The TRB Standing Committee on Geosynthetics

The Transportation Research Board (TRB), a program of the nonprofit National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, has more than 200 standing committees within their Technical Activities Division; one of those is the Standing Committee on Geosynthetics (AFS70), which focuses on issues related to analysis, design, installation and performance of geosynthetics used in transportation. The committee deliberates on issues related to design considerations, material properties, and geosynthetic effectiveness, in terms of cost and performance, innovative or improved design and construction methodologies, and long-term performance, all to help advance the state of the practice. Core functions of the committee are to develop research needs statements, e-circulars, webinars, and conference workshops and sessions that help address and promote innovative solutions in geosynthetic applications. The committee also plays an important role in the review of manuscripts submitted to TRB for publication and presentation.

The committee membership includes up to 25 core members and is supplemented with two state department of transportation members, four young members and five international members, leading to a potential size of 36 representatives of federal, state and local governments; academia; consultancies; industry; and nonprofit organizations. During the 2015–2018 term, the committee had 30 members and approximately 135 friends who have an interest in geosynthetics. Anyone can become a friend of the committee. Friends of the committee can participate in its activities, enjoy networking opportunities and have the chance to become full members when spots open. Membership is rotated every three years to promote diversity and widespread engagement with others to help meet the needs of the geosynthetics industry. The 2018–2021 term began April 15, 2018.

The most recent committee meeting was held during the 2018 TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on January 8, 2018, with 75 members and friends in attendance. Topics discussed included geosynthetics for airfields and pavements, intelligent compaction, erosion control, deep-patch shallow slope repair, geosynthetic instrumentation, geosynthetic reinforced soil abutments, and geosynthetic specifications. Typically, the committee schedules a midyear meeting via web conference to maintain committee activity.

To become a friend of the committee and learn more about its activities, please visit www.myTRB.org to sign up; it’s free and easy. Any questions can be sent to me, Dr. Jennifer Nicks, at jennifer.nicks@dot.gov. For additional information about the Standing Committee on Geosynthetics, including previous documents and archived presentations, visit our website at https://tinyurl.com/TRBGeo.

2018–2021 TRB Standing Committee on Geosynthetics membership

Chair
Jennifer Nicks, research geotechnical engineer, Federal Highway Administration

TRB Staff Representative
Nancy M. Whiting, senior program officer, Transportation Research Board

Members

• Michael Adams, research geotechnical engineer, Federal Highway Administration
• Asif Ahmed, research assistant professor, University of Texas at Arlington
• Sam Allen, vice president, Texas Research International
• Izzaldin Almohd, assistant professor, University of Petra, Jordan
• Imad Al-Qadi, professor of engineering and Illinois Center for Transportation director, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• David Arellano, associate professor, University of Memphis
• Ta-Teh Chang, professor, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan
• Brian Collins, senior geotechnical engineer, Federal Highway Administration
• Erol Guler, professor, Boğaziçi University, Turkey
• Kianoosh Hatami, associate professor, University of Oklahoma
• Richard Holesinger, engineering manager, Missouri Petroleum Products LLC
• Jie Huang, assistant professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Gordon Keller, geotechnical engineer, Genesee Geotechnical
• Christopher Kreider, assistant state geotechnical engineer, North Carolina Department of Transportation
• Jayhyun Kwon, assistant professor, Kennesaw State University
• Bruce Lacina, roadway reinforcement technical manager, TenCate Geosynthetics Americas
• Benjamin Mahaffay, design and construction engineer, Federal Aviation Administration
• Sachin Mandavkar, technical manager, Maccaferri Inc.
• Seyyed Hamed Mousavi, graduate research assistant, North Carolina State University
• Munir Nazzal, associate professor, Ohio University
• Ve’Niecy Pearman-Green, geotechnical engineer, Illinois Department of Transportation
• Elizabeth Peggs, consultant
• Gholam Hossein Roodi, postdoctoral fellow, University of Texas at Austin
• Milad Saghebfar, geotechnical project engineer, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
• Sireesh Saride, associate professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, India
• John Schuler, materials program manager, Virginia Department of Transportation
• Khaled Sobhan, professor, Florida Atlantic University
• Erol Tutumluer, professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Mark Wayne, director of application technology, Tensar International
• Jason Wright, graduate research assistant, University of Georgia

Emeritus Member
L. David Suits, consultant, LDS Geosynthetic Consulting Services

Jennifer Nicks, Ph.D., P.E., is the chair of TRB’s Standing Committee on Geosynthetics and a research geotechnical engineer with the Federal Highway Administration, working at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia.