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Cooley appoints business development manager

June 1, 2010 | News

At the Cooley Group, David Shields has been appointed business development manager for Cooley Engineered Membranes. His responsibilities will include identifying and developing new markets for that division, according to a company press release. Citing his extensive background with the aviation indu…

Personnel update at NAG

June 1, 2010 | News

North American Green has named Gabe Weaver to the new position of manager of engineering and business development. In a press release this spring, the company said it “has married innovation with expertise in the erosion control industry,” given Weaver’s background as a professiona…

Purging the geosynthetics system of dated test methods and specs

June 1, 2010 | News

By Bob and George Koerner In May 1998, Maryann Gorman wrote a commentary in ASTM Standardization News entitled “How Specifications Live Forever.” She began the article by explaining how standard gauge railroad track spacing in North America is 4ft-8.5in. (1.4351m). It seems that this pre…

Geosynthetics: The present and perspectives from Mexico

June 1, 2010 | News

By Andrew Aho The Mexican economy has been battered by both the worldwide financial crisis and the effects of a steep downturn in the U.S., Mexico’s largest trading partner. And if that was not enough, Mexico’s economy absorbed another blow last year with its virtual shutdown during the …

Bernard Myles was my friend

June 1, 2010 | News

Written Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by Pete Stevenson Bernard Myles was my friend. We met in 1980 in New Orleans at an organizing meeting for the IFAI geotextile committee where he was the only sensible voice. During the next 30 years he became my friend and he remained a sensible voice. He was a teac…

MSE walls support laterally loaded drilled shafts

June 1, 2010 | Case Studies

A new take on sound-barrier walls. By Jie Han, Robert Parsons, Matthew Pierson, and James Brennan Introduction When residential areas are close to highways, sound barrier walls are often constructed to minimize noise from traffic on those roads. Under certain circumstances, mechanically stabilized e…

Geosynthetic materials play a major role in new underground stormwater detention system

June 1, 2010 | Case Studies

By Terence G. Sheridan, P.E. Introduction Stormwater management is an ever-increasing expense on site development projects. Stormwater detention ponds are designed to protect against downstream flooding and environmental degradation. The standard of practice is to ensure that post-development flow f…

Retractable geomembrane covers provide multiple efficiencies for Bay Area wastewater plant

June 1, 2010 | Products

A retractable, structurally-supported geomembrane cover system provides odor control and ease of maintenance access for the Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District. By Jim McMahon Introduction The initial goal was to contain odors from its wastewater treatment plant. What the Vallejo (Calif.) …

Geosynthetic reinforced walls and steep slopes: Is it magic?

June 1, 2010 | Case Studies

By Dov Leshchinsky Introduction The history of humankind indicates that most people, arguably, embrace magic. Adding exotic ceremonies turns magic into voodoo. While magic is based on uncritical thinking, relying on it in engineering is undesirable because it could lead to overly expensive structure…

U.S. geosynthetics market is poised for a comeback in 2010-11

June 1, 2010 | Features, News

By Jeffrey Rasmussen While U.S. geosynthetics manufacturers and distributors assess 2009’s lackluster performance, they can also look forward to the possibility of meaningful improvements before the end of this year. Sales in 2009 were down about 4-5%. However, a slow but steady growth is expe…