EP #141: Concrete Data - How to Spot the BS

Most people believe the chart on the screen — Dr. Jon explains why you shouldn’t.

If you’ve ever sat in a conference session staring at a chart and wondering whether you’re seeing real data or a dressed-up story, this episode is for you. Dr. Jon Belkowitz breaks down how data in the concrete industry is often stretched, normalized, cherry-picked, or misleading — and how to spot it before making decisions that affect a structure’s performance.

We get into why people present data, what questions you should ask before trusting it, what error bars mean, and when it’s time to ask tougher questions. This conversation also touches on motivations, funding sources, normalized datasets, Purdue-Pharma-style chart tricks, and why peer review still matters.

What You’ll Learn 

• Why is data really presented in this industry — truth, persuasion, or something in between? 
• How charts can hide peaks or exaggerate trends 
• What error bars actually mean and why they matter 
• When to question normalized or percentage-based data 
• Signs that a dataset should be tossed out completely 
• How to read peer-reviewed papers quickly without wasting time 
• Why checking funding sources matters 
• Why asking questions doesn’t make you “anti” anything 

 
Chapters
00:00 – Why We’re Talking About Data
01:00 – What Motivates People to Present Data
04:00 – The Role of Data in Confidence and Decision-Making
07:30 – Normalized Data and How It Can Mislead
12:00 – Purdue-Pharma-Style Chart Tricks
15:30 – What Error Bars Actually Tell You
21:00 – When to Question What You’re Being Shown
25:30 – Reading Research Papers Without Wasting Time
30:00 – Motivation, Funding, and Hidden Bias
34:00 – Final Thoughts

Guest Info
Name: Dr. Jon Belkowitz
Company: Intelligent Concrete
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.intelligent-concrete.com

Concrete Logic Academy
Earn PDHs in the same straight-talk format as the podcast:
https://www.concretelogicacademy.com

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Credits
Producer: Douglas H. Clarke, Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media
Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/

Where to Find Seth
Seth Tandett — concrete nerd and host of the Concrete Logic Podcast.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
Podcast Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com