• Han-Yong Jeon, “Applicability and performance evaluation of recycled HDPE”;
• Ian Peggs, “Interaction of technical expert and loss adjuster during investigation of failure of HDPE liner in copper slurry pipeline” and “Impact of variable stresses on accelerated stress cracking of HDPE wrinkles”;
• GMA managing director Andrew Aho (with Boyd Ramsey of GSE), “Geosynthetic market impacts of potential regulation of the storage of coal combustion residuals by the U.S. EPA”;
• Mark E. Smith, “Design of a high-strength geonet composite overliner system for heap leach pads” (and with Krishna P. Sinha), “A holistic assessment of pipe design in heap leach operations."

… also, Geosynthetics Advisory Committee members Smith, Sam Allen, and Malek Bouazza were keynote speakers at GeoAmericas. Well done, all!

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

Call for Abstracts

This Call for Abstracts is issued to create a comprehensive, varied, and exciting Technical Papers Program. Submit your 200-300 word abstract by Monday, April 30, and become part of Geosynthetics 2013 in Long Beach, Calif. Special consideration is given to abstracts that fall under the show’s theme; however, all non-commercial submissions that are relevant to the geosynthetics/geotechnical industry are welcome. Please click here for the current topics list.

All submissions are peer reviewed at each step including the abstract, first draft, and final paper submissions. At least one author from each accepted final paper must register and present the paper during the conference.

Format

The abstract should be 200-300 words, and should not include charts, graphs or images. Ideally the abstract will be cut-and-pasted into the online form. The option to upload a document is also provided.

Commercialism

All commercialism must be avoided. Abstracts may not include any promotion for products, services, or companies. Company logos should not appear anywhere in the abstract. Authors cannot use brand names or company names in abstracts or paper titles. When a brand name must be used in an abstract, the brand name may appear only once in the running text and then be referred to thereafter by a generic description. Any violation of these rules will result in automatic rejection of the abstract.

Abstracts due: April 30, 2012

Click HERE to submit your abstract.

We look forward to receiving your abstract and seeing you April 1–4 in Long Beach, Calif.

Technical Program Co-Chairs:

Shobha Bhatia
Syracuse University
skbhatia@syr.edu

Stan Boyle
Shannon & Wilson
srb@shanwil.com

Technical Program Manager:

Barbara Connett
651 225 6914
800 486 3980
bjconnett@ifai.com

Written by Robynne Boyd, the article describes a scenario that we know is spreading across the nation:

Like most landfills that reach capacity, it was capped to contain its noxious mix of debris that will slowly degrade over the decades and centuries to come. But unlike most, [this landfill] glistens on a sunny day due [to] its over 7,000 thin-film photovoltaic solar panels plastered to a geomembrane that has been stretched over the hill like a swim cap.

For more information from Geosynthetics magazine:

• New exposed geomembrane solar cover (Aug. 30, 2011)
• Use of solar cover technology at Meadowlands landfill (April 7, 2011)
• Waste symposium report from Texas (Nov. 1, 2010)
• New landfill closure system [while generating solar electricity] (April 1, 2010)
• Landfill featured in Geosynthetics wins award for use of solar panels (Jan. 8, 2010)
• Landfill cover promotes new energy source (Aug. 2009)

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

It is a popular, if timeworn, phrase. It’s used often and by nearly everyone. 

Your teachers and professors attempted to help you learn. Certainly, your mother and father wanted you to learn. You learned lots of stuff from friends … perhaps more from adversaries. Did you learn your lesson?

Lessons learned is a particularly popular phrase with engineers and engineering consultants. Let’s take a quick look:

• Our cover story concludes with four lessons learned. Closing this landfill was sometimes dicey business, which required precise coordination among all of the players. What was a lesson your parents and teachers wanted you to learn very early on? Work and play well with others.
• Day after day, month after month, year after year … magazine issue after magazine issue, what do we learn? Don Hullings and Hal Boudreau tell us in "The sustainable landfill revisited": “The application of geosynthetics … has resulted in significant savings in construction costs and capacity.”
• What have we learned since 2004, when the Giroud-Han method was first published? Find out, as the authors conclude their two-part series that “provides practical information for the users of the method as well as for those who want to learn about the method.” There’s that word again. What have we learned?

