Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/423872
The good news is that CPCI offers cer- tification to these firms as well. "We call this 'single-project plant certification' and it is offered to any contractor who wishes to produce for a specific project," says Hall. "The goal of the 'single project plant' certification is to ensure the same level of quality infrastructure as those provided by permanent plants." One of the key provisos with CPCI's model is that the plant must be certi- fied prior to production for the project, and any product that has been pro- duced prior to certification will not be accepted after the fact. Others are also raising the alarm about quality control. Richard Huza, the director of business development at Salit Steel, makes the point that on P3 projects, contract terms typically end before any rehab work is needed. Also, some provincial transportation departments don't specify stainless steel for rebar on structural projects like bridges. He cites Alberta's transpor- tation department as an example and adds, "But many transportation depart- ments are loathe to tell private compa- nies what to use in a P3," he says. A paper presented at a New York City bridge engineering conference a few years ago notes that, "Stainless steel reinforcing rebar has clearly demonstrated its 100- plus year life expectancy." The paper, Improving Tomorrow's Infrastructure: Extending the Life of Con- crete Structures with Solid Stainless Steel Reinforcing Bar, also notes that, besides superior durability and reduced life cycle costs, some bridge projects have actually cost less because of design and construction efficiencies achieved as a result of using stainless steel rebar. Even when its use does add to the tab, "The incremental cost for stainless steel is trivial, around 0.4 per cent for most projects," Huza says. Given the advantages of stainless steel, it is no surprise, that, as Keith Baugaard, director of sales and technol- ogy services at Salit, says, demand for stainless steel rebar has been "huge" recently. "In the last three years in the U.S., we've seen massive demand. It's being used for bridge replacement there and in Canada. But Canada has been a little slower to endorse the product, although it is being used now across Canada. In B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta, it's being used specifically for bridges," he says. The Hodder Avenue underpass in Thunder Bay, Ontario, is proof that CPCI-certified precast concrete delivers versatility, durability and ensures public safety. december 2014 /25 concrete