Soil Reinforcement

The debate in the New Orleans region over levee redesigns is now pitting 100-year flood defense designs against calls for even taller levees. The US Army Corp of Engineers has been conducting extensive rebuilds, including raising levees, and is now advocating defense against overtopping failure on the back sides of the levees. Many officials, however, would prefer even taller levees. Learn more here.;

Gravel roads that turn into mud in springtime are part of Vermont's lore, but a federal road expert is hoping to change that. Federal Emergency Management Agency Mitigation Engineer Richard Downer is offering workshops throughout Vermont to teach state and local road crews how to use high-tech products to rebuild roads that will be less susceptible to future rains and flooding.

ACH Foam Technologies' Foam-Control® EPS Geofoam solved lateral pressure challenge on a parking garage for the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR. The use of EPS Geofoam helped engineers provide a cost-effective solution that met the project's aggressive schedule and saved the university money. A total of 4,000 cubic yards of EPS Geofoam was installed below-grade as backfill and retaining wall stabilization fill against the parking garage's below-grade walls. Read about the project here.

Tensar International Corporation, the leader in geosynthetic soil reinforcement and stabilization, today announced it appointed Bryan Gee as Roadway Systems Product Manager. In his new role, Gee will be responsible for managing Tensar's portfolio of roadway products and systems, including Tensar® TriAx® Geogrid, the GlasGrid® Pavement Reinforcement System and GlasPave™ Waterproofing Paving Mat, Spectra® System and Dimension® System.

In the July 2011 issue of CE News, Tensar International writes on how the support of rail line, whether for new or existing track, is an essential aspect of railroad construction and maintenance. This can be an expensive and lengthy procedure involving the mitigation of soft or variable soil conditions, frequent ballast maintenance, and in some cases, track realignment. However, advances in technology (ie, geogrids) can provide quantifiable financial and time-reduction benefits. Learn more here.;

The Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) and the Mexican Society of Soil Mechanics (SMIG) will present an International Symposium on Deep Foundations, 3-4 November 2011 in Mexico City, Mexico. Sessions will focus on current advancements and innovative applications within the following technologies: Micropiles, Slurry Walls, Driven Piles and Drilled Shafts. A keynote lecture on each plus additional case histories will be presented in each half-day session. An exhibition hall will be included for the showcasing of products, equipment and services. The official languages ​​of the symposium will be Spanish and English. Simultaneous translation will be available.

Tensar International Corporation, a leader in geosynthetic soil reinforcement and stabilization, has announced the opening of a new sales office in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas. The office will support regional customers, distributors and a team of Tensar sales staff throughout the central United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. To coincide with formation of the Dallas office, Steve Archer, P.E. was named Central Area Manager for Tensar. Archer has relocated to Dallas to head the office.

The inaugural Carbon Management Conference conference from the Society of Petroleum Engineers will focus on engineering solutions. Drawing professionals from all engineering disciplines, the event will be held 7-9 February 2012 in Orlando, Florida. Perspectives will be presented on greenhouse gas reduction, climate change adaptation, case studies, life cycle assessment, technologies, and much more. The deadline for abstract submission is July 18. Learn more here.;

ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has announced work item WK33835, "Standard Test Method for Determining Tensile Properties of Geogrids by the Single or Multi-Rib Tensile Method." This is a work item revision to existing standard D6637-10. Learn more here.;

Following 22 February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a great many stories were rightfully directed to the search and rescue mission and the immediate needs for coping with the crisis. The 6.3 magnitude quake left more than 180 dead and damaged roughly 100,000 homes (10% of which were damaged beyond repair). More than 900 office and industrial buildings are expected to be demolished. Geotechnical engineers have been heavily involved in the recovery process from initial evaluation of retaining walls, roads, and slopes immediately after the quake to the many safety measures than that needed to be instituted in the hills within and around Christchurch. This video of rockfall protection measures being instituted is just one example of the many ways geotechnical engineers are helping restore Christchurch.

Tensar International Corporation, the leader in geosynthetic soil reinforcement and stabilization, today announced its manufacturing facility in Morrow, Ga. has returned to full operation following a fire on June 22. The plant was cleared for re-entry by the Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services Department on Saturday June 25. The Tensar team conducted a thorough site evaluation and restarted manufacturing on Sunday, June 26. Shipping began today.

