Special Series

Tensar has released SpectraPave3, the latest in the company's line of successful design-analysis software tools. The software evaluates service lives for paved and unpaved surfaces, draws upon the performance-based Giroud-Han Design Methodology for subgrade improvement, and much more. Download the product at the link below. Learn more here.;

Propex's guides "Geotextile for Geomembrane Cushioning" and "Geosynthetic Reinforcement for Lining System Support" have been posted for free downloading at WaterOnline.com. The documents provide specification assistance for designers and have been written in accordance with CSI's Manual of Practice. You can find the Cushioning page and the Reinforcement page in the list of Propex's downloads via the link below. Learn more here.;

Kensai, Alaska, will vote on a $2 million bond towards an estimated $15 million needed to stem erosion of bluffs in the city. No plan for stopping erosion was noted in the article. Learn more here.;

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a website dedicated to managing wastewater in small communities. The site includes basics, grant information, technical assistance and training, wastewater technologies and much more. Learn more here.;

The European Commission has joined the Methane to Markets Partnership, a public-private partnership aimed at stemming the production and release of methane. Major application areas for reducing or harvesting methane for energy include animal waste management and landfills. Learn more here.;

The journal Computers and Geotechnics, published by Elsevier, will soon publish "Response of multilayer geosynthetic-reinforced bed resting on soft soil with stone columns," authored by Deb, Chandra and Basudhar. The article-in-press announcement was posted today by ScienceDirect. Learn more here.;

Is your company in the Waterworld Magazine Buyer's Guide? geosynthetica is. Visit the website for more information on adding your company. Learn more here.;

Tensar has released SpectraPave3, the latest in the company's line of successful design-analysis software tools. The software evaluates service lives for paved and unpaved surfaces, draws upon the performance-based Giroud-Han Design Methodology for subgrade improvement, and much more. Read the release at the "continued" link below or download the product by cutting and pasting the following URL into your browser: http://www.tensarcorp.com/index.asp?id=81 Learn more here.;

The 24th annual meeting of the Polymer Processing Society will take place 15 - 19 June 2008 in Salerno, Italy. The conference will address state-of-the-art processing in both fundamental and technological aspects. Key subjects include transformations (e.g., extrusion), blends, bio-based polymers, and much more. Visit the society website for more information. Learn more here.;

Chicago-based landscape architect Alexander Trevi maintains a blog called Pruned. His September 20 entry looks at Mark Smout and Laura Allen's "Augmented Landscapes," which includes geotextile-supported designs that are slowly moving. Learn more here.;

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added 7 sites to the National Priorities List--the Superfund list. The polluted sites are scattered about the country: California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah. Information on the sites and the cleanup plans can be found on this EPA page. Learn more here.;

Phoebe Falconer's "Ask Phoebe" column in Auckland's New Zealand Herald has done a rather nice job of explaining some ponding on a newly developed site's soils. It isn't often that we see even basic engineering information represented in public forums. Well done. Learn more here.;

The US Military has entered into a short-term contract with Hesco Bastion, a company that offers collapsible barrier systems. The prefabricated cellular arrangement follows a gabion form with its coated steel baskets lined with nonwoven polypropylene geotextile. It's being used as an alternative to less easily removed and more-prone-to-failure systems such as concrete walls and sandbags. Learn more here.;

Attendees of the 2008 Construction Forecast Conference and BuildingTeam Summit will find comprehensive economic indicators and key market intelligence with which to improve their businesses. The two-day event, 3-4 October 2007, Washington, D.C., features speakers from various sectors, such as financial, homebuilding, cement, design and economics. Learn more here.;

The University of Southern California (USC) is looking to reduce its lawn irrigation needs by up to 80 percent. Their consultants, Sustainable Engineering Solutions, may have the answer: an underground system that uses polyester geotextile fiber, drip tape, and a polythylene bottom strip to deliver water at a rate in line with root uptake. Learn more here.;

Hurricane Humberto hit the Texas coastline recently, but some of the coast was preserved by geotextile tubes. The tubes along Bolivar Peninsula were punctured in the storm, but residents there believe the tubes have expanded the beaches and provided protection during storms such as 2005's Hurricane Claudette. Some geotextile tube providers can be found in the Buyer's Guide (click the yellow box on the top right hand side of this page above the advertising banner) . Learn more here.;

Wessex Institute of Technology is pleased to be cooperating with the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water. This prestigious International Prize consists of five different awards in separate fields of water resources: 1. Surface Water: Topic – Sedimentation Control in Surface Water Systems 2. Ground Water: Topic – Exploration and Assessment of Ground Water 3. Alternative (Non-Traditional) Water Resources: Topic – Innovative Methods and Systems Desalination 4. Water Resources Management and Protection: Topic – Water Demand Management in Urban Areas. The prize for each of these fields will be around $150,000. A special new Creativity Prize, worth more than a quarter of a million dollars has been added to the above awards. The Creativity Prize will be awarded to any original work (research, invention, technique etc) which is considered a breakthrough in any water-related field. The work must be practically applicable, economically feasible and environmentally friendly. Winners will also receive a gold medallion, a trophy and a certificate will be presented at a special award ceremony. The Prize Council will announce the winners in September 2008. All relevant details for nominations can be found on the Prize website at the link below. For further information contact tnolan-shaw@btconnect.com. Nomination deadline: End of December 2007. Learn more here.;

American Excelsior has posted news of the new ASTM Standard D7208, which addresses Temporary Ditch Checks. American's Kurt Kelsey is quoted in the release. Read it online today. Learn more here.;

The nonwovens association INDA will hold an international business conference in Mumbai, India from 16 - 18 October 2007. The events subjects include geotextiles. For more information, please visit the association India business page. Learn more here.;

Maccaferri's gabions are noted for quality by a contractor quoted in Erosion Control magazine. The article, "Shoring Up Infrastructure," is part of the current issue. The contractor's testimonial applies not only to Maccaferri's products; he speaks highly of the company's service and ready supply. Access the article through the link below. Learn more here.;

An ATV club in Wyoming spends time each year repair road and trail areas that conventional construction trucks. An Associated Press article follows them on a day of repairs, which includes the placing of "heavy fabric" in ruts ahead of stone cover. Learn more here.;

The Ground Penetrating Radar Institute is holding a workshop in Orlando, Florida at the end of November. For those of you who may be interested in the work done on the use of GPR in geosynthetics, please review the workshop brochure. Attendance is limited to 40 persons. Contact L. David Suits for more information.

It's often hard to tell if the popular press is referring to geosynthetic systems or not. Today's Intelligencer reports on forthcoming road repairs along the Delaware Canal in Solebury, Pennsylvania. To protect against future flood damage, a clay liner is to be installed along the sides and bottom of the canal. Geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) can be deployed in water. For examples, see case studies from Naue, Terrafix and Cetco. Learn more here.;

Agru America, a leading geomembrane provider, has launched a new website. The updated design features product data, manufacturing and testing information, case studies, and more. Learn more here.;

Union City, Michigan is looking for answers to a cracked and brittle pond liner at its wastewater treatment facility. According to the Daily Reporter, the manufacturer and installer have been contacted about the issue. The city is seeking solutions from the companies involved. Learn more here.;