Ground Improvement

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 IECA Southeast Chapter is once again hosting a South Carolina Erosion and Sediment Control Training and Field Day! This year's event will be held on Thursday, October 20 in Anderson, South Carolina. It is titled "New Construction General Permit (CGP) What Do I Do Now?". This years training will be a one day event and all activities will be held at the TRI Denver Downs Research Facility. The morning sessions will be devoted to technical presentations by local technical experts. The afternoon sessions will focus on specific BMP applications, testing, and demonstrations. Learn more.

The Mountain States Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is seeking nominations for its 2010 Project Awards. Three projects will be selected for presentation at the 2010 MSC Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado at the luncheon on 8 December 2010. Nominations are due November 5. Conference attendees will vote at the conclusion of the presentations to determine the outcome. The project receiving the most votes will receive the "2010 MSC IECA Project Excellence Award." Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Southeast Chapter is once again hosting a South Carolina Erosion and Sediment Control Training and Field Day. This year's event will be held on Thursday, October 7 in Anderson, South Carolina. It is titled "Sediment Control Systems" and will offer attendees up to 6 PDHs. This year's training will be a one-day event and all activities will be held at the TRI Denver Downs Research Facility. The morning sessions will be devoted to technical presentations by local technical experts on Sediment Control BMPs and Construction Site Turbidity Control. The afternoon sessions will focus on specific BMP applications, testing, and demonstrations.

The International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Malaysia Chapter has been awarded a grant from Shell Malaysia. The award, which is one of seven offered this week to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), comes as part of the corporation's Shell Sustainable Development Grants program. The IECA Malaysia Chapter was recognized for its capacity-building project on mangrove planting on Carey Island. The chapter conducted its work for an Orang Asli (aboriginal) village.

Located throughout the U.S. and in 6 other regions of the world, the Chapters of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) are instrumental in providing the erosion and sediment control community with education and networking opportunities through regional conferences, workshops, field days, newsletters, websites and other services.IECA is proud of the following Chapters for their achievements. (Continued.)

Congratulations are due to Gregory Ewanitz (Florida), Kara Van Blarcum (North Carolina) and Doug Patten (Georgia). They were all named winners of the chapter-sponsored scholarships to attend the IECA annual conference. EC10 will be held in Dallas, Texas from 16-20 February 2010. The Southeast Chapter will host a meeting and social on February 18 during the conference. Members and attendees may learn more about their activities and meet the scholarship winners. Learn more here.;

Congratulations to the following members who were elected to the Chapter Board of Directors: Pete Hanrahan, president; Rick Fritschler, vice president; Andrea Wright, secretary; Joe Koziell, treasurer. Gene Ambroziak (New York) and Brandon Faneuf (Rhode Island) were elected as state representatives for their respective states. The Board thanks outgoing president Christine Odiaga for 4 years of outstanding service. Learn more here.;

Propex Inc. announced today that it will now operate outside of bankruptcy after spending 14 months under Chapter 11 protection. The Chattanooga-based, premier global supplier of polypropylene fabrics and fibers for the geosynthetic, concrete, furnishings and industrial markets used its time in protection to right size its balance sheet, restructure its debt and create additional cash flow. Read more in the release.

The Indian geotextile industry continues to grow, as Vertex Spinning Ltd. has announced a venture into geotextiles for general civil engineering and transporation. India, though, remains a country in which the word "geotextile" is used interchangably for geosynthetics and biodegradable, natural fiber erosion control products. The company's exact offerings are still in need of detail and data. Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Great Rivers Chapter serves professionals in the erosion and sediment control industry throughout Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. The Chapter’s Fall Conference will...

Elizabeth Peggs, Geosynthetica's Director, is in attendance at the 91st Transportation Research Board Meeting (TRB) in Washington, D.C. (along with nearly 12,000 others). As time permits, she is sharing some event updates here.

Propex has announced that Mark Marienfeld, P.E., has joined its Geotextile Systems Division as Transportation Market Specialist. Marienfeld brings a wealth of design expertise on the use of geotextiles, especially in the transportation market. With 27 years experience in the geotextile industry, he has held key positions within industry associations and has worked closely with transportation agencies to show the benefits of incorporating geotextiles and pavement interlayer fabrics in their paved and unpaved roads.

Maccaferri will be attending the 42nd Annual Southeastern Transportation Geotechnical Engineering Conference (STGEC) at the Marriott in Charleston, West Virginia, 4-7 October 2010. Stop and visit with us at Booth 33. Maccaferri managers will be available to discuss and answer all your questions concerning erosion control, slope reinforcement and rockfall solutions. Read more.

In a dramatic change from existing policy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today proposed that new funding guidelines for major transit projects be based on livability issues such as economic development opportunities and environmental benefits, in addition to cost and time saved, which are currently the primary criteria.

Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the Department of Transportation has jumpstarted more than 10,000 transportation projects across America thanks to its swift allocation of Recovery Act dollars. As of this week, state agencies reported a total of 10,041 approved. Read more.

Canada's Transport Minister John Baird and the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) have announced the winners of the 2009 Canadian Transportation Awards, recognizing leadership, excellence and achievement in the transportation sector. Dr. Abd El Halim, of Ottawa, chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and professor at Carleton University was one of the honorees. Previously, Dr. El Halim headed up the Centre for Geosynthetics Research Information and Development.

Start the week with the latest in the geoengineering world. Here's the GeoWire conversation for the week of August 3. WORK SMARTER. BIG PROJECTS The 6.5-mile-long rainwater drainage tunnel in Hong...

Start the week with the latest in the geoengineering world. Here's the GeoWire conversation for the week of August 24. WORK SMARTER. BIG PROJECTS Wow. After what seemed to be a...

Start the week with the latest in the geoengineering world. Here's the GeoWire conversation for the week of August 31. WORK SMARTER. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Whoa: Researchers in Sweden have discovered a...

The 4th Pan-American Regional Conference on Geosynthetics is also the first major geosynthetics conference to be held entirely online. The organizes have released the GeoAmericas 2020 agenda. It is, as...

On June 14, Imagine IM officially opened Australia's first commercial graphene production facility. The grand opening of the North Geelong (Victoria) site included Imagine's team and representatives from Geofabrics...

The ferocious storms which pounded the NSW and Southern Queensland coasts in early June brought into focus the Climate Council's 2014 report Counting the Costs: Climate Change and Coastal...

The 2016 Manufacturers' Monthly Endeavour Awards honored Geofabrics Australasia as Manufacturer of the Year during a May 12 ceremony in Sydney. Geofabrics was recognized for its production of Trinet®...

After the Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley experienced devastating floods, one of the many road rebuilding projects involved a section of the Warrego Highway between Withcott and Helidon. Withcott...