Geosynthetics magazine is committed to helping all of us learn more about our industry, and we commend the many excellent contributors who are helping us learn more in every issue.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

There are 33 categories, including Geosynthetic Projects.

For guidelines and entry information: www.ifaipublications.com/iaasubmit

Deadline: July 15, 2012

For questions please contact:
Christine Malmgren
Manager, International Achievement Awards
Industrial Fabrics Association International
1801 County Road B. West, Roseville, MN 55113-4061, USA

Phone: +1 651 225 6926; 800 207 0657

E-mail: awards@ifai.com

Geosynthetics winners in the 2011 IAAs were:

• TenCate Geosynthetics, Award of Excellence
• Ace Geosynthetics, Outstanding Achievement Award
• Agru America, Outstanding Achievement Award

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

May 1–4: GeoAmericas2012 in Lima, Peru
A follow-up to the successful GeoAmericas2008 in Cancún, this conference is organized by the Peru chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS).

Sept. 16–19: EuroGeo5 in Valencia, Spain
This quadrennial event follows another festive and vibrant predecessor—EuroGeo4 on the campus of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Our good friend, Daniele Cazzuffi, wants you to depart Valencia for Ferrara, Italy, to attend the sixth edition of RemTech, Sept. 19-21.

December 13–16: Geosynthetics Asia 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand
GA2012 is the 5th Asian Regional Conference on Geosynthetics: “Geosynthetics for Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change.” (Please note date change.)

April 1-4, 2013: Geosynthetics-2013 in Long Beach, California
Brought to you by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), the not-for-profit trade association/publishing/conference management organization that has presented biennial geosynthetics conferences since the 1980s.

See you there!

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

Are your geosynthetic products, applications, and services needed?

You betcha!

• Infrastructure bank approves $88 million for South Carolina drainage project 
• Transportation boosted to top of political agenda in D.C. 
• EPA proposal cuts water infrastructure funds, increases air and water pollution grants 
• President seeks $300 million for Great Lakes cleanup 
• Illinois city to determine if ammonia in wastewater is harming river 
• Colorado coal's comeback 
• EPA’s budget for 2013 more than $100 million below 2012 level 
• Building a berm on soft soils 
• Down the pavement preservation road

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

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).

Organized and presented by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Part 1 focused on the step-by-step construction process, presented by Daniel Alzamora and Mike Adams from FHWA and county engineer Toby Bogart from St. Lawrence County (N.Y.).

Part 2, with an emphasis on GRS bridge design components, is Jan. 5; Part 3 is Feb. 2, which will look at a number of GRS–IBS case histories.

To participate (They’re all free!), go to: www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov

***

Accelerated bridge construction techniques also were among the innovations state highway agencies plan to use in the latest round of Highways for Life demonstration projects, another FHWA initiative.

In 2011, the agency awarded nearly $20 million for 17 new projects in as many states.

For example, the Utah DOT will try the GRS–IBS technology on a project to replace twin bridges that carry I-84 traffic over a road in Salt Lake City.

The technology—as described thoroughly in the construction webinar above—uses alternating layers of compacted granular fill material and geotextile fabric sheets of reinforcement that provide support for the bridge. The materials and systematic methods reduce construction time and costs; and contribute to the durability and quality of the bridge.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

WHO?

You and a couple thousand other attendees, exhibitors, speakers, instructors, organizers, and sponsors.

Who are the organizers? IFAI, the Industrial Fabrics Association International—co-organizer of many dynamic geo shows, such as GeoAmericas-2008 in Cancún and Geo-Frontiers 2011 in Dallas … along with the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS) and the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

Who are the chairs for this event? Sam Allen from TRI and Prof. Bob Holtz from the University of Washington … Short Courses chair David Suits from NAGS … Technical Paper co-chairs Stan Boyle from Shannon & Wilson and Prof. Shobha Bhatia from Syracuse University.

