A dedicated man
February 1st, 2020
Erosion control and reinforcement are two applications that geosynthetics are used for. Distantly related, the two applications form the backbone of this publication. But looming large over this issue is the passing of Robert M. “Bob” Koerner and Pauline “Paula” W. Koerner, a couple who had a huge influence over the founding and development of […]
Geosynthetics are uniquely suited
October 1st, 2019
Geosynthetics are found in the strangest of places. But that just speaks to how versatile and useful they are for a wide variety of applications. Dewatering, energy-site closure, erosion control, reinforcement and stabilization are just a few applications that geosynthetics address in this issue. In addition, many of the geographic areas discussed here are sensitive […]
Geosynthetics are at the ready
August 1st, 2019
Geosynthetics play a varied and important role in infrastructure, from liners and covers for reservoirs to landfill covers. They can be found in highway construction and in coal ash impoundments. They are part of the basic framework of public and private construction, supporting modern expectations for transportation, sanitation and reliable energy. The American Society of […]
Geosynthetics for reinforcement and stabilization
June 1st, 2019
Geosynthetics are widely used for reinforcement and stabilization, particularly in transportation-related applications, including base stabilization, reinforced soil slopes (RSS) and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. This issue of Geosynthetics considers many such applications from multiple viewpoints. Sachin Mandavkar and Mehari Weldu look at very tall MSE walls and RSS through several case studies in “Geogrid […]
Infrastructure funding remains uncertain
April 1st, 2019
Nearly a year has gone by since we published the June/July 2018 issue with a theme of “Geosynthetics Used in Highways and Bridges.” The editorial in that issue noted, “As of this writing, the White House and U.S. Congress are working on an infrastructure bill or bills after President Donald Trump released an infrastructure proposal […]
The magic of water and geosynthetics
February 1st, 2019
Water is a fundamental issue in many projects using geosynthetics. From erosion control to reservoir liners and covers, from landfill leachate pond barriers to coal ash dewatering, handling water and the effects of water are considerations nearly every engineer employing geosynthetics considers. Geosynthetics can effectively manage water applications of erosion control, reinforcement, barriers, filtration and […]
The many applications for geosynthetics in the energy sector
October 1st, 2018
The opportunities for geosynthetics in energy applications are nearly endless. There are huge energy categories, such as oil, natural gas and coal, but geosynthetics also play a role in nuclear energy, hydropower, wind power and solar power, among others. Geosynthetics line storage tanks, support roads to remote sites, line tailings ponds, provide filtration, dewater coal […]
Geosynthetics use expands in mining and ore processing
August 1st, 2018
The estimated value of nonfuel mining of raw materials in the United States alone totaled $75.2 billion in 2017, according to an annual report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Everything from aluminum to zinc falls into this massive category, but that dollar figure is dwarfed by the USGS’s estimate in that same report of […]
Geosynthetics need to be part of the infrastructure package
June 1st, 2018
In its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave U.S. infrastructure a grade of D+. Not good. The sector report card on American roads faired even worse, earning a D, while TRIP, a national transportation research group based in Washington, D.C., says 32% of major urban American roads had pavement […]
Editorial: Geomembranes and water
April 1st, 2018
The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that a clean water supply is “fundamental to global health.” WHO estimates that considerable exposure worldwide to contraction of many waterborne diseases and conditions (diarrhea, malaria, malnutrition, parasites, bacterial infections, etc.) could be diminished by increasing access to safe drinking water, improving sanitation and hygiene, and improving water management. […]