News Detail

Expediting Technology Acceptance: ACI is a Leader

2/9/2023

In my first President’s Memo, I stated that expediting the acceptance and use of qualified new technologies for the built environment would be a primary objective of my presidency. Subsequently, I highlighted several technologies in a number of President’s Memos last year. This month, I’ll focus on what it takes to bring a new technology to market—based on my active involvement for over 35 years with technology transfer activities for innovative products and concrete technologies offered by Master Builders Solutions and, more importantly, on the leadership role of ACI to attract new technologies to the concrete industry.

There is no shortage of innovative technologies being introduced to the industry. How quickly they get accepted depends on many factors, including, but not limited to, whether they can be classified under an existing standard specification or evaluated using existing standard test methods; or whether they meet current code requirements. Meeting these requirements creates a clear path for inclusion of the technology in master specifications and project contract documents, and eventual use in a project. Of course, typical marketing and other promotional efforts are required to facilitate the process. However, if the technology does not meet these requirements, then the supplier is faced with the difficult task of using a “concept-sell” process to convince design professionals to accept and specify the technology for use in a project. A concept-sell process is a painstakingly slow process typically championed by the manufacturer(s) that can take more than a decade to accomplish. This effort often requires specifier-by-specifier initiatives and sometimes pilot projects to validate performance. Without it, use of the technology might get localized to a specific area where the manufacturer or supplier is located. Parallel to these efforts, initiatives to address applicable regulatory requirements and other barriers, such as the development of appropriate (ASTM International) standard specifications and test methods, are required to facilitate industry acceptance. The development of evaluation services reports in accordance with publicly vetted acceptance criteria by entities such as International Code Council Evaluation Services (ICC-ES) are typically required when the building code is a barrier to the use of the technology. Most importantly, product performance, process improvement, and new design or construction methodologies need to be vetted to prevent a “bad” experience—that hinders innovation—on a project. Unfortunately, technologies are being introduced without adequate validation testing. Hence, the need for independent, third-party validation testing/evaluation and independent review to substantiate specific claims cannot be understated. And this is where ACI is taking a bold leadership role consistent with our tagline of “Always advancing”!

The ACI Foundation Concrete Innovation Council (CIC) will identify technologies and innovations that are aligned with ACI and industry strategies and help implement them when appropriate. The CIC is also working with ACI’s Director of Innovative Concrete Technology to create a formal connection between the Council and ACI. A webpage has been created for innovators who: 1) need help to connect their technologies or work with the appropriate ACI technical committee or resource; 2) want to present their technology at an upcoming Technology Forum; or 3) want to collaborate with others to support a particular technology or innovation. Visit www.acifoundation.org/technology/introduceyourtechnology.aspx.

NEx: an ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials, and NEU: an ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete, are taking ACI to new heights with their respective missions. NEx has embarked on technology transfer activities and is funding research to promote the use of nonmetallic building materials—in particular, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement.

As I stated in the July 2022 President’s Memo, the quest for low-carbon concrete has seen the introduction of a wide range of products that are being promoted either as portland cement lowering technologies or as a means to lower the carbon footprint of a concrete mixture. Regarding the viability of these technologies, one of the core functions of NEU is the “assessment and validation” of manufacturer product claims. NEU has outlined a process for this function and will beta-test it before the end of Spring 2023. Assessment and validation will provide owners and their design professionals with unbiased reports to facilitate decision-making and consideration of alternatives, as well as provide credibility to proven technologies to help expedite their acceptance and use in the concrete industry.

Without question, ACI is demonstrating continued leadership in helping to expedite technology acceptance.

Charles K. Nmai