A few years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Rajib Mallick of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) who was about to deliver multiple papers at the annual TRB conference. One of his contributions focused on climate change and geosynthetic-reinforced chip seal (GRCS). Here, we revisit that interview as the TRB 2020 nears its conclusion. Also, January 15 is...

By Ian D. Peggs and Chris Kelsey – Low temperatures, fast-dropping temperatures, and strong winds can provide the ideal conditions for rapid crack propagation (RCP)—“shattering”—in exposed high-density polyethylene geomembranes. In the United States and Canada, winter weather patterns have become far less predictable, with "polar vortex" episodes, ice storms, and even tornado conditions followed by snow (as some...

In 2016, Geosynthetica had the honor of managing the GeoAmericas 2016 conference and publishing the proceedings. GeoAmericas 2020 will soon take place in Brazil. As part of a series leading up to that event, Geosynthetica is publishing some of the field contributions to the 2016 event. Here, we look at at a unique oil terminal modernization project that utilized...

When the Georgia Geo-Institute Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gathers for its January 2020 meeting, Geosyntec’s Dr. Robert Bachus, P.E., D.GE (Georgia) will be the headline presenter. Bachus will deliver a talk on "Dam Failures: Recent Experience with Mine Tailings and Coal Ash Impoundments" at the January 21 event in Atlanta. Bachus is a well-known figure...

While bridge and pavement conditions receive much of the media attention and legislative directives for transportation agencies, the value and performance of other assets are also important to the life-cycle operation of the transportation system. Geotechnical assets represent one such category. These assets include walls, slopes, embankments, and subgrades that contribute to the ability of a transportation agency to...

Following news that Ian Peggs, founder of Geosynthetica, is retiring from I-CORP International (though not retiring completely from geosynthetics), we thought we'd look back on some of his most provoking writings on this site. Whales and stress cracking are certainly the topics that have generated the most eye-catching works. We will re-release more of this work soon (including with...

Climate change has created less predictable precipitation and in many cases more intense precipitation events. This influx of water flow is a significant challenge for infrastructure planning, with and without geosynthetics. Here, Mojtaba Asadi, Soheil Nazarian, and Rajib Mallick use software to numerically model unsaturated flow within a conventional layered pavement in the aftermath of flood-related inundation. It's research...

The inaugural GeoU 2020 co-locates five high-level short courses. Four of the courses are concurrently held engineering classes and the fifth is a half-day marketing course for sales and marketing personnel working in the geosynthetics field. One of the signature engineering courses is “Geosynthetics in Stormwater Controls and Hydraulic Engineering.” Joel Sprague, P.E., who serves as Senior Engineer and Technical...

After 40+ years of geosynthetic materials performance consulting work, Dr. Ian D. Peggs has made a strategic decision to close I-CORP INTERNATIONAL, Inc. for the foreseeable future and to retire. Dr. Peggs will continue his own R&D and technical support projects. Dr. Peggs has been one of the most revered practitioners in the field of geosynthetics. Engineer Robert Wallace referred...

Founded in 1832, the North Berwick Golf Club in the UK is one of oldest clubs in the world. In fact, you’d have to visit historic St. Andrews to find a club that has enjoyed continuous play on a golf course over the same period or for longer. To secure the future of the club’s historic West Links course against...