CSPE: The “Benjamin Button” of polymeric liners
July 26th, 2021
CSPE-lined Palos Verde Reservoir in Los Angeles County, Calif. Photograph courtesy of Raven Engineered Films Most polymeric liners undergo oxidative aging immediately after installation, and this continues over time, ultimately leading to a reduction of their molecular chain length (this destructive process is referred to as oxidative degradation). In particular, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density […]
Solmax pit thermal energy storage with geosynthetics on the Tibetan Plateau
July 19th, 2021
Photograph courtesy of Solmax Tibet has an average elevation of more than 13,100 feet (4,000 m), reaching to 16,400 feet (5,000 m). At these heights, temperatures can remain below freezing all day in winter, plunging to –4°F (–20 °C). In 2018, Tibet’s first large solar thermal district heating system was designed and built at 15,000 […]
Tips on choosing a high-quality landfill cover
July 8th, 2021
There is more to shopping for a landfill cover than just selecting materials. While it is important to select a material capable of handling the UV rays and rough surfaces of a landfill cell, it is also a good idea to consider what the manufacturer of the cover can offer beyond just the right polymers. […]
Mining tailings management with geosynthetics
June 30th, 2021
Tailings are by-products, the materials that remain after the process of separating the target mineral from the uneconomic fraction of an ore. They are different from the waste rock or other material that overlies an ore or mineral body, which are displaced during mining without being processed. Tailings can be liquid, solid or a slurry […]
GSI to host webinar on hydraulic applications
June 30th, 2021
The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) will sponsor a webinar, “Geomembranes in Hydraulic Applications (dams, canals, reservoirs, tunnels, pipes),”on July 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT. Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) member companies and their employees receive discounted rates on all GSI webinar and short course registrations. By 2040 it is estimated that two billion people […]
Size and application suggestions for polyethylene liners
June 22nd, 2021
Ever since polymers were first conceived as a material in construction, engineers were already creating product variations to hone the physical properties to best fit the needs of a project. In fact, before the term geosynthetics was even coined, the material was being used in projects such as the Delta Works in the Netherlands and […]
What temperature can a polyethylene geomembrane resist?
June 8th, 2021
By Catrin Tarnowski, senior technical manager, Solmax Polyethylene (PE) geomembranes are used by engineers and regulators around the world to line landfills, ponds, mining heap leach pads and other applications. Prolonged exposure to highly elevated temperatures can make liners weaken rapidly. Specialized high-temperature liners can help resolve both these challenges. Prolonged exposure to highly elevated […]
An open solicitation to join in a round-robin effort to find a substitute for Igepal CO-630
June 1st, 2021
Improved stress-cracking resistance in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes has been a quest of our industry and a hot research topic for years. The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has been working in this area since the mid-1980s. The GRI GM13 standard specification for HDPE geomembranes has moved the ASTM D5397 (appendix) single point notch constant tension load […]
Bituminous geomembrane for a South Australian mine
June 1st, 2021
Coletanche ES3 on the TSF embankment for copper-gold project in South Australia The Oz Minerals Carrapateena mine is a copper-gold project located 99 miles (160 km) north of Port Augusta in South Australia. The ore is processed on-site to produce a gold-copper concentrate. A lined tailings storage facility (TSF) was required to receive the tailings […]
ABG Geosynthetics joins the BontexGeo Group
May 10th, 2021
U.K.-based ABG Ltd., a market leader in the design, development, manufacture and technical support of high-performance geosynthetic systems for use in a wide range of civil engineering, environmental and sustainable building projects, is announced it is joining the BontexGeo Group. BontexGeo is a European industry leader in the production and sale of geotextiles for civil […]