Soil Reinforcement

Maccaferri, whose geotechnical solutions include geosynthetics, gabions, rockfall netting, and other materials, is adding to the international body of information on rockfall barrier systems with a series of progressively tougher barrier system trials. These tests are revealing boundaries, potential failure mechanisms, and full strength capabilities of today's engineered systems. Learn more about Maccaferri's trials here and watch a video of their most recent test from Italy in which a weight equivalent to a tractor trailer was dropped from 125 ft. onto a barrier system. Following this trial's successful system performance, even larger tests are being planned.

The Ballina Bypass Alliance (BBA) received the award for the local community generating value for the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and community. The $640m project managed significant technical complexity and left a positive technical, safety, community and value for money legacy for future projects. Coffey Geotechnics played a key role in the work. Learn more about how the alliance of geotechnical experts involved in the project achieved such significant success on this project (which has previously been profiled on Geosynthetica).

Freecycling is the act of recycling what is destined for a landfill by giving it away to those who can still utilize the original materials. For the manufacture of geosynthetics, this may represent a huge opportunity to reduce the amount of material that is landfilled simply by default of being "waste" from the perspective of the conventional manufacturing, shipping, and storage side of the business. Geofabrics Australasia recently engaged in a highly successful freecycling trial in the Albury/Wodonga area of New South Wales, thanks to a strong freecycling organization and the dedicated efforts of a Geofabrics employee.

On 1 November 2012, Dr.-Ing. F.- Hans Grandin took over as Managing Director of HUESKER Synthetic GmbH based in Gescher (Westphalia). Thus, after just ten months, Mr Grandin succeed Mr Wolfgang Huesker who, from now on, will return to devote his full attention to his tasks in the Advisory Board of the company. Established in 1861, HUESKER today is a company which pioneers the development and production of geosynthetics, agricultural and technical textiles for applications used throughout the world.

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has released its White Paper #26: "Need for and Justification of Quality Management Systems for Successful Geosynthetic Performance." In it, the Institute notes that despite 30+ years of literature documenting the great many successes with geosynthetics, three areas still have experienced types of failures that may "set the stage for the justification of quality management systems." These areas: holes in geomembranes, geotextile filter failures, and MSE wall failures.

The exhibition area, already extended, has sold out and the international group of expert speakers are ready. The fifth edition of Geosynthetics Middle East, organized by SKZ and being held again under the patronage of Abu Dhabi Municipality, will unfold 19–20 November 2012 at the Rocco Forte Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This year's speakers hail from the UAE, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Malaysia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Italy, United Kingdom, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. They'll address the transportation infrastructure and environmental solutions theme through case studies, research, new materials and application approaches, and direct interaction with the attendees.

Maccaferri's professional development webinars have built a steady, strong following and addressed topics such as geotextiles and geogrids, MSE wall design and installation, gabions, rockfall protection, and embankment construction. These sessions run roughly 90 min, include expert presenters, provide a non-credit 0.15 CEU certificate, technical document downloads, and ample time for direct Q&A between the listening audience and the presenters. In November, the company is presenting two new sessions, both of which are free to participants. Learn more.

THRACE LINQ, a global supplier of woven and nonwoven performance fabrics for a wide variety of textile applications, announces a rebranding to streamline and create a unified look and feel and highlight its identity and cohesiveness across its family Thrace Group.

Tensar International has signed an agreement to build a manufacturing plant in Russia. Tensar is the majority shareholder in this joint venture (JV), with remaining investment coming from Russian partners. Don Meltzer, CEO of Alpharetta based parent company, Tensar Corporation, and Bob Vevoda, Chief Operating Officer and President of Tensar International, met with their Russian JV partners in London earlier this month to finalize the funding and construction schedule.

In underground coal mines, the mines prefer to leave a base of coal to leave a firm subgrade for traffic. However, when coal seams are thin, in order to attain a minimum height to the roof miners have to dig into the base and expose soft lenses of clay which have low bearing capacities. Consequently, these frequently traversed pavements become impassable when mine vehicles, shuttle cars and mining machines create ruts which deepen over time and require maintenance to maintain access. Geofabrics Australasia writes on how they've worked with mining companies to create geosynthetic-supported roads that are more durable and economical than concrete or traditional aggregate roads in underground mines.

The Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa (GIGSA), which is a chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), has published the October GIGSA Newsletter. This edition features stories on a new nonwoven manufacturer in South Africa, geocontainers for erosion control, the historical use of geotextiles in the Namibian road system, and more.

On 8 November 2012, geotechnical engieering expert Dr. Kerry Rowe, a Sir John Kennedy Medal recipient (which is the Engineering Institute of Canada's highest award), will speak at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The topic of his talk will be "The Use of Geosynthetics to Aid Construction over Soft Soils - Successes and Cautions." This presentation explores the reason for the success and the benefits that can be achieved using geosynthetics, as a basal reinforcement, and PVDs to increase short-term stability of embankments and to accelerate consolidation and long-term strength gain.

