Summary of Each Multiemployer Pension Plan For Which We Participate (Detail) (Multiemployer Plan, Plan Information, Available, Multiemployer Plans, Pension, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
Vulcan Contributions	$ 7,227		$ 6,778		$ 6,566
Automobile Mechanics Local Number Seven Hundred And One Pension Fund
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	36-6042061-001	[1],[2]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	[2],[3]	Orange	[2],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[2],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	147	[2]	162	[2]	176	[2]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[2]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	May 31, 2013	[2]
Central Pension Fund Of Iuoe And Participating Employers
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	36-6052390-001	[1],[6]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	[3],[6]	Green	[3],[6]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[4],[5],[6]
Vulcan Contributions	418	[6]	408	[6]	494	[6]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[6]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, First	May 31, 2015	[6]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, Last	Jan. 31, 2016	[6],[7]
Central States Southeast And Southwest Areas Pension Plan
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	36-6044243-001	[1],[8]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	[3],[8]	Red	[3],[8]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[4],[5],[8]
Vulcan Contributions	302	[8]	276	[8]	267	[8]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[8]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, First	May 31, 2013	[8]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, Last	Jan. 31, 2016	[7],[8]
Iam National Pension Fund
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	51-6031295-002	[1],[9]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	[3],[9]	Green	[3],[9]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[4],[5],[9]
Vulcan Contributions	64	[9]	52	[9]	49	[9]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[9]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	Mar. 31, 2014	[9]
Laborers Trust Funds For Northern California
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	94-6277608-001	[1],[10]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Yellow	[10],[3]	Yellow	[10],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented	[10],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	232	[10]	177	[10]	176	[10]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[10]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	Jul. 15, 2013	[10]
Liuna National Industrial Pension Fund
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	52-6074345-001	[1],[11]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	[11],[3]	Red	[11],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented	[11],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	887	[11]	840	[11]	825	[11]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[11]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, First	Jul. 31, 2014	[11]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, Last	Jan. 31, 2016	[11],[7]
Local Seven Hundred And Eighty Six Building Material Pension Trust
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	51-6067400-001	[1],[12]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	[12],[3]	Green	[12],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[12],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	211	[12]	166	[12]	181	[12]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[12]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	Apr. 30, 2014	[12]
Midwest Operating Engineers Pension Trust Fund
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	36-6140097-001	[1],[13]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	[13],[3]	Green	[13],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[13],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	1,392	[13]	1,543	[13]	1,566	[13]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[13]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	Apr. 30, 2014	[13]
Operating Engineers Trust Funds - Local Three
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	94-6090764-001	[1],[14]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Orange	[14],[3]	Orange	[14],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented	[14],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	2,082	[14]	1,737	[14]	1,576	[14]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[14]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, First	Jul. 15, 2013	[14]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, Last	Sep. 17, 2013	[14],[7]
Operating Engineers Pension Trust Funds - Local Twelve
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	95-6032478-001	[1],[15]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	[15],[3]	Red	[15],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented	[15],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	391	[15]	313	[15]	243	[15]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[15]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	Sep. 30, 2015	[15]
Suburban Teamsters Of Northern Illinois Pension Plan
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	36-6155778-001	[1],[16]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	[16],[3]	Red	[16],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[16],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	216	[16]	198	[16]	195	[16]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[16]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs	Apr. 30, 2013	[16]
Teamsters Union Number One Hundred And Forty Two Pension Trust Fund
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	51-6051034-001	[1],[17]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Yellow	[17],[3]	Green	[17],[3]
Vulcan Contributions	0	[17]	24	[17]	54	[17]
Western Conference Of Teamsters Pension Trust Fund
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
EIN/Pension Plan Number	91-6145047-001	[1],[18]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	[18],[3]	Green	[18],[3]
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No	[18],[4],[5]
Vulcan Contributions	$ 885	[18]	$ 882	[18]	$ 764	[18]
Surcharge Imposed	No	[18]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, First	Jul. 15, 2013	[18]
Expiration Date/Range of CBAs, Last	Apr. 08, 2017	[18],[7]

[1] EIN Employer Identification Number

[2] Automobile Mechanics Local No. 701 Pension Fund

[3] The Pension Protection Act of 2006 defines the zone status as follows: green - healthy, yellow - endangered, orange - seriously endangered and red - critical.

[4] FIP Funding Improvement Plan

[5] RP Rehabilitation Plan

[6] Central Pension Fund of the IUOE and Participating Employers

[7] CBA Collective Bargaining Agreement

[8] Central States Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan

[9] IAM National Pension Fund

[10] Laborers Trust Funds for Northern California

[11] LIUNA National Industrial Pension Fund

[12] Local 786 Building Material Pension Trust

[13] Midwest Operating Engineers Pension Trust Fund

[14] Operating Engineers Trust Funds - Local 3

[15] Operating Engineers Pension Trust Funds - Local 12

[16] Suburban Teamsters of Northern Illinois Pension Plan

[17] Teamsters Union No 142 Pension Trust Fund

[18] Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Fund