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ACI honors NRMCA Engineer – Karthik Obla

Mar, 24 2009

Praised for Longstanding Contributions to Concrete Industry

(Silver Spring, Maryland) -- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association engineer Karthik Obla has received the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Young Member Award for Professional Achievement. This honor was bestowed by the ACI Board of Directors at its Fall 2008 meeting specifically “for contributions related to performance-based specifications for concrete, fiber reinforced concrete, and the use of ultrafine fly ash in concrete – and for outstanding service as an officer for the San Antonio ACI Chapter.” Obla was then further recognized at the recent ACI annual convention held in San Antonio.

Dr. Obla was also elected an ACI Fellow for contributions to the work of the Institute. A longtime ACI member, he has authored more than 50 technical articles in the areas of concrete research, specifications and has presented at various ACI sessions and international conferences. He actively participates in several ACI, ASTM and TRB technical committees and has chaired many ACI sessions in the area of concrete materials. Dr. Obla, NRMCA’s managing director of research and materials, regularly teaches NRMCA technical courses and seminars and strives to promote quality concrete through his active role in NRMCA’s Research, Engineering and Standards Committee.

Obla earned his doctorate from the University of Michigan where he conducted research on fiber reinforced concrete. Before joining NRMCA, he worked for Boral Materials in a technical and marketing role for fly ash. He served as president of the ACI San Antonio chapter during that period.

NRMCA, based in Silver Spring, MD, 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.