Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for Concrete Logic Podcast
EducationTechnology

Concrete Logic Podcast

Seth Tandett

What is the most used manmade material on Earth? You guessed it – concrete.

In each episode of Concrete Logic, we will explore one concrete-related topic with the help of industry professionals that are shaping the future of the trade. We’ll talk with suppliers, contractors, architects, engineers, specialists, and even some proponents of competing materials about their views of concrete and their vision of its future.

Play
Open in
  • 23 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 36 min
  • English

Support the show

Goes straight to the publisher. podnod takes nothing.

Episodes 23

NewestOldestLongest
All3Unplayed3In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S1 · E152
    April 2 · 49 min

    EP #152: Concrete Mix Design Isn’t Complicated… Here’s the Proof

    PRESENTED BY: GPRS Construction professionals know that utilities and concrete reinforcements can cause big problems when you’re on the job. GPRS helps you avoid them. We use ground penetrating radar to detect rebar, conduit, and post tension cables before you cut, core, or drill. And our concrete scans are 99.8% accurate… we guarantee it—helping you reduce hits, downtime, expenses, and keep your people safe. To keep your jobsite safer, visit https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/GPRS SUMMARY If you’ve never built your own concrete mix design… this episode fixes that. Dr. Jon Belkowitz walks through the ACI 211 method step-by-step, showing exactly how a mix is built from scratch. By the end, you’ll see that mix design isn’t magic. It’s just decisions… and a little math. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN What actually goes into a cubic yard of concrete — and why it matters Why mix design is basically a “choose your own adventure” How slump, aggregate size, and air content drive your entire mix The simple math behind water-cement ratio (and why it controls everything) How to calculate cement, water, rock, and sand — step by step Why yield matters (and how getting it wrong costs real money) The difference between a design mix vs batch mix What changes when moisture shows up in your aggregates (this comes up near the end) CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro and how to support the show 02:20 – Shoutout to this episode’s Producer 03:00 – Why PDHs should actually be useful 05:20 – What is a cubic yard of concrete? 06:30 – Absolute volume method explained 09:50 – ACI 211 and “choose your own adventure” 13:30 – Selecting slump, water, and air content 17:00 – Adjusting water for admixtures 19:00 – Water-cement ratio and strength 21:00 – Aggregate proportions and why they matter 25:30 – Start of the actual math 31:30 – Calculating coarse aggregate 34:00 – Converting weights to volumes 36:30 – Solving for sand (the missing piece) 39:30 – Final mix design breakdown 40:10 – Design mix vs batch mix (what’s next) GUEST INFO Dr. Jon Belkowitz Intelligent Concrete Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/intelligent-concrete CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY Got a concrete problem no one can explain? Bring it to the Concrete Logic Academy. Ask questions. Share what you’re seeing. Get real answers you can use on the next pour. Simple as that. Free trial for pros here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/pro SUPPORT THE PODCAST If this episode helped you… If you learned something… If it made you think differently… Support the show here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com This podcast runs on Value for Value. Give whatever you think the episode was worth. PARTNERS KUIU (performance gear Seth actually uses): https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu Interested in advertising or working with us? Email: seth@concretelogicpodcast.com CREDITS Producers: Joseph Swann, Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/ WHERE TO FIND CONCRETE LOGIC Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethtandett/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/concretelogicpodcast/

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E151
    March 24 · 46 min

    EP #151: Most Concrete Durability Problems Start Here (Alkalinity Explained)

