The RMC Research & Education Foundation is collaborating with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) and its Research, Engineering & Standards Committee on the identification of industry research priorities and needs and a new process for referral of proposals for potential funding by the foundation.
NRMCA’s Research, Engineering & Standards Committee has formed a Research Task Group to assist with the collaboration. The task group, chaired by Bruce Blair, President of Consumers Concrete in Kalamazoo, Mich., has developed a list of needed concrete materials research topics, which is now available on the RMC Research & Education Foundation’s website along with other submittal guidance on its website.
Ther is no guarantee for funding of a particular topic or proposal. However, the list will give researchers interested in concrete materials research topics a better sense of what is needed by the industry at any current point in time. The list will also be updated on a regular basis. The hope is that it will also generate more relevant and higher quality proposals for the foundation and industry. The list, however, is not exclusive and only covers concrete materials research topics. The foundation’s mission is to fund both research and education projects. Their goal is to increase the quality, sustainability and professionalism in the industry. Researchers and consultants are welcome to submit ideas on a variety of topics that fit within that mission.
Additional details
In addition to providing and updating the list of research needs, the Research Task Group will review conceptual proposals submitted. If there is sufficient interest and confirmation that the proposal is consistent with the research needs, the foundation will then invite the applicant to submit a full proposal. The group will enter the proposals into the foundation’s three-tiered approvals process. Once the project receives funding, The task group may provide feedback on the direction of the research. The Task Group may review and comment on interim and final reports.
For more information on the RMC Research & Education Foundation’s programs and activities, visit www.rmc-foundation.org. For more information on NRMCA’s Research, Engineering & Standards Committee and its Research Task Group, contact Karthik Obla at [email protected] or visit https://www.nrmca.org/about-nrmca/committees/#res.
About NRMCA
NRMCA is a non-profit organization based in Alexandria, Va. The group represents the producers of ready mixed concrete and the companies that provide materials, equipment and support to the industry. It conducts education, training, promotion, research, engineering, safety, environmental, technological, lobbying and regulatory programs. For more information on NRMCA’s Sustainability Initiatives, visit www.nrmca.org/sustainability.
About RMC Research & Education Foundation
The research and educational programs supported by the RMC Research & Education Foundation represent a broad spectrum of projects that are helping to keep the concrete industry on the cutting edge, and demonstrate that we are:
- Devoted to recruiting new talent, and strengthening the education and training of current and future professionals within the industry,
- Concerned with protecting the safety of our workforce,
- Working toward improving the quality of concrete and concrete construction, and
- Dedicated to sustainability, resilience and also strong environmental stewardship.
