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Geosynthetics opportunities and solutions in shale gas extraction
October 1st, 2018
While natural gas contained within shale rock is geologic and thus ancient by its very nature, the practice of its removal by horizontal drilling coupled with hydrofracking is a relatively recent development (Figure 1). Indeed, these dual technologies are making possible the recovery of huge amounts of natural gas—so much so that one can envision […]
Geosynthetics and coal combustion residuals
October 1st, 2018
According to the World Bank Group, in 2015 coal produced 41% of the world’s energy and about 34% of the energy production in the United States. While global warming and pollution are serious challenges according to most scientific evidence, and coal burning is cited as one cause of both, there are many staunch advocates of […]
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency updates geosynthetic liner guidelines for stormwater management
August 30th, 2018
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (Minnesota PCA) revised and released new geosynthetic liner guidelines for stormwater management in August. The guidelines specify where liners are required and where liners are recommended, liner specifications (e.g., HDPE, GCL, PVC), and how to select an appropriate liner. “Liners are designed to limit infiltration of water from a stormwater […]
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 […]
Testing a new method for mining-waste storage using polymer-enhanced geosynthetic clay liners
July 31st, 2018
Geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) and polymer-modified geosynthetic clay liners (PMG) are gaining favor for use in industrial waste disposal and ore-processing applications (Athanassopoulos et al. 2015, Donovan et al. 2016a, Donovan et al. 2016b). The GCL or PMG can be a component of a composite liner system that will allow for increased performance (relative to […]
Part 2: The regulation of CCR in the United States: Geosynthetics and barriers
October 1st, 2017
As discussed in Part 1 of “The Regulation of CCR in the United States,” for the first time in decades, nationwide regulation of CCR (coal combustion residuals) surface impoundments expands the regulated use of geosynthetic materials. While the CCR Rule (2015) allows continued operation of existing CCR surface impoundments, it provides criteria for the disposition […]
Part 1: The regulation of CCR in the United States: Geosynthetics and barriers
August 1st, 2017
The regulation of coal ash (coal combustion residuals or CCR) has significantly expanded the market for geosynthetics within the United States. Further, there is interest in these regulations around the globe in every country using coal as an energy source. These regulations are the result of recent environmental incidents. The regulations call for the increased […]
Using geosynthetics for macroencapsulation for CCR on-site clean closure
August 1st, 2017
Coal combustion residuals (CCR) have been used for many years in the construction of berms and engineered structural fill applications, including embankments for highways, dikes, and levees. However, large, unencapsulated structural fill projects have become a focus of environmental concerns due to potential leaching of metals and structural failures. Cap-in-place of CCR surface impoundments is […]