April 1, 2019
The 2017 ASCE report card (ASCE 2017) on civil infrastructure assigned grade “D” for America’s roads, and this rating necessitates the adoption of more sustainable and resilient approaches in design and construction of transport infrastructures such as highway embankments and pavements. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) material has been considered as one of the sustainable options …
Reconstruction of Hennepin County State Aid Highway 112 is a multi-phase project. Phase 1 was completed in fall 2018. Phase 1 included reconstruction and widening of the existing roadway as well as the construction of a bike trail between the road and the lake. The roadway/trail alignment is adjacent to the shoreline of Minnesota’s Long …
The I-70 multi-span bridges (Figure 1) over Smith Road in Aurora, Colo., included design methodology changes that were classified as “experimental features,” and, thus, additional project funds were included for evaluation. In order to understand the geostructural performance of the multi-span geosynthetic reinforced soil–integrated bridge system (GRS–IBS), the abutment was instrumented with a vertical chain …
Vegetation causing gases under geomembrane? Q: I have a site where we are installing a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner in an existing pond. Because of some residual heavy metals in the top layer of soil, I would like to strip off the top 3–6 inches (7.6–15.2 cm) of soil and vegetation. Alternatively, we could mow and …
Yeager Airport is located on top of a series of leveled mountains in Charleston, W.Va. Completion of the original airport construction in the 1940s required 9 million cubic yards (6.9 million m3) of soil and rock earthwork (Keller 2017). In 2005, due to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements, it was necessary to construct a …
March 1, 2019
Hurricane Michael caused extensive damage to Florida’s power grid network, leveling more than 100 transmission towers in a 34-mile (55-km) right-of-way from Port St. Joe to Callaway. This right-of-way crosses swampy, remote and hard-to-reach areas, making rebuilding the grid even more challenging. This extremely wet, muddy ground prevented Duke Energy repair vehicles from accessing the …
February 1, 2019
This article reports on the evaluation of an exposed geomembrane liner in a landfill leachate pond after being in service for 25 years. The evaluation was performed in two campaigns: in August 2014 and in May 2018. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the condition of the geomembrane and to provide a recommendation …
Geomembranes for canal lining Q: Our company is an international member of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). Our government is planning to line their water canals with a geomembrane to prevent water seepage into the soil. We have been approached by many to suggest the most suitable material with specifications to guide them in …
California’s water infrastructure is one of the most challenged systems in the United States due to the large population it supports, the age of much of the water infrastructure, and the diverse environments—mountains, coastlines, old-growth forests, deserts—found in the state. The water infrastructure is also one of the country’s most advanced systems, in part due …
Recognizing design excellence in geosynthetics The International Achievement Awards, sponsored by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), recognize innovation, technical skill and design excellence in geosynthetic applications. The awards are an annual competition promoting awareness of the specialty fabrics used in thousands of products and applications ranging in size and shape. For more than 70 …