Beton Consulting Engineers LLC

Mendota Heights, MN

We know the science behind your concrete.

Services: 42
Offices: 1
Projects: 4
Leaders: 6
Size Estimate: 1-10 employees

Overview

Beton Consulting Engineers is a Mendota Heights, Minnesota-based concrete consulting practice that approaches concrete from chemical, materials, and structural engineering perspectives. It specializes in thermal control plans, forensic engineering, service life design, alternative cementitious materials, petrography, testing, and specialty concrete mix design. Fully accredited and licensed as professional engineers in 20 US states and three Canadian provinces, Beton serves owners, contractors, and attorneys on projects ranging from mass concrete placements to litigation support.

Size Estimate: 1-10 employees

Services

Thermal Control Plan

Mass concrete placements require a thermal control plan to prevent cracking. Beton helps clients meet requirements, usually without cooling tubes, by optimizing mixture proportions and monitoring.

Mass concrete temperature monitoring Concrete mixture proportion optimization to reduce heat Concrete pre-cooling, insulation, and post-cooling strategies Concrete maturity calibration and real-time strength monitoring

Forensic Engineering

When concrete fails, Beton investigates what went wrong, who is responsible, and how to remedy it - from field investigation through expert witness testimony.

Failure analysis and root-cause investigation Construction troubleshooting Expert witness testimony Nondestructive testing Petrographic examination and chemical analysis sampling Project background and documentation review

Service Life Design

Beton evaluates remaining service life, develops corrosion protection plans, and uses life cycle modeling to achieve the specified durability in the structure's exposure conditions.

Corrosion protection plans Life cycle modeling (LCA / LCC / EPDs)Concrete durability modeling High slag and fly ash replacement mix designs Low-shrinkage concrete mixtures Freeze-thaw durable concrete mixtures Solutions for potentially reactive aggregate Concrete durability testing (ASTM C1556 or NT Build 492)

Alternative Cementitious Materials

Beton helps clients turn waste glass and other industrial byproducts into concrete with a lower carbon footprint, drawing on deep expertise in supplementary cementitious materials.

Fly ash and slag cement mix designs Silica fume applications Waste glass and industrial byproduct utilization Sustainable and low carbon footprint concrete mixtures

Petrography

Petrographic examination of concrete, aggregate, masonry, historic mortars, and cement clinker - providing insight into current condition and future performance.

Petrographic examination of concrete and aggregates Petrographic examination of historic mortars and concrete Clinker microscopy for process conditions Chemical analysis of concrete samples

Concrete Testing

Lab and field testing services including special inspections, load testing, vibration monitoring, and evaluation of test results for strength and durability.

Field testing (air, slump, compressive strength)Special inspections (excavations, framing, post-tensioned/reinforced concrete, masonry)Load testing Vibration monitoring and structural movement tracking Testing laboratory management and calibrations

Specialty Concrete Mix Design

Custom mixture proportioning for shotcrete, self-consolidating concrete, precast, and other specialty applications, including troubleshooting existing mix problems.

Shotcrete mix design Mixture proportioning of dry pre-blended mixes Concrete product development Troubleshooting concrete product performance

Industries

Bridges Commercial Stormwater & Flood Control Sports & Recreation Power Generation Legal Transportation

Firm type

Chemical Engineering Forensic Engineering Materials Engineering Materials Testing Structural Engineering

Project types

Mass Concrete Placements Bridges Building Foundations and Slabs Precast Concrete Elements Shotcrete Applications Historic Masonry and Mortar

Projects

St. Croix Crossing

Stillwater, MN | Minnesota Department of Transportation | Bridges

Proportioned sustainable, durable concrete mixtures and provided thermal control plans for the mass concrete in the drilled shafts, piers, and cross beams. The mixture utilized up to 85% supplementary cementitious materials as part of the thermal control strategy.

Thermal Control Plan Service Life Design

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I-91 Brattleboro Bridge

Brattleboro, VT | Bridges

Utilized self-consolidating concrete for the bridge piers to accommodate congested reinforcement and curved forms, incorporating pigments and form liners to achieve a natural stone appearance.

Thermal Control Plan Specialty Concrete Mix Design

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I-35W Underground Stormwater Storage Tanks

Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Transportation | Stormwater & Flood Control

Provided field testing and quality control for underground stormwater storage tank construction.

Concrete Testing

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Mariucci Arena

Minneapolis, MN | University of Minnesota | Sports & Recreation

Performed field testing and quality control support during the construction of the university ice hockey arena.

Concrete Testing

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Credentials and affiliations

Certifications

LEED Accredited Professional Licensed PE in 20 US states and 3 Canadian provinces

Leadership

Kevin MacDonald

President and Principal Engineer

PE, P.Eng., FACI

Kevin is the founder and president of Beton. He has extensive experience in field and laboratory concrete, quality control, and technical problem-solving. In addition to consulting, he serves as an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in the construction management program. Kevin is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and heavily involved in ACI committees, including past chair of Committee 132 (Responsibility in Concrete Construction) and active roles in committees for proportioning concrete mixtures, chemical admixtures, and fly ash.

Rachel Detwiler

Principal Engineer

PE, FACI, PhD

Rachel is a civil engineer with over 40 years of experience in concrete testing, construction troubleshooting, and failure analysis. She designed and directed a multi-laboratory test program that served as the basis for updating ASTM standards to allow smaller cylinders for concrete acceptance testing. She teaches technical writing at the University of St. Thomas and has served as an expert witness in concrete-related lawsuits. Rachel is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and a member of committees on concrete durability and silica fume.

Mark Lukkarila

Principal Petrographer and Materials Scientist

FACI

Mark possesses over 30 years of experience in the cement, concrete, masonry, and aggregate industries, with specialized knowledge of cementitious systems and hydration chemistry. He has conducted petrographic examinations of concrete, aggregates, and historic mortars, and has extensive experience with mix proportioning for dry pre-blended shotcrete. He is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI), chairing several committees, and is an active member of ASTM subcommittees and an educator for ACI's shotcrete nozzleman certification.

Sam Kurachek

Senior Engineer

Sam is a Professional Engineer with experience as a project manager and lead field inspector on diverse construction projects. He performs high-level special inspections for excavations, wood framing, post-tensioned and reinforced concrete, and structural masonry. His expertise includes testing laboratory management, equipment calibrations, AASHTO accreditations, instrumentation, load testing, and vibration monitoring.

Julie Buffenbarger

Senior Scientist and Sustainability Principal

FACI, LEED AP BD+C

Julie has over 25 years of experience in the concrete industry, specializing in sustainability, admixture chemistry, cementitious materials, and concrete durability. Her work focuses on life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), environmental product declarations (EPDs), and implementing sustainable construction practices. She is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and chairs the ACI Committee 130 on Sustainability of Concrete.

Heidi Lukkarila Romo

Junior Petrographer, Field Technologist and Nondestructive Testing Specialist

Heidi has 12 years of experience in concrete field testing, mixture troubleshooting, and quality control. She has conducted ACI testing, inspected forms, monitored curing, and helped develop the time-temperature method for monitoring concrete strength gain. Her background includes soils and aggregate testing, and she is currently undergoing advanced training in petrography.