IECA director killed in helicopter crash
October 1st, 2006
Carol Forrest, a board director for the International Erosion Control Association, was killed Aug. 13 in a helicopter crash outside of Astoria, Ore. She was preparing to participate in Flight of Discovery, an aerial expedition to study the environmental and cultural changes along the Lewis and Clark Trail. Forrest shared her 28 years of experience […]
Arizona road
October 1st, 2006
From the GMA Techline Subject: Arizona road I am a design engineer working on a road construction project in Arizona. The existing road is to be rebuilt, with 6 inches of asphalt concrete (AC) over about 12 inches of existing base. The city is concerned with groundwater and has instructed us not to remove more […]
Waterproofing membrane liner for a salt storage building
October 1st, 2006
From the GMA Techline Subject: Waterproofing membrane liner for a salt storage building We are required to specify the above to be installed beneath an asphalt pavement floor of a proposed salt storage facility. What would be an appropriate product and specification for installation in accordance with best industry practices? (Colin from New York) Reply: […]
Filter bags for ditch checks
October 1st, 2006
From the GMA Techline Subject: Filter bags for ditch checks We are looking for a type of geotextile fabric to specify for filter bags for temporary ditch checks. What we are looking for is a type of geotextile fabric that allows some water flow, probably about the same size opening as an FF-type fabric that […]
Geotextile specifications
October 1st, 2006
From the GMA Techline Subject: Definitions I am looking for information on geotextile specifications, specifically permittivity and permeability. Can you point me to a document? (John, New York) Reply: The specification that you want is AASHTO M288 that addresses various highway-related applications such as drainage and erosion control. Included are both of the parameters you […]
First organized lobbying for geosynthetics
October 1st, 2006
GMA members meet with lobbyist partners, congressional reps in D.C. By Andrew Aho For the first time in its short history, the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) has a professional lobbying program. The impetus for the program is a strategic plan written by the GMA Executive Council in 2004 that identified government relations as a priority […]
IGS update: Report from Yokohama/8-ICG
October 1st, 2006
By Elizabeth Peggs The Japan Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) organized the 8th International Conference on Geosynthetics in Yokohama, Japan, Sept. 18-22, 2006, under the auspices of the IGS. The conference and exhibition featured 58 exhibitors and 850 participants from around the world. More than 400 papers were accepted, many of which were […]
ASTM update: Committee D35 on Geosynthetics
October 1st, 2006
By Elizabeth Peggs ASTM Committee D35 met June 14-16 in Toronto for its 2006 semiannual session. There were many interesting meetings and activities held in Toronto, and there were eight awards given to task group leaders following the completion and acceptance of new standards. One of the clear highlights in the week’s activities was a […]
Geocomposite capillary barrier drain (GCBD) for limiting moisture changes in pavements
October 1st, 2006
Evaluation of a prototype. By Ruth Roberson, John Stormont, and Karen Henry Abstract Excess moisture coupled with inadequate drainage are believed to be the primary causes of roadway distress and failure. Manifestations of moisture-related distresses such as rutting, potholes, longitudinal and shrinkage cracking are commonly observed in bituminous pavements. In concrete pavements, moisture-related distresses are […]
Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of four pavement treatments
October 1st, 2006
Selecting a smart and efficient road-maintenance strategy. By Jamie Swedberg, Ron Bygness, and C. Joel Sprague A study evaluating the cost-effectiveness of using paving fabrics in roadway maintenance projects is getting a new look. The original work was a comprehensive study of pavement repair materials and methods. It examined maintenance treatments on 370 roads in […]