Soil Reinforcement

In May, TRI Geosynthetics Services will offer more Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) Training courses and affiliated certification in Australia. The group last provided these essential professional development and business-improving events in November 2010. The new courses will be delivered on May 9 and 13 in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales to bookend the events of the Waste 2011 Conference (10-12 May 2011, Coffs Harbour). Learn more.

Tensar International, the leader in geosynthetic soil reinforcement and stabilization, today announced it recently completed its 100th wind farm project. Achieving this milestone demonstrates Tensar's ability to provide a variety of cost-saving solutions for crane pads, foundations and roadway projects, usually some of the most costly components of wind farm construction. Learn more about this hallmark moment for the company and the interaction between geosynthetics and this sector of renewable energy.

Tensartech TW1 structural and retaining walls are being installed in a new raised dual carriageway to bypass the historic City of Wroclaw in South East Poland. The road will give access to the new Miejski Stadium in time for its role in the UEFA Euro 2012 football finals. Wroclaw Municipality and its main contractor, Skanska, chose the Tensar solution for the 5km bypass project because of its low material costs and rapid construction, as well as its aesthetic appearance and versatility in adapting to site requirements.

With the support of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) Geo-Institute, the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI), and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), Geo-Frontiers 2011 is a can't-miss event. To keep readers abreast of the latest news leading up to the event and to highlight some of the conference and trade show's notable presentations and products, Geosynthetica.net has launched a Geo-Frontiers 2011 information page and e-newsletter.

HUESKER, a global leader in the manufacture of high-quality geosynthetics, is celebrating two milestone anniversaries in 2011. The Germany-based HUESKER Synthetic, GmbH marks 150 years of progressive materials manufacturing and the Charlotte, North Carolina-based center for the company's North American operations, HUESKER inc., celebrates its 20th anniversary as a distributor and producer of geosynthetics for construction, civil engineering, mining and other major sectors.

In recognition of the Presidents Day holiday here in the United States, the Early Registration Deadline for Geo-Frontiers 2011 has been extended. Please register by 23 February to receive the best pricing. Learn more here.;

Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) Geo-Institute, the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI), and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). REGISTER by February 21 to get the best rates for Geo-Frontiers 2011 (www.geofrontiers11.com). Learn more here.;

Strata Systems announces that the results of tests performed by the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP) on its geogrid products have been published in a final report and are available on the NTPEP website (www.ntpep.org). Strata engineers are pleased that the products tested by NTPEP performed consistently with or better than the company has self-reported in all areas measured. Product attributes tested include tensile strength, creep rupture, installation damage, and durability. Strata's Polyester polymer coated geogrid products were included in the test.

Standards and Specifications are vital to design and material selection. Engineers and Designers use them daily - but may not be getting the most out of the information presented. By joining this ASTM short course Designers will extend their understanding of materials, properties and corresponding values - allowing them to maximize their use of the data in their specifications. Learn more about this Sunday, March 13, short course. Learn more here.;

Don't forget to visit the geosynthetica.net booth in the Geo-Frontiers 2011 registration area! We welcome your project stories, company news, technology updates, engineering advice, and anything else you are ready to share with your fellow professionals. Have something to tell us before the show? Contact the editor, Chris Kelsey, at chris@geosynthetica.net.

Tensar International, the leader in geosynthetic soil reinforcement and stabilization, today announced it recently received full approval with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for its ARES® and Mesa® Retaining Wall Systems. As of 31 January 2011, the NCDOT requires that companies submit and receive approval to build mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls based on the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) design methodology.

takes place 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. This seminal event includes multiple short Geo-Frontiers 2011 courses, 90 sessions within 10 technical tracks, student programs, networking events, awards programs, and the Geosynthetic Institute's GRI-24 conference, as well as four highly regarded plenary sessions: H. Bolton Seed Lecture, Peck Lecture, Terzaghi Lecture, and the Mercer Lecture. In addition to the educational component of Geo-Frontiers the event will feature an exhibit hall with over 120 geotechnical products and services exhibitors. Geosynthetica encourages its readers to take advantage of the early registration offer. The deadline for early registration is February 21. Learn more and register at the Geo-Froniters 2011 home page. Learn more here.;

Geo-Frontiers 2011 takes place 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. In addition to the various technical sessions, short courses and trade show, Geo-Frontiers will also host a Student Poster Competition. This competition provides students with the opportunity to present a poster on a geotechnical engineering-related topic or project of their choice. Students are allowed to participate individually or as teams of two. The competition will consist of the presented poster and a brief (3 minute) presentation followed by questions from the judges. Interested participants should submit a one-page abstract up to 400 words that details the topic and include one graphic figure. Also, a submission form should be emailed to GIstudents@civil.tamu.edu by February 15. Notification of acceptance will be given by February 18. Learn more at the conference website. Learn more here.;

StrataWeb™, cellular confinement system, is the latest of soil reinforcement products to be offered by Strata Systems. StrataWeb is a honeycomb, cellular confinement system (geocell) that offers durable soil reinforcement solutions that can reduce fill quantities by up to 50%, saving time, costs and the environment. Read more.

