Geosynthetics info provided to Virginia transportation officials

Fred Chuck outlined the benefits of geosynthetic materials

Fred Chuck, representing the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA), provided information regarding the use of geosynthetic materials in roadway applications before a hearing of the Virginia Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability (VaJCTA) on Monday, May 20.

His testimony included:

• an overview of geosynthetic products and applications.
• the life cycle cost benefits of using geosynthetic materials in roadways.
• an analysis of case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of geosynthetics in
  reducing costs and increasing the life span for roadways.

Chuck’s presentation included a review of scholarly studies that underscored the benefits of geosynthetic materials in roadway applications, including:

• preservation of the as-built pavement structural layers indefinitely.
• preventing the loss of strength and permeability of base aggregate due to subgrade soil
  contamination.
• allowing the use of an open, free-draining base aggregate which, by AASHTO design,
  offers more than twice the structural contribution of a tight, well-graded aggregate.
  (AASHTO is the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.)
• increasing the structural capacity of both the subgrade and the unbound aggregate base,
  which allows a 15-25% reduction in the structural section.
• more than doubling the design life of pavements.
• costs vs. other road building materials—geosynthetics offer an inexpensive design
  safety factor.

Chuck also provided a review of studies showing the benefits of geosynthetic pavement interlayers that can:

• create pavement moisture barriers.
• increase the strengths of both the base and subgrade.
• become a stress-absorbing interlayer to retard reflective cracking and the layered
  pavement survives several times the traffic loading before fatigue cracking begins.
• allow the asphalt overlay to be reduced by up to 1.5 inches.
• potentially double the life of road pavements.

Fred Chuck, P.E., director of corporate training & industry affairs at TenCate Geosynthetics North America, is the chair of GMA’s Geotextile Focus Group.

The mission of the VaJCTA is: “To make performance reviews of operations of state agencies with transportation responsibilities to ascertain that sums appropriated have been or are being expended for the purposes for which they were made and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs in accomplishing legislative intent.”

GMA members, staff, and lobbyists continue to educate government officials on the benefits of using geosynthetic materials for the good of the entire industry.

Source: GMA