Containment

Masterpak recently installed 12,000 m2 of geosynthetics, including AGRU geomembrane liners, at an irrigation lake in Qattara, Jbeil, Lebanon. The polyethylene (PE) film manufacturer's team successfully completed the large project in less than one week, working under unfavorable weather conditions.

GeoAmericas 2012 marks the Second Pan-American Geosynthetics Conference and Exhibition. It will be held 1-4 May 2012 in Lima, Peru under the auspices of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS). Organizers have announced that the Early-Bird Room Rates for the venue hotel (Westin Libertador Hotel) have been extended until 15 February 2012. Reserve your room today and get the best rate at this key Latin American infrastructure event. Learn more here.;

In 2011, Madison County, New York became one of only a few locations in the world to bring online an innovative, solar energy-generating exposed geomembrane cap on a landfill cell. The site utilizes a Spectro PowerCap™ from Carlisle Energy Services, Inc. (CES) with a 20-30 year long-term interim cover design. A new video on YouTube (see above) showcases Madison County's investment in (and savings from) greener engineering strategies, such as installing a "solar landfill."

On 3 January 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Federal Register notice requesting additional data on the performance of technologies in controlling turbidity in stormwater discharges from construction sites. The notice also requests information on other topics relevant to establishing numeric effluent limitations for stormwater discharges from these sites, including sample collection, applicability to electric transmission line construction, cold weather considerations, and the ability of small sites to meet a numeric standard. The comment period closes March 5. Simultaneously, the agency has submitted a final general permit on construction site stormwater discharges to the White House for review. This permit excludes turbidity limits. The final permit is expected by February 15. Learn more here.;

At the International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Environmnental Connection 2012 (EC12) event in Las Vegas, Nevada (26-29 February 2012), Greg Schaner, an Attorney Adviser for the U.S. EPA Office of Wastewater Management, will deliver a keynote address at the General Session and Awards Ceremony. Schaner will discuss changes and updates to the Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs). Learn more here.;

On February 27, durin the International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Environmnental Connection 2012 (EC12), East Coast Erosion Control is sponsoring the General Session and Awards Ceremony. One of the highlights of the session, and of the conference itself, will be the keynote address by Greg Schaner, an Attorney Adviser for the U.S. EPA Office of Wastewater Management. Schaner will discuss changes and updates to the key Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs). EC12 will be held 26-29 February 2012 at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Learn more here.;

In late 2009, the town of Workington in Cumbria, United Kingdom was affected by a considerable flood. In just 13 days, a temporary bridge was constructed over the River Derwent. The project was designed and led by the Royal Engineers' Captain Caroline Livesey and involved the utilization of geogrid for mechanical stabilization of aggregate sub-base for the bridge abutments and surrounding structures, such as the construction platform. Tensar's Ian Fraser revisits the project here with Captain Livesey and reports that though the bridge was rapidly constructed on uncertain, flood-impacted banks, it was found to have settled on 5 mm in its 15-month service life.

DuPont has achieved zero landfill status in its Building Innovations business by reducing, reusing and recycling manufacturing byproducts and waste at manufacturing sites globally. After three years of focused effort, DuPont Building Innovations has become completely landfill free, reducing its environmental footprint from 81 million pounds of landfill waste annually to zero. Now, through the "Drive to Zero" landfill program, none of the waste generated by the business from the manufacture of DuPont™ Corian® solid surfaces, DuPont™ Zodiaq® quartz surfaces, DuPont™ Tyvek® weatherization systems products and geosynthetic textiles is sent to landfills.

TenCate Geosynthetics Americas has been selected by Parsons Engineering of New York as the sole source to supply TenCate Geotube® containers for the dredging project on Onondaga Lake, in the State of New York. This project is the largest geotextile tube project in the US and North America. As a result of over a century of industrial activity on the shores of Onondaga Lake, lake sediments have been contaminated with chemicals such as heavy metals, PAH's and volatile organic compounds (e.g., chlorobenzene). Due to this contamination, Onondaga Lake and related upland sites were added to the Federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994.

During the January 2012 Dinner Meeting of the Delaware Valley Geo-Institute Chapter, the Geosynthetic Institute's (GSI) Drs. Robert Koerner and George Koerner will speak on the subject of "Geosynthetics Issues with Marcellus Shale Development." The dinner will be held 17 January 2012 at the Radisson Valley Forge. (Meeting at 5:30 pm; dinner at 6:30; presentation at 7:15.) Learn more about this dinner and GSI's research into geosynthetics and shale gas.

South Africa-based Kaytech Engineered Fabrics has announced the addition of Paul Pratt to its team of geosynthetics experts. Pratt joins Kaytech as a Technical Manager. Previously, he served as National Sales Manager for Fibertex South Africa. Paul Pratt's new company contact information is paul@kaytech.co.za, +27 (0)83 2810078.

