No Breaking Your Mother’s Back On This Sidewalk!

THE BACKGROUND:

FORTA Corporation, founded in 1978, spent the first 15 years in business focused on using low dosages (1.0 to 3.0 lbs./cu yd) of synthetic fibers to control concrete cracking caused by the effects of plastic shrinkage.  Yet during that time, the goal was always to refine the fiber characteristics that would allow for much higher dosages and therefore lead to performance improvements in many areas – all while remaining user-friendly in the field.  After a decade of research and trials, the FORTA-FERRO® macro fiber was introduced in early 2000.

Check out more about FORTA® here: https://www.forta-ferro.com/ 

THE THEN:

The prospect of higher fiber dosages encouraged the option of reducing the amount of conventional control joints in slabs on ground, and increasing slab panel sizes without increasing the risk of mid-panel cracking.  One of the early executions of this concept was a simple sidewalk project in Atlanta, GA, in the spring of 2003 for the residence of Jerry Holland, a world-renowned concrete engineer and expert.  His summary article, “A Jointless, Crack-Free Walkway” in the March 2007 issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Magazine, described the real-world practice involved in his 62 foot long sidewalk project using a high dosage of FORTA-FERRO® with no joints.  The 2007 article reported no cracks had occurred at that time…

Check out the article here: http://www.concreteconstruction.net/concrete-construction/a-jointless-crack-free-walkway_1.aspx 

THE NOW:

… and Mr. Holland has reported the same result as of September 2015.  Since that small beginning, FORTA-FERRO® has been used as the critical reinforcing element in hundreds of extended-joint projects all over the world.  For additional research, practice, and project reference information, contact FORTA Corporation to receive the Technical Report “High-Fiber Slabs:  Extending Joint Spacing.”

To find out how you can achieve a jointless, crack-free project: