This article highlights features of the latest version of SP-17, a manual developed to assist engineers preparing designs in accordance with “Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-11) and Commentary.” The manual now comprises two volumes. Chapters are divided into three parts: a concise theoretical background, solved examples, and design aids such as tables or charts. Solved examples provide brief overviews and detailed calculations. Examples list the ACI 318 provisions or section numbers, provide background and elaboration on the procedures, and include numerical calculations and related figures. Volume 2 provides step-by-step calculations showing engineers how to complete anchor design following ACI 318-11.

Two ACI certification programs, Concrete Field Testing Technician-Level 1 and Concrete Strength Testing Technician, were recently conducted in Nanjing, China, and Taiwan, ROC, respectively. The authors describe some of the organizational details required for these training and educational programs, discuss the importance of selecting the certification program that suits the needs of the local market, and describe the process of initiating an ACI certification program.

The Virtual Cement and Concrete Testing Laboratory (VCCTL) is an integrated software package comprising numerical models capable of characterizing cement and concrete performance. Rooted in basic principles of physics and chemistry, VCCTL includes a hydration model that simulates the development of cement paste microstructure as the binder matures. A case study is provided, showing that the VCCTL and basic materials engineering allowed engineers to predict the relationships between cement characteristics and performance and efficiently find promising combinations of parameters for production.