Concrete Disk Competition
Where concrete meets creativity and the next generation of builders rises.
Competition Details
To enter, you must first complete Level 1 of Concrete Quest. After finishing, you'll be eligible to receive a competition kit directly from the TCA. (Completing Level Two earns 20 extra points toward your total score, but is not required to enter) Your task will be to create several concrete specimens for judging.
What will you make:
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One concrete cylinder measuring 4" in diameter by 8" tall. (Mold provided)
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Three concrete disks, each 4" in diameter and 3/4" thick. (Mold provided)
What's in the kit:
The TCA will ship you a kit with items you need to create your cylinder and disks. This includes:
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Cylinder mold (4" diameter x 8" tall)
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3/8” diameter rod for making concrete cylinder
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Disk molds (4" diameter x 3/4" thick)
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Fiber to use in your concrete mix (for disks only - see instructional video)
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Mixing Bucket
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Packaging materials and a pre-paid shipping label to return your completed projects.
What you provide:
You are responsible for purchasing one bag of premixed concrete for your project and a mixing tool.
Video Presentation:
Your final requirement will be to record a video (2 minutes max) showing the concrete product you used,
your mixing process, the casting of your disks and cylinder, and what you have learned about concrete
through Concrete Quest and this competition. Be sure to introduce yourself, talk about ways you believe
you increased your chances of winning, and include any resources that helped you with this project! This
video will be worth up to 25 points of your total score.
Prizes
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First Place - $500
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Second Place - $300
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Third Place - $100
Judging Categories
Your work will be judged in three main categories: Artistic Design, Resilience, and Strength.
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Disk Artistic Design: One of your concrete disks should showcase creative design, coloring, and/or
artistic ability. You can incorporate various aggregates or materials to enhance its look as well as
paints, engraving or anything else. There are no limitations here!
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Disk Resilience: Your second concrete disk will be tested for its resilience. TCA will test how well your
disk holds up to stress in a drop test. The disks that holds up the best will earn the highest scores. This
is where your knowledge of concrete mixing and curing will be critical! Fibers are recommended for
this mix. (included in the kit provided)
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Cylinder Strength: The concrete cylinder you cast will be tested for compressive strength (Measured
in PSI) in the concrete break machine in TCA’s lab. The cylinder with the highest compressive strength
(PSI) will score the most points.
How to Submit Your Project
Once your cylinder and disks are finished and have cured for 28 days (see instructional video linked in
Concrete Quest for specifics on curing), you will use the provided packaging to carefully pack your
creations. Attach the pre-paid shipping label included in your kit and send everything back to the TCA for
judging. The deadline for TCA to receive entries is Dec 19th, 2025. Please ensure that your entries arrive
at the TCA office by the deadline.
TCA will make a competition video where we test your entries and choose winners based on their
performance. The winners will be notified and the video will be posted to TCA’s socials and Youtube page
in January, 2026.
Scoring Parameters
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Watch the instructional video about the competition and tips about mixes, etc. - 5 points
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Complete Level Two of Concrete Quest (not required to participate but worth extra points) which
provides more information about materials, mixes, and how to properly cast a cylinder - 20 points -
Submit 3 concrete disks; one for Aesthetics, two for Resilience testing
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Best Artistic Design Disk - 25 possible
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Most Resilient Disc - 25 points possible
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Concrete Cylinder Strength - 25 points possible
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Video Presentation - 25 points possible
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Total points possible: 125 points