setting the bar at a 5000 psi minimum is a great starting point. 

In addition to mixing adequate concrete, checking and testing is also just as important.  One should keep constant monitor on what is coming out of the mixer.  Check your air, check your strengths, check your yields.  Keep tabs on everything.  That is the only way to learn!  The days of mixing on the fly are over.  Engineers and GC's are demanding more and more of us everyday, keep yourself in check.  Also, use your resources.  Talk with your cement salesman, talk with your admix salesman find out what is going on in the industry.  Put them to the test, tell them what you want out of your concrete.  Keep yourself educated!!!

To summarize this I'm going keep this short and sweet.....THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GOOD QUALITY CONCRETE...Learn it, live it!

Microbially Induced Corrosion in Septic Tanks pt 1

Microbially Induced Corrosion or MIC has been a problem with the concrete industry for years; however, it's impact on the precast industry has really been brought to the forefront recently with the discovery of rapid corrosion in septic tanks.  Septic tanks that normally have a service life 30-50 years are failing in a matter of years.  There are many aspects of this problem from how does the MIC happen to quality of concrete to actual relevance in an already struggling infrastructure.  Although it is my intent to cover most of these issues in most parts I would first like to start with an introduction.
MIC is a form of corrosion that is very dependant on bacteria.  Naturally occuring bacteria in septic tanks exrete hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten egg smell in sewerage).  Now this gas naturally stays dormant in septic tanks, until a form of turbulence is introduced.  When the turbulence is introduced the gas is released and floats in the air space of the tank.  Another occuring bacteria the thiobacillus bacteria converts the hyrogen sulfide gas into hydrosulfuric acid which eats concrete.  So looking at this from the outside you say ok eliminate the sulfur production or the thiobacillus bacteria and everything should be ok.  However it is those two aspects that make this problem one of the hardest to figure out.  Where does all the extra sulfur come from? Medications? Foods? Cleaners? Fertilizers?  How do we kill the thiobacillus bacteria?  There are modern additives that can be put in concrete to kill the bacteria, however I have not had the chance or heard from a first person perspective how effective the additive is.  Another approach is to realize that the thiobacillus bacteria cannot strive on surfaces with pH's greater than 9.  Fortunately or unfortunately, concrete is very basic pH 12-14.  It is the progression of the wastwater becoming more and more acidic that allows the thiobacillus to grow more prevalent on the concrete surface.  So as you can see, this problem just from the beginning is really complex.  In future blogs I plan on touching on topics such as quality concrete, coatings, additives in concrete, impact on infrastructure, the future of MIC, and other topics so stay tuned.   I leave you with a few pics to see how bad this problem is.  Thanks...Aaron