Huesker Synthetic GmbH announced in a Feb. 6 press release that Graham Thomson has been appointed as the company’s area director for Asia.

“I’m really looking forward to the new challenge of the Asian market and I’m glad to be given the opportunity to represent Huesker in Asia,” Thomson said.

With more than 20 years of experience in the geosynthetics industry, Thomson will support Huesker customers in the region with a qualified knowledge of geotechnical applications, the release stated.

Thomson, previously the managing director for Huesker Ltd. U.K., is succeeded in that position by Graham Horgan.

Source: Huesker Synthetic GmbH

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) announced in a Feb. 2 press release the availability of a graduate research grant.

The founding principles of FGI have been research and education, the release said; and in support of these principles, it plans to award research funds for an initial two-year period to support ideas that advance the use of fabricated geomembranes in containment applications.

The FGI research grant is $10,000 per year for two years (subject to annual review). The research can focus on any aspect of fabricated geomembranes such as: formulation, welding, field testing, installation, durability in exposed and unexposed applications, chemical resistance, or any other measure of fabricated geomembrane performance, according to the release.

Projects that involve participation by the private sector and /or other universities are welcomed. FGI’s news release did recommend that students and faculty members network with one or more FGI members to better understand the questions that need to be answered in the field of fabricated geomembranes before submitting a proposal.

The FGI will establish an advisory committee to evaluate, award, and monitor the research project, the release said. Timothy D. Stark, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is directing this project. Graduate students interested in applying for the FGI grant should contact Prof. Stark for an application and more information.

Source: Fabricated Geomembrane Institute

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | February 2, 2012

The objective of Geosynthetics 2013 is to share new developments in geosynthetic engineering and technologies. The conference will feature four days of technical programming, including short courses, panel discussions and papers.

Call for Proposals

This Call for Proposals is issued to solicit topics and programs that will create an innovative, varied, and exciting Technical Program. In addition to traditional paper sessions, this Call seeks proposals for activities that will allow professional colleagues to share their expertise through panel discussions and short courses.

Due Feb. 8, 2012

Submit proposals online

Panel Discussions

Panel discussions are 90-minute sessions that bring professionals together for discussion and debate about technical and non-technical subjects and industry issues, such as political influences or social trends and their impact. Panel Discussions have a facilitator with several panelists to present differing viewpoints

Proposals should include an outline and title, a synopsis of the expected outcome of the discussion, preliminary names for facilitators and panelists. Facilitators are responsible for securing panel members and organizing the panel discussion. Meeting room and standard AV equipment (laptop, projector and sound, will be provided.

Short Courses

Short Courses will be emphasized in the technical program. Geosynthetics 2013 is committed to provide continuing education opportunities for participants. Short Courses at Geosynthetics 2013 may include beginner, intermediate and advanced courses.

Proposals should include the course title, a description of the course with a summary of its learning objectives, a list of instructors and their qualifications, a summary of course handouts, and whether the course should be scheduled as a half or full day. Also indicate whether the course will offer professional development hours (PDHs).

Technical Paper Sessions—Call for Chairs

Technical Paper Sessions are 90-minutes in length during which four to six related papers are presented by their authors. Multiple papers that present various facets of a project are encouraged. Multiple sessions with a related theme are possible. Technical Paper Sessions require at least one Session Chair who solicits paper submissions (if needed), conducts anonymous reviews and conducts the session onsite. Co-chairs are preferred but are not required. Complete Session Chair responsibilities are available here.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to):

• Energy
• Drainage
• Mining
• Water
• Dams and Levees
• Environmental
• Case Histories
• Renewable Energy
• Conveyance and Storage
• Failure
• Agriculture/Aquaculture
• Foundations
• Transportation
• Shoreline and Water Protection
• Geo-Hazards
• Geosynthetics Properties
• Ground Improvement
• Hydrofracking
• Temporary Roads
• Other

Proposals should include the topic and contact details for the proposed Session Chair.

Technical Paper Program Submission Deadlines
Proposals due: Feb. 8, 2012
Acceptance notification: Feb. 29, 2012
Submit online

Technical Program Co-Chairs:
Shobha Bhatia
Syracuse University
skbhatia@syr.edu

Stan Boyle
Shannon & Wilson
srb@shanwil.com

Technical Program Manager:
Barbara Connett
+1 651 225 6914
800 486 3980
bjconnett@ifai.com

Houston-based GSE Holdings Inc. (GSE) has revised its initial public offering (IPO), according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Jan. 30, 2012.