Who else will be there? Geosynthetics-2013 is co-locating in Long Beach with the annual Southwest Geotechnical Engineering Conference. Geosynthetics-2013 is also the site for the 25th edition of the Geosynthetic Research Institute’s conference—GRI-25.

WHAT?

Keynote speakers, short courses, technical sessions, lunches in the exhibit hall, opening night reception in the exhibit hall, Southwest Geotechnical sessions, Geo-’13 technical sessions, GRI-25 sessions, networking, sightseeing … see you there!

WHEN?

Save the dates: April 1–4, 2013.

WHERE?

Long Beach, Calif.—the Long Beach Convention Center.

Learn more at www.geosynthetics2013.com.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

The IFF began its Innovation Award program in 2010 as a way to recognize and celebrate noteworthy achievements from the entire industrial fabrics community. Awards are intended to honor products, applications, and services that have made or will make a difference in today’s competitive marketplace.

IFF entries are judged by a panel of industry experts and winners receive a $5,000 prize.

Chameleon International (Oak Ridge, N.C.) was the inaugural recipient of the 2010 IFF Innovation Award for its product ChroMyx, a line of waterproof, temperature-sensitive, color-changing engineered materials.

I am proud to tell you that a geosynthetics company is the winner of the 2011 IFF Innovation Award, officially announced at the IFAI Expo Americas on Oct. 25 (just after the October issue of Geosynthetics went to press). For complete information about this geo company and its innovative, award-winning new product, go to the November issue of Specialty Fabrics Review.

For consideration, IFF Award entries must have been produced since 2008 and be currently available to the market. Entries also cannot have been submitted for an award at any other show. The entry fee is $200 and the deadline for entering next year’s IFF Innovation Award is July 15, 2012.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

Geosynthetics and Specialty Fabrics Review are two of the six magazines published by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). The others are: Fabric Architecture, Fabric Graphics, InTents, and Marine Fabricator.

The deadline for your Directories Listings and Product Data Charts in the 2012 Specifier’s Guide is Thursday, Oct. 13. No exceptions!

Listing your company’s products, applications, and services, along with your contact information and website, is a surefire way to keep your name in front of your current and potential customers.

Advertisers and GMA members receive free directories listings and free chart lines.

The award-winning Specifier’s Guide provides a highly-credible print and online vehicle to reach civil engineers, contractors, developers, consultants, distributors, installers, fabricators, and government agencies.

Published in December, the well-known “Spec Guide” reaches more than 35,000 readers from 55 countries.

Do not be left out in 2012.

For easy online submission of your directories listings, click here.

For easy online submission of your product data charts, click here.

Questions? Contact Alisha Seifert at ajseifert@ifai.com or 651 225 6963.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

GMA members from 10 companies met with U.S senators, representatives, and their staffs during a full day on Capitol Hill Sept. 14.

GMA’s annual Fall Lobby Day featured member participation during three days, Sept. 13–15 in Washington, D.C. GMA members met with 22 congressional offices, seeking support and providing education on three key GMA government relations issues.

Key GMA issues

• The GMA study titled “Analyzing life cycle cost-benefits of pavements incorporating geosynthetics as separators and interlayers” (or simply the Separation Study).
• Geosynthetic liner systems for coal-ash waste facilities.
• Educating members of congress regarding the environmental solutions that geosynthetic materials provide to the shale gas extraction industry. GMA expects congressional support to ask the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete the first phase of the Separation Study.

The GMA focus group on shale gas has produced a technical white paper describing the geosynthetic opportunities within the shale gas industry. It has also produced a brochure that graphically demonstrates the geosynthetic application for the industry.

That brochure and brochures describing geosynthetic materials can be found on GMA’s website.

GMA launches new website

GMA has launched a new website to better serve its members and the geosynthetics industry as a whole.

Non-members can now join GMA online and renewals for current members are easy to complete on the site. The site’s navigation and search capabilities make it an essential resource for geosynthetics industry professionals.

