April 24, 2018
The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is now accepting abstracts for the IECA Annual Conference, Feb. 19–22, 2019, in Denver, Colorado, the association said in an April 20, 2018, press release. IECA said it is accepting abstracts for sessions including case studies, technical papers, workshops, industry roundtables, fireside chats, Mountain States-related sessions, posters, product case …
April 23, 2018
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced April 18, 2018, it is accepting applications for grants from a pool of up to $60 million in federal funding under the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The grants will be made to eligible entities to develop model deployment sites for large-scale installation …
June 1, 2017
For more than 30 years, the geomembrane industry has been told that “all geomembranes leak” (Giroud 1984), as if this were some foregone conclusion no matter what might happen from geomembrane manufacturing to the time it is put into service. But recently, the idea of “zero leaks” has been a hot topic at industry conferences, …
Introduction The objectives of this article are to document the long history of geosynthetic materials used in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and other rural roads, to document the many creative and useful ways geosynthetics have been used, and to promote the cost-effective uses of geosynthetics in road projects today, particularly on …
Resisting animal and insect attacks on geomembranes is an interesting problem. Geomembrane installers and manufacturers have had numerous geomembranes damaged by bears, deer, coyotes, birds, beavers, and ground squirrels (Figures 1 and 2). In most cases, the damage is incidental to something else the animal is seeking. Deer damage the liner with their hooves trying …
Introduction The design of many geotechnical structures is based on limit-state conditions. For example, in designing gravity walls, the load exerted by the retained soil on the wall is based on an assumed active state of stresses. That is, the wall moves sufficiently outward, enabling the retained soil to mobilize its shear strength along a …
October 1, 2016
Introduction A U.S.-based polyethylene and polyester resin/polymer producer recently closed a manufacturing facility in Wilmington, N.C. (Photo 1). The company hired an engineering firm to manage the demolition and removal of the expansive structures and infrastructure. Part of the environmental responsibilities was to also find a viable solution for closing a 12-acre sludge basin. But …
June 1, 2016
Green roofs 101–From bottom to top Introduction Most green roofs use a variety of geosynthetic materials to support healthy and sustainable installations. Geosynthetics contribute in many ways to the operational success and long-term sustainability of green roof systems. Because they are lightweight, they reduce green roofs’ structural loading on buildings and also reduce the energy …
Geo + Pipeline 101 Geosynthetics often play an important role on the environmental side of pipeline installations. During construction, actions must be taken to protect water quality, stabilize soil, and prevent soil erosion. Pipeline right-of-ways traverse many different types of landscapes, passing through sensitive resource areas such as streams and wetlands. Geosynthetics are used in …
Last year, Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly unveiled plans to convert an ageing shopping center in California’s Silicon Valley into a vast development featuring the world’s largest green roof. Viñoly, the architect behind London’s controversial Walkie Talkie building and the skinny 432 Park Avenue skyscraper in New York, will work with OLIN Landscape Architects to redevelop …