GSE is a manufacturer of geosynthetic products including geomembranes and geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) used in containment, lining, capping and mining applications.

In December 2011, the company postponed its previously announced IPO due to market conditions. The Jan. 30 filing with the SEC details selling 7 million shares at $8–$10 per share.

GSE said it expects to raise about $56.6 million from this IPO to reduce debt, terminate a previous management agreement and for general corporate purposes.

The company plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker GSE.

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 31, 2012

A giant lagoon facility in Kazakhstan—1,400,000 square meters (350 acres)—designed to contain process liquid waste for an oil company, was completed after seven months of on-site work.

The fast-track program was installed by England-based Geosynthetic Technology Ltd. (GT), which was hired to manage all aspects of the lining project. GT, based in Colchester, northeast of London, has a history of more than 40 years’ experience with geomembrane engineering, specializing in lining project management internationally.

GT itemized its preparation for the project including:

• evaluation and testing of geomembrane lining materials.
• reviewing manufacturing resources.
• training and certifying on-site labor.
• geomembrane installation planning.
• quality assurance procedures.

In original planning by the oil company client, the liner would have been installed in phases during a three-year period. But harsh winters from November to March meant that lining installation work was only possible from April to October.

GT commenced installation in August 2010 with the objective of testing its rapid installation plan over about 10 percent of the total lagoon design area.Despite hot weather (up to 38 C, 100 F), the trial area was completed ahead of schedule.

GT said that the client noted the rapid progress and authorized the whole of the remaining area for installation on the same fast-track basis from April to October, 2011. Enduring through dust storms and occasional flooding, the work was completed by the end of August 2011. Every seam was tested and all quality procedures completed.

GT chairman, John Alexander said, “I have been working in geomembrane engineering for nearly 40 years and have never seen a geomembrane installation more professionally performed. The pace was breathtaking!”

A “right first time” failsafe approach was taken by GT regarding manufacturing quality. The distance of more than 2,000 miles from the liner manufacturing plant to the job site, and the tight installation program, could not tolerate manufacturing faults on delivered materials. Raw material tests certificates were provided and checked for each batch of polymer used and rolls of sheet manufactured from each polymer batch were allocated a unique reference number.

Every roll was tested at the production plant for compliance with particular contract specification basic physical properties. A sample of each thickness from every batch was selected at random by GT and submitted to an independent laboratory for repeat conformance testing of basic physical properties.

GT also arranged for various reference tests, such as surface friction, multi-axial elongation, and coefficient of thermal expansion, conducted in an independent U.S. laboratory. The results of all testing were incorporated into a quality assurance report for the client.

Freight

The two most important factors considered for container freight were size of the rolls, to enable best use of container volume, and the method of loading and unloading without damage.

GT determined that rolls of 1.00mm (40-mil) gauge in a sheet size of 5.8m (19ft) × 200m (656ft), and rolls of 1.5m (60-mil) in a sheet size of 5.8m (19ft) × 135m (443ft) would enable 16 rolls packed per container; in each case, a symmetrical 4 × 4 formation, without risk of crushing or coming loose during the 2,000-mile journey.

A purpose made spike was bolted to a forklift truck. The spike was inserted through the central core of the rolls for loading and unloading.Each roll was fitted with slings to facilitate site lifting by excavators.

Geomembrane installation

Prior to startup, an inventory of specialized equipment, welding machines, spare parts, lifting frames and quality control equipment was assembled by GT and shipped to the job site. An air-conditioned site laboratory and workshop was established. GT calculated it would be necessary to operate with three welding crews each day on 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, for continuous sessions of 30 days on/30 days off per rotation crew to achieve the output target.

GT also determined that it would be necessary to have at least one of its senior technicians on-site on a rotation basis throughout the entire project.

To facilitate a smooth startup and good communication, two Kazakhstan installers were selected to travel to GT headquarters near Colchester, England, where they underwent intensive training, including on-site work in varying weathers for three months. Training included learning job-specific English words such as weld, deploy, and quality control. At the completion of training, they were issued with certificates of competence in welding.

The availability of the trained Kazakhstan personnel, under the management and organization of GT technicians, prompted an efficient start.Within days of commencement, an output of 20,000m² (215,280ft²) per day was consistently achieved when weather conditions permitted.

During the seven-month installation period, the work crews experienced two flash floods, several dust storms, frosty mornings, and high temperatures exceeding 40 C (104 F).There were days when no installation was possible, which made it even more imperative to achieve high output during good weather to complete the job.

Installation quality control

Every seam was tested qualitatively by an air-pressure method. Each seam weld actually included two parallel welds with a gap between them. The end of the seam run—up to 200m (220 yards) long—was clamped and then air was pumped in to the weld gap to inflate it to a predetermined pressure.

If this pressure is maintained for a specified time, the seam is verified as airtight. In the event of a drop in pressure, the leaking air was then located by sound and the leak patch-welded.

At the start of each shift or change of welding machine setting, a sample seam tab was submitted to the on-site laboratory for destructive testing. The mode of failure of the seam was also examined. The location of all rolls and seams were noted on an as-built drawing. The onsite-based quality control function was performed by English-speaking personnel to ensure that nothing would be “lost in translation.”

Overview

“This geomembrane lining project was groundbreaking in many respects,” said Alexander, GT’s chairman, shaking hands with the president of the Kazakhstan Main Contractors. “Its sheer scale of 1,400,000 square meters (350 acres) is awesome and is, by any standards, the largest lagoon lining ever undertaken anywhere in the world. The speed of liner installation, together with the high quality standards maintained throughout the work has set new standards in geomembrane engineering.”

Source: Geosynthetic Technology Ltd.

Edited by: Geosynthetics magazine

By Bob Koerner

Thirty years ago while contemplating “Designing With Geosynthetics,” I never dreamed that there would be a sixth edition and yet here we are but not without some major changes.

Back in the 1980s, I had experience with writing textbooks for all of the major technical book publications (John Wiley and Sons, McGraw-Hill, and Prentice-Hall) and decided on the latter which today is Pearson Publishing Co. It was a good experience since their editors were fully familiar with technical books containing figures, tables, example problems, S.I. units, equations, Greek symbols, etc.

The typed manuscripts always came out in book published form looking fantastic. They also had a sales department that visited all colleges and universities greatly aiding in the adoption process. As with many cutting-edge technical areas (geosynthetics being no exception) new information and products required revisions and successive editions followed with the status of all previous editions as follows:

Two years ago, however, I was informed by the book publisher that sales were insufficient for a sixth edition. This was a surprise since plans were already under way! Since the price was $150 per copy, however, I rationalized that a different publisher might even be an advantage.

The new sixth edition manuscript was sent to the publisher April 5, 2011, with the hope that it would be ready for the autumn 2011 academic year. However, surprises were immediate. One was that Xlibris’ books are smaller in size than a standard engineering textbook and would require two separate volumes. Thus, there are four chapters in each volume:

• Vol. 1–Geosynthetics, Geotextiles, Geogrids, and Geonets
• Vol. 2–Geomembranes, Geosynthetic Clay Liners, Geofoam, and Geocomposites

Another surprise was that the editors were unfamiliar with analytical and technical presentations. Each volume was proofread five times. I certainly hope for the best in this regard. One positive issue, however, is that the book prices are much lower:

• Hardbound: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 ~ $34.00
• Softbound: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 ~ $24.00

As with all previous editions, there are homework problems at the end of each chapter and a solutions manual is available for those interested (e.g., faculty teaching a geosynthetics course). I would estimate that 20% is new from the previous edition, particularly the inclusion of failure situations (and their avoidance), sustainability information, new products, and recent references.

Regarding adoption, faculty members will have to work through the publisher directly, while individuals can order through online booksellers. The authors service representative is Laura Reagen (laura.reagen@Xlibris.com) and she can also put you into contact with their book consultant who can contract with you for volume discounts.

Bob Koerner, Ph.D., P.E., NAE, is the director of Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) and is a member of Geosynthetics magazine’s Editorial Advisory Committee. GSI: +1 610 522 8440.

Source: The GSI Newsletter/Report, Dec. 2011: Vol.25, No. 4

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 23, 2012

Leister Process Technologies, the Switzerland-based plastic welding and hot air equipment manufacturer, has reorganized from a sole proprietorship to a holding structure consisting of three independent, limited companies, with Leister AG as the holding company, according to a Jan. 18 press release.

Since its founding in 1949, Leister Process Technologies operated in the legal form of a sole proprietorship. Growth in the past few decades, diversification into additional business areas, and the formation of companies in the United States, Germany, China, and Japan spurred the structural changes, the release said.

• Leister AG is now the holding company, responsible for the management and control of the entire Leister group.
• Leister Technologies AG now manages the business in the areas of plastic welding, hot air industrial processes, and laser systems.
• Axetris AG replaces the Axetris business unit, converting it into an independent company that will remain active in the areas of gas sensors and micro optics.
• All existing national affiliates—including Leister USA—will remain in operation untouched.

“This new corporate structure allows us to sharpen our focus in key areas, and successfully develop the future of all Leister activities,” said Christiane Leister, chief executive officer, Leister AG. Existing company managers will lead newly established companies, with all properties remaining under the overall direction of Ms. Leister, the press release stated.

Leister Technologies AG has been in the plastic welding and hot air equipment business for more than 60 years. Its headquarters is in Kaegiswil, Switzerland, with sales and service centers in more than 90 countries.

Leister Technologies LLC, based in Chicago, is a business unit of Leister AG and is the exclusive U.S. sales and service center for Leister’s full line of products including process heat and plastic welding equipment.

By Ron Bygness

A coalition of environmental groups is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the goal of speeding new safeguards for coal-ash disposal.

In its lawsuit, the coalition claims the EPA has declined for decades to enact regulations to declare coal ash as hazardous waste or to update testing methods.

If the EPA declares coal ash a hazardous waste, it would lead to new clean-up costs for electric companies that store the byproduct in holding ponds near the power plants.

Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal to generate electricity. The coal-ash holding ponds are largely unregulated, including the use of geosynthetic liners (geomembranes) for safety.

Environmentalists have called for more-strenuous regulations, particularly since a December 2008 disaster when a containment site in Kingston, Tenn., burst open and flooded 300 acres with coal-ash sludge. That impoundment failure resulted in a multi-year cleanup costing more than $1.2 billion.

Another coal-ash spill occurred in 2011 in Oak Creek, Wis., near Milwaukee, where a power company’s containment pond collapsed and the byproduct sludge slid into Lake Michigan.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine

GMA’s position consistent

The position of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) has been a consistent lobby for the lining of coal-ash containment sites. The use of composite liner systems will achieve the EPA mission to protect human health and the environment.

While coal ash does contain heavy metals, it lacks the traditional characteristics of hazardous materials: radioactivity, or the presence of infectious medical waste.

In the opinion of our trade association, coal ash can be properly stored using “subtitle D” regulations, a non-hazardous solid-waste designation with composite liner systems.

—Andrew Aho, GMA managing director

Northern California:

March 6-7, 2012

Hilton Garden Inn Roseville
1951 Taylor Road
Roseville, California
Register here for the Northern California Short Course

Southern California:

March 8-9, 2012

(Meeting space donated by Leighton & Associates)
17781 Cowan
Irvine, California
Register here for the Southern California Short Course

The 1.5-day (9 PDHs) short course “Geosynthetics in Roadways” provides training on the appropriate, cost-effective use of geosynthetics in roadway applications. The course examines the use of geotextiles, geogrids, and edge drains in pavement structures. Filtration, drainage, roadway separation, roadway reinforcement, roadway subgrade improvement, and pavement overlay applications are addressed. Although this training focuses on roadways, the content is applicable to other areas of geosynthetic applications.

Bob Holtz, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, is a professor emeritus at the University of Washington. He has taught numerous short courses and given many presentations at seminars and conferences, both in the U.S. and abroad. His research and publications are geosynthetics, soil improvement, foundations, and soil properties. He is author, co-author, or editor of 23 books and book chapters, including Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering, 2nd Edition, as well as more than 270 technical papers, discussions, reviews, and major reports.

L. David Suits, MSCE , has more than 35 years of experience in geosynthetics and geosynthetics testing. He is currently the executive director of the North American Geosynthetics Society. He is retired from the New York state DOT where he was the Soils Engineering Laboratory Supervisor overseeing all testing and approval of geosynthetics for use by the department. He is author/co-author of more than 30 papers, numerous articles, and textbook chapters on geosynthetics. He is currently one of the members of the team that teaches the NHI/FHWA Designing with Geosynthetics course.

Outcomes

The outcomes for this short course are an understanding of the types of geosynthetics available for providing economical solutions for geotechnical engineering problems.

Who should attend?

The workshop is intended for engineers or technical staff who design roadways and would like to gain a greater understanding of the use of geosynthetics in roadway applications. The course is open to anyone who uses geosynthetics.

Brought to you by the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), a chapter of the International Geosynthetic Society (IGS) and the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI).

Corporate sponsors: Northern California is sponsored by Reed & Graham ; Southern California is sponsored by Thrace/LINQ .

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 13, 2012

Edmonton-based Layfield Environmental Systems Ltd.—a division of the Layfield Group—has acquired Canwest Protective Coatings Ltd., of Red Deer, Alberta, according to a Jan. 12 press release.

Canwest is a spray-applied liner application service that Layfield adds to its portfolio of environmental containment products and services. According to the release, the transaction provides a synergistic addition to Layfield’s environmental service business in Canada and the United States.

Layfield had previously subcontracted with Canwest for its coatings application services. Canwest’s primary focus was on the western Canadian natural resources industries, the release said.

Canwest spray-on liners have been applied to Layfield’s geosynthetic materials, which have been installed on secondary-containment structures or earth surrounding aboveground oil storage tanks.

The press release noted that in addition to serving the oil exploration industry, Layfield expects to provide spray-applied liner solutions for other applications, such as primary and secondary containment, waterproofing, corrosion control, effluent transport, railcars, and ponds.

The release said that Layfield has contracted Barry Waldo, the previous owner of Canwest, to provide application services for customers as well as providing on-the-job training to Layfield employees in Edmonton and Vaughan, Ontario for two years. Waldo has 20 years of spray-applied liner application experience and will continue to be a resource for Layfield, according to the release.

Source: Layfield Environmental Systems Ltd.

By Andrew Aho

At our meeting on Jan. 23, 2012, we will welcome the newest member of the GMA Executive Council—Crown Resources of Toccoa, Ga.

A manufacturer of woven and nonwoven geotextiles, Crown is led by industry veterans, Monte Thomas and Keith Gardner. We look forward to their expertise, ideas, and energy.

Join me in welcoming Monte, Keith, and the Crown Resources team to GMA’s Executive Council.

Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 12, 2012

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced in a press release this week that nearly $1.6 billion is headed to states across the nation to help cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by a variety of natural disasters.

“Communities from coast to coast are still recovering from disasters that have affected the roads they use, their homes, and businesses,” said LaHood. “The Obama Administration stands ready to provide emergency relief and reimburse these communities for the work that has been done to restore their critical transportation needs.”

Funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Emergency Relief Program was provided by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012. FHWA will provide a total of $1.58 billion to 30 states, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and federal land management agencies to reimburse them for repairs to roads and bridges caused by storms, flooding, hurricanes, and other natural and catastrophic disasters, according to the release.

Vermont, hard hit by Hurricane Irene, will receive $125.6 million; North Dakota will receive $89.1 million for the Devils Lake Basin for damage caused by spring 2011 runoff; and Iowa will receive $37.5 million to repair damage caused by the May 2011 Missouri River flooding.

This money will reimburse states for fixing or replacing highways, bridges, and other roadway structures. Costs associated with detours, debris removal, and other immediate measures necessary to restore traffic flow in impacted areas are also eligible for reimbursement.

See a complete list of states and funding amounts here.

Source: USDOT

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 10, 2012

As a result of more than a century of industrial activity on the shores of Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, N.Y., the lake’s sediments have been contaminated with chemicals and heavy metals such as lead, cobalt, and mercury. Due to this contamination, Onondaga Lake and related upland sites were added to the Federal Superfund National Priorities List in 1994.

Today, the action plan for the lake involves a massive dredging/dewatering project using geotextile tubes. It is described as “the largest geotextile tube project in the U.S. and North America,” according to a Jan. 10 press release from TenCate Geosynthetics, sole supplier of its Geotube® containers for this project.

The design by Parsons Engineering is to hydraulically dredge an estimated 2.1 million cubic yards of sediment waste and pump it through four miles of double-walled pipeline to a 50-acre dewatering cell pad.

The design specifies containing and dewatering the waste in geotextile tubes stacked 30 feet high. TenCate’s geotextile tube containers, of various circumferences, are designed to dewater the sediments.

The project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2012 and is planned to continue for four years. Upon completion of dredging and dewatering, the containers will be permanently stored in the capped cell.

Source: TenCate Geosynthetics

Most U.S. surface impoundments are not lined

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 6, 2012

A Jan. 5 press release from the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) noted that three years after the coal ash reservoir rupture and spill in Kingston, Tenn., the United States has not yet established standards to curb the threat to public health and waterways posed by unstable or leaking ash ponds at coal-fired power plants.

Meanwhile, volume of toxic metals in the ash that power plants dumped in ponds rose 9% in 2010, the most recent year for which information is available, the release stated.

