GRI-20 conference: A retrospective

April 1, 2007  |  News

All previous GRI conferences have focused on either a single or double theme. As such, they are meant to be a tutorial on: advancing an established area in geosynthetics trying to make inroads into a new and/or emerging area GRI-20 was of the latter type and it is clearly the more difficult. This is…
Coming: 3rd edition of SRW design manual

April 1, 2007  |  News

The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) Design Manual Task Group for Segmental Retaining Walls (SRW) has decided to create a third edition of its manual, which combines the SRW Drainage Design’s second edition and the Seismic Design manuals into one complete text. The task force will re-e…
Abstracts due for IECA 2008

April 1, 2007  |  Events

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is currently accepting proposals for technical programming at Environmental Connection ‘08, IECA’s annual conference and expo Feb. 18-21, 2008, in Orlando, Fla. Abstracts for presentations relating to the following categories are now welcomed:…
English seaside resort to get Europe’s first artificial surf reef

April 1, 2007  |  Products

A project has started to create Europe’s first artificial surf reef on the south coast of England. Sand-filled geotextile bags will be submerged east of the Boscombe pier, intended to create waves up to 13 ft. high and double the number of good surfing days to more than 150 each year. The £1.4 mi…
Point State Park renovation to preserve Fort Pitt ‘bastion’

April 1, 2007  |  Case Studies

Following a plan supported by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is resuming renovation work at the Fort Pitt tracery in Pittsburgh’s Point State Park as part of a $7.1 million improvement project. In the area known as the “Music Bast…
New geogrid aiding ancient monument

April 1, 2007  |  Case Studies

Nearly 5,000 years old, a monument known today as the Shunet el-Zebib is the only surviving example of a series of monumental cultic buildings built by Egypt’s earliest kings. Over the centuries, it has been ravaged by the elements, attacked by animals and insects, and structurally compromised by …
Textiles, grids help build Seattle park

April 1, 2007  |  Case Studies

Seattle’s Olympic Sculpture Park is a visionary architectural achievement that blends building and site design, including a strollable park on Seattle’s steep waterfront. A visitor’s journey proceeds down a continuously sloping, 2,200-ft.-long Z-path, revealing artwork along the way. For the a…
Richardson company now has new name

April 1, 2007  |  News

Richardson Smith Gardner and Associates is the new name for the former G.N.Richardson and Associates, based in Raleigh, N.C. Founded in 1991 by Dr. Gregory Richardson, the company has served a variety of municipal, private, and industrial clients across the country. The new officers include Stacey S…
ASTM committee developing drain test

April 1, 2007  |  News

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics is currently developing a proposed new standard that covers the test procedure for evaluating the effectiveness of prefabricated vertical drains to enhance the consolidation of soils under specified conditions. The proposed standard, WK13402-Test Met…
U.S. geosynthetics demand to reach 870 million yards2 by 2010

April 1, 2007  |  News

Geosynthetics demand is projected to increase 4.4% per year through 2010 to 870 million yards2. Geosynthetics include geotextiles, geomembranes, geonets, geogrids, geosynthetic clay liners, preformed geocomposites, geocells, and geofoams. Advances will be fueled by a recovery in nonbuilding construc…