Geosynthetica maintains an employment opportunities page for the geosynthetics industry. For information on posting your company's open positions, contact Elizabeth Peggs at Elizabeth@geosynthetica.net, +1 561 655 2060, or email Chris Kelsey at chris@geosynthetica.net. We encourage interested candidates to contact directly the companies posting on the Employment Page. Currently, two jobs are posted.

TenCate Geosynthetics is adding an Engineered Structures market group to its sales focus. John Lostumbo, PE will lead the group and become Market Manager-Engineered Structures. In this role, John will be responsible for promotion and commercialization of all TenCate® Engineered Structures systems and products, including Miragrid® geogrids, Mirafi® PET geotextiles, Miramesh® SG and GeoDetect® Monitoring System. Learn more here.;

The American Public Works Association (APWA) 2011 Sustainability Conference has opened registration for its 27-29 June 2011 conference in Portland, Oregon. General topics of interest include low impact development, sustainable best practices, success stories in sustainability, and more. The 2010 event in Minneapolis was a tremendous event, and Portland's well-integrated examples of sustainable public works and APWA's active membership should make for a strong 2011 gathering. Register online. Learn more here.;

The 11th Asian Textile Conference (ATC-11) invites abstracts through March 31. The biennial event is open to geosynthetics-related submissions. Abstracts of 150 words for oral and poster presentations are encouraged. All abstracts will be reviewed by the program committee and the full paper (2-4 pages) must be submitted for all accepted presentations. ATC-11 committee is expecting valuable participation from diverse research fields. The event will be held 1-4 November 2011 in Daegu, Korea. Learn more here.;

Strata Systems is offering a free software tool, StrataSlope™, to help in the design of reinforced steep slopes and walls. The software includes material estimating, limit equilibrium analysis, direct sliding stability calculations, and internal stability designs. The software programming takes into account geosynthetic material properties, reduction factors and design safety factors. The software also considers tie-back and compound stability using log-spiral failure surfaces, direct-sliding using conventional two-part wedge mechanism, and deep-seated stability analysis using Bishop's method.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) has announed the theme for the 2011 National Public Works Week, which will be held May 15-21: "Public Works: Serving you and your community." During this time, APWA encourages all public works departments to take part in activities that help promote the essential role its professionals play in society. A how-to guide has been made available online to help inspire ideas for events and participation. Learn more here.;

When the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) convenes its Expo Asia 2011, two technical sessions on geosynthetics will be included. The event will be held 22-25 March 2011 at the new Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Exhibition Centre in Singapore. Session one is titled "Geosynthetic Applications for Infrastructure" and session two will be "Geosynthetic Materials for Environmental Applications." TRI/Environmental, Inc.'s Sam Allen will be the presenter.

Friday, January 28, is the last day to book your room at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida to receive the discounted rates available only to EC11 attendees. The Environmental Connection gatherings from the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) offer short courses, technical sessions, an exhibit hall, numerous networking opportunities, certification, and much more. EC11 will be held 20-23 February 2011. Learn more here.;

Environmental Connection 2011 (EC11), annual conference and expo of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), brings together the industry's best and brightest for a week of industry-leading education, networking and access to the largest expo hall of its kind. The event offers short courses, technical sessions, an exhibit hall, numerous networking opportunities, certification, and much more. EC11 will be held 20-23 February 2011. The event organizers report that limited space is still available in select EC11 courses. Learn more.

As a result of a price increase from the, Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics, primarily due to their escalating raw materials costs, Tensar International will be increasing the price of GlasPave® paving fabric products by 5% effective 7 February 2011. This price increase will not affect the current pricing for GlasGrid® series of products.

In conjunction to the next TC28 International Symposium that will be held in Roma (Italy) from 16 to 18 May 2011, a technical exhibition will be organized in the same area (Roma Eventi - Fontana di Trevi Congress Centre). This will offer a unique opportunity for leading professionals to get together, exchange information and ideas, and learn about new products, innovative technologies, construction methods and design procedures. For more information on sponsorship opportunities for the 7th International Symposium on Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground, visit the conference website. Learn more here.;