According to an EIP analysis: “… the most recent data from the U.S. Toxics Release Inventory show that disposal in these big ponds was higher in 2010 than it has been since 2007, the year before the TVA spill. Yet EPA’s proposal to set standards for safe disposal—which included a plan to close down ash ponds within five years—has gone nowhere.”

The press release said that in 2010, power plants reported using coal ash pond dump sites to dispose of wastes containing 113.6 million pounds of toxic metals or metal compounds, a category that includes arsenic, chromium, lead, and other pollutants that are hazardous in small concentrations and difficult to remove from the environment once released. That [amount] reflects a 9% increase in pond disposal since 2009 and is higher than the total reported in 2008, according to the release.

The press release said that an indication of how power plants vary when it comes to coal ash dump sites, the EIP found that 20 facilities account for more than half (57 million pounds) of the toxic metals contained in power plant waste and disposed of in surface impoundments in 2010. Four of these are in Alabama, three are in Georgia, and two are in Missouri. Just 10 states accounted for three-quarters of total pond disposal in 2010, including (from lowest to highest): Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan.

EIP director Eric Schaeffer said: “Not only are coal ash impoundment levels rising, rather than dropping, but we are seeing efforts by some in Congress to thwart EPA efforts to protect the health of Americans from toxic coal ash dump sites. EPA proposed in June of 2010 to require the closure of surface impoundments within five years. If the [EPA] manages to issue a final rule before the end of 2012, that ban would take effect at the end of 2017, a full nine years after the TVA spill. In view of the hazards these ash ponds present, that seems long enough.”

The concentration of arsenic or other metals in ash or scrubber sludge can vary, based on the source of the coal and the effectiveness of air pollution control devices in removing these contaminants from stack gasses. The press release said that an increase in reported disposal volumes for these metals can mean either a rise in concentration of toxic metals in coal combustion waste, or an increase in the volume of waste containing these metals, or both.

Most surface impoundments are not lined, which means that the toxins in the ash are more likely to seep through the bottom of these ponds and into groundwater or nearby rivers and creeks. The limited amount of monitoring data shows that this is already happening at many sites that have used surface impoundments for ash disposal for decades, according to the release.

On Dec. 13, 2011, EIP released monitoring data from state files showing that a total of 20 additional coal ash dump sites causing groundwater and soil contamination in 10 states—Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas—have been uncovered around the U.S. Previous EIP reports identified similar contamination at 70 other sites across the country, according to the Jan. 5 press release.

The full text of the new EIP analysis is available here.

About EIP

The Environmental Integrity Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in March 2002 by former EPA enforcement attorneys to advocate for effective enforcement of environmental laws. EIP has three goals:

1. to provide objective analyses of how the failure to enforce or implement environmental laws increases pollution and affects public health;
2. to hold federal and state agencies, as well as individual corporations, accountable for failing to enforce or comply with environmental laws; and
3. to help local communities obtain the protection of environmental laws.

Source: Environmental Integrity Project

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 5, 2012

By Tim Carpenter

Musician Johnny Cash gave voice to travel lust by pointing an acoustic guitar at the country’s spider web of railroad tracks.

“Oh, the clickety clack of the railroad track is callin’,” he sang. “One more ride, one more ride.”

Researchers at The University of Kansas are leaving songwriting about railroads to others, but they are testing a new concept for improving integrity of rock ballast sitting beneath the country’s 150,000-mile network of wood ties and steel rails.

Investigators in the School of Engineering are interested in making ballast more durable using polypropylene netting commonly used to reinforce soil. If the geogrid option is effective, ballast life could be extended and railroad companies would save time and money dedicated to replacing rock foundations and rerouting trains during maintenance.

“Ballast helps to redistribute the load from the trains,” said Bob Parsons, KU professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering. “Ballast is composed of large rock, but over time it gets contaminated from finer particles from rock dust, natural dust and coal dust from coal trains.”

He said dust infiltrating ballast prevented water from draining properly from rock.

“If the water is allowed to stand there and soak in, the soils under the railroad are going to get soft and weak,” Parsons said. “Then the ballast sinks down, and the track moves and gets out of alignment.”

Currently, railroad companies remove, clean and replace ballast in a time-consuming and expensive process necessary to maintain track alignment.

KU researchers built a test segment of track reinforced with geogrid netting. The mesh has triangular openings that trap larger rocks in a layer to reduce fouling by dust.

“By providing a framework, and making it more rigid and fixed and stronger in general, it prevents the ballast from breaking down,” Parsons said.

