Dr. Ian Peggs, PE, PEng, started an international print newsletter in the 1990s. That publication, Industry Insight, evolved out of its print format and into the digital publication Geosynthetica. While Dr. Peggs sold Geosynthetica in 2010, we have the great privilege of retaining a strong relationship with him. Geosynthetica’s team is excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publication in 2019. As we approach that recognition, we check in with Dr. Peggs on the amazing year his consulting engineering firm, I-CORP INTERNATIONAL, has enjoyed in 2018. – Chris Kelsey, Editor-in-Chief
By Ian D. Peggs – What a great surprise and honor it was to receive Honourary Membership status with the International Geosynthetics Society in Seoul at the 11th International Conference on Geosynthetics. It is a special feeling to be respected internationally by one’s peers. Along the way I have met some interesting people: JP Giroud, of course; Clifford Gundle; Bob Denis; John Mooney; Catrin Tarnowski; Du Toit Viljoen; and so many others. Through this profession, I have also journeyed to many interesting places, such as Kathmandu, Namibia, Sumatra, Urumchi, and the Arctic.
I-CORP ON-GOING PROJECTS
Despite his moving to Paris, JP Giroud and I still work together on projects with significant geotechnical content.
And, there is still a lot to do, with JP and with other colleagues: remote monitoring, evaluating and anticipating remaining service lifetimes, microstructural changes during welding, self-healing materials, etc. The work we’ve been asked to further and which will lead to these developments:
- Update of state liner CQA plan
- Failures of CSPE-R reservoir liners/covers
- Failures of HDPE liners
- Lifetimes of PP-lined steel HCl line pipes
- Condition of PP-R canal liner
- Brainstorm on future geomembranes (Special Session at Geosynthetics Conference 2019)
- Manufacturing/Quality of HDPE >8 m wide
- Re-engineering brine ponds (an endeavor with JP Giroud)
- Whales in side slope liner
The projects connected to these issues are currently in the United States , Canada, Mexico, Australia, Peru, and Israel.
A CHANGE IN LEAK LOCATION
After working with liner leak location surveys since about 1985, I-CORP decided to stop performing surveys. We sold our equipment to Terra Firma Labs in Australia, where we spent four days instructing their staff (very keen), doing test surveys, and presenting an open workshop. Due to the threat of rain, Tom Seymour built water-covered ponds and soil-covered liners in a large warehouse. Of course, it did not rain!
While we have stopped doing electrical surveys we will still support those that perform and need surveys. And, we will continue to help others perform the very fast landfill gas cap surveys and acoustic surveys to locate turbulent flow of water passing though leaks. Both of the techniques are relevant to systems where electrical methods cannot be used.
LOOKING FORWARD: JOIN US IN HOUSTON
In recent years, we have been delighted to be involved with the Berlin 2 and EuroGeo5 workshops on remaining lifetime and the wrinkle/bridging/ballasting panel sessions at 11ICG in Seoul and EuroGeo6 in Ljubljana. To get caught up on some of the biggest questions in this area, see the Berlin 2 Final Report (PDF), which was published during 2018.
While conference technical sessions rarely provide time for detailed discussion, they are essential. In these sessions, it can often feel like we are telling people what we think they need to know rather than what they actually want to know. In the spirit of giving attendees more time to ask what they want to know, to have the time to discover what they want to know, I-CORP will be involved in a special geomembrane “brainstorming” session at Geosynthetics Conference 2019 (10 – 13 February 2019, Housotn). I-CORP president Ian Peggs will moderate the session, “Geosynthetic Containment/Barrier Systems in the Future.” Please join us!
Learn more about I-CORP INTERNATIONAL’s engineering services and expertise at www.geosynthetic.com.
