GSI offers webinar on failed MSE walls with geosynthetics

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) will offer a webinar entitled “A Data Base and Analysis of 301 Failed MSE Walls with Geosynthetic Reinforcement,” on October 11, 2017, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT.

Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, berms and slopes with geosynthetic reinforcement have been developed since the 1970s, first using geotextiles and later using geogrids. We estimate that some 50,000 exist, and the technology is in use worldwide. Unfortunately, there have been many failures; some with excessive distortion, while others have collapsed in whole or part.

This webinar will examine data sets from 301 case histories, discussing based on  the data what the MSE walls were used for, when they failed, what part of the world saw the most failures, what the walls were faced with, the height of the walls, whether they were geogrid reinforced, how quickly they failed, the type of backfill, quality of the compaction, the importance of proper design and construction, and the failure potential of exposure to internal or external water. The webinar instructor will describe details of this data set, and from it, he will discuss four salient features in detail: (1) fine-grained soil backfills, (2) compaction of these same soils, (3) routing of internal drainage systems, and (4) surface and adjacent water control. Concluding comments will include specific recommendations to designers and contractors.

This webinar is appropriate for owners of MSE walls, berms and slopes in both the public and private sectors; federal, state and regional geotechnical, transportation and environmental engineers; engineers from municipal districts and townships; private and municipal land developers; architects and landscape architects; general civil consulting engineers; testing laboratories; geosynthetic materials manufacturers and sales representatives; contractors and installers of MSE walls, berms and steep soil slopes; academic and research groups; and others desiring technically related information on this important aspect of our constructed infrastructure.

The webinar will be taught by Dr. Robert M. Koerner, professor emeritus of civil engineering at Drexel University and director emeritus of the Geosynthetic Institute.

Webinars cost $200.00 for GSI members and $250.00 for nonmembers. Successful completion of a multiple-choice test after the webinar carries 1.5 professional development units.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.geosynthetic-institute.org/webinar.htm.