Check out the new GMA website at www.gmanow.com.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine. Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

Fiberweb
August 23
We met Arthur Cashin, technical manager, at the Fiberweb facility in Old Hickory, Tenn., just north of Nashville. We were joined by senior sales manager Frank Hollowell and sales manager Jane Wright. After lunch, Arthur conducted a tour of the sprawling Fiberweb facility. The site includes a DuPont factory that was halved with Fiberweb, with both sharing parking and roadways in the complex.

Fiberweb produces nonwoven spunbond/heat-bonded polypropylene geotextiles under the Typar brand at this facility. Fiberweb also produces a variety of construction and consumer products including house wrap and the filter material for industrial filters, diaper liners, and dryer sheet material. Fiberweb has 14 manufacturing facilities worldwide, with corporate headquarters in London, England.

Fiberweb purchased Boddingtons, a film, mesh, and net company last year. Boddingtons has a sales office in Roseville, Minn., a St. Paul suburb that is also home for IFAI. In fact, the Boddingtons/Fiberweb North American geosynthetics sales office is just a block down from us on County Road B West.

Using heavyweight spunbond geotextiles, Fiberweb has developed three-dimensional products for civil and military applications. DefenCell is essentially a blast protection/reinforcement product. It is branded as Typar Geocells for civil applications such flood protection.

Propex
August 24
Propex is headquartered in Chattanooga. Propex has begun to re-brand itself. The company introduced its new branding at Geo-Frontiers 2011 as “Geotextile Systems by Propex.”

Propex fit us into a two-day technical training session. We had the opportunity to make an IFAI/GMA/Geosynthetics magazine presentation on Aug. 24 to 30 members of the company’s sales and marketing staff. They also created a half-day schedule for us that included a company overview, plant tour, and a marketing and strategy meeting with their senior sales and marketing staff.

We were introduced by Steve Thaxton (our main contact). Steve told his group that he was responsible for managing all of the trade association relationships for Propex. He stated the GMA was the most important trade association for Propex.

Our presentation was very well received. It was an excellent way to introduce IFAI to Craig Martin, the new VP. In fact, well over half of the participants were fairly recent hires. Craig Martin is joining Steve Thaxton as the Propex reps at GMA Lobby Day Sept. 13-14 in Washington. He is getting a nice introduction into our programs.

After the presentation we went across the state line to Ringgold, Ga., to tour the Propex nonwoven plant. It is the worlds’ largest nonwoven plant with 14 lines including fiber lines.

The EF4 tornado that went through Ringgold in April 2011 missed the plant by 500 yards. Part of the town of Ringgold was destroyed including the homes of some Propex employees.

Prior to the tour, plant leader Vance Grant gave us an overview of their Six Sigma and Lean manufacturing processes. Following the tour we met with the senior sales and marketing staff to discuss marketing and strategies.

WasteCon
August 25
GMA and our Tarp Association exhibited at the SWANA show in Boston last year. There were plenty of tarp and geosynthetics industry companies exhibiting so there were familiar faces on the showroom floor.

The show was at the Opryland complex of hotels and exhibit halls. The exhibit floor was open 12 hours during three days. Three tarp companies exhibited, with all three also at last year’s SWANA show.

GMA members Firestone, GSE, Raven, and EPI exhibited. We had excellent conversations with those members.

The WasteCon technical sessions offered several well-delivered presentations on landfill closures, a couple that could turn into informative magazine articles.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine. Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

For those of you who saw me hobbling around the exhibit hall and in the tech sessions at Geo-Frontiers in Dallas last March, it will be no surprise for you to learn that I actually tore the anterior cruciate ligament in my right knee en route to that conference. Two months later, we had the gruesome—and aptly named—ACL reconstruction surgery. Now, a few months later, I am enduring blistering heat and humidity, weight gain from lack of mobile activity, twice-weekly physical therapy torture, and—worst of all—another Minnesota Twins losing streak.

I have had time to reflect during knee exercises at home, one day remembering what I was doing during previous summer dog days. So please indulge me in a bit of reminiscing.

