Soil Reinforcement

Global construction activity is expected to remain flat during 2010 and then grow nearly +5% in 2011 according to the latest report from IHS Global Insight. Learn more here.;

A study funded by the Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) that evaluated the successful use of corrugated, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for use under heavy rail car loads with shallow cover, is available on-line at the PPI website. The methodology of the project included repeatedly running a train consisting of three locomotives with eighty, 315,000 pound rail cars over 48-inch corrugated HDPE pipe with just four-feet of cover from the top of the pipe to the bottom of the rail.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has extended its abstract submittal deadline until Wednesday, 26 May 2010 at 12:00 pm (Mountain) for Environmental Connection 2011 (EC11). The event is the annual conference and expo of IECA. Combining quality education with a world-class expo, EC11 is the premier gathering place for the erosion and sediment control community, drawing attendees from over 20 countries and 150 exhibitors to Orlando, Florida, 20-23 February 2011. Any abstracts submitted after the deadline will moved to EC12 consideration. Learn more here.;

The International Railway Safety Conference (IRSC) is a forum that brings together rail safety professionals from around the globe in order to exchange information and provide experiences and lessons for improving rail safety and is exclusively devoted to rail safety issues. IRSC 2010--the 20th annual meeting--will be held in Hong Kong 3-8 October 2010 under the theme "Challenges in Sustaining Railway Safety." Online registration is open. An early bird discount is available through May 31. Learn more here.;

Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd. and Aterian Investment Partners are pleased to announce that they have jointly purchased the PVC additives business of Chemtura Corporation, newly named Galata Chemicals. Galata Chemicals is a leading global producer of additives for numerous PVC and other polymer applications. The expansive product portfolio includes heat stabilizers, plasticizers and impact modifiers. Learn more here.;

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has honored Samuel R. Allen, vice president of TRI/Environmental Inc. in Austin, Texas, with the ASTM Award of Merit and honorary title of fellow. The Award of Merit is the highest ASTM honor for distinguished service and outstanding participation in committee activities. Read more about this well-deserved award.

The Tennessee Valley Authority will securely and permanently store onsite all ash removed in the next phase of recovery work to begin soon at Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, Tenn. The decision was announced today in an Action Memorandum issued by TVA and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is calling for submittals for Environmental Connection 2011 (EC11), annual conference and expo of IECA. Combining quality education with a world-class expo, EC11 is the premier gathering place for the erosion and sediment control community, drawing attendees from over 20 countries and 150 exhibitors to Orlando, Florida, 20-23 February 2011. The deadline to submit an abstract for the conference's consideration is 20 May 2010.

TenCate Geosynthetics has published a glossary of common geosynthetics terms and definitions on its website. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing action plans developed by 16 electric utility facilities with coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer. The action plans are a response to EPA's final assessment reports on the structural integrity of these impoundments that the agency made public this February. Coal ash was brought prominently to national attention in 2008 when an impoundment holding disposed ash waste generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority broke open, creating a massive spill in Kingston, Tennessee, that covered millions of cubic yards of land and river and is regarded as one of the worst environmental disasters of its kind in history. Shortly afterwards, EPA began overseeing the cleanup, as well as investigating the structural integrity of impoundments where ash waste is stored.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 today has approved the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) selected cleanup plan for the next phase of coal ash removal at the TVA Kingston site in Roane County, Tenn. The cleanup plan requires TVA to permanently store on site all of the ash being removed from the Swan Pond Embayment. The embayment area will then be restored to conditions that protect human health and the environment. After careful review of all comments received between January and April, TVA, EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), agreed that the selected cleanup plan provides the best option to protect public health and the environment. According to the release, for the new perimeter dike TVA "will place dry ash atop an engineered base layer of sand, gravel and geo-fabric."

TenCate Geosynthetics introduces in North America the new roadway reinforcement product TenCate Mirafi® RS580i, a highly engineered geosynthetic product for base reinforcement and subgrade stabilization. This new, game changing, high-strength geosynthetic provides excellent reinforcement and base course confinement integrated with high water flow and soil retention capabilities.

New for the Global Waste Management Symposium 2010 event! Tour the United States' first landfill solar energy cover system! Integrating new and existing technologies, the innovative solar cover project at Tessman Road Landfill in San Antonio, Texas, was brought online by Republic Services, as part of the company's ongoing commitment to creating cleaner, greener communities. It generates clean, renewable energy, reducing dependence on nonrenewable sources. GWMS 2010 will be held 3-6 October 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. Read more.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell testified in favor of a national infrastructure bank before a House committee Thursday. "It is obvious that existing revenue sources and methods are inadequate to address our vast infrastructure needs," said Rendell. The national infrastructure bank would help finance transportation and public-works projects across the U.S. Learn more here.;

The latest issue of GIGSA News from the Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa is available. This issue includes stories on the return of HDPE geomembrane failures in Asia, specification savers, IGS election results, a letter from GIGSA President Garth James, "Geosynthetic Soil Reinforcement--Polymeric Geocomposites for Hydraulic Retaining Walls," defending the beaches of Durban, and more. GIGSA is the South Africa Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS). Read the issue in PDF here.