On November 15 at 1:00 pm EDT, Maccaferri will host a webinar on "Gabions and Reno Mattresses in Hydraulic Applications." Topics for this engineers, planners, developers and contractors-oriented session include channel bank protection; drop structures; culvert inlet and outlet protection; and bridge abutment scour protection. Attendees will receive a non-credit 0.15 CEU certificate following the webinar and a link to download handouts, technical data sheets, product specifications, product installation guides, a gabion installation video, case studies, and design software. Learn more here.;

In this two-part article, Alain Hérault, Sabihi Abdelhak, and Chakib El Iraki write on the new French standard NF P 94-270 and how it establishes design rules for the use of geosynthetics and other reinforcing materials in reinforced earth walls and steep slope applications. These rules, based on the partial factors defined in Eurocode 7 (EN 1997), were applied to a huge Mediterranean bypass project in Morocco to determine tensile strengths, lengths and spacing of geogrids. HERE IN PART 1, the authors address the project context, Eurocode framework, and installation and durability issues.

Congratulations are in order! Just prior to EuroGeo 5 in Spain, NAUE Geosynthetics' Andreas Dürbaum competed with teammates Christoph Dieker and Inga Hormann in Portugal at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Single Driving Championships. Not only did the overall German team—which was comprised of three squads—win the team gold, but Andreas and his partners won the individual gold medal. Read more.

In its latest case study, Strata Systems profiles an exemplary green wall project. The site, the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Dearborn, Michigan, is a 20-acre education, recreation and cultural arts and worship facility. With both topographical and economic challenges to consider, the center’s managers sought a cost-efficient and attractive solution to stabilize grade changes near the outdoor amphitheater. The StrataWall system provided a vegetated facing with exceptional strength.

The Ijkdijk large-scale research program in the Netherlands is currently investigating the role sensor technologies can play in predicting earthen dike failures. In August and September this year, failures were precipitated, and the experiments showed that embedded sensors, such as in enhanced geotextiles like TenCate GeoDetect®, yield data that can predict failure well in advance.

The US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) has been engaged in an extensive levee reconstruction program throughout the New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) region ever since 2005's Hurricane Katrina. Geosynthetics have been an important part of the geotechnical solutions. In this case study from Colbond, we take a look at how wick drains have been used to prepare and stabilize the area's very soft soils in order to allow levee reconstruction.

Maccaferri, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of their new website: www.maccaferri-usa.com. The new website offers a more contemporary look and feel, and provides users with a comprehensive overview of the solutions and products that Maccaferri offers to the civil and environmental engineering fields. Users will find the functionality and navigation to be more streamlined. New site features include: an interactive map to view case studies by location, access to LinkedIn and YouTube, and a searchable documents section for viewing and downloading brochures, design software, and a variety of other technical documents and drawings.

Ecopetrol, one of the principal petroleum companies in Latin America, has been expanding its reach deeper into the forests of Colombia. Drilling exploratory wells in remote locations such as the Putumayo basin concurs with a very aggressive growth strategy. The area around Orito is an extremely dense, undulating forest with poor soils and wet subgrades, nearly impossible to drive through without proper access. In this case study, Geo Products shows how access was made possible with the support of a cellular confinement system. Learn more here.;

Geocellular confinement systems come in a variety of cell sizes and cell depths, which are used to fulfill the specific needs of applications. Factors such as soil strength, expected applied loads, and surface type are all important to understand to properly specify the right cellular confinement product. Geo Products' EnviroGrid line is manufactured in a range of sizes, depths and strengths to meet these application and site-specific challenges. For example, for applications with concentrated loads at specific points, such as vehicle-supporting applications, smaller cell sizes are generally desired to ensure proper weight distribution. For erosion control or earth retention, larger cell sizes may be used given various factors such as slope geometry and confinement requirements. View our EnviroGrid specifications online and contact us with questions on gettingn the right product for your site. Learn more here.;

As we approach the opening of EuroGeo 5--the Fifth European Regional Conference on Geosynthetics--Germany-based HUESKER Group has announced a new organizational structure. Implemented in July in conjunction with the company's celebration of its 150th anniversary, the new strategy combines the continuance of its well-established customer support services and product lines with a drive towards innovation and high-quality, customized solutions.

Maccaferri has posted a new video with a series of images and application information from installations around the world. From geogrid used for debris control in a Swedish mining tunnel to rockfall netting/mesh in Australia; and from 20m+ high crusher walls in Africa to leachate containment in Peru--the video presents a strong range of applications and geosynthetic and affiliated-technology solutions. It's a nice overview. Learn more here.;

SynTec now offers Type 1 and Type 2 biaxial geogrids in 16ft wide rolls. The wider rolls reduce shipping costs, minimize waste lost to overlaps and reduce construction time. The new wider rolls will be standard stock for SynTec and are readily available now. SynTec biaxial geogrids are produced in the USA and offered throughout North and South America.

SynTec, LLC, manufacture of state of the art geosynthetic products, announced the release of ROADWORX® a design software for unpaved and paved roads using SynTec's biaxial polypropylene geogrids. ROADWORX® provides reliable and proven design methods to calculate layer thicknesses for paved and unpaved roads. A comprehensive cost calculator lets the user compare and identify the most economical solutions. The release of ROADWORX® is a part of SynTec’s ongoing commitment to product evolution, innovation, and support. The resulting version comes from a combination of industry guidelines and feedback from geosynthetic experts, designers and end-users of biaxial geogrids.