One summer, I worked for a local seed corn company. We were called a “detasseling crew” but our bright collegiate crew leader quickly volunteered us on day 1 for “rogueing” duty—all summer, we walked through cornfields with sharp-edged, hooked scythes, and snapped off rogue (read: too tall) cornstalks at their base. Easy work and 80 cents an hour! And a 20-cent bonus if you stuck it out the whole season. A buck an hour. Happy days!

One summer, I washed cars and swept up at my uncle’s car dealership.

One summer, I painted houses with the local football coach.

One summer, I finished my master’s degree at journalism school.

One summer, I got married.

A few summers later, I got divorced.

One summer, I bagged groceries.

One summer, I shot a legit 75, my best golf score ever.

One summer, I made a hole-in-one.

One summer, I worked for a moving company. We started our first job in Omaha, Neb., at 6 a.m. and didn’t stop loading that truck until 6 a.m. the next day. My partner, the driver, bought breakfast, and then started driving east. We made it to Newark, N.J., in a day and a half (Don’t check the logbook!) … saw 38 states in three months. Finally hitchhiked home from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to Humboldt, Iowa, to be in a high school buddy’s wedding.

One summer, I went to Bible camp.

One summer, I was a counselor at a Bible camp.

One summer, I went to Boy Scout camp and learned how to tie knots and smoke marijuana.

One summer, I was in summer school.

A few summers later, I was teaching summer school.

This summer? Well, this summer I’m regaining strength in my knee, straining for more extension and more flexibility with that reconstructed ligament. No golf, no swimming, no biking, no walks around the lake.

A summer to remember? Thank God, I’ve had a few.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

If investments in surface transportation infrastructure are not made soon, those costs are expected to grow exponentially. Within 10 years, U.S. businesses would pay an added $430 billion in transportation costs, household incomes would fall by more than $7,000, and U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion.

"Clearly, failing to invest in our roads, bridges and transit systems has a dramatic negative impact on America’s economy," said Kathy J. Caldwell, P.E., F.ASCE, president of ASCE. "The link between a nation’s infrastructure and its economic competitiveness has always been understood. But today, for the first time, we have data showing how much failing to invest in our surface transportation system can negatively impact job growth and family budgets. This report is a wake-up call for policymakers because it shows that investing in infrastructure contributes to creating jobs, while failing to do so hurts main street America."

American businesses and workers will suffer

The report shows that failing infrastructure will drive the cost of doing business up by adding $430 billion to transportation costs in the next decade. It will cost firms more to ship goods, and the raw materials they buy will cost more due to increased transportation costs.

Productivity across the business sector will also tumble. Those increased costs will cause businesses to underperform by $240 billion over the next decade, which will drive the prices of goods up. As a result, U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion, including 79 of 93 tradable commodities. Ten sectors of the U.S. economy account for more than half of this unprecedented loss in export value – among them key technology sectors like machinery, medical devices, communications equipment, which produces much of this country’s innovations.

America would also lose jobs in high-value sectors as business income goes down. Almost 877,000 jobs would be lost by 2020, primarily in the high-value, professional, business and medical sectors which are vital to America’s knowledge-based service economy.

"Today’s report from the American Society of Civil Engineers further reinforces that the U.S. is missing a huge opportunity to ignite economic growth, improve our global competitiveness, and create jobs. This is not just transportation for transportation’s sake. Without more robust economic growth, the U.S. will not create the 20 million jobs needed in the next decade to replace those lost during the recession and to keep up with a growing workforce, will not have the revenue to get the deficit under control, will not have the ability to keep pace with global competitors, and will not be able to provide our children and grandchildren with a better future," said Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Ultimately, Americans will get paid less. While the economy would lose jobs, those who are able to find work will find their paychecks cut by nearly 30 percent.

"The cost to businesses will reduce the productivity and competitiveness of American firms relative to global competitors significantly. By 2020, American families will take a pay cut of more than $7000 because of the ripple effects that will occur throughout the economy," said Steve Landau of the EDR Group. "Business will have to divert increasing portions of earned income to pay for transportation delays and vehicle repairs, draining money that would otherwise be invested in innovation and expansion."

