Ground Improvement

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.;

India's polypropylene industries are hurting as the current global economic decline has started taking a sharp bite out of Indian exports. Polypropylene resin producers are well down and find themselves with surplus stock, which is lowering long-term expectations. Geotextile producers are also down in exports. Learn more here.;

A "floating-geotextile mat" has been selected to be the first wetland-based filtering system for the Rangitikei District Council's wastewater treatment plant in Marton, New Zealand. Since only one company provides the system in New Zealand, the project will not go to tender. It is expected to cost roughly $500,000. It replaces a mechanical oxygen input system and is thought will save $40,000 per year in operations cost. Learn more here.;

Prof. Krishnan Balan (Civil Engineering at College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India) reports that they are organizing a short course on Geosynthetic Applications Case Histories. This event will be held 6-8 December 2011 for the Departmental Engineers of India's Kerala State. An exhibition is being planned and interested manufacturers will have the opportunity to present case histories of their products in use and design procedures. Learn more here.;

JSC Gazprom Neft and SIBUR conducted a regular meeting of the working group on joint participation in promotion of polymer bitumen binders (PBB) substantially improving automobile roads' quality and lifespan. The participants of the meeting, involving representatives of JSC Soyuzdornii, discussed the issues of PBC production units launching and operating in the cities of Ufa (the Republic of Bashkiria), Bogoroditsk (the Tula Region) and Ivanteevka (the Moscow Region) in 2H2009. Production of PBB will be performed at the said units using DST-30-01 thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) produced by a SIBUR's subsidiary JSC Voronezhsintezkauchuk.

The NPDES Permit Writers' Manual (EPA-833-K-10-001) provides a comprehensive overview of the framework of the NPDES program and serves as one of the principal training tools to help permit writers develop legally defensible and enforceable NPDES permits. Its primary purpose as a technical resource is to guide new state and EPA permit writers through the basic steps of permit development and issuance; however, the manual also is intended to serve as a resource for others (e.g., stakeholders, the regulated community) interested in the NPDES permitting process. Learn more here.;

A new online tool is now available to help Australian farmers retain the huge quantities of stored surface water they annually lose to evaporation and seepage. Called the Ready Reckoner, the free, web-based program calculates the cost of using liners or dam covers against the cost of losing water. It was developed in a partnership between the Co-operative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures (CRC IF), National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), National Program for Sustainable Irrigation, FSA Consulting and the Queensland Government. Learn more here.;

HILLIARD, Ohio – (July 17, 2013) – Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) has acquired a controlling interest in a new joint venture established with BaySaver Technologies, Inc. (Mount Airy,...

The March 2013 issue of Geofabrics Journal profiles separation geotextiles, erosion control, and revegetation during Victoria's (Australia) key Peninsula Link project. Also of importance in the issue are articles...

The Port of Guaymas functions as a shipping, manufacturing, commercial, and tourism center. It lies on the shores of the Gulf of California on the Pacific Ocean in Sonora,...

During GeoAmericas 2016, Dr. Neil Dixon’s sustainability keynote touched upon many topics for the future of geosynthetics. While sustainability drove most of the lecture, a few of his ideas...

Geosynthetics magazine, published by the Industrial Fabrics Association International, has launched a new website. The revamped design includes a cleaner presentation and more interactive content, such as a blog from editor Ron Bygness. Learn more here.;

Hanes Geo, an erosion control and landscaping supplier, is opening a facility in the Middlesex area of Nash County, North Carolina, the Rocky Mount Telegram reports. The project is expected to generate more than 200 new jobs. Learn more here.;

Western Excelsior is celebrating its 40th anniversary in dramatic fashion. The company has entered into an agreement to acquire the 32-year-old company North American Green as of March...

The International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories is a new, refereed online journal in the field of Geoengineering. The journal aims to become a focal point of geotechnical engineering practice worldwide by publishing case histories. The journal is refereed in accordance to the procedures of the most prestigious journals in our field and the Editorial Board of the journal consists of some of the best engineers of practice and Professors worldwide that guarantee the quality of the publication. Characteristics of the journal: The International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories has characteristics that differentiate it from existing journals and will position it as a very useful tool for the engineer of practice. Such characteristics are listed on the website of the journal and include use of colored figures, compilation of a database of case histories, online searchable directory of papers. One of the most important characteristics of the journal is that it will be available at no cost on the Internet, allowing unlimited access to engineers worldwide. Printed copies of the journal will be available with subscription, but engineers will now be able to just visit the website and download the papers that are of interest to them. Because of the journal’s focus on case histories, its unique characteristics, the high quality of the publication and its unrestricted access to its content, it is expected that it will become very popular among engineers of practice but also among researchers that want to access the data. The journal intends to be a free, very useful, high quality and everyday tool for the work of practicing engineers. The journal was announced for the first time in the “Prakash Case Histories Conference” this April and the responses by the engineers of practice were enthusiastic. Learn more here.;

Timothy L. Lancaster Appointed President; Steve Elliott Promoted to Vice President of Administration and Finance. North American Green, the nation’s largest manufacturer of rolled erosion control products, recently announced the promotion of two senior executives, a move designed to further strengthen the company’s mission of being the ‘Leading Supplier of Erosion and Sediment Control Solutions’ in the world.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is offering a special $100 discount on registration towards Environmental Connection 2017. The holiday discount is available through January 6. The conference will...

The finance and investment media group The Motley Fool has published a piece about Low and Bonar, a diversified technical textile products company involved in, among many endeavors, geotextile production. The company's latest results (release 8 February 2011) include a number of positive turns. The Fool has published a snapshot of some Low's highs--a small cap company that has weathered the down markets and re-energized its business on the strength of international markets and materials such as geosynthetics. Learn more here.;

Golf Week weighs in on the former toxic site that has been remediated and capped with geosynthetics and clean soil to create the links-style Liberty National course. The 7,400 yard course is on the water in New Jersey and looks out at New York and the Statue of Liberty. Learn more here.;

Following the recent meetings of ISO TC 221 – Geosynthetics, Past President of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Daniele Cazzuffi sat down to discuss geosynthetics and how standardization efforts...

The Tennessee Valley Authority will securely and permanently store onsite all ash removed in the next phase of recovery work to begin soon at Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, Tenn. The decision was announced today in an Action Memorandum issued by TVA and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Checkmate Geosynthetics, Verdyol Biotic Earth, ErosionControlBlanket.com and Titan Environmental are sponsoring two Geosynthetics & Civil Engineering Summits in British Columbia, Canada, the first in Kewlona on 31 January 2011 and the second in Surrey on 2 February 2011. Attendees and expert presenters will represent sectors such as transportation, erosion control, pavement design, sediment control, and reatining walls.

The International Erosion Control Association Region One (IECA) has named the winner of its Most Distinguished Technical Paper Award for Environmental Connection 2016: Michael Perez, a graduate student at...

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 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC® 2010 conference will explore topics of critical importance for improving the environmental sustainability of plastics. The 2010 installment will include some new technology forums on issues of sustainability. Among them: "Polymer Applications for Clean Environments." This session includes discussion of geomembrane utilization. The event will take place 16-20 May 2010 in Orlando, Florida. Read more.