Transportation

In his final report from the 3rd International Conference on Geosynthetic Clay Liners, I-CORP International's Ian Peggs recaps the day's contributions, from Patrick Fox's opening keynote lecture to Peter Davies' review of GIGSA standards from South Africa. Other presentations dealt with GCL shear tests, material "greenness" versus compacted clay liners, ion exchange, deformation in puncture tests, and more. Read Ian's write-up here.

The September 2010 issue of the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) Newsletter is available. This month's stories include updates on GSI's numerous research projects (e.g., UV exposure of geomembranes and field behavior and flexible polypropylene [fPP] geomembranes), updates to the information accessibility on GSI's websites, forthcoming short courses, fellowship awards for 2010-2011, and much more. Read the issue here (PDF). Learn more here.;

Day two in Würzburg, Germany and day one of the 3rd International Conference on Geosynthetic Clay Liners was excellent. Yet again while we met inside Würzburg's historic Fortress Marienberg, the The Three Musketeers remake went on filming in the adjacent building, which is to serve, ostensibly, as Paris. Nevertheless, Kerry Rowe (Queens University, Canada) and Craig Benson (University of Wisconsin, USA) gave excellent keynote lectures. Read more.

On September 15, 2010, Propex Operating Company, LLC filed suit against Western Excelsior Corporation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The lawsuit filed alleges both Patent and Trade dress infringement as well as Unfair Competition by Western Excelsior. Propex is seeking an injunction and damages.

TMP Geosynthetics will attend and participate in the exhibit hall at the 6th China International Exhibition of Geosynthetics & Equipment, to be held at the Shanghai Mart in Shanghai, China 13-15 October 2010. TMP's booth number is A16. The Exhibition is being hosted by the Chinese Technical Association on Geosynthetics. Shanghai Besway Exhibition Co., Ltd is serving as the organizer. The scope of the Exhibition covers raw materials for geosynthetic production, including methods and equipment for manufacture; testing equipment; technical consulting; and all matters of technical services, including the utilization of geosynthetics in construction. Learn more.

After three successful years at the helm, NAUE America Inc.'s President Carsten Lesny has announced his intention to leave the company and return to Germany, where he will continue to work in the geotechnics field. We would like to thank Carsten for all his hard work and effort over the last three years. Everyone at NAUE would like to wish him and his family every success upon their return. Read more.

A national infrastructure bank would serve to make federal infrastructure investment a question of national economics rather than local politics, according to a Wall Street Journal editorial. The bank would also help pair private capital with public funds. With the cost of bringing the country's infrastructure up to date now exceeding $2 trillion, according to American Society of Civil Engineers, the bank could raise billions through bonds and self-financing mechanisms to help bridge the gap. Learn more here.;

President Obama's proposal to create a National Infrastructure Bank has certainly generated strong response both for and against. The wide-ranging vision includes roads, rails, airport runways and more. The bank would create a source for bond sales, in part funding public projects with private funds. The non-partisan National Journal is hosting a debate on the project on its Transportation Blog. Learn more here.;

Ian D. Peggs, Ph.D., P.E., of I-CORP International is currently in Würzburg, Germany for the 3rd International Conference on Geosynthetic Clay Liners, September 15-16. The event has been spearheaded by three key independent organizations on its scientific committee: SKZ (Germany), Cemagref (France) and the Geosynthetic Institute (USA). Time permitting during the conference, Ian has agreed to share updates from Germany with Geosynthetica's readers. He filed the following on the evening of September 14. Read more.

The International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Southeast Chapter is once again hosting a South Carolina Erosion and Sediment Control Training and Field Day. This year's event will be held on Thursday, October 7 in Anderson, South Carolina. It is titled "Sediment Control Systems" and will offer attendees up to 6 PDHs. This year's training will be a one-day event and all activities will be held at the TRI Denver Downs Research Facility. The morning sessions will be devoted to technical presentations by local technical experts on Sediment Control BMPs and Construction Site Turbidity Control. The afternoon sessions will focus on specific BMP applications, testing, and demonstrations.

UAE-based Kangaroo Plastics, an international manufacturer of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and polypropylene (PP) geomembranes, recently participated in the "Geosynthetics and modern materials in coastal protection and related applications" conference. Organized by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Chennai and CMH of IAHR India, the workshop focused on polymeric products in flood control, beach renourishment, and other coastal protection applications. Kangaroo's geomembranes have been utilized in many difficult applications, such as for tunnel lining, water conveyance, oil and gas operations, municipal solid waste, and more. Learn more here.;

In 1999, ACF Environmental was involved in a project that saw the installation of Propex's Pyramat turf reinforcement mat (TRM) in lieu of traditional riprap for roadside work. Now, through its e-newsletter, ACF Environmental begins a series of articles and photographic essays to look back on the work as it happened and as it stands now. The photographs from Delaware provide excellent proof of the power of the right erosion control and geosynthetic mix to secure vegetation and promote long-term, successful growth. Learn more here.;

Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) are pleased to invite you to the 1st GSI-Asia geosynthetics conference. The conference will be held in Taichung, Taiwan 16-18 November 2010. The conference theme is "Geosynthetics in Infrastructure." In conjunction with the event, the Journal of GeoEngineering plans a special issue. Papers for that issue are still being accepted. Download the paper template in PDF.

