Ground Improvement

The 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG) will be held 23-27 May 2010 in Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil. A Call for Papers has been issued…as has a conference mascot. Deadline for submission of abstract is 30 October 2008. Key interests for the conference include drainage, mining, durability and long-term performance, transportation, hydraulic applications, new products and much more. Learn more here.;

JPS has completed its sale of Stevens Roofing and Geomembrane to Dow Chemical Co.'s Dow Building Solutions group. The transaction does not involve JPS's other operating units, JPS Composite Materials and Stevens Urethane. Learn more here.;

Officials in South Palm Beach, Florida are considering a geotextile reef for beach erosion. The 5/8-mile stretch of beach in need of support will probably receive some off-shore erosion protection feature. Geotextile reefs are increasingly sought due to them being installed out of sight of beach users, the way they provide an underwater habitat, and how they can create extra surf waves for recreation. Learn more here.;

The sagging state of the American infrastructure is well known. The recent collapse of more than 20 levees during the flooding in the Midwest is more than telling. But the Economist has now weighed in with a rather stark, short essay on the funding and application needs. Transportation and water management are of major concern. Read more. Learn more here.;

While the primary uses of geotextiles include separation, cushioning, drainage control and filtration, another major use has grown in recent years: demolition control. The durability of geotextiles and finer apperatures have seen demolition crews go increasingly for them over more traditional site demolition wraps like chain link. The materials are used for blast, dust and debris containment. Learn more here.;

In Wellesley, Massachusetts, work has finally been cleared and is moving forth on the reconstruction of Sprague Field. A geotextile separation layer is being installed, as is a drainage system, beneath both artificial turf and natural grass athletic fields. Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) will be used with the artificial turf rather than tire crumb. All work will be complete by next spring. Learn more here.;

The Minnesota Erosion Control Association's (MECA) annual Low Impact Development (LID) tour will be held August 12. The agenda has not yet been completed, but organizers are tracking numerous, exciting sites. In addition to site performance, technologies will be discussed, designers and regulators will speak, and plenty of time will be given for question and answer. A full brochure will be available in July. Learn more here.;

The deadline for the “early-bird” conference registration fee for GeoEdmonton’08 in 20 July 2008. Act soon to save $100 on registration. For non-members of the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS), your registration includes membership. The online registration system can also be used to register for the short courses and technical tours. GeoEdmonton '08 will be held 21-24 September 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Learn more here.;

Another article has appeared regarding the cleaning of the Cocheco River's muddy flats in New Hampshire. Geotextile mats are being laid to help confine the polluted sediment. The geotextile capping system will be monitored by the University of New Hampshire for two years and the performance of the system will be weighed against more common approaches such as dredging and sand-only caps. Learn more here.;

The Defiance, Ohio Canal Road Landfill expansion is progressing into the $1.7 million Phase II. The lining system is constructed with 60-mil high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane atop compacted clay. Cost for the 10-acre site has been reduced through taking advantage of drainage systems installed last year during Phase I. Learn more here.;

ASTM's Committee D35 on Geosynthetics will be meeting June 26 in Denver. "Geosynthetics in Roadways and Pavements" will be the focus of Subcommittee 01 on Mechanical Properties that day. Regular Task Group meetings on properties frequently used to characterize geogrids and geotextiles used in roads and pavements will be sandwiched around an hour long update by Steve Perkins on the encouraging developments and correlations of index, bench-scale, and full-scale separation/stabilization test methods. Learn more here.;

Dow, a leading global plastics company, has launched DOWLEX PE-RT at the Middle East Plastics Pipe conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The polyethylene product has been developed for the elevated temperature and construction needs of the Middle East. Dow Building Solutions, a division of Dow Chemical Company, recently announced its intention to purchase Stevens, a leading geosynthetics company. Learn more here.;

Hampole Quarry near Doncaster, United Kingdom, was once one of the country's largest tire dumps. After a £1.8m remedation project, more than one-third of the tires have been removed and what remains has been leveled and capped with geosynthetics, shale and wild flowers. The Yorkshire Post reports. Learn more here.;

Geosynthetics 2009 will be held 25-27 February 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The deadline for submission of abstracts and proposals is June 30. The conference theme is "Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering." See the abstract submission page for more information. Learn more here.;

When Lake County, Florida experienced a surge in leachate at its landfill in 2003, an area wastewater storage facility accepted it. Now that company has closed and the site has become a Superfund site. The former company's neglect means that its clients must pay for cleanup. Lake County will contribute $125,000 (of $1 million+ needed) to cleanup the 37-tank farm. That's exactly what the county paid to dispose of the leachate originally. Learn more here.;

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered more permanent solutions be found for the rememdiation of the Cass Lake Superfund site near Bemidji, Minnesota. Temporary solutions, such as contaminated soil removal, have been performed; but long-term corrections are needed. A feasibility study is planned to be released next year. Learn more here.;

Separation geotextiles are used to improve unpaved road performance. They keep fines from mixing with coarser aggregate. In constructions with pervious concrete and other porous pavement designs, these geotextiles serve as underlays that greatly improve drainage, thus preserving the integrity of what lies above. Pennsylvania's Pike County Conservation District recently held a workshop on the subject. Learn more here.;

Nine-foot-tall geotextile tiles are being proposed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to stem erosion on the shore of Plum Island off Newbury, Massachusetts. The total project cost is expected to run between $250,000 an $500,000. USACE is now seeking approval for its plan from state environment officials. Learn more here.;

Near Dover, New Hampshire, along the Cocheco River, University of New Hampshire personnel are studying a new way for the area to treat polluted sediment in coastal waterways. Instead of dredging the riverbed or pouring in a thick layer of sand for coverage, they are installing a geotextile cap. The long-term study will be tracked by UNH's Contaminated Sediments Center. Learn more here.;

The flooding in the Midwestern United States has caused significant damage to croplands and communities as levees have given way. Along the Mississippi River, at least 19 levees have burst. Another 26 have been identified by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as critical…and that's just on the Mississippi. Other rivers in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri are experiencing similar challenges. Learn more here.;

Pacific Gold Corp. has annouced that it is progressing on new design approaches for desanding at the Black Rock Canyon gold mining operation in Nevada's Lander County. As part of their future approach, they anticipate using geotextile dewatering tubes to eliminate fine gravels from being delivered to the settling ponds after initial gold recovery. This will allow for mostly clean water to be reprocessed back into the screening operations. Learn more here.;

The North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS) and the Erosion Control Technology Council (ECTC) held a demonstration in Ithaca, New York on the installation of temporary rolled erosion control products (RECPs). The demonstration was part of the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) at Ithaca College and the demonstration was part of New York's annual Highway Superintendents School. Read a write up on the event. Learn more here.;

Word is starting to get out about GeoAfrica 2009. The event will be held in Cape Town, South Africa 2-4 September 2009. This will be the first conference to be held under the auspices of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) in the region. The first call has been issued. Updates are forthcoming. Keep an eye on geosynthetica.net and the IGS' South African chapter website for more. Learn more here.;

Randall-Reilly Publishing, parent company of the magazines Better Roads and Aggregates Manager, have announced two promotions. Tina Grady Barbaccia has become executive editor of Better Roads magazine and Kerry Clines has been promoted to senior editor on Aggregates Manager. Geosynthetica congratulates them on their promotions and looks forward to working with them in their new positions. Learn more here.;

The new school in El Dorado Hills, California is being built atop a site with naturally occurring asbestos. Crews are now digging up the contaminated soil and shipping to an off-site location. Disturbed soil on-site will be covered with a protective geotextile layer. Learn more here.;