Soil Reinforcement

When the 3rd Pan-American Regional Conference on Geosynthetics convenes in Miami in April 2016, it will do so with a truly unique sponsorship program for an engineering conference. Geosynthetics...

The massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is having a considerable (and beneficial) impact on construction markets and the environment. Approximately $7.22 billion is moving into these key areas with water-related projects receiving the lionshare. (CONTINUED.)

Testing plays a vital role in the design and performance of transportation projects. Testing and monitoring improve infrastructure by providing valuable data before and after construction, allowing the designer...

In an entry on the Wall Street Journal's Emerging Europe blog, Ayla Albayrak writes about the proposed "quake-proof" cities near Istanbul, Turkey. Prime Minister Erdogan announced this idea as part of his re-election bid. He proposes to build earthquake-resistant infrastructures for two major urban centers off of one of Europe's most populous cities, with half of the development along the European side of the Bosporus and the other half on the Asian side. Learn more here.;

In a little under a decade of operation, Manitoba-headquartered Titan Environmental Containment has built a strong team and reputation, with operations expanding to cover all of Canada and the...

The November 2011 issue of Railway Track and Structures includes an article from editor Mischa Wanek-Libman on the growing role of geogrid reinforcement in track construction. While the technologies are decades old, railway construction is utilizing the materials on a wider scale only now. Helping geogrid finally gain acceptance in this sector is the 2010 publication of a new geogrid information for users of AREMA specs. Learn more here.;

Andrew Aho, Executive Director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA), writes: "Geotextile manufacturers are keen to update the specifying community regarding specifications that are outdated and no longer acceptable in the industry. Two tests retired by industry approval standards continue to creep into the occasional specification: the Mullen Burst Test and the Puncture Strength Test. The Mullen test was devised in 1887 by J.W. Mullen as a measure for the puncture strength of paper. Eventually it was adopted by the textile industry along with the Puncture Strength Text. In the 1970s these tests were available to the geotextile industry." Read more, including an open letter to specifiers of geosynthetics.

September through December is a busy time of year for engineering conferences. This is true around the world. Geofabrics Australasia has capitalized on that activity for the latest issue of...

Presto Geosystems has hosted an on-going series of live webinars on a wide range of civil and geotechnical topics, such as mining, slope stabilization, load support, sustainable landfills, etc....

Propex™ has launched a new series of e-learning training modules focused on woven geotextiles. The modules include profiles of applications, benefits, and installation notes from the company’s Geotex® Wovens...

The eighth edition of AMERICANA, the International Environmental Technology Trade Show and Conference, initiated and organized by RÉSEAU environnement, welcomed some 8,000 participants from every sector of the environmental industry, 400 exhibitors and more than 230 speakers and delegates from 60 countries. AMERICANA 2009 gave professionals an opportunity to present the latest developments in the areas such as water, air, soil, solid waste, energy and sustainable development, and to discuss subjects ranging from life cycle analysis and biofuels to environmental management and sustainable transportation and development. READ MORE in the release.

By Maccaferri – Crusher walls, also known as mine dump walls, are used to support vertical or near-vertical grade changes to minimize the footprint of the facility. Hoppers or...

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (generally known as the Recovery Act or the economic stimulus package) has led to significantly more open discussion about infrastructure needs in the United States. American infrastructure really is in disrepair, so the discussion and wide-scale funding are welcomed. One interesting result of all this attention is how it has thrown light upon projects and segments of the country that have long been overlooked. Take, for example, American Indian reservations. (Continued.)

The 2nd International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Photo Contest has a new deadline: March 1. The inaugural contest was extremely successful and helped establish a collection of high-quality photos of geosynthetics for use in promotion of these technologies and construction practices and in the dissemination of educational material.

AMI's magazine Compounding World has released its April 2009 issue online. The current issue contains articles on new developments in titanium dioxide, an analysis of PVC Compounding market trends, a listing of Europe's Top 20 PVC compounders, faster formulation with combinatorial compounding, advances in extruder technology for recycling plastics, and a look ahead to this year's big Masterbatch event. View it online today. Learn more here.;

GeoNews is a regular publication of project stories, event updates, and geosynthetic materials information. It's the corporate newsletter of Australia-based Global Synthetics. The current issue looks at utilization of geotextile tubes to restore a freshwater lagoon, geogrid-gextile composite reinforcement for crane pads at Maroochydore, revitalizing Adelaide's railway network, Bentofix® GCL containment for a lake, and more. Read the latest issue here (PDF).

Homeowners and commercial developers will undoubtedly face many challenges in their recovery efforts following last week's devastating flood in Metro Atlanta. A major concern for Atlanta area residents and businesses has centered on the failure of retaining walls and slopes, or, if a failure has not yet occurred, the integrity of their walls and slopes in the wake of the flood. According to Jon Ridgway, Director of Grade Separation Systems for Tensar International, saturated soils found behind retaining walls, beneath roads and parking lots and surrounding detention ponds can affect the stability of the overall structure.

The ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics meeting in San Antonio, 27-29 January 2010, will feature important new events: Geocell Standardization Exploratory Meeting; Shear Strength Test Result Interpretation; Subgrade Reinforcement; and a Workshop on Geosynthetic Material Durability: Field and Laboratory Experiences. Learn more about these special events.

How to mitigate frost heave and road degradation in cold climates? Tencate Geosynthetics writes on the beneficial impact of installing a woven reinforcing geosynthetic material--Mirafi® H2Ri--along an important stretch of...

World prices for precious and semi-precious metals have vaulted in the past few years, and this spike in demand has helped fuel tremendous growth in the mining industry. But while prices have somewhat stabilized, growth will continue. Australia forecasts a 70% rise in employment (90,000 new jobs) in mining through 2020 in the mining sector. And these projects will also require environmental controls, which is where geosynthetics enter in. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) continues to rally its individual and corporate members around the Turkish Chapter of the IGS. After the June 28 attack at Istanbul’s international airport,...

After more than five months of traffic closure, the Esquimalt Lagoon bridge in Colwood, British Columbia--on Victoria Island--is being repaired. The City has placed timbers at the base of the abutments to protect them from waves. On the north side, a section of the asphalt is being removed and fill material excavated out. That area will then be repacked and the sides reinforced with geotextile to prevent fill material from being drawn out. Learn more here.;

On Monday, March 14, during the Geo-Frontiers 2011 conference (13-16 March 2011, Dallas), John Lostumbo of TenCate Geosynthetics will present a much-anticipated paper on "Geosynthetic Enabled with Fiber Optic Sensors for MSE Bridge Abutment Supporting Shallow Bridge Foundations." Geotextiles with fiberoptic components provide a resource for monitoring various design functions including strain. Data collected from fiber optic monitoring can be used to determine the functional longevity of civil structures helping to insure safety as well as providing data which may be used for evaluation of design methods. Download the abstract here.

ACE Geosynthetics has received its final report from the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP). This approval allows ACE geogrids to be incorporated into the specifications of many key infrastructure projects, including work for state departments of transporation (DOTs). It marks another significant step in the company's growth. Last year, it opened offices in Houston and Atlanta. Congratulations to ACE on this latest achievement. Learn more here.;

The Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa (GIGSA) seeks nominations for its next committee. The current terms end 10 Novembe 2010 during the annual general meeting of GIGSA, which is the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) South Africa chapter. GIGSA seeks 10 new member nominees before 8 October 2010. If more than 10 nominees are accepted, an online election will be held. Download the informational document here (PDF).