The research was funded by $75,000 by the Mid-America Transportation Center, with BNSF Railway Co. providing ballast and track sections and Tensar Corp. providing the geogrid.

Tim Carpenter can be reached at (785) 295-1158 or timothy.carpenter@cjonline.com.

Source: Republished with permission from The Topeka Capital-Journal. Read the original article at http://cjonline.com/news/2012-01-02/ku-researchers-keep-railroads-rockin

Tensar Corp. announced in a Jan. 4 press release that Robert Vevoda has been promoted to chief operating officer (COO). In this position, Vevoda will be responsible for global manufacturing operations in addition to heading up commercial operations as president of Atlanta-based Tensar International Corp., the release stated.

“With Bob’s experience and successes during his tenure with Tensar, I am very pleased to announce his promotion,” said Don Meltzer, Tensar CEO. “As COO, he adds global manufacturing operations to his responsibilities, which include product development, market expansion, industry partnerships, revenue growth and profitability of our geogrid products, grade separation systems, erosion control, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) business areas.”

Vevoda joined Tensar as vice president of marketing in 1995. Following a series of promotions, he served as president and managing director, the release said. Prior to Tensar, he held several senior management positions at General Electric and Owens Corning.

“With the recent strategic moves, new product introductions, and additional capacity expansion, Tensar is well-positioned for future growth,” Vevoda said.

Source: Tensar Corp.

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | January 3, 2012

With robust economic growth, the Chinese business sector is poised for a 2012 “buying binge” that could benefit small U.S. companies, says consultant James Chan, president of Asia Marketing & Management, a Philadelphia-based consulting firm.

Chan was born in Canton (now Guangzhou) and educated in Hong Kong and the U.S., and he has been advising American exporters since 1981. He says he has never seen such an opportune time for small business to target the Chinese market. “This is a new frontier, filled with both real opportunities and new risks,” he says. Chan spoke about both with Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein.

“How to sell to China now” by Karen E. Klein, Bloomberg Businessweek, Dec. 30, 2011.

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

James Chan was featured in the August/September 2007 issue of Geosynthetics:
http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/0807_f4_chinese.html
http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/0807_f4side1_piracy.html

Dec. 31, 2011: Deadline for submission of abstracts
Dec. 31, 2011: Notice of acceptance of abstracts to prospective authors
March 31, 2012: Deadline for submission of final papers
May 31, 2012: Notice of acceptance of final papers to prospective authors

Registration

IGS member: 500€ before March 1, 2012, 650€ after
IGS non-member: 650€ before March 1, 2012, 800€ after
Student: 150€ before March 1, 2012, 200€ after

Source: Eurogeo5.org

TenCate Geosynthetics North America has unveiled a patented, woven geosynthetic developed for soil stabilization and base course reinforcement applications when differential settlement occurs due to heaving in the subgrade soils, the company announced in a Dec. 19 press release.

Mirafi H₂Ri is a wicking geosynthetic created from high-tenacity polypropylene filaments and wicking filaments formed into a weave that provides reinforcement strength and soil interaction integrated with high soil retention and wicking capabilities, according to the release.

“The exciting aspect about TenCate Mirafi H₂Ri is that it provides a geosynthetic solution in applications of subgrade heaving where, traditionally, geosynthetics have not performed well,” said Brett Odgers, TenCate market manager/roadway reinforcement.

The release said that the new product contains proprietary hydrophilic and hygroscopic yarn that provides wicking action through the plane of the geosynthetic while maintaining higher tensile modulus properties than current stabilization products. The woven geosynthetic has a double layer construction that provides a separation factor plus filtration and drainage. Uniform openings provide consistent filtration and flow characteristics of a fine to coarse sand layer.

Source: TenCate Geosynthetics

The next Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., organized by the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA), is set for Tuesday, April 17.

A GMA-members dinner and program are scheduled for Monday evening, April 16. Congressional and agency visits will be April 17.

GMA has made arrangements with the Lombardy Hotel for a rate of $209 (plus tax)—reference “IFAI rate” when booking your room.

It will be an interesting time to be in Washington, D.C. We look forward to seeing you there!

Andrew Aho
Managing Director
Geosynthetic Materials Association
651 225 6907 office
651 485 4011 cell
amaho@ifai.com

GeosyntheticsMagazine.com | December 14, 2011

Atlanta-based NAUE America announced the appointment of Paul O’Malley as president of NAUE America in a Dec. 13 press release. The former Propex sales manager officially moves into the post Jan. 1, 2012, according to the release.

O’Malley is a well-known veteran in the geosynthetics community. He was most-recently with Landmark Earth Solutions. Previously, he was the national sales manager at Propex Geosynthetics, where he helped build a cooperative business arrangement for the sale of NAUE’s geogrid products in the U.S.

“I am very excited and pleased to be joining the NAUE America team,” O’Malley said. “The benefit of geogrids in civil construction is becoming increasingly recognized in the U.S. and NAUE America is well-positioned to support that growth.”

NAUE GmbH & Co. KG is based in Espelkamp-Fiestel, Germany. It established NAUE America Inc. in Atlanta in 2008. The company’s U.S. sales focus is primarily with its family of geogrid products, according to the press release.

The international company has been active globally in the manufacture of geosynthetics since 1967. Its group of international companies is involved in the manufacture, distribution, and installation of geotextiles, geomembranes, geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), geogrids, and drainage and erosion control materials.

Source NAUE

The abstracts deadline for EuroGeo5 is fast approaching: Dec. 31, 2011.

The EuroGeo regional event is held every four years—the 2008 conference was in Edinburgh, Scotland—under the auspices of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS).

EuroGeo5 is Sept. 16-19, 2012, in Valencia, Spain. Organized by the IGS/Spain Chapter, the event gathers international geosynthetics experts and companies to expand discussions about the use of geosynthetic materials in engineering applications such as: transportation, hydraulics, erosion control, soil reinforcement, mining, and environmental protection.

Abstracts for submission by Dec. 31 must be written in English or Spanish, with a maximum length of 400 words.

The Geosynthetic Certification Institute (GCI) now has a new Inspector Certification Program (ICP) for mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, berms and slopes using geosynthetic reinforcement.

The next course and examination* is March 14, 2012. This new one-day course and subsequent certification is focused on the inspection, monitoring, and maintenance of MSE walls, berms, and slopes reinforced with geogrids and geotextiles.

Courses such as this are necessary due to the number of current problems, including excessive deformation and actual collapse. The course focuses on all aspects and details related to these reinforced structures:

• introduction and overview
• responsibilities before construction
• responsibilities during construction
• responsibilities after construction
• long-term monitoring
• remediation of MSE structures

If you are interested in becoming certified as a GCI-ICP inspector for MSE walls, berms, and slopes, visit the website: www.geosynthetic-institute.org/applications2.htm

*Applications must be approved prior to taking the examination.

Source: Geosynthetic Institute

China’s output value of geotextiles reached 405,000 tons in 2010 and during the next five years it is anticipated to maintain annual double-digit growth, reaching 730,000 tons by 2015, according to announcements at the 2011 China Geotextiles Composite Materials Summit Dec. 3 in Lingxian, Shandong.

From 2006-2010, China’s output of geotextiles saw an average annual growth of 35.3%, which was 20% higher than that of the entire technical textile industry (16%). The growth stems from China’s hefty investments in internal infrastructure, according to reports from the conference. Infrastructure construction, including massive, high-profile projects such as the Three Gorges Dam, South-to-North Water Diversion, Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway are driving continuous demand for geotextiles, conference reports stated.

According to Li Lingshen, president of China Nonwovens and Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA), China will further increase its investment in major infrastructure projects such as railways, highways, airports, and water conservancy and environmental protection projects, all adding to the demand for geotextile fabrics.

Geotextiles and construction textiles are emphasized in China now, listed as major items for development during China’s 12th Five-year Plan.

SOURCE: Yarns and Fibers Exchange

Mark Marienfeld, P.E., has joined Propex’s Geotextile Systems Division as a transportation market specialist, the company announced in a Dec. 7 press release.

Marienfeld brings a wealth of design expertise on the use of geotextiles, especially in the transportation market. With 27 years of experience in the geotextile industry, he has held key positions within industry associations and has worked closely with transportation agencies to show the benefits of incorporating geotextiles and pavement interlayer fabrics in their paved and unpaved roads, the release said.

“Mark’s experience in the transportation market complements our focus to grow the use of geotextiles in infrastructure applications,” said John Goers, vice president–Propex Geotextile Systems.

Marienfeld, most recently with the geotextile firm Mattex USA, was a longtime geotextile technical manager at Propex, and was with Amoco Fabrics and Fibers in industrial fabrics development in the 1990s.

SOURCE: Propex Operating Co. LLC