Soil Reinforcement

An abandoned mining in Canada's Yukon will take 40 years and $500 million to properly close, the government estimates. The Faro mine project will undergo a 15-year-construction phase that is expected to cost $30 million per year, and an additional $10 million is thought to be needed for the last 25 years of closure operations. Learn more here.;

In Italy, expanded polystyrene (EPS) blocks--also known as geofoam--have been used in some of the newest "eco" architecture. Take for example architect Giulio Ceppi's design for Autogrill near Ravenna, Italy. The strucutre uses geofoam blocks have been built up to create an insulating layer upon which soil and ivy has been placed to create a green roof. Learn more here.;

Tensar's main United Kingdom office has been awarded the North West Greater China Business Award. The Blackburn-based firm was presented with the award at the North West Greater China Business Awards at a banquet hosted by UK Trade and Investment and the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA). The awards recognize businesses and organizations that are cultivating strong trade links with China. Learn more here.;

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has elected 65 new members and nine foreign associates. Included among them you'll find Dr. Jean-Pierre Groud of J.P. Giroud Inc. Dr. Giroud was elected based upon "pioneering research in geosynthetics engineering and its practical application in civil/geotechnical engineering." Dr. Giroud, in fact, coined the term "geosynthetics." Congratulations are certainly due. See the other new members here. Learn more here.;

The Initial Public Offer (IPO) market has been grim in the United States with economic investment so low. More than 100 offers were withdrawn last year in the US, and over the past six months only two IPOs have gone forward. A few more companies withdrew IPO floatation on February 3. Among them, geogrid and infrastructure specialist Tensar. Learn more here.;

The March-April 2009 issue of Erosion Control includes Tara Beecham's look at various erosion control blankets (ECBs) and turf reinforcement mats (TRMs). She focuses on the basics behind reasons for selection (natural look and long-term anchorage for vegetation), various systems (such as erosion control systems above geomembrane and clean soil, as you might find in remediated areas), and touches upon biodegrable options. Commercial development, recreational development and other sectors are represented. Among those companies mentioned in the article you'll find American Excelsior, East Coast Erosion Blankets, North American Green, and Presto Products. Read it online. Learn more here.;

St. Patrick's Day 2009 (March 17) is also the next Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) Lobby Day. This important annual event brings industry, lobbyists, government agency representatives and Congressional offices and committees together. With important water, coal ash management, and transportation issues to address (and in the context of an economic crisis sorely in need of infrastructure spending), this year's event holds great importance. Read an invitation from GMA Executive Director Andrew Aho and learn about how to be part of this gathering.

The Freedonia Institute's latest geosynthetics market report ("Geosynthetics to 2012") indicates that demand for these materials will advance 2.5 percent annually to over 900 million square yards in 2012. This projects a value in excess of $2 billion. Freedonia expects that gains will be promoted by rebounding road and highway construction spending. In the near term, demand is also expected to be promoted by components of the Obama Administration’s economic stimulus program that involve public works. Geosynthetics can be used to stabilize foundations, promote drainage and prevent erosion, generally at a lower cost than alternative products. Demand for high-performance geosynthetics, such as geomembranes, geogrids and preformed geocomposites, will outpace demand for less costly geosynthetics. Learn more here.;

geosynthetica's Tech Note series publishes concise questions and observations from the practice. The latest, "Are you testing the reinforcement or the polymer?" comes from frequent contributor Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL. His question is important, for the durability and degradation of the polymer is just as important to a material's service life suitability as its reinforcement component.

Iryna Popova, Director of EcoInform, has announced that a draft program is now available for the 6th Cooperation for Waste Issues conference, which will take place 8-9 April 2009 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Key topics at the event include municipal and industrial waste, radioactive waste, environmental compliance, biomass, energy generation, and much more. View the program today. Geosynthetica.net is a cooperating organization to the event. Learn more here.;

The American Coal Ash Association (ACAA) has named Thomas H. Adams as its new executive director. Adams replaces David C. Goss, who is retiring. Adams has served as the executive director of the American Shotcrete Association for the last six years and in leadership roles for several concrete industry associations over the last 30 years. Learn more here.;

India-based publication MasterBuilder has released a special issue on geosynthetics in the world's largest democracy. Artilces from Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL, Lance Carter of Strata Systems, and many others are included. Subjects covered include high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes, geogrid soil reinforcement, geotextile applications (e.g., road construction), landfills, waterproofing, and more. Read the electronic version of the magazine. Learn more here.;

Geosynthetics 2009 is the largest geosynthetics industry event in North America. This biennial event will explore important issues affecting water resources, mining, infrastructure development and regulatory communities in the American, Canadian and Mexican markets. Organizers have announced an extention to the early registration rate to 30 January 2009. Register now to secure the best rates. The event will take place 25-27 February 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Learn more here.;

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has scheduled two infrastructure short courses for users (new and experienced) of geosynthetics. These much-needed educational opportunities couldn't have emerged at a better time. GSI's courses focus on public and private sector use of geosynthetics (with one course being dedicated to each). Each course will be offered twice during the spring. The dates for the one-day sessions are as follows: Infrastructure Development Using Geosynthetics: Public Sector Projects - March 23 and April 13; Infrastructure Development Using Geosynthetics: Private Sector Projects - March 24 and April 14. More information on the sessions is available here.