The Fire and Emergency Services Department for Clayton County, Ga. has concluded its investigation into the fire that destroyed plastic products stockpiled in the external storage yard of the Tensar Plant in Morrow, Ga. They have concluded that the fire started accidentally as a result of sparks or heat generated when the plastic material or the metal basket in which it was being moved by a fork lift in the yard, came into contact with the concrete pavement.

Following the successful launch of the International Tunnelling Awards in 2010, New Civil Engineer in partnership with sister title, Ground Engineering, is now calling for entries for the 2011 awards which will this year take the exciting global programme to Hong Kong (30 November 2011). The closing date for entries is the 5 August 2011. Learn more. Learn more here.;

The deadline to submit abstracts to GeoAmericas 2012 is closing quickly (June 30). Building upon the success of GeoAmericas 2008, this event will provide significant networking and knowledge exchange opportunities for the major roles geosynthetics are playing in the expanding Latin American infrastructure. This Second Pan-American Geosynthetics Conference and Exhibition will be held 1-4 May 2012 in Lima, Peru. The official languages of the conference are English and Spanish.

Thousands of Minot, N.D., residents were told to leave their homes as the Souris River swelled and threatened severe flooding. The water is expected to breach a dike system built in 1969 after severe flooding that year. New dikes are being built and others are being reinforced. Learn more here.;

ASCE News: The Martin S. Kapp Foundation Engineering Award recognizes the best example of innovative or outstanding design or construction of foundations, earthworks, retaining structures, or underground construction. Nominations due August 15. Learn more here.;

Mr Manfred Balzer, qualified engineer and Managing Director of HUESKER Synthetic GmbH in Gescher, Westphalia, proudly announces: "There are not many companies lucky enough to be able to celebrate their 150th anniversary". Thanks to the innovative orientation and potential of HUESKER's excellent staff, the company has become an international market leader since it was established 150 years ago. Read more in the company's celebratory release.

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has announced work item WK33656, "Test Method for Biaxial Tension Testing of Geosynthetics." The scope is to develop a standard test method to determine the in-plane stiffness of geosynthetics that are subjected to biaxial loading. The in-plane Poisson's ratio is an input parameter needed for mechanistic, finite-element based pavement response models. Learn more here.;

Riva Nortje, the vice president of the Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa (GIGSA), reminds members that the biennial Gigsa awards are due by 30 June 2011. Categories include "Development in Technology" and "Construction." She notes that the GIGSA committee intends to issue these awards during the two-day short course to be presented by Professor R. Kerry Rowe at the Centurion Council Chambers on 6-7 September 2011. That course topic is "Geosynthetics in bottom liners and covers for use in lagoons, secondary containment, landfill and mining applications".

In his latest column, Textile World executive editor Jürg Rupp writes about the shift in high-end global manufacturing to developing countries, the needs and stresses placed upon the world as population swells, and opportunities this presents for technical textiles production. Geotextiles and geosynthetics, for example, will be necessary for the creation of more sustainable infrastructures. Learn more here.;

Land and Water Magazine's May/June 2011 issue includes an article from Arthur Cashin on the floods that this spring has delivered and some key technologies used to halt them. In Manitoba to Kentucky, Fiberweb's Defencell flood protection system was used to great system. Read more in the e-magazine version. Learn more here.;

The Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA) is planning its 2012 Annual Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Conference and Trade Show for 8-9 March 2012 in Nisswa, Minnesota. Abstracts are sought on local projects completed for stormwater management or erosion and sediment control, and new innovative products for stormwater management or erosion and sediment control. Deadline: 15 July 2011. Learn more here.;

During the Geo-Frontiers 2011 event in Dallas, the International Association of Geosynthetic Installers (IAGI) announced the winners of the association's installation awards of excellence. The highest vote getter in this year's competition and Award of Excellence winner was CETCO Contracting for its exemplary work on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PADOT) I-99 slope remediation construction. That project is summarized here.

Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics is pleased to announce that they have changed their company name to Saint-Gobain ADFORS. The new Saint-Gobain ADFORS identity was revealed at the 2011 Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany and the SAMPE show in Long Beach, CA, USA. Recognizing the need for a strong brand name in the market, the company set out to develop a new name which would reinforce their strength and position in the industrial and construction markets.

For many years, the hilly Pacific coastline of Panama has witnessed erosion-causing storms. This has presented a number of problems to the residents in the Punta Raton Beach area. With limited space allowed for development but with high demand to make it possible, contractors have been required to cut into the bordering slopes at a 70° angle. Geo Products LLC's PC Lauringer writes on how geocells solved the issue.