Synthetic turf system stops erosion … for starters

February 1, 2010  |  Case Studies

Quest for erosion control delivers additional benefits. By Alexandria Hayes Introduction After four years as a district landfill manager for IESI Corp., Delaney Lewis was discouraged. Although one of the Louisiana landfills for which he was responsible exhibited ideal geology, the soil characteristi…
After the typhoon in Taiwan: Testament to an award-winning reinforced slope

February 1, 2010  |  Case Studies

Ace Geosynthetics wins top prize in 2009 International Achievement Awards By Ron Bygness, editor, Geosynthetics Aug. 7–10, 2009, were devastating days in Taiwan, when Typhoon Morakot struck the island directly. The waves of unrelenting rain and wind proved to be the deadliest typhoon ever to s…
Using geotextile containers for coal-slurry disposal

February 1, 2010  |  Case Studies

TenCate Geosynthetics wins in 2009 International Achievement Awards The processing of raw coal to a saleable clean coal requires that mine operators wash the run-of-mine product using a processing plant. The raw coal contains impurities composed of rock and fireclay. Two waste streams are created by…
Geotextile containers for dewatering septage

February 1, 2010  |  Case Studies

TenCate Geosynthetics wins in 2009 International Achievement Awards In 2002, Ontario’s provincial legislature and the Ministry of Environment (MOE) produced a policy paper announcing its intent to eliminate the land application of untreated septage (septic tank waste). While 90% of residents i…
New wall repairs erosion damage, widens road

February 1, 2010  |  Case Studies

Introduction The main objectives of this project were to build a retaining wall to support a road and to create more room for the width of the road, especially at the turn. Potential problems A primary goal was the repairing and widening of an existing 4m- (13ft)-wide road to 5m (15.5ft). In additio…
Canal construction finalized with geocell stability

February 1, 2010  |  Case Studies

Introduction The primary objective of this project was to protect the banks of a canal that was constructed in front, and throughout the grounds, of a new luxury hotel in Panama. Bristol Buenaventura Resort, located approximately 85 miles west of Panama City on the Pacific Ocean coastline, opened in…
Innovative applications for nonwoven geotextiles in concrete pavements

October 7, 2009  |  Case Studies

By Robert Rasmussen and Sabrina Garber Introduction Recent research published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), “Nonwoven Geotextile Interlayers for Separating Cementitious Pavement Layers: German Practice and U.S. Field Trials”1 focuses on innovative applications for nonwove…
Floating geomembrane cover improves biogas collection, heat retention, and odor control

October 7, 2009  |  Case Studies

Canadian corn products refiner, Casco Inc., upgraded its 4-million-gallon wastewater anaerobic digester to include a state-of-the-art insulated, floating geomembrane cover. By Jim McMahon Introduction Casco Inc. is all about the processing of corn products. As one of Canada’s biggest, and olde…
A young engineer, molasses, and failed sand drains

October 7, 2009  |  Case Studies

By Bob Koerner Prior to 1959, the chemical industry used sugar cane (mainly from Cuba) for its source of the carbohydrate sucrose used to produce ethyl alcohol for the manufacture of munitions and alcohol. When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, this nearby source was abruptly eliminated and the al…
Silver anniversary: the Tanque Verde retaining walls

October 7, 2009  |  Case Studies

By Ryan R. Berg, P.E., and Ronald P. Anderson, P.E. Introduction Some days it seems like we have been designing and constructing concrete-faced, geosynthetic-reinforced, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls forever, and that this technique of constructing MSE walls has always been a conventiona…