Soil Reinforcement

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has published the second 2012 issue of its IGS News. Issue 28, Volume 2 is packed with content, including the 2012 - 2016 Election Candidate Profiles & Election Schedule for the IGS Council, a profile of the IGS Council (geographical and professional composition), a "Filtration User" survey, translation of the Society's key mathematical symbols document, a GeoAmericas 2012 conference report, Dennes Bergado's retirement symposium (on climate change and geosynthetics) and much more. Read the issue here (PDF).

GSE Environmental's "Geosynthetics for Success" Technical Seminar Series returns with two dates in August and another in October. These events bring top-tier speakers together on major engineering topics, new technologies, new designs and more. For attendees, it is an opportunity not only to learn about the latest regulations and engineering approaches but advances in geosynthetic technologies that are helping make some applications possible and others more economical and sustainable. Professional development credits are also available for attendees. In August, the technical seminar series will arrive in Australia, first in Perth (August 7) and then in Brisbane (August 9). In October, the seminar returns to the USA for a session in Chantilly, Virgina. Learn more.

The International Symposium on Sustainable Geosynthetics and Green Technology for Climate Change (SGCC) was held in Bangkok, Thailand 20-21 June 2012 and honored Prof. Dennis T. Bergado, a geosynthetics veteran who is retiring. Prof. Bergado has held numerous leadership positions in the industry, such as serving as President of the International Geosynthetics Society's (IGS) Thailand Chapter, Director of Asian Center for Soil Improvement and Geosynthetics (ACSIG), and Secretary General of the Southeast Asian Geotechnical Society (SEAGS). The event welcomed attendees and speakers from more than 20 countries as critical issues of environmental change were explored in the context of the roles geosynthetics play and can play in mitigating climate change impact.

By most reports, 2012's construction activity has been furious. Many manufacturers have moved advanced expansion plans begun or announced in 2011, and those decisions seems to be paying off as the on-site services side of the industry (e.g., installation and CQA) also reports significant increases in business. A number of companies have even hired on multiple new full-time employees and expected a considerable growth in seasonal work positions. But as the mid-year work dies down (at least enough to breathe), events take over the calendar. Here are four events (3 in Europe, 1 in the US) Geosynthetica is looking forward to.

International geosynthetics manufacturer HUESKER has announced a new social media initiative. Andreas Elsing, Product and Marketing Manager at HUESKER notes that the company does not initially intend to focus on any exclusive content to its social media channels, but like many businesses will utilize social media for additional communication opportunities with its global customer base. Learn more.

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has announced that D7748, 12e1 Standard Test Method for Flexural Rigidity of Geogrids, Geotextiles and Related Products has been editorially changed. This test method covers the measurement of stiffness properties of geogrids, geotextiles and geogrid-geotextile composites all of which are referred to as geosynthetics within this standard. Bending length is measured and flexural rigidity is calculated through use of the cantilever test procedure. Learn more here.;

From 23 to 25 May 2012 the annual meetings of the European Committee for Standardization on Geosynthetics (CEN TC 189) took place at UNI in Milano. For the first time, the meetings were chaired by Daniele Cazzuffi (CESI SpA, Milano), who was unanimously elected President of the Committee in January 2012, for a period of three years 2012–2014. Cazzuffi is a geosynthetics veteran who also previously served as president of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Council. The annual meetings in Milano were attended by more than 100 experts from 12 European countries and from the United States.

Strata Geosystems (India) Pvt Ltd announced that Stratagrid® is now a "CE" certified product. The certification was issued by the "ENTE CERTIFICAZIONE MACCHINE" in Italy for high-tenacity polyester geogrids manufactured by Strata at its plant at Daman, India and allows the product to be sold into the European market. Read more.

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has just published its White Paper #22: "Selected Geosynthetic Opportunities Associated with Energy Production and Transmission." The 16-page paper (available here as a PDF) from Drs. Robert and George Koerner looks at global energy use, geosynthetics in key sectors (e.g., oil and gas, mining, hydroelectric), and geosynthetics in renewable energy. The authors write, "...the geosynthetics community should focus efforts by being proactive with respect to the various energy sources as applies to federal and state agencies, public advocacy groups, local citizen groups and all related stakeholders." A chart of energy sources and the geosynthetic applications associated with them is included. Read more.

Hong Kong's NENT Landfill features a reinforced fill slope, highlighted by a 35m-high, 340m-long embankment that bridges two hilltops. This dynamic construction has enabled the site to properly plan for future waste burial needs in an area that features one of the world's most densely populated cities and most difficult availability for new land on which to construct. This unique embankment design is engineered for stability on both the west and east sides as a standing embankment and for the overall stability as the waste is deposited against the west face. Learn more about this innovative project and its geogrid reinforcement.

International geosynthetics manufacturer Tenax has added three geogrid reinforcement products to its US portfolio: Tenax TT, Tenax Rivel, and Tenax T-Block. Tenax TT is a chemically inert, high tensile strength, high density polyethylene geogrid for soil reinforcement applications. Tenax Rivel uses the TT geogrid in an integrated system with a metal formwork and vegetative matting. Tenax T-Block is a retaining wall system that utilizes Tenax TT geogrid reinforcement. Learn more at the company's website. Learn more here.;

Hanes Geo Components, long known for its TerraGrid line of uniaxial and biaxial geogrids, has announced the addition of E'Grids geogrids to its product offerings. Promoted now through a website dedicated exclusively to HGC's reinforcement portfolio, the addition of E'Grids is a significant contribution to options in the US marketplace. Learn more about these products and HGC's design software, technology transparency initiatives, quality assurance and more at www.hgcgrid.com. Learn more here.;

In the most recent newsletter from the Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa (GIGSA), Maccaferri's Edoardo Zannoni (who chairs GIGSA's subcomittee on specifications) writes on the role of ISO in harmonizing international terminology and cross-border understanding of geosynthetics. Zannoni notes that the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has established multiple committees to bring South Africa's standards practices with geosynthetics in line with ISO. We reprint Mr. Zannoni's article by permission of GIGSA here.

Access to or from construction sites often involves crossing over very weak or variable ground conditions. Thus, before work can begin on site, Engineers are often first challenged with the problem of how they actually get to site. Many different forms of geosynthetics exist to assist in overcoming this problem, but few, if any, offer as high a performance solution as E’GRID biaxial geogrids. In this tech note, published via Hanes Geo Components, wind farm access road construction are profiled--as are the critical role geogrids play in making this sustainable energy sector succeed. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has announced that the IGS French Chapter has translated the engineering document "Recommended Descriptions of Geosynthetics Functions, Geosynthetics Terminology, Mathematical and Graphical Symbols." Originally drafted in English, this internationally unifying publication has been translated completely by French Chapter Members Dr. Nathalie Touze-Foltz (IGS Council Member) and Dr. Camille Barral.

TRI Environmental, Inc. (TRI), a leading international geotechnical, geosynthetic and erosion control materials services company, has announced the acquisition of advanced testing equipment from the former Bathurst Clarabut Geotechnical Testing (BCGT) office in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Among the noteworthy testing capabilities: a specialized large-scale testing apparatus for analyzing the connection strength of segmental retaining wall blocks, a mobile very large-scale (VLS) shear box—one of a few of its kind in the world—for on-site waste shear strength testing up to 3 ft cu samples, six segmental retaining wall creep frames, and a plain loading device to facilitate bench-scale bearing capacity studies for geosynthetics used in soil improvement applications.

TenCate Geosynthetics announced that the TenCate Miragrid® XT geogrid product line has completed the first ever evaluation by the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP) which incorporated an onsite audit of the manufacturing facility. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in conjunction with NTPEP have developed a process for the evaluation of production data and field performance data for reinforcement geosynthetics. Learn more.

Geosindex.com is a new geosynthetic data website with sortable product data tables on geomembranes, geogrids, geotextiles, other geosynthetics. The website continues to evolve with more international manufacturers adding products and updating data and linked specifications. Learn more.

One of the most important international football tournaments is about to take place: Euro 2012. The nations of Poland and Ukraine will play host to the quadrennial engagement, and both countires have invested millions of euros in new construction to support the event. In the Polish seaport of Gdansk, a 17.9 km bypass was needed to improve traffic flow. Tensar International's TriAx® design solution has been used in the sub-base to help combat differential settlement across the poor soil of the Wistula river delta and minimize frost heave caused by severe winters.

Tensar is appointing Mala Nanda as Vice President and General Manager Asia Pacific, in a company move which emphasizes its commitment to the area. Based in Shanghai, Mala Nanda has exceptional experience in the construction supply sector, particularly her impressive progress with Owens Corning since 1994, latterly becoming General Manager, Asia Pacific South and winning company awards. Her brief tenure there included developing and investing in the Indian sub-continent, and developing the Australian market.

On Wednesday, 23 May 2012, at 2:00 pm EDT, Maccaferri will host a free instructional webinar on MSE Wall Design & Installation. This presentation, with Q & A time allotted, will offer a non-credit 0.15 CEU certificate to participants. Key topics include: Wall and reinforced soil slope (RSS) components and design details; Code of practice and method of design for MSE walls; Design difference between MSE walls and RSS; and Installation of MSE walls and RSS. Learn more.

Maccaferri was awarded "International Project of the Year" on Friday, May 4th at the Ground Engineering Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. The awards, hosted by actor and presenter Robert Llewellyn, were presented at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on London's Park Lane. The award recognized the reinforcement work utilized on the construction of a new airport at Pakyong in the Himalayan state of Sikkim in North East India. Design of the slope used BS8006 for static design and FHWA (AASHTO) methodologies for the seismic design. Maccaferri's reinforcement technologies were used for this extraordinary design, which involves wall heights up to 74m and along 1480m. Read more.

A description of the design and construction of the new airport extension in Pakyong, Sikkim, India. Maccaferri reinforcement geosynthetic technologies were utilized to create wall heights up to 74m and along 1480m. The project earned a "International Project of the Year" award at the May 2012 Ground Engineering Awards in London. Read more.

The Geosynthetic Institute's (GSI) first newsletter of 2012 is, as expected, a crowded issue. This issue includes an overview of multiple research projects being conducted by the Geosynthetic Research Institute (GRI), such as the "Exposed Lifetime of Facing Geogrids Used at Landfill Berms"; an update on special information projects being created by Jamie Koerner (e.g., allowable leakage rate for waste ponds); an update on the Institute's wall certification program; and much more. Read it here (PDF)

Early this year Prof. Robert M. Koerner (Geosynthetic Institute) published the 6th Edition of his seminal textbook Designing With Geosynthetics. As with prior volumes, it comes with helpful test questions after each chapter with answers provided at the end of the book. For this week's meetings at Geosynthetica's headquarters (in Jupiter, Florida) we downloaded the (less than) $3.99 (!!) Kindle volumes of the 6th Edition via Amazon.com to test out an e-reader version. And we're happy to report the the two-volume work flows nicely in its digital version. For geosynthetic engineering that you can take with you, give the e-book a spin. (You can also acquire print copies, of course, in either hard or soft bound versions.) Learn more here.;