Why have most geotextile artificial reefs never really worked?
June 7th, 2023
Artificial surfing reefs are a technology that has come with a lot of hype, but famous failures such as Boscombe in the United Kingdom have made man-made reefs the surfing equivalent of Don Quixote tilting at windmills. Time and time again, we’ve seen hopeful coverage during the planning stages, only for the projects to go over […]
Cook Islands weighs up geotextile bags and containers options to prevent coastal erosion
December 12th, 2022
Avana Harbour on the eastern side of Rarotonga has been in the spotlight recently as residents are witnessing a pilot program in action. It is the first of its kind in the Cook Islands, and the program has been extended as a small stretch of coastline in the harbour continues to suffer from the effects […]
HUESKER introduces new geotextile bag product and provides coastal protection with geotextile container systems
September 17th, 2021
Large-format tubes and bags as effective erosion protection for banks, coasts and harbors Coastal protection with geotextile SoilTain Tubes in Ayamonte, Spain. Photograph courtesy of HUESKER Group In the era of climate change, sea level rise and an increasing number of extreme weather events, not only new strategies and solution concepts are required but also […]
Geosynthetics plays a prominent role
August 1st, 2020
From the Panama Canal to coal ash containment in West Virginia to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet piling in several U.S. states, geosynthetics solve problems. The versatility of the different types of geosynthetics makes them useful in many situations. In “Innovative Geosynthetics Solution Saves 106-Year-Old Panama Canal Structures,” geotextile bags solve an interesting underwater erosion control […]
Innovative geosynthetic solution saves 106-year-old Panama Canal structures
August 1st, 2020
By Tom Stephens and Nicolas Ruiz FIGURE 1 Preparing to place a 65-cubic-yard (50-m3) geotextile bag container into 66 feet (20 m) of water at the Gatun Locks dividing wall The Panama Canal opened for business 106 years ago and was hailed as the eighth wonder of the world and an engineering marvel. It has […]
The GMA Techline
August 1st, 2020
Seaming dissimilar geomembranes Q: I kindly request your technical support in the questions below: A nonpolyethylene geomembrane was used in phase 1 of the tailings dam waterproofing system of a gold mine. For the expansion (phase 2), the use of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane is being evaluated. How can the HDPE geomembrane join the bituminous […]
Geosynthetic Institute news: Mega waterbags
October 1st, 2017
According to the United Nations (UN), 1.1 billion people in 34 countries have inadequate access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, pollution, global warming and population growth will have continuing negative impacts on the availability of safe drinking water. By the year 2040, the UN estimates that more than 2 billion people in 60 countries will […]