Containment

The story of Mattex Geosynthetics is a strong example of what in recent years we've noted here on Geosynthetica in news, event reviews, and general discussions: how the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf region is transitioning from a top role in raw materials supply to being a mature source for finished products, including geosynthetics.

To accommodate our continuously expanding operations in Vaughan servicing Ontario and Eastern Canada, Layfield is pleased to announce the opening of its new fabrication and warehousing facility, opened in June 2010. The new facility will offer many benefits, including increased warehousing capacity; easy access to major shipping corridors; new capability to provide quick turnaround fabricated liners with seams up to 250 ft in length; more than 36,000 sq ft of space to stock multiple geosynthetics and other products. Phone contact information remains the same.

The next phase of Biosphere 2 is about to begin. In this next step, the innovative research site in Arizona will enclose soil slopes and investigate how vegetation, topography and other factors affect rainwater's journey through a watershed. One of the tools being studied and used to help make the facility sustainable is solar cells adhered to geosynthetics. Learn more here.;

On 29 January 2010, ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics and the Geosynthetic Research Institute (GRI) will host a workshop in San Antonio, Texas on "Geosynthetic Material Durability: Field and Laboratory Experiences." David Suits, executive director of the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), reports that GRI's Bob and George Koerner are still open for receiving abstracts for the event. This one-day sympomsium will not require a full paper; only an extended abstract. For more information, please contact George Koerner at gkoerner@dca.net or Sam Allen at SAllen@tri-env.com. Learn more here.;

Dave Presby, of Presby Environmental, Inc, based in the North Country town of Whitefield, has been in the wastewater treatment business a long time. His dad started the company in 1948, and Dave Presby began installing septic systems at the age of 15, which gives him 45 years experience. He's now designed a pipe system that treats effluent as it passes through. Learn more here.;

Abstracts for Geo-Frontiers 2011 are due by 8 March 2010! Please keep this in mind during the coming week. Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Institute (GI) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). It will be held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Tracks include Soil/Rock Mechanics and Modeling; Geotechnical Testing and Site Characterization; Foundations and Ground Improvement; Slopes, Embankments, and Earth Retaining Structures; Geosynthetics; Geoenvironmental Engineering; Geo-Hazards (Earthquakes, Landslides, Erosions, Others); Transportation Materials and Pavements; and Other Geotechnical Related Issues. Learn more here.;

The Montmorency Oscoda Alpena Solid Waste Management Authority Board in Michigan needs to cap a waste cell. Initial feelings were to use only clay as a temporary bandage; but the board is now leaning towards a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) cap in order to provide a longer-term solution and leachate control. Learn more here.;

The London Topic (Ontario, Canada) reports that PCB contaminated soil has been discovered outside the "vault" zones where reclamation work is on-going. The contaminated soils have been moved onto a polyethylene pad and covered with a PE membrane and geotextile fabric while officials meet and a public meeting is scheduled. Longer term storage and containment will be part of the site's soil cleanup. Learn more here.;

Robert Groh, President and Owner of Waukesha, Wisconsin-based Geo-Synthetics LLC, was one of two people killed in a small plane crash near Kirksville, Missouri late Tuesday. Groh was reportedly...

Over at SprayFoam.com, Dudley J. Primeaux has posted a column in memory of Tom Davis, a polyurea pioneer. His work included spray-applied liners, geotextiles, secondary containment applications on large and commodity scales, and much more. Learn more here.;

The 2015 edition of Techtextil North America marks the event’s 12th installment. This annual conference, which is a sister event of the biennial Techtextil in Germany, is dedicated to...

Two years ago the International Association of Geosynthetic Installers (IAGI) Board set up the IAGI Installation Awards of Excellence. The first Awards were handed out in 2011. The 2013 I^2 Awards are now open for entry. All IAGI members are reminded that this event, open only to projects on which they've worked, is free for them to enter. Deadline for submissions: 15 January 2013. Learn more.

HP today presented new research from HP Labs, the company's central research arm, showing how the manure output of cows and the heat output of data centers can be combined to create an economically and environmentally sustainable operation. In a research paper presented at the ASME International Conference on Energy Sustainability in Phoenix, Ariz., the HP researchers explain how a farm of 10,000 dairy cows could fulfill the power requirements of a 1-megawatt (MW) data center--the equivalent of a medium-sized data center--with power left over to support other needs on the farm.

ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has revised D4595, "Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Geotextiles by the Wide-Width Strip Method." The basic distinction between this test method and other methods for measuring strip tensile properties is the width of the specimen. This width, by contrast, is greater than the length of the specimen. Some fabrics used in geotextile applications have a tendency to contract (neck down) under a force in the gage length area. The greater width of the specimen specified in this test method minimizes the contraction effect of those fabrics and provides a closer relationship to expected geotextile behavior in the field and a standard comparison. Learn more here.;

The December 2010 issue of NAUE News is perhaps the company's most ambitious to date, in terms of content range. The introductory article addresses the departure of long-time managing director Prof.-Ing. Dr. Georg Heerten, who is retiring from his primary day-to-day operations with NAUE. Project stories in the issue look at countering the danger posed to a community by the sudden appearance of a sinkhole; high-speed railway improvement; foundation protection; landfill sealing; dam restoration; and much more. These projects are set in Australia, Germany, Romania, Burkina Faso, and elsewhere.

The US House of Representatives voted 361-54 to override a water bill veto of President Bush - the first override of his almost seven years in office. The $23.2 billion bill now goes to the Senate for an override vote. It includes considerable funds for erosion control, flood control, wastewater management and transportation. Learn more here.;

The Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) in Washington State has had a number of seepage issues in its earthen canals this year. The Badger East Canal is currently experiencing significant seepage problems. While the earthen canals are designed for it, the Badger East Canal had a geosynthetic liner for water conservation between 1989 and the middle of this year. Rather than replace the liner, which KID felt had reached the end of its service life, the canal was deepened and packed with a bit of clay. The result has been flooded basements and a need to reapproach the canal's management. Learn more here.;

Geomembrane Technologies Inc. (GTI) has participated in a project that qualified for the carbon credit market under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The project is helping show how the use of geosynthetic covers can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas release as well as promote additional environmental and social benefits.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched an online discussion forum to receive public input on the future direction of EPA's national water enforcement program. The public will be able to provide feedback through the EPA Web site, between now and August 28, giving them a forum to address any concerns about EPA's efforts to protect the water in their communities. Read more in the release.

Altona, Manitoba, Canada operates a Class 2 landfill but has discovered it may no longer qualify for the Class 2 status since it serves more than 5,000 residents now. The area must now look towards a future Class 1 landfill, which would require daily cover and a modern lining system. Tip fees have now doubled as the city begins to look towards a stronger future. Learn more here.;

Concrete Canvas Ltd. continues growing. The company introduced its CC HydroTM product to the wider international geosynthetics and geotechnical community last month at EuroGeo 6, the 6th European Conference...

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Brazilian Chapter (IGS Brazil) will hold a special course on "Geosynthetics in Landfill Applications" on September 14. The education will be led by Profs....

The geotechnical engineering professional development website Geo-U (www.geo-u.com) has added two presentations from Drs. JP Giroud and Jie Han to its roster of high-quality, on-demand education. A third presentation...

Congratulations are due to David E. Daniel, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE, NAE, University of Texas at Dallas. Prof. Daniel has been recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) OPAL Awards for his excellence in advancing civil engineering education. Established in 1999, these prestigious awards recognize and honor outstanding civil engineering leaders whose lifetime accomplishments and achievements have made significant differences in one of five categories. Prof. Daniel has long been associated with geosynthetic research and education. The awards will be presented in a special ceremony on 25 March 2010 at the Renaissance Hotel Washington.

BioCycle Magazine has published an interesting, historical perspective on animal waste digesters. BioCycle actually began as a publication named Compost Science and published its first hint of power-generation from manure lagoons in 1960. From that point on, systems have utitilzed floating covers, flexible bags and other technologies to move towards better harnessing methane power and improving waste management. Learn more here.;