    PRESENTED BY: GPRS Construction professionals know that utilities and concrete reinforcements can cause big problems when you’re on the job. GPRS helps you avoid them. We use ground penetrating radar to detect rebar, conduit, and post tension cables before you cut, core, or drill. And our concrete scans are 99.8% accurate… we guarantee it—helping you reduce hits, downtime, expenses, and keep your people safe. To keep your jobsite safer, visit https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/GPRS SUMMARY Concrete strength gets all the attention. But what if the real driver of concrete performance isn’t strength at all? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Bob Higgins returns to talk about alkalinity — the chemical environment inside concrete that may control moisture behavior, curing, permeability, and long-term durability. Bob explains why alkalinity is often confused with pH, why salts inside concrete can trap moisture that testing methods never see, and why modern cement chemistry may be quietly changing how concrete cures and performs. If you’ve ever wondered why concrete behaves differently today than it did decades ago, this conversation will make you think. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN · What alkalinity actually means in concrete chemistry · Why pH and alkalinity are not the same thing · The two alkaline salts that control moisture behavior in concrete · Why salts can trap moisture that RH tests can’t detect · How high alkalinity can lead to permeable, weaker surface concrete · The difference between porosity and permeability · Why precast heat curing can change long-term durability · Why compressive strength often fails as a durability indicator · How cement kiln dust may have increased alkalinity in modern cement CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:20 What alkalinity means in concrete 03:10 Why salts control moisture behavior 07:40 Why RH probes can miss trapped moisture 10:20 Calcium hydroxide vs sodium hydroxide 14:00 Self-desiccation and modern cement chemistry 18:00 Where alkalinity in concrete comes from 23:30 Signs of high alkalinity in concrete 24:00 Why precast surfaces can be more permeable 26:00 Porosity vs permeability explained 29:00 Why compressive strength can mislead durability 31:20 Why sealers often fail long term 33:00 Alkali-silica reaction explained 35:00 Why alkalinity isn’t being studied enough 38:00 Why RH specifications often don’t make sense 39:00 Preview: additional forms of moisture in concrete GUEST Bob Higgins Chief Scientist https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/robert-higgins/ CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY If you like what you’re learning on the podcast, the Concrete Logic Academy Unlimited Pro Membership is where it all comes together. We take the topics you hear on the show and turn them into structured courses—with real explanations, supporting material, and quizzes so you actually retain it. Most people in this industry learn by trial and error. This is how you get ahead without paying for mistakes. Many courses qualify for PDHs and CEUs. Start your free trial here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/pro SUPPORT THE PODCAST If the Concrete Logic Podcast has helped you learn something new or connect with someone in the industry, consider supporting the show. Donate here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/support Looking for great hunting or work gear: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu Interested in advertising or media services? https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/partner-with-concrete-logic-podcast/ CREDITS Producers: Jodi Tandett, Concrete Logic Media Music by Mike Dunton https://www.mdunton.com/ WHERE TO FIND SETH Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethtandett/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast Until next time, let’s keep it concrete!

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E150
    March 12 · 51 min

    EP #150: Most Concrete Floors Aren’t Flat Enough. Here’s Why.

    PRESENTED BY: CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY Practical education and ongoing development for concrete professionals at every stage of their career. Join here: https://www.concretelogicacademy.com/ Superflat concrete floors didn’t just appear overnight. They evolved through decades of trial, error, and innovation. In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Chad White from Structural Services Inc. (SSI) returns to explain how the industry went from checking floors with a 10-foot straightedge to producing high-tolerance floors for robotics, automated warehouses, and high-bay storage systems. Chad has more than 40 years of experience in concrete construction, starting as a cement mason apprentice before running his own company and later becoming a senior concrete consultant with SSI. He has worked on defined-traffic superflat floors, random-traffic high-tolerance slabs, suspended slabs, and industrial floor systems across the country. We talk about how the means and methods have changed, what actually defines a “superflat” floor, and why today’s demands for automation and robotics are pushing tolerances tighter than ever. If you’ve ever wondered how contractors actually hit FF, FL, and F-min numbers, this episode explains the real-world process behind it. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN · What actually qualifies as a superflat concrete floor · How floors were measured before the F-number system · Why laser screeds and float pans changed everything · The difference between defined-traffic (F-min) and random-traffic floors · Why robotics and automated warehouses are demanding flatter floors · Where most grinding corrections occur on high-tolerance slabs · Why slump consistency and placement rate matter more than exotic mix designs · How laser scanning and real-time data could change floor flatness control in the future CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and episode overview 02:40 Early methods for measuring floor flatness 05:15 How superflat floors started in warehouse logistics 08:40 Measuring FF, FL, and F-min floors 12:00 The history of the F-number system 16:30 How superflat floors were built in the 1980s 22:00 Bump cutting and manual finishing methods 28:30 Profilographs and corrective grinding 31:00 High-tolerance random traffic floors 34:00 Laser screeds and float pans change the industry 37:00 Modern methods for producing flatter floors 39:00 Mix design considerations for superflat slabs 42:00 The future of floor flatness measurement GUEST Chad White Structural Services Inc. (SSI) https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/chad-white/ CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY If you enjoy the educational side of the podcast, check out the Concrete Logic Academy. The Academy takes topics from the podcast and turns them into structured learning courses with quizzes and supporting material. Many courses qualify for PDHs and CEUs for engineers and industry professionals. Learn more here: https://www.concretelogicacademy.com SUPPORT THE PODCAST If the Concrete Logic Podcast has helped you learn something new or connect with someone in the industry, consider supporting the show. Donate here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/support Looking for great hunting gear: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu Interested in advertising or media services? seth@concretelogicpodcast.com CREDITS Producers: Scott Reed, Jodi Tandett, Concrete Logic Media Music by Mike Dunton https://www.mdunton.com/ WHERE TO FIND SETH Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethtandett/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast Until next time, let’s keep it concrete!

    • Transcript
Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes