Recent Reports from the Hardscape Industry
A new standard (C1782) has been developed to ensure the quality of paving slabs in commercial and residential projects. Until now, these large pavers were not covered by ASTM C936, the standard for basic interlocking units, but now with C1782 there is a baseline acceptance norm that paving slab manufacturers can use to verify to contractors and designers that their products meet or exceed the set requirements.
https://www.astm.org/search/fullsite-search.html?query=c1782

More Stringent Tests for Pavers in Cold-weather States
The standard for interlocking pavers, ASTM C936, was updated to include extra areas where a test for freeze-thaw and deicing salt durability of interlocking pavers should be used. The update now calls for 5???(R)???AE? F as the threshold low temperature for the test. The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute says that this change will help assure contractors of the winter durability of these products.
https://www.astm.org/search/fullsite-search.html?query=C936

Concrete that Naturally Cleans Itself
Self-cleaning concrete is now available in North America thanks to TX Active, a patented Portland cement developed and tested in Italy and France. The cement has components in it that interact with ultraviolet rays, using their energy to oxidize most organic and some inorganic air pollutants that usually discolor exposed concrete.

Cement Production to Grow This Year
Although still predicting expansion in the cement industry in 2017, the Portland Cement Association has revised their forecast down a little from 4.2 percent growth to 3.1 percent. Postelection political uncertainty, inflation and slower construction activity were cited as the reasons for the revised number.

Learning About Early Joint Deterioration in Concrete Pavements
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently made available the Guide to the Prevention and Restoration of Early Joint Deterioration in Concrete Pavements that discusses the types and mechanisms of joint deterioration, preventing it in new pavement, maintenance procedures to reduce the risks, and treatment of pavement already with joint deterioration.
https://tinyurl.com/joa9tue

Mobile 3D Concrete Printer
The construction industry's first 3D concrete printer that propels itself along on rubber tracks has already been used in several projects. CyBe Construction's new machine takes two people to operate and can print layers over an inch thick of a fast-drying concrete (load-bearing within an hour) to build walls, water features and formworks among other structures.