Families will have a lower standard of living

A lack of investment in transportation infrastructure would inflict a double whammy on American families who would see their household incomes fall by $60 a month by 2020, while having to spend $30 per month more for goods. The total cost to families would exact about $10,600 per family between now and 2020, equal to $1,060 per year on household budgets.

Modest investment needed

The report estimates that in order to bring the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure up to tolerable levels, policymakers would need to invest approximately $1.7 trillion between now and 2020 in the nation’s highways and transit systems. The U.S. is currently on track to spend a portion of that - $877 billion - during the same timeframe. The infrastructure funding gap equals $846 billion over 9 years or $94 billion per year.

Small investments in infrastructure, equal to about 60 percent of what Americans spend on fast food each year, would:

• Protect 1.1 million jobs;
• Save Americans 180 million hours in travel time each year;
• Deliver an average of $1,060 to each family; and
• Protect $10,000 in GDP for every man, woman and child in the U.S.

"This report confirms what we have known for some time: if we do not substantially invest in infrastructure soon, we will put our economy, American business and American working families at risk," said Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO. "This report also shows what can be done – with a modest increase in investment, we can rebuild a strong economy where business can thrive and workers can afford a place to live, raise a family, take an occasional vacation, pay for their children’s education and have a dignified retirement."

The report, the first of four scheduled by the Society, examined the country’s surface transportation infrastructure. Future reports will examine the state of the nation’s infrastructure as it relates to water and, wastewater delivery and treatment; energy transmission; and airports and marine ports.

Source: ASCE

His most recent contribution for Geosynthetics was “Turning the Red River green,” a feature story in the February/March 2009 issue.

Arvidson is the founder of Treeline, a design/writing consultancy that focuses on environmentally sustainable projects. The ASLA elevated 40 members to its Council of Fellows for 2011.

Fellowship is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and it recognizes the contributions of these individuals to their profession and the society at-large based on their works, leadership and management, knowledge and service.

The 2011 class of new Fellows will be recognized at the 2011 ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo, Oct. 30–Nov. 2 in San Diego.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

A U.S. House of Representatives committee will wait until after the July 4 recess to consider legislation to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating coal ash as a hazardous material in order to secure more bipartisan support, the committee chairman said last Thursday.

Energy and Commerce Committee chair, Rep. Fred Upton (R–Michigan), said he has been advised by a subcommittee chairman and the bill's author that "if we hold off through the recess, we may in fact get much stronger bipartisan support for this effort." Upton said he plans to begin work on the bill after the July 4 recess.

Environment and Economy Subcommittee chair, Rep. John Shimkus (R–Illinois) has "directed his staff to work/discuss/talk with Democrat staff during the upcoming break in order to garner their support for the bill," spokesman Steven Tomaszewski said in an e-mail. The bill cleared Shimkus's subcommittee earlier last week.

Introduced by Rep. David McKinley (R–West Virginia), the bill would require the EPA to conform to its 2000 finding that coal combustion residuals, commonly called coal ash, do not warrant regulation as a hazardous substance under subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The bill would create a state-administered permit program to create enforceable requirements for groundwater monitoring, lining of landfills, corrective action when environmental damage occurs, and structural criteria. If a state is unable or unwilling to implement the permit programs, the EPA would have authority to do so.

The legislation affects a pending EPA rulemaking that has proposed several approaches to regulating coal ash, including the hazardous designation staunchly opposed by utilities and the coal ash recycling industry, but favored by environmentalists that point to harmful constituents in coal ash such as arsenic, mercury, and cadmium. Coal ash is recycled in a myriad of so-called "beneficial uses" such as landscaping, wallboard, and concrete.

The EPA undertook the rulemaking after a storage facility collapsed at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston (Tenn.) plant in December 2008, flooding the surrounding area with "wet" coal waste, an environmental disaster with a cleanup cost estimated at $1 billion. The EPA had originally said that the proposed rule would be released by the end of 2009, but pushed that date back, citing the complexity of the rulemaking.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine. Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

The first course is August 11–12 in Valley Forge, Pa. The focus of this 1.5-day course is geosynthetic reinforcement in transportation applications. The instructors are Dr. Robert Koerner, director of the Geosynthetic Institute, and David Suits, executive director of NAGS. Nine professional development hours (9 PDHs) are provided upon completion of this course.