The abstract submission deadline for GeoManitoba 2012 is 15 January 2012. This Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) annual conference will take place 30 September - 3 October 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Abstracts of up to 400 words may now be submitted online. Key subjects expected for the event include brownfields remediation, sustainability, landslides and slope stability, MSE walls, and much more. Visit the latest call for papers information on the event website. Learn more here.;

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has released an Excel-based "FGI Selection Matrix" designed to provide users with a method for general geomembrane selection and information on attributes, physical properties, test methods, and polymeric types. The matrix is polymer based and is designed to narrow the search for alternative types of geomembranes that could be suitable for a specific application or project. The matrix is also intended as an educational tool to provide insight and definitions for attributes, properties, and test methods. FGI intends to further develop and update this new matrix tool as new information or standards develop.

Geomembranes used as separation liners between old and new waste in vertical expansions of landfills may be subject to differential settlement strains. It is important to define a maximum allowable strain that any given geomembrane can tolerate without compromising its required service life. Here, we take another look at work from Peggs, Schmucker and Carey. The authors assess competing notions of maxiumum allowable global strain from different world regions and liner selection. This information has previously been delivered in a live session but until now has not been published in print.

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has revised D4439, "Standard Terminology for Geosynthetics." Learn more here.;

Many people visit Shaver Lake in the Sierra National Forest, Fresno County, California each year; but thousands have come recently to see the lake bottom. Shaver Lake has been drained to allow for the conclusion of geomembrane installation on the face of the lake's dam. The white geomembrane has been applied in two key phases with the upper half of the dam tackled in 2010 and the lower half now being finished in the drained lake bed. Learn more here.;

The inaugural Carbon Management Conference conference from the Society of Petroleum Engineers will focus on engineering solutions to climate change, carbon management in construction and operations, and much more. Drawing professionals from all engineering disciplines, the event will be held 7-9 February 2012 in Orlando, Florida. Perspectives will be presented on greenhouse gas reduction, case studies, life cycle assessment, applicable technologies, and much more. Register by January 16 for the best rates. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Photo Contest was created to showcase the outstanding work of IGS members and exceptional geosynthetic engineering solutions. The inaugural contest response was phenomenal--a 2nd IGS Photo Contest was demanded. Submission deadline: 1 February 2012. Learn more about the competition here.

California needs to spend $17 billion to repair levees because more than half of these structures are substandard, according to a flood plan from the state Department of Water Resources. "The system is based on antiquated technologies, so you have to upgrade it and keep in mind changing societal demands. Modern flood control is wickedly complicated, because it has to take into account a lot of factors," said Jeffrey Mount, a professor at the University of California, Davis. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) and its 34 country/regional chapters provide exceptional opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange in the greater civil engineering and construction fields. Those opportunities are only increasing as in 2011 the IGS was invited to join the Federation of the International Geo-Engineering Societies (FedIGS). This union is providing fantastic links and information resource developments with the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), the International Society of Rock Mechanics (ISRM), the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG), and the International Commission for Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). Geosynthetica strongly encourages its readers to renew their IGS memberships and applicable chapter memberships. If you have never joined, we strongly encourage you to now. Learn more about membership and chapters, including online registration/renewal, at the IGS Membership page. Learn more here.;

The rise of the Jobs 1st Alliance, a US West Coast ports advocacy group, highlights how the expansion of the Panama Canal has created a highly competitive environment between American ports on opposing coasts. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California are the most active shipping ports in the United States and serve as the integral link between Asian goods and the America marketplace; but as the Panama Canal expands with a 2014 target to open to wider, deeper container ships (the so-called Super Post Panamax Megaships), the West Coast might be bypassed in favor of direct delivery to Gulf of Mexico and East Coast US ports. Infrastructure investment is needed.

The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to receive Disaster Relief Appropriations Act funding for the repair of Missouri River Basin levees that were heavily damaged by catastrophic flooding this year. The measure was approved Friday by President Barack Obama. "We expect a majority of qualified repairs to levees and our operating projects will be funded. This supplemental appropriation allows us to move from repairs to a 25-year level of flood risk reduction to making full repairs that offer greater risk reduction," said Brig. Gen. John R. McMahon, commander of the Corps' Northwestern Division.

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.;

GeoAsia 2012 is the a quadrennial geosynthetics conference dedicated to engineering and construction in the Asian region. To be held 10-14 December 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand under the auspices of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) and with the support and leadership of IGS Thailand, GeoAsia will provide an essential regional educational and networking opportunity. This 5th edition to the GeoAsia series will operate under the theme "Geosynthetics for Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change." Learn more here.;

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: World Geosynthetics Market. Worldwide demand for geosynthetics is projected to increase 8.3 percent annually to 4.5 billion square meters in 2015. This growth rate is an acceleration from the gains of the 2005-2010 period, reflecting in part the reduced 2010 bases of the developed countries. Advances are being driven by the increasing market penetration and large-scale construction plans in place in many developing countries.