October 1, 2018
Soil erosion from wind and rainwater runoff was plaguing Suzlon Energy Ltd., exposing the foundations for its twenty wind energy generators (WTGs) at Behpur, Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, India. The foundations are circular footings set at shallow depths. Sites for WTGs are selected based on where the intensity of wind is high over a major period …
August 1, 2018
In December 2017, the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and GRID-Arendal, an organization that supports environmentally sustainable development in partnership with UN Environment and other collaborators, published “Mine Tailings Storage: Safety Is No Accident.” The report recommends mining companies adopt simple steps to reduce environmental destruction and death by changing the way they store …
June 1, 2018
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) began work on the McCormick Quarry Bridge over Warren Avenue in East Providence on Sept. 23, 2016, using a geosynthetic reinforced soil–integrated bridge system (GRS–IBS). According to the Federal Highway Administration and RIDOT, the technique allowed crews to cut the closure time for the bridge from one year …
April 1, 2018
Geosynthetics are part of a flexible, cost-effective infrastructure that helps to treat, store and deliver clean water around the world. If you’ve had a glass of clean water today, you can likely thank a geosynthetic product. Geosynthetics perform behind-the-scenes work to ensure communities have access to adequate potable water and clean waterways. They also hold …
February 1, 2018
In August 2017, the Erosion Control Technology Council (ECTC) updated its Rolled Erosion Control Products (RECPs) specification. The specifications include charts of product characteristics for mulch control nettings (MCNs), open weave textiles (OWTs), erosion control blankets (ECBs) and turf reinforcement mats (TRMs). These charts are the result of consensus among leading manufacturers of RECPs and …
October 1, 2017
An Aug. 10, 2017, report issued by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), indicates that, so far, President Donald J. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has collected 60% less in civil penalties than previous administrations had recovered from environmental violators on average by the end of July in their first year after taking office. The EIP …
The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) will host Geosynthetics (GEO) 2019 at the Marriott Marquis in Houston, Texas, Feb. 10–13, 2019. More than 1,000 attendees, exhibitors, speakers, instructors and sponsors will attend the biennial conference’s plenary lectures, short courses, technical sessions, panel discussions and welcome reception, taking advantage of the exceptional educational and networking opportunities …
August 1, 2017
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) secretary Elaine Chao announced May 31, 2017, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $527.8 million in airport infrastructure grants to 584 airports across the United States as part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP). “The Airport Improvement Program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, …
June 1, 2017
The International Geosynthetics Society North American (IGS–NA) Chapter held the 2017 IGS North America Photo Contest this past winter. The first, second, and third place winners were announced at the Geotechnical Frontiers conference in Orlando, Fla., March 14, 2017. Photographs were required to clearly display a geosynthetic in use. Photographs needed to provide a clear …
April 1, 2017
The 2017 Geotechnical Frontiers conference in Orlando, Fla., drew thousands to “The City Beautiful” Mar. 12–15, 2017, for four days of plenary lectures, awards honoring distinguished geosynthetics experts and work on innovative geosynthetics projects, panel discussions, technical sessions based on more than 360 peer-reviewed papers, and a buzzing trade show floor with manufacturers displaying their …