In June 2009, TenCate Geosynthetics North America reported that it was working with the US Army Corps of Engineers on rehabilitating and protecting the coastline of Grand Isle (Louisiana, USA). A row of TenCate Geotube® GT500 containers measuring 9,600 metres in length forms the core of what will ultimately be a row of dunes. The impressive new levee stretches 2.4 kilometres across the island. See photos of the construction (including a tricky threading under a bridge) here.

Year-over-year earnings reports show how far the global plastics industry has come since the start of 2009, with plastics titans Dow, ExxonMobil Chemical, and BASF showing double-digit gains in sales and volumes, even in Western economies that had heretofore lagged. Read more at Plastics Today. Learn more here.;

The International Railway Safety Conference (IRSC) is a forum that brings together rail safety professionals from around the globe in order to exchange information and provide experiences and lessons for improving rail safety and is exclusively devoted to rail safety issues. IRSC 2010--the 20th annual meeting--will be held in Hong Kong 3-8 October 2010 under the theme "Challenges in Sustaining Railway Safety." Online registration has opened. An early bird discount is available through May 31. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the IGS Secretariat role. The Secretariat will perform duties and provide deliverables as specified by the IGS Secretary and IGS Officers as required. Proposals should be prepared by interested parties and submitted to the undersigned by 20 June 2010. A decision is expected to be made by 30 June 2010. For information regarding the details, please see the RFP here (in PDF). Learn more here.;

The Indian Government has granted approvals for 32 highway construction projects during the 2009-2010 financial year, for a total length of 3,600km. For the 2010-2011 financial year, the plan is to build highways totalling in excess of 15,000km. Also, various investment groups are arranging more than $15 billion in contracts and plans for roadway expansion and highway construction. Learn more here.;

Today's unsettled polymer markets have made the process of understanding our future opportunities ever more difficult while at the same time the challenges facing the plastics industry have never been greater. To provide companies with the best tools to achieve future success AMI has revised all its forecasts and trend analysis on a worldwide basis. This data will be presented exclusively to attendees at the "Plastics Industry Strategy Seminar 2010: the Future of the Global Plastics Industry" on 20 May 2010 in Brussels, Belgium. Learn more.

Precision Geosynthetic Laboratories International (PGLI) has added new services to their Thermal Analysis Capabilities. A new department has been added for Differential Scanning Calorimetry that will be full service DSC. In addition to the normal DSC methods Modulated and High Pressure DSC have been added. Differential Scanning Calorimetry is a thermoanalatycal technique that measure a difference of heat flow observed between a sample and a reference as a function of temperature. The main advantage of DSC is studying the transition of the material such as melting, crystallization or glass transition temperature. Learn more.

When Tony Allen, P.E., was at work on his civil engineering master's thesis at Oregon State University in the early 1980s, he certainly couldn't have foreseen the impact it would have during the next 30 years on geotextiles and geogrids in reinforcement applications. Of great importance, the work he pursued then (and since) has led to real understanding of the durability of geosynthetic reinforcements. This year, Allen's work may culminate with the publication of a long-needed geosynthetic reinforcement standard from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics -- one that will have a strong impact on geosynthetic selection for critical reinforcement applications.

Royal Ten Cate has released an update regarding its first quarter 2010 performance. Of particular interest is the notes on the American geosynthetics market's "substantial recovery"; an upturn in the infrastructure market; and "strong developments in TenCate Geotube® applications." Read more in the release.

Bernard Myles' funeral will take place at 2 pm on 14 May at Redstone Cemetery, Philanthropic Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 4DG, UK. Afterwards there will be a reception at Bletchingley Golf Club, Church Lane, Bletchingley, Surrey, RH1 4LP. Redstone Cemetery is 6 miles from London Gatwick Airport and 1 mile from Redhill station. Note that seating in the cemetery chapel is limited and that some guests may have to stand. For catering purposes Jeanne (Jan) would like to know approximately how many people will come to the reception. If you plan to come, or if you have any other questions, please e-mail or telephone John and Caroline Greenwood, (jandcgreenwood@hotmail.com; 01483 277558). No flowers please. It is planned that donations in Bernard's memory should go towards a bursary for a student of geosynthetics. Further details will be provided.