The £80 million A1073 replacement link between Spalding and Peterborough is being constructed over highly variable ground conditions in the Fens, helped by the mechanical stabilisation performance of Tensar International's TriAx™ geogrids. Use of 130,000 sq.m. Tensar TriAx™ to mechanically stabilise the sub-base resulted in minimal soil excavation and reduced plant requirements. The inclusion of locally won sand and gravel capping also reduced the environmental impact and lowered imported material costs.

On 16 September 2010, CE News will host a webcast on "Green Solutions for High Flow Channels and Shorelines." This webcast will include a focus on designs using geosynthetically reinforced vegetated systems. Experts Jill Pack, Robert Lawson and Gabe Weaver from North American Green will cover current industry testing on reinforced vegetation systems, alternative designs to rock and hard armor, and how to offer green solutions for head-to-tail channel scour protection and shoreline stabilization. Learn more and register. Learn more here.;

The National Science Foundation-sponsored Geo-engineering Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Team is traveling to Christchurch, New Zealand to document the effects of the Magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred on 4 September 2010. The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center is also co-sponsoring this effort. GEER teams focus on documenting geotechnical effects of extreme events as part of the U.S. National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). The Team will be working in the field until September 16. Learn more about their mission.

TenCate Geosynthetics North America introduces internet-based MiraSpec Design Solutions Software, an easy-to-use software program that will assist engineers in flexible pavement design while demonstrating the many benefits of using TenCate Mirafi® RS580i woven reinforcement & stabilization geotextile in roadway structures.

Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) are pleased to invite you to the 1st GSI-Asia geosynthetics conference. The conference will be held in Taichung, Taiwan 16-18 November 2010. The conference theme is "Geosynthetics in Infrastructure." Primary topics include Mechanical Stabilized Earth Structures, Coastal and Hydraulic Engineering, Erosion Control and Sustainable Engineering, and Transportation and Pavement Engineering. The program includes a keynote lecture, special lectures, and discussion sessions. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Registration by September 30 for an advanced registration rate. Learn more here.;

Writing for the UK-based Rail Engineer, Douglas Ayres recalls his time in the Western Region’s New Works Laboratory. His history includes many notes on firsts in the use of geosynthetics in track construction: geotextile, geomembranes and geogrids. Learn more here.;

Kevin Hancock of Geosand (Terram Geosynthetics and WTB Geotechnics) writes in the July 2010 issue of Rail Engineer about geosynthetics in rail construction. Learn more here.;

In addition to the launch of a new website, Terram has released a series of new technical design guides covering the core products of geotextiles, geocomposites and geocells as well as an introduction to Terram. These documents provide specifiers with information on which applications the products can be used along with useful design details. Learn more at the new Terram website. Learn more here.;

As hearings continued through September 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks comments regarding the regulation of coal ash containment sites. The Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) was among the first in line to address the issue Aug. 30 at the initial hearing in Arlington, Va. Read more, including remarks from GMA Members. Learn more here.;

A rail yard in Utah has been in operation since the first transcontinental railroad reached the area in 1869. Four major railroad companies have used the rail yard for switching, maintenance of locomotives, and transferring cargo. A DNAPL tar plume was discovered running from the northern end of the yard under an adjacent highway and into a neighboring pond. HDPE geomembrane and Organoclay Reactive Core Mat from CETCO were used to remediate the site. Read more.

In Cleveland, Tennessee, an expensive drainage ditch and retention pond project that was built during a drought is now suffering erosion strong erosion in non-drought conditions. An unknown water source is entering the pond and turning it into a constant stream. Officials are now debating whether riprap could be used in the ditches. If the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation does not approve the plan, a geosynthetic liner will most likely be needed in the pond to sustain the flow rate. Learn more here.;

A county in northwestern Ohio is using geotextile-reinforced aggregate to build abutments and wingwalls for bridges and culverts, in an adaptation of an old, old, idea. And it works. Warren Schlatter, the county engineer in Defiance, Ohio, says there have been no failures or problems with the bridges. "They do what I want them to do," he says. Read more. Learn more here.;