Geosynthetic Accreditation Institute’s Laboratory Accreditation Program (GAI-LAP)

October 1, 2024  |  GSI News

The Geosynthetic Institute’s (GSI) mission is to develop and transfer knowledge, assess and critique geosynthetics, and provide service to its member organizations. One way it does this is through the Geosynthetic Accreditation Institute’s Laboratory Accreditation Program (GAI-LAP). GAI is one o…
Read More
Koerner announces GSI ascendancy plan

July 1, 2024  |  GSI News

One of the big announcements at the 5th Pan-American Conference On Geosynthetics (GeoAmericas 2024) in Toronto came from George Koerner who announced that he is stepping down as director of the Geosynthetics Institute (GSI) but is not retiring in 2025. “I’m transitioning but certainly not ending…
Read More
Color, color comparison and color fastness of geomembranes

July 1, 2024  |  GSI News

The Geosynthetic Institute is developing a new geomembrane specification for colored polyethylene geomembranes. It is called GRI Standard GM-39 “Standard Test Method for Determining the Color, Color Comparison and Colorfastness of Geomembranes.” This method is needed to access color difference a…
Read More
Soliciting all interested parties in creating a new geomat specification

April 1, 2024  |  GSI News

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has a long history of creating industry-wide generic specifications for geosynthetics. At present, we have 23 promulgated and three others under development. Like all engineered materials, geosynthetics need general requirements/thresholds to incorporate into plans a…
Read More
New test method for controlling the manufactured geometry of geosynthetics

February 1, 2024  |  GSI News

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has a new test method for determining bow and skew of geosynthetics. This method was created to give installers and product users a way to quantify the geometric quality control of goods they have purchased. Geosynthetics are ever increasingly integrated into transpo…
Read More
Lower trial weld strengths in polyethylene seams

October 1, 2023  |  GSI News

Polyethylene (PE) seaming techniques are used in the field to fabricate rolls of geomembranes into liner systems. There are two predominant methods used: hot wedge “fusion” welding and “extrusion” seaming. Over the past year, installers have noticed lower trial weld strength than in years pa…
Read More
Need for substitute surfactant for ASTM D5397

August 1, 2023  |  GSI News

It has been brought to our attention by the ASTM task group regarding ASTM D5397, Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Stress Crack Resistance of Polyolefin Geomembranes Using Notched Constant Tensile Load Test, that the surfactant used in this experiment (Igepal CO-630) is a regulated substance i…
Read More
Updated accelerated aging test for geomembranes

June 1, 2023  |  GSI News

The accelerated aging process is based on the relationship between temperature and chemical reaction rate, in which the reaction rate increases as temperature rises. Most accelerated aging tests use higher temperatures to accelerate the aging process by representing real-time aging artificially. A g…
Read More
Testing for tensile properties of geosynthetic straps

April 1, 2023  |  GSI News

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) now has a revised test method for determining the tensile properties of geosynthetic straps. They are an extremely strong reinforcement element for mechanically stabilized structures. These soil reinforcing elements consist of high-strength extensible geosynthetic re…
Read More
Connection strength of geosynthetics anchored in concrete

February 1, 2023  |  GSI News

Nearly all geomembrane installations are fixed at the perimeter of the containment by burying the liner in an anchor trench or by attaching it to concrete (i.e., a collar wall, foundation, ring wall, manhole, vault, etc.). The standard approach for connecting the geomembrane liner to concrete is to …
Read More