For this installment of “Recommended Reading,” we asked Richard Bathurst, Ph.D., FCAE, FEIC, P.Eng., what others in the geosynthetics and affiliated engineering sectors might learn from or like to have in their files. He recommended a freely-available report from the Netherlands-based organization CUR Building & Infrastructure: “Durability of Geosynthetics.”
Dr. Bathurst writes:
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I would like to recommend to the readers of Geosynthetica the following freely available publication: CUR 243 – Durability of Geosynthetics.
This English-language document was commissioned by the Netherlands-based organization CUR Bouw & Infra. It was authored by by J.H. Greenwood, H.F. Schroeder and W. Voskamp and reviewed by an international committee. CUR Committee 187 on Durability of Geosynthetics oversaw the project.
“Durability of Geosynthetics” is an up-to-date, comprehensive and well-written summary of the state-of-the art with respect to durability of geotextiles, geogrids and drainage mats (but excludes geomembanes and GCLs). The preface to the report contains a clear statement of the objectives and scope:
“The publication is intended for use by civil engineers who have a limited knowledge of chemical engineering or polymer technology, but who have to check the service life and are aware of the degradation of geosynthetics and also have knowledge of design with reduction factors, for example with reinforcement applications.”
“At the same time the publication gives a state-of-the-art report of the various methods which are available to test and assess the life-limiting mechanisms. It describes the evaluation methods and describes how to make an assessment. This assessment can only be made by experts. The names of accredited testing institutes and certification bodies are given.”
The report can be downloaded from:
http://www.cur.nl/upload/documents/C187_S_12_52224.pdf
Learn more about CUR’s work at www.cur.nl.
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Richard J. Bathurst is a Professor of Civil Engineering (Royal Military College) and Cross-Appointed Professor of Civil Engineering (Queen’s University). He currently serves as President of the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) and is a member of and research director for the GeoEngineering Centre (a joint venture between RMC and Queen’s). Dr. Bathurst’s work has earned many honors, including most recently a Discovery Accelerator Supplement award, the Best Research Paper Award 2012 from the Japanese Geotechnical Society, the 2013 ASTM Hogentogler Award, and the 2014 Giroud Lecture award from the International Geosynthetics Society.
His leadership as editor of Geosynthetics International has earned the journal a #3 ranking for professional impact in the most recent SCIMAGO rankings.
