EP #149: Got a Low Concrete Break? Here’s What To Do Next

PRESENTED BY: CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
Practical education and ongoing development for concrete professionals at every stage of their career.
Join here: https://www.concretelogicacademy.com/ 

EPISODE SUMMARY
You get the 28-day report.
It’s low.
Now what?
 
In this episode, Seth sits down with Josh Agee, Concrete Quality Assurance Manager at F.A. Wilhelm Construction, to walk through what actually happens when a cylinder comes back below strength.

Who do you call first?
Is it the mix? The placement? The testing company?
When do you use a Swiss hammer? When do you core? And what really matters — the cylinder… or the in-place concrete?

This is a practical, field-level conversation about investigating low breaks, managing risk, and protecting your project before things spiral.

If you work in structural concrete, this isn’t hypothetical.
It’s coming. 

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
 • Why reviewing batch tickets is the first move
 • Why the middle third of the truck matters when sampling
 • How poor field curing can destroy cylinder results
 • What most people misunderstand about testing tech responsibility
 • When to use Swiss hammers and Windsor probes
 • Why coring is often the final answer
 • What the rolling average actually tells you
 • When concrete must be removed — and when it doesn’t
 • How better pre-pour meetings reduce risk 

CHAPTERS
00:00 – The low break email no one wants
03:29 – Investigating batch tickets and water additions
05:26 – Why pre-pour meetings matter more than you think
08:07 – Cure box mistakes that happen all the time
13:03 – Non-destructive testing and managing risk
15:11 – Coring and what break patterns tell you
18:26 – Rolling averages and statistical outliers
21:16 – Proper sampling: the middle third rule
23:26 – How cylinders get mishandled
25:02 – Labeling errors that create chaos
26:22 – Lessons learned moving forward 

GUEST INFO
Josh Agee
Concrete Quality Assurance Manager
F.A. Wilhelm Construction
Profile: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/josh-agee/ 

CONCRETE LOGIC PARTNERS

INTELLIGENT CONCRETE
Concrete not behaving the way it should?
Intelligent Concrete combines lab-level testing with real-world field experience to identify the true root cause of performance issues — not just treat the symptoms.
Reach out for help: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/intelligent-concrete 

CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
Earn PDHs in the same straight-talk format as the podcast:

Join now: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/academy 

SUPPORT THE PODCAST (VALUE FOR VALUE)

Concrete Logic operates on a Value-for-Value model.
If you get value from the show — whether that’s education, perspective, or just something that makes you better at your craft — consider giving value back.

Donate here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/donate

Producer-level supporters get recognized on the episode.
This episode’s Producers:
Josh Bong
Tom Cummings
Thank you for supporting independent concrete education.

You can also support the show by purchasing your KUIU work, workout, or hunting gear through our link — 10% goes to the podcast at no additional cost to you:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu

Media, sponsorship, or content inquiries:
[email protected] 

CREDITS
 Producers: Josh Bong, Tom Cummings, Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media
 
Music by Mike Dunton:
 https://www.mdunton.com/ 

WHERE TO FIND SETH
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/
https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
[email protected]  

Until next time…
Let’s keep it concrete.