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Approximately 40 people attended the Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) short course “Constructing with Fabricated Geomembranes” held in Orlando, Florida on 14 May 2010. Attendees included Rodrigo Arevalo of Geomembranas Ltda in Bogota, Colombia and Marcel Niederhauser, Leister’s (Switzerland) new Business Development Manager for North America. Richard Tedder of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) welcomed attendees to the state.
Presentations by FGI members covered all of the geomembrane materials that can be prefabricated in the plant into large panels to minimize the number of field seams: PVC, PP, EIA, CSM (previously CSPE), EPDM, TPU, etc.
Of course, comparisons were made with HDPE. However, in the end, the course essentially extolled the virtues of using geomembranes in a wide range of applications, but with there being many more candidate materials than HDPE.
Presentations included:
- Manufacturing — Gary Kolbasuk (Raven)
- Fabrication and Installation — Greg Scales (Colorado Lining), Rodney Carriker (Lange), and Stan Slifer (Watersaver)
- Leak location — Daren Laine (LLSI)
- Slope stability and interface shear strengths — Tim Stark (FGI)
- Welding — Greg Yaple (PWT)
- Floating covers and potable water — Andrew Mills (Layfield), Bryant Jefferson (Colorado Lining)
- Waste water ponds — Ian D. Peggs (I-CORP)
- Canals and decorative/irrigation ponds — Bryant Jefferson
- Secondary containment — Rodney Carriker
- Case histories
In the last segment Chris Eichelberger (AEGL) reviewed the exciting exposed TPO solar power generating cap at Republic’s Tessman Road landfill in San Antonio, and Terry Sheridan explained GeoStorage’s fascinating underground storm water detention system using geomembranes and reinforced wall technology.
Because of NASA’s thoughtfulness in arranging the last lift-off of space shuttle Atlantis during the course break we were all able to see the successful lift-off.
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The next FGI course is scheduled for 15 October 2010 in Denver, Colorado. For information contact tstark@illinois.edu.
Ian Peggs is president of I-CORP International. Visit I-CORP’s website at http://www.geosynthetic.com or write to him at icorp@geosynthetic.com.