Democrats in the United States Congress have begun revealing details of an ambitious spending and tax program to provide an economic stimimulus to the ailing economy and revitalize a many years-deteriorating civil infrastructure. Key to the stimulus package is infrastructure investment totaling $85 billion, including $30 billion for highway and bridge construction, $3 billion for airport improvement, $10 billion for drinking water and wastewater treatment projects and $4.5 billion to the Army Corps of Engineers. More on this will emerge shortly.

Following Congressional pledges for EPA regulation of coal waste after the catastrophic waste spill in Tennessee and a second spill in Alabama, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) has outlined what it believes are the minimum safeguards necessary to protect the environment and public health and safety from coal waste. Among the SELC's recommendations: double-liner systems. Read more in the release and link to a report.

Strata Systems, Inc. announces an upgrade to its advanced interactive computer software program designed to assist engineers with the design and analysis of geogrid-reinforced steep slopes. Earthen slopes up to 70 degrees from horizontal can be safely designed in accordance with methodologies accepted by the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a multitude of project applications. The program, named StrataSlope, is now available on Strata’s newly redesigned website and is recommended for use by experienced geotechnical and civil engineers familiar with the technology of mechanically stabilized earthen structures. Read more.

While specifications are to help provide stability, consistency and professionalism in engineering and construction, they can also lead to problems--especially when their authors do not seem to see the full implications of their assumptions. In example, Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL writes about the placement of leak location in specifications and how some of these specs provide CQC but not real CQA. Errors of assumption like this may lead to facility failures.

Periodic in-service measurements--including high pressure oxidative induction time, carbonyl index (FTIR), and stress cracking resistance--should provide a few years advance warning of exposed high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) liner end-of-life (EOL), thereby preventing unexpected very expensive catastrophic liner failures.

Whales (bubbles above the water level) in a lined wastewater pond are usually caused by leaking water that cannot be removed, which in turn generates methane that also cannot be removed. Minimize leakage through the liner (there will inevitably be some), provide a functioning leakage removal (monitoring) system, and a functioning gas venting system. A nonwoven geotextile alone under the geomembrane is not sufficient to do this.

Liner designers and regulators should note that it is NOT possible to perform a geoelectric integrity or leak location survey on a double geomembrane lining system when there is only a geocomposite in the leakage detection system (LDS) between the two geomembranes unless the LDS is backfilled with water. This can be costly, time-consuming, and even damaging to the liner if it is uplifted. Additional ballast on the liner may be required. And side slope liners cannot be tested. Plan ahead and use conductive geomembrane, or place a conductive geotextile or a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) directly under the primary geomembrane.

The Business Coordination House (BCH) of India has published its latest quartlerly newsletter. This issue contains articles on the world economy (and the importance of emerging markets, such as India), geosynthetic applications in railways, agrotextiles, an interview with a government official on manufacturing, and more. Read it in PDF via the BCH website. Learn more here.;

Geosynthetics 2009 is the largest geosynthetics industry event in North America. This biennial event will explore important issues affecting water resources, mining, construction, and regulatory communities in the US, Canadian and Mexican markets. Register by 16 January 2009 to secure the best rates. The event will take place 25-27 February 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

We're seeing a high volume of articles appear regarding how various states control fly ash disposal from coal-fired power plants. The Tennessee Valley Authority's ash reservoir collapse has highlighted how dangerous coal ash disposal can be--especially in the absence of regulation. The New York Times today has published a piece on the lack of regulation in this particular waste sector, and about the tremendous range of uses fly ash (including elevated arsenic levels) has been put to: road aggregate, agricultural soil stability, remediation, and much more. Learn more here.;

In 2003, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) rejected more costly solutions to fix the coal-ash landfill at TVA's power plant in Kingston, Tennessee. These solutions would have included the types of walls and containment liners used in other waste facilities but which are not required in most states for fly ash. After rejecting options that cost up to $25 million, the TVA installed trenches and other drainage mechanisms in an attempt to relieve the water pressure. Last month, the walls burst and flooded 300 acres of land with contaminated coal ash. Learn more here.;