The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has announced a second important workshop to be held in Edinburgh alongside the 16th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (XVI ECSMGE). On September 13, from 10:00 to 17:00, the IGS will offer a reinforcement workshop for a nominal registration fee. The XVI ECSMGE has graciously granted space for this special session,...

After 50+ years in the engineering field, a career in which he witnessed and contributed to the rise of geosynthetic technologies, Paul Barker is retiring. His professional path brought him to Agru America in 1997, where he has been instrumental in the company’s growth. On 31 August 2015, he will leave his position as Senior Vice President and Officer. In...

International geosynthetics manufacturer Solmax has announced the appointment of company veteran Mr. Jean-Louis Vangeluwe as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Vangeluwe has spent nearly two full decades with the company. He will serve as CEO for Solmax International (headquartered in Montreal, Québec, Canada) and Solmax International Asia-Pacific (headquartered in Malaysia). Mr. Vangeluwe, MBA, brings a great deal of leadership...

The field of geosynthetics will be front and center when the Australian Geomechanics Society's E.H. Davis Memorial Lecture tour kicks off in August. Dr. Malek Bouazza, a longtime active member of the International Geosynthetics Society, has been honored with the biennial lecture award. The topic of his lecture series is "Geosynthetics in Geoenvironment Systems: Pushing the application boundaries further...

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting honored the paper "Instrumented MSE Wall Reinforced with Polyester Straps" (Paper #15-0895) with its Best Paper 2015 award from TRB's Soil Mechanics Section. The work, which was sponsored by TRB committee AFS10 Transportation Earthworks, was co-authored by Yushan Luo, Dov Leshchinsky, Pietro Rimoldi, Giulia Lugli, and Chao Xu. Geosynthetica interviewed Maccaferri’s Moreno Scotto (Maccaferri USA President and...

Geosynthetic barriers are engineered to provide exceptional containment of liquids. The range of products and systems is wide and they cannot all be applied in the same way. HUESKER’s unique Canal3® barrier is getting three, free, canal liner webinar sessions in September. The focus is on water conveyance, containment, and conservation performance. Dates: September 9, 10, and 17 (2:00 pm...

On August 4 and 5, CETCO will host webinars on "Understanding and Monitoring Polymer Amended Bentonite in Geosynthetic Clay Liners for Use in Coal Ash Impoundments and Caustic Leachate Applications." Registration is open. VISIT THE REGISTRATION SITE TRI Environmental’s John M. Allen, P.E. and CETCO’s Scott P. Solotorovsky will lead the hour-long professional development session. The discussion comes at a good time....

The Federation of International Geo-Engineering Societies (FedIGS) is a collaborative endeavor that brings together four major geotechnical societies. FedIGS facilitates interaction between these learned societies’ members, promotes common interests, and mobilizes collective action on key issues. The group has now launched a website: www.geoengineeringfederation.org. The four sister societies of the federation are: International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) International Society of...

One of the world’s biggest manufacturers of geosynthetics seems set to go private. The multinational Royal Ten Cate NV (AMS:KTC), based in the Netherlands and listed on the NYSE EuroNext exchange, has received a buyout proposal from the private equity group Gilde Buy Out Partners. The deal has quickly received a number of irrevocable agreements and cash has been proven...

By Maccaferri - A unique geogrid has played an integral role in enabling a large industrial facility in Niagara (Ontario, Canada) to expand its production facility. Stormwater and clean process water from production would be kept in retention ponds before gradual release into nearby watercourses. Three ponds were required to handle this expansion. Engineers working on the project had detailed the large...