Be a VIP at CWRE
The Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo (CWRE 2008) is nearly here! The event takes place 5-6 November 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. geosynthetica encourages you to visit the show and learn more about the latest technologies and materials being used in the ever-merging sectors of waste and recylcing management. View an information PDF for the event and visit the VIP registration page.
Week in Review: 17-23 August 2008
Though the threat of a hurricane at our Florida office this week caused us to prepare for shutting down our servers, we (and our industry's companies) managed to accomplish quite a bit. Newsletters were launched, conferences were furthered, second quarter statements were issued, and so much more. Catch up on the week's action in our review column. 8/22/08
Flood Protection in India
Officials in India are looking at geotextile bag flood control devices that were used in the United States following Hurricane Katrina as possible solutions for flood response in India. The Bihar region of India suffered more than 1200 deaths during flooding in 2007. A government committee is now looking into acquiring airdrop equipment to enable the use of fast response using geotextiles.
Learn more here.;
Win an iPhone from Erosion Control
Erosion Control magazine's revamped website offers not just interactive content, articles from the magazine, and an e-newsletter; but a chance to win a 16-gigabyte iPhone. Visit the magazine website for more information.
Learn more here.;
Firestone Adds a Training Session
Firestone has added another date to its successful series of PondGard EPDM Geomembrane Installation Training sessions. A Tucker, Georgia session will be offered on October 21. Some seats are still available for the September 10 session in Uniontown, Ohio. Register online today.
Learn more here.;
Propex Gifts $100,000 of EC
We missed this in the news two weeks ago, but it's worth sharing. Propex Inc. has gifted the village of Lake Delton in Wisconsin $100,000 worth of erosion control products to help with some key projects. Propex's ArmorMax system will be used by the village, especially with steep slopes. The product has proven itself in New Orleans' infrastructure repair. This is a fantastic gesture on Propex's part.
Learn more here.;
SIBUR Expands Geosynthetics Production
Russia based SIBUR Holding has announced that two of its subsidiaries, Orton OJSC (based in Kemerovo) and Plastik OJSC (Uzlovaya), have signed procurement contracts for equipment to be used in the manufacture of geosynthetic materials. Nonwoven geotextiles and geonets will be produced. The company aims to be at full production by 2010.
Speaking of Russia…
As noted in the "SIBUR Expands Production" news item, Russian infrastructure growth offers tremendous opportunity. Karl Mayer and Karl Menzel, a German maker of geosynthetics manufacturing machines, adds more fuel to the fire with its August 2008 news piece on geosynthetics demand in Russia.
Learn more here.;
Dubai's Better Beaches
Dubai is host to one of the world's most impressive infrastructures (and one of the most impressive economies). But the rapid construction has increased erosion of Dubai's treasured beaches. Nearly 50 meters of shoreline erode every two years. A new renourishment scheme involves the installation of barriers created out of sand-filled geotextile bags.
Learn more here.;
Geosynthetics in Vietnam
The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs reports that the UN and the government of Vietnam are working together on a plan to better defend Vietnam against typhoons, flooding and even sea level rises. The article at IRIN News notes how geosynthetic flood defenses are being used for the first time in the south of the country. For example, geotextile have been installed beneath riprap embankments.
Learn more here.;
Geotechnical Seminar in Brunei
The Borneo Bulletin reports that on August 21 the Brunei Institute of Technology (ITB) in Rimba will hold a half-day seminar on "Geotechnical Solutions in the 21st Century." The session will concentrate mostly on hydraulic and coastal engineering and on newer techniques and technologies. Special geosynthetics experience will be provided by the main speaker, Dr. Michael Heibaum of Germany's Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute.
Learn more here.;
North American Green's New Site
North American Green has relaunched its website with a new look and a number of new pages, including a wonderfully expanded technical resources portion. Also of note: the hydraulically applied erosion control products (HydraMatriCx) section and the composite turf reinforcement mats (Vmax3) pages.
Learn more here.;
Wick Drains
It is seldom that one finds wick drains mentioned in the popular media, but the Southeast Missourian has "unearthed" them for its readers. The $180 million widening project of US Highway 67 has involved significant soil consolidation in parts of Missouri. One zone has used 1,200 wick drains to dry out a zone enough to safely construct an elevated road. The area had experienced flooding over the road as recently as 2002.
Learn more here.;
Metabolic Media
Advances in energy conversion, architecture, geotextile design and sensor technologies are leading material design Rachael Wingfield into urban gardening. Her "Metabolic Media" is an attempt to synthesize what has been discovered in other fields and material classes to create technologies that will enable more urban farming.
Learn more here.;
Feature Box: GSE's GeoVision Newsletter
The latest issue of GSE's GeoVision newsletter includes items on product availability and affiliated support services that can help ease the rising costs of constrution, GSE's regional sales managers, how the HyperNet TRx® geonet and FabriNet TRx® geocomposite offer triaxial high-flow performance with a biaxial structure, and the increase in construction of leach pads to meet global gold-mining demands. View the issue in PDF from GSE's news page.
Lawyers on Geomembranes
Canada's largest legal professionals recruitment firm, ZSA, has published a short piece from Golder Associates' Ian Hers on vapour mitigation, brownfield redevelopment and how service sector construction must cope with an industrial business past. He introduces readers of the Lawyers Weekly to geomembranes as vapour barriers.
Learn more here.;
IECA New Staff Members
The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has announced five new appointments at its recently opened new headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Read the latest here.
European Flood Response
Though much attention was given in the press to the flooding in the central United States this year, Europe has also experienced significant floods. In Romania, they put out a call for support, including emergency geotextile fabric for erosion control, flood defense and levee repair. Poland responded, sending 15,000 sq. m.
Learn more here.;
GWMS Final Schedule
The first Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS) is nearly upon us. The event will take place 7-10 September 2008 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. The event organizers have announced their final schedule. For those attending, be sure to reserve lodging soon. Rooms have filled quickly for this event. Read more about the schedule in the release.
Erosion Control's New Website
Erosion Control magazine has relaunched its website with greater interactivity built in. It's a big step for the 15-year-old publication. In the release about the site's interactivity, editor Janice Kasperson says, "We hope readers will think of the magazine in a new way -- not as a one-way delivery of articles and information, but as a community."
Learn more here.;
Catching Up With…Han-Yong Jeon
The second installment in our "Catching Up With..." series visits with Professor Han-Yong Jeon of INHA Unversity GeoSynthetics Research Lab (GSRL). Korea is a growing market for geosynthetics use in construction and for exports. The topics being pursued at GSRL reflect the interests of the overall Korean industry.
Training Opportunities
Engineers, contractors, architects and other construction professionals are always in need of more professional development credits and new skills. We have two offerings to remind you of you today: EPDM Installation Training (from Firestone) and the Civil Applications and Design Seminar (from Tensar). All dates are in August and September.
IGS Norway Forms
Arstein Watn, the president of the newly formed Norwegian chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), reports on the chapter's long and winding road to formation.
GSI Fellowships: CORRECTION
An amended release on the 2008-2009 GSI Fellowships awards is now posted. One of the research topics was incorrectly listed in the original release.
HydraCX2 Recognized
In the July/August 2008 issue of Fabric Architecture, editor Bruce Wright has put together a list of five sustainable products for his readership. Toping the list is North American Green's HydraCX2. Download the issue in PDF from F-A's website. The article is on page 55.
Learn more here.;
