The 11th International Conference on Geosynthetics (11 ICG) will be held 16 - 21 September 2018 in Seoul, Korea. This event is not to be missed! Held once every four years, it is the world’s most influential gathering of professionals in geosynthetics manufacturing and affiliated construction industries. The 11 ICG offers an opportunity for the field’s professionals to showcase innovations and discover INTERMAS,...

Oregon State University’s Dr. Ben Leshchinsky, P.E. and the University of Kansas’s Dr. Jin Han, P.E. recently combined their wealth of geosynthetics knowledge in a track ballast research study. Specifically, they evaluated the performance of a high-density polyethylene geocellular system (HDPE GEOWEB® from Presto Geosystems) in a railway base stabilization system. The rigorous track testing quantified the beneficial impact of...

Jim Olsta is a veteran presence in the geosynthetics field, particularly in regards to barrier solutions that utilize clays (e.g., geosynthetic clay liners). He has also carved out a strong reputation as a consensus builder with ASTM International committees, and those years of work will be recognized this June. During the ASTM D18 Committee on Soil and Rock meetings...

The United States Army Corps of Engineers controls more than 14,000 miles of levees. An additional 85,000+ miles of levees are privately owned and operated. To help improve strategies for preventing or responding to levee breach scenarios, USACE has constructed a Full-Scale Levee Breach and Hydraulic Test Facility in Vicksburg, Mississippi. A reinforced composite geomembrane lining system from OwensCorning...

Jim Olsta is a veteran presence in the geosynthetics field, particularly in regards to barrier solutions that utilize clays (e.g., geosynthetic clay liners). He has also carved out a strong reputation as a consensus builder with ASTM International committees, and those years of work will be recognized this June. During the ASTM D18 Committee on Soil and Rock meetings...

After nearly 18 years in geosynthetics, Elizabeth Peggs has announced her retirement from the field. Her roles have involved key positions with ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics, the International Geosynthetics Society, and major conference organization and management (e.g., GeoAmericas 2016). She has also been the only Director Minerva Technology, Resources and Information and its flagship publication Geosynthetica (est. 1999)...

The annual letter from TRI Environmental to its clients and the general geosynthetics community merits review for a number of its highlights. The company notes the considerable expansion testing capabilities, both through the addition of key equipment and through the re-location of its outdoor, large-scale testing facility for trafficking studies and erosion and sediment control testing. Furthermore, major staff additions...

To support its fast-growing portfolio of live and online events and nonprofit association client base, Minerva Technology, Resources, and Information has added Maria Bertuzzelli to its team. Bertuzzelli is a deeply experienced event management, budget management, and marketing professional. For the past seven years, Bertuzzelli has worked in the private sector managing brand assets, organizing events, conducting data analyses, coordinating...

One of the largest geosynthetics companies in the world, TenCate Geosynthetics, is adding a technical manager to its engineered structures team. In this position, the Technical Manager focuses on North American markets for MSE walls, slopes, and embankments. APPLY ONLINE “This position is responsible for managing the technical data, product testing, and project design related to the reinforced wall and slope...

In November, Solmax provided a technical webinar presentation on an important question for geomembranes:  Does asperity height or asperity concentration matter more for increasing interface shear resistance along a geomembrane surface? The presentation is now available for open viewing via the company's YouTube Channel. More technical presentation videos are available in the Solmax Video Library, part of the company's technical library...