Riverbank protection helps save a cemetery

February 1, 2009  |  Case Studies

Compiled and edited by Ron Bygness For nearly a century-and-a-half, Big Bend Lutheran Church in west-central Minnesota has stood proudly on a 60-ft bluff overlooking the Chippewa River. The founders of this rural parish also plotted a cemetery adjacent to the chuch and even closer to the overlook of…
Read More
Geomembrane liner and subsurface stormwater system installed at new Minnesota football stadium

February 1, 2009  |  Case Studies

By Ron Bygness and Mark Apfelbacher Developers of large urban projects — such as the new TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota — are challenged to find sustainable ways to manage stormwater without wasting precious space. “At the stadium, space is at a premium,” sai…
Read More
Turning the Red River green

February 1, 2009  |  Case Studies

The Red River of the North submerged 2 Upper Midwest towns 12 years ago. Now geotextile matting is part of the foundation for a sweeping urban levee and greenway. By Adam Regn Arvidson Introduction Today, the Greater Grand Forks Greenway is a large, beautiful park bordering the Red River of the Nort…
Read More
Geomembrane and nonwoven textile help build eco-friendly Monterey House

February 1, 2009  |  Case Studies

By Ron Bygness and Bill Wilson Introduction The Monterey Bay Idea House (Monterey House), the latest in the line of select West Coast homes built by Sunset magazine to showcase new and innovative products, presents a multitude of eco-friendly features in response to the need for energy efficiency, f…
Read More
Geogrid in action — retaining leaves for flower bed insulation?

February 1, 2009  |  Case Studies

By Robert Koerner Jonathan Rabe is a landscape gardener with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s River District. When he and coworker, Rochelle Rau, were preparing to protect a dozen tulip beds from the forces of an oncoming Minnesota winter last fall, they hit upon a new application…
Read More
Reviving the Wrigley Reservoir on Catalina Island

October 1, 2008  |  Case Studies

A new liner, a floating cover, and a wildfire. By Andrew Mills Introduction There are times when an unusual project turns into one that is absolutely unique, literally “one of a kind.” That’s exactly what happened on a water reservoir project off the west coast of California on Cat…
Read More
Geosynthetics and the new I-35W Bridge

October 1, 2008  |  Case Studies

Examples of the geosynthetic materials used on the I-35W project. By Ron Bygness, and courtesy of Flatiron Corp., Maccaferri Inc., and MnDOT Construction of the Interstate-35W Bridge, which collapsed in catastrophic fashion on Aug. 1, 2007, was completed ahead of schedule, and reopened on Sept. 18, …
Read More
Under the green roof: Ground control in northern California

October 1, 2008  |  Case Studies

Stabilizing a “living roof” with biodegradable geotextile: Interlocking plant trays help the new California Academy of Sciences building blend into hilly surroundings. By Shelby Gonzalez Introduction Lead architect Renzo Piano envisioned the new California Academy of Sciences (CAS) build…
Read More
TV reports show use of geotextiles for temporary flood control

August 1, 2008  |  Case Studies

Let’s get the word out! By Mark Marienfeld, P.E. June 2008 I have been watching the TV news coverage of the flooding in the Midwest these past few days. What I see is unprecedented, I believe: TV reports showing the use of geotextiles for temporary flood-control dike building. As background, f…
Read More
Slope stability sensitivities of final covers

August 1, 2008  |  Case Studies

By Richard Thiel Abstract The geotechnical aspects of final cover system slope stability follow the same principles used for other geotechnical stability problems. What is unique and important to recognize, relative to final cover systems, is their sensitivity to relatively small changes in loading,…
Read More