To register for the Aug. 11–12 Valley Forge course: https://secure.ifai.com/ifai.com/events/item/137

The ensuing GMA/NAGS short course schedule includes:
October 2011—Atlanta
December 2011—Orlando
February 2012—Northern California
February 2012—Southern California
April 2012—Seattle

To register or for more information:
www.gmanow.com
amaho@ifai.com

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

Among the most inspirational of the latter group was a septuagenarian curmudgeon who was fond of the phrase “the straight dope,” as in, “Ronnie (well, I was a good deal younger than him!) … “Ronnie,” he’d say, “when you’re having trouble writing a story, just remember to give ’em the straight dope.” The reference, in classic Ring Lardner parlance, basically meant, “tell ’em the truth!”

But in dealing with the characters above, that wasn’t always easy given their sideways, less-than-truthful style of dispensing information. And this led to another time-honored piece of advice from my curmudgeonly colleague: Always ask yourself this question, “Why is this SOB lying to me?”

For Geosynthetics during the past five years, we have tried to deliver to you “the straight dope” without prejudice. Our editorial objective remains firmly tied to the principles of providing information with accuracy, knowledge without bias, news without self-serving propaganda.

What better straight dope than the recollections of the self-described “old-timer” as Allan Breitenbach wraps up his three-part series in the June issue recalling the early days of geomembrane testing.

Sam Allen returns the “In the Lab” column to prominence in Geosynthetics—start with his article about testing of geosynthetic drains.

Take a trip to one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world—Lake Tahoe—and see how James Chinchiolo and his crews turned an unsightly eroded bluffside into an award-winning story of restoration.

Want more of the straight dope? Then cheer with Rensselaer’s student engineers … read about the lessons Abigail Beck learned about geomembrane performance … and you can learn from the real-situation questions and educational answers in the popular GMA Techline.

And finally, start with the first article in an ongoing series highlighting geosynthetics and sustainability, with Russell Jones and Neil Dixon writing about “Sustainable development using geosynthetics: European perspectives."

Only in Geosynthetics and on this website—that’s where you get the straight dope.

Ron Bygness is editor of Geosynthetics, one of six magazines published by IFAI.

Responses from a survey conducted at Geo-Frontiers 2011 indicated that readers of Geosynthetics wanted website access to the specification product-data charts from the annual Geosynthetics Specifier’s Guide.

As a result, all of these manufacturers’ charts (available as PDFs) are now on the Specifier’s Guide page: http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/specifiersguide

In addition, each materials overview page contains links to the corresponding product-data charts. (For an example, see the geotextiles overview page).

Is there additional material from Geosynthetics that you would like to see on the magazine’s website? If so, tell us about your request in the comments section below. Asking may just lead to receiving.

Abbie Yarger is the web content specialist at IFAI.
Ron Bygness is editor of Geosynthetics, one of six magazines published by IFAI.

The primary contributors included Martin Whitmer and Rudy Barry from the firm Whitmer & Worrall and Jimmy Kemp from Kemp Partners.

(1) Whitmer started with a status report on the Transportation Reauthorization Bill. His update included three primary points:

• GMA’s Letters of Support; and great progress on the House side, particularly with help from GMA’s congressional champions.
• GMA’s efforts with the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee.
• Timing of this bill in the 112th Congress.

(2) Kemp spoke to issues regarding the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). He cited:

• GMA’s working relationship with the Senate’s EPW Committee.
• Timing and meetings with this committee.
• A paragraph of GMA-crafted language specifically designed for this bill.

(3) Whitmer, Kemp, and Barry all spoke on the issue of coal ash regulation:

• 2011-2012 receipt of comments by the EPA; and EPA’s subsequent decision-making on solid waste vs. hazardous waste designation.
• Recap of work-to-date by GMA on this issue.
• Recently proposed legislation regarding coal ash and prospects.

(4) Members were encouraged to participate in the upcoming Lobby Day in September (dates to be announced).

Read the complete report at http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/050511_gma_update.html.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics. Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association.

Tony Allen, Washington state DOT, discussed the development of the current GTX Work Plan and outlined its features, including the creation of a manufacturer’s audit, geotextile testing, and a geotextile printing program. He also reviewed the reasons for the development of this Work Plan.

Some of the state DOT representatives shared their reasons for wanting better “traceability” of the primary manufacturers by printing identifications directly on the geotextile fabrics. During the session, manufacturers and private-label companies expressed their views regarding the GTX Work Plan. Of greatest concern was the issue of exactly what would be printed on the geotextiles.

For the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA), two action items emerged from this meeting—develop two task groups from GMA member companies that will work through issues related to the GTX Work Plan presented in San Antonio and report back to NTPEP by June 1, 2011.

The first group—geotextile manufacturers—will develop recommendations to NTPEP for a schedule and location of trials/test audits of manufacturers to help determine the best working procedures for full-scale audits. A GMA representative for NTPEP, Brian Whitaker, chairs the geotextile manufacturers task group.

The second group—private-label companies and manufacturers—will develop recommendations to NTPEP for printing on geotextiles. GMA’s other representative to NTPEP, Davis Taylor, will chair the private-label task group.

Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association.

Two of the best sessions featured geosynthetics.

Mike Adams from FHWA continues his lead with a growing cadre of county engineers in the push for construction of more geosynthetically-reinforced-soil bridges. Presentations featuring bridges in Defiance County, Ohio, St. Lawrence County, N.Y., and Buchanan County, Iowa, received rave reviews and dozens of eager questions.

This was an audience obviously filled with engineers who are, of course, required to “do more with less.” When Toby Bogart from upstate New York showed photo after photo of his GRS bridges, and concluded with: “We’re saving about 50%” [compared with traditional bridge construction], you know he had the rapt attention of every engineer in the room.

In another session, GRS pioneer Warren Schlatter from Defiance County explained the step-by-step process for a 140-ft. Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) project, again with the sweet phrasing: “cost savings and reduced construction time lines.”

For some history on GRS bridge-building, see Geosynthetics magazine: "The GRS bridges of Defiance County" from the April/May 2008 issue and "Building the bridge of the future with GRS technology" from the August/September 2006 issue.

*National Association of County Engineers

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.

That was the demanding schedule for several of my colleagues who helped organize—and then attended—Geo-Frontiers in Dallas the week of March 13 and IFAI’s Expo Asia in Singapore the week of March 20. And I was gassed after the week in Dallas!

Geo-Frontiers was really an exhilarating four days. (Read more in "Record-setting attendance for Geo-Frontiers 2011.") Maybe this quote, volunteered by a self-styled curmudgeon in attendance, sums it up: “I’m a guy who usually finds something to complain about, and I can’t find even one thing to complain about here.”

Other Geo-Frontiers highlights? Unpacking all the bags sponsored by geosyntheticsmagazine.com and being swamped by all the Sunday attendees who wanted one … best technical sessions I’ve attended in five years, including great GRI papers … seeing the registration desk busy—every day! … seeing old friends and making new ones … trying to maneuver through a crowded and enthusiastic exhibit hall on opening night … and how much fun is the student geo-competition?

Now I am safely back in my office as the descriptions coming from Singapore sound pleasantly similar to what we experienced in Dallas—great attendance, wonderful hotel, very good educational sessions, lively exhibit hall. In addition to IFAI folks who were at both events, TRI’s Sam Allen also made the trek to Singapore after Geo-Frontiers and was a presenter for the two-day geosynthetics education track at Expo Asia.

So now we are done travelling for a while. But I will be in touch with some of you as Geosynthetics follows-up on your many great article ideas. Talk with you soon.

P.S. Geosynthetics magazine is proud to announce the addition of three new Editorial Advisory Committee members. Welcomed officially at Geo-Frontiers:

• Malek Bouazza, Monash University, Australia
• Robert Phaneuf, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, USA
• Richard Thiel, Thiel Engineering, USA

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine.