Containment

In South Africa, the "Dustbowl" traders along a much-needed lagoon access-road reinforcement project are suffering. Jo-Ann Bekker's story notes the significant decline in cheese sales during construction. But the upgrades are vital: gabion support on the embankments to protect against slip failure. Turbidity curtains have also been installed to contain disturbed clay that is mixing into the lagoon. With any luck, the dustbowl trading station will be free of obstructions soon and normal sales will resume. Learn more here.;

Agriculture has grown rapidly, and not just as a critical piece of Vietnam's gross domestic product (GDP); the sector accounts for 24 percent of GDP. It's also the country's primary driver for export revenue (30 percent). These numbers have encouraged greater expansion, but that's coming with expected problems: animal waste pollution, extreme fertilizer runoff, irrigation conveyance problems, untreated waste entering streams, and many more. Better oversight and engineering is needed for continued, safe expansion. Learn more here.;

The 5th annual Asia Mining Congress will be held 23-27 March 2009 in Singapore. The coordinators are offering free awards dinner tickets with registrations made before November 10. Read the latest update from the conference here. Learn more here.;

We've heard a great many calls for increased infrastructure spending in the United States. The ASCE scorecards on American infrastructure paint a pretty bleak picture, and we were reminded of that last year after a major bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed. The 2005 ASCE scorecard gave its highest marks to the waste management sector, in which geosynthetics are required. And earlier this year the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) announced huge strides in working with Congressional legislators to have geosynthetics considered for requirement in other sectors, such as water management. Infrastructure was pushed higher in the public debate this morning with the publication of Paul Krugman's latest column in the New York Times. Krugman is the Princeton professor and Times columnist who was awarded this year's Nobel Prize for Economics. Regarding the ragged state of the American economy, Krugman argues for the need of government spending now. And he idenitifies infrastructure as one of the main, necessary targets. He writes: "The usual argument against public works as economic stimulus is that they take too long: by the time you get around to repairing that bridge and upgrading that rail line, the slump is over and the stimulus isn’t needed. Well, that argument has no force now....So let’s get those projects rolling." Read the rest of Krugman's op-ed column. Learn more here.;

Yesterday we looked at the artificial reef (geotextile-based) being design for an off-shore, erosion control focus in New Zealand. Beach erosion is also a major concern in Australia. Today, the Central Coast Sun published a piece on Maroochydore Beach's plight. There, councils have tabled erosion control projects for 30 years--until now. Geotextile sand bags are finally being brought in to buy much-needed time and halt erosion while a long-term plan is given attention. Learn more here.;

Agru America's new plant in Fernley, Nevada is in the news. The company, which manufactures geomembranes and geocomposites, is seeking an economic development credit. Fernley was the site of a major canal breach not long ago, but even before that the community was in need of new employers. Learn more here.;

Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales was the scene of a rather dramatic canal breach last year. Almost a year to the day later, an $8 million repair scheme is moving quickly and erosion control measures are installed and a 25 km stretch of canal is being improved. The most at risk areas are being lined with geosynthetics. Concrete is being placed atop. Learn more here.;

Orewa Beach Reef project near Auckland is progressing. Funding is being obtained steadily for the off-shore, geotextile-based artificial reef that will be constructed to stem erosion of the beach. Project supporters cite the success of other installations in Australia and New Zealand and even the acceptance and successful use of geotextile tubes in Florida. Learn more here.;

To keep pace with the development of liner technologies and regulated requirements for geomembrane lining systems, I-CORP INTERNATIONAL announces two new services: review of project drawings and specifications for feasibility of performing geoelectric liner integrity/leak location services for the final stage of construction quality assurance (CQA) or to locate problematic leaks; and assessment of present condition and remaining lifetimes of exposed high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes. Read more.

geosynthetica is always interested in the latest news and articles regarding engineering and geosynthetics. Contact Chris Kelsey for submission information.

Get the final details on the International Seminar on Eurocodes 7 and 8 from the Macedonian Association for Geotechnics' (MAG) website for the conference. The event--also under the name Eurocodes: Building the Future--will be held 29 October-1 November 2008 in Struga, Macedonia. MAG is a chapter of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). Learn more here.;

The London Metal Exchange (LME) has a closely watched plastics index, a link to which you can always find on geosynthetica's Resin Index page. And now, LME Education is travelling to North America to deliver a training program intended for market users to understand the value that LME services can add to their business. Don't miss this opportunity to get first-class training. Sessions will be held in Chicago (November 10-12) and Houston (November 13-14). Learn more here.;

A brief piece from the AP highlights the increasingly positive effect of inland aquaculture. West Virginia Salmon and Trout is growing quickly with water recirculation technology. These facilities are avoiding many of illnesses that strike ocean and large river-based operations and providing vital fish sources at a time when natural stocks are depleting quickly. Learn more here.;

Les Harder of HDR’s Folsom office has been appointed as a private sector representative to the National Committee on Levee Safety and will participate in the group’s first meeting to be held near Washington, D.C. Oct. 7 to 10. Read about his appointment over at Erosion Control magazine's revamped website. Learn more here.;

Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has partnered with Green Building Initiative (GBI) to bring you the latest information on the legal application, risk management and regulatory policy needed to ensure the continued success of green building. Three sessions have been announced: Risk and Liability in the Construction Industry; Regulatory Issues that Add to Construction Risk; and How Insurance Plays a Role in Construction Risk. Read more on this page. Learn more here.;

Iryna Popova, Director of EcoInform, has sent out a letter on behalf of the organizers of the 6th Cooperation for Waste Issues conference, which will take place 14-17 April 2009 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The business-oriented event invites your papers and inquiries. For information on the event and links to previous proceedings, please read Iryna's letter. geosynthetica.net is a cooperating organization to the event.

Hemp fibers will begin making their way into erosion control products in Manitoba, Canada. The provincial government has awarded a $1 million grant to create useful products from 10,000 acres of locally grown hemp. Learn more here.;

At the Norway-hosted Aquavision 2008 conference, speakers have been stressing the need for the aquaculture industry to tell its story more effectively. World fish stocks have been declining quickly, and the problem has been increased due to wandering "dead zones" in the oceans. And while aquaculture is a major source for fish and other marine foods, it is still only a fraction of the size of what it could be--and of what it will need to be to keep up with global food demands. Learn more here.;

geosynthetica.net has launched a mining study. The report will gauge future mining needs and ways these needs are expected to be met by geosynthetics (in tailings ponds, access road construction, leach pads, etc.). Geosynthetics in the Global Mining Industry is already in motion and will be released 31 March 2009. Companies interested in pre-purchasing the study (at a significant discount) and learning how they can be part of the survey oversight board should contact Elizabeth Peggs for information and a brochure.

The latest issue of Geosynthetics International is now available. The current issue--volume 15, number 5--contains the following: "Best Geosynthetics International Paper for 2007"; "Performance of geosynthetic-reinforced alternative sub-ballast material in a railway track" by Fernandes, Palmeira and Gomes; " Liquefaction resistance of sand reinforced with geosynthetics" by Altun, Göktepe and Lav; "Seismic stability of reinforced slopes: failure mechanisms and displacements" by Huang, Horng and Charng; "Reinforcement design for construction of cover soil over soft sludge" by Espinoza and Sabatini; "Comparative study on performance and index tests simulating abrasion damage of a woven geotextile" by Huang; "Electrokinetic improvement of soft clay using electrical vertical drains" by Rittirong, Douglas, Shang and Lee; and a "Corrigendum."

Pop over to ESCN.tv for a chance to win a full registration to the EC09 conference in Reno, Nevada! ESCN's "I'm A Survivor" contest will award two full registrations to the event (to be held 9-12 February 2009) plus three nights of lodging at the Atlantis Casino Resort. Feeling lucky? Stop by ESCN.tv today. Learn more here.;

The Global Plastics Environmental Conference (GPEC 2009) will be held 25-27 February 2009 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida. GPEC is sponsored by the Plastics Environmental Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). The theme of GPEC 2009 is "Plastics: The Wonderful World of Sustainability and Recycling." The conference invites your abstracts and reminds you that they are due 1 October 2008. Final papers will be due in December 2008. For more information, view the Call for Papers in PDF. Learn more here.;

Earlier this month, geosynthetica's role as a media partner to Penton Media's Global Waste Management Symposium was completed as the event unfolded in Copper Mountain, Colorado. It was a marvelous event that touched upon current and future practice through a shrewd mix of presentations from active engineering practices, on-going research, and academia. Also, the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) arranged two fine session on the design, installation and monitoring of engineered berms--a much-needed and much-appreciated dialogue. Read more about the event in Chris Kelsey's review.

Plastics Information Direct--a division of Applied Market Information (AMI)--has released the second edition of the Handbook of Plastics Joining. The reference book provides detailed descriptions of joining processes and an extensive compilation of data on the joining of particular plastic materials. Plastics joining experts at The Welding Institute have significantly revised the information on joining processes and have included new welding techniques such as flash free welding and friction stir welding. In addition, the data on the joining of specific plastic materials has been updated to include the vast amount of new information that has been published over the last ten years. Learn more here.;

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is developing new roads to improve access for residents who live near I-5 in the fast-growing zone along the Washington-Oregon border. As Associated Construction Publications (ACP) reports, the region is transitioning from rural to suburban infrastructures, populations and traffic volumes. But developers and officials want to keep the wilder appearance of the area, so they are using interesting drainage technologies for site runoff. Holding ponds release across geogrid slopes with tree branch cover. As the water flows through, it interacts with the brush as in a wetland. Eventually, it reaches a creek. Learn more here.;