Geosynthetics PDF

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010
VOLUME 28 NUMBER 4
Working Together
Landfill installation partners achieve success
Walking the High Line

NYC’s elevated greenway
Geosynthetic reinforcement
Going green in Costa Rica
New IGS Council &

recap of 9ICG
Subscribe
Subscribe at
at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
0810GS_Cv1.indd 1 8/2/10 12:34:17 PM

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010
VOLUME 28 NUMBER 4
44 ON THE COVER
A multilayered
cover system for
On Site 14
a hazardous waste 14 Walking the High Line
landfill in Colorado An urban promenade for the 21st century
required multiple By Frank Edgerton Martin
construction and
installation partners 20 Green geosynthetic-reinforced soil walls
for successful
These walls offer economical, technical,
completion. See
and environmental advantages
the special section, By Guerra Escobar and Roberto Madriz
“Working Together,”
that starts on
page 35. 35 Special Section: Working Together
36 Proven geosolutions for Florida landfill expansion
44 Award-winning landfill cap in Colorado 20
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com 3
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 3 8/2/10 12:35:02 PM

In Situ
6 Editorial
Building peace from the ground up
8 From Our Readers
Questions, answers, and comments
from geosyntheticsmagazine.com
52 Panorama
• 14th IGS Council is formed
• Propex emerging, diversifying
• Infrastructure news and notes
55 Geo-Frontiers Watch
Exhibits and sponsorships
57 Geosynthetic Materials Association
8 GMA pushes onward for coal-ash
containment liners
By Andrew Aho
59 Geosynthetic Institute
A uniquely wonderful conference
By Bob Koerner
61 Calendar
63 Advertiser Index
Final Inspection
59 64 9ICG: A great success!
50 Special Section COMING NEXT ISSUE

Tribute for service: Pete and Rosemary Stevenson >> Going green—walls and roofs
A collection of photos >> Roadway stabilization
shows Pete and
>> Anchor trench design
Rosemary at different
events through their
many years of service
with the International
Geosynthetics Society.
Geosynthetics ISSN #0882 4983, Vol. 28, Number 4 is published bimonthly by Industrial Fabrics contact: Tiffany Connor, Circulation Promotions Specialist, Geosynthetics , 1801 County Road B W,
Association International, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Periodicals Roseville, MN 55113-4061 Phone 800 225 4324 or +1 651 222 2508, fax +1 651 631 9334 e-mail:
Postage Paid at Minneapolis, MN and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address subscriptions@ifai.com. 1-year USA $59, Canada and Mexico $69, all other countries $99, payable
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Canadian Addresses to Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. Orders and changes Issues: call 800 225 4324, www.ifaibookstore.com.
4 Geosynthetics | August September 2010
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 4 8/2/10 12:35:08 PM

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 5 8/2/10 12:35:12 PM
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE*

Melody A. Adams | Shaw Environmental Inc., USA
Andrew Aho | GMA, USA
Sam R. Allen | TRI/Environmental, USA
Building peace from Richard J. Bathurst | Royal Military College, Canada

Witty Bindra | Permathene Pty. Ltd., Australia
the ground up David A. Carson | U.S. EPA, USA

Daniele A. Cazzuffi | CESI S.p.A., Italy
Oscar R. Couttolenc | GMA, Mexico
Scholars from Iraq were hosted by Geocomp Corp. Ronald K. Frobel | R.K. Frobel & Associates, USA
Stephan M. Gale | Gale-Tec Engineering Inc., USA
as that war-torn country prepares to rebuild its Han-Yong Jeon | INHA University, Korea
Robert M. Koerner | The Geosynthetic Institute, USA
infrastructure and expand its skilled workforce. Robert E. Mackey | S2L Inc., USA
Kent von Maubeuge | NAUE GmbH, Germany
I
happened upon a short press release recently that featured our Jacek Mlynarek | SAGEOS, Canada
Dhani Narejo | Caro Engineering LLC, USA
engineering friends from Geocomp in Massachusetts and wanted Roy J. Nelsen | ErosionControlBlanket.com Inc., USA
to share this good news story. Jim Olsta | CETCO, USA
Ian D. Peggs | I-Corp International, USA
Five delegates from the Iraq Ministry of Higher Education and Greg N. Richardson | RSG & Associates Inc., USA
Scientific Research and the Foundation for Technical Education were Marco A. Sánchez | ML Ingeniería, Mexico
Mark E. Smith | RRD International, USA
recently hosted by Geocomp Corp., a geoengineering firm based in L. David Suits | NAGS, USA
Boxborough, Mass. In additional to touring Geocomp, the delegation Gary L. Willibey | ESP/SKAPS Industries, USA
Aigen Zhao | Syntec Corp., USA
visited local colleges and vocational schools.
*The Editorial Advisory Committee reviews selected
Rachid Hankour (on the right in photo below), vice president and papers,case histories, and technical editorial copy in
its areas of expertise. Individual advisors do not review
director of lab systems at Geocomp, served as the primary host. A native every submission. Statements of fact and opinion are
the author’s responsibility alone, and do not imply
of Algeria, Hankour speaks Arabic, although he discovered all the Iraqi the viewpoints of Geosynthetics, its Editorial Advisory
representatives were fluent in English. Committee, editors,or the association.
The excursion was sponsored by UN-HABITAT, PUBLISHER

Mary Hennessy | mjhennessy@ifai.com
the United Nations Human Settlements Program.
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
The purpose of the exchange program is to promote Susan R. Niemi | srniemi@ifai.com
social and environmentally sustainable cities and EDITOR
Ron Bygness | rwbygness@ifai.com
to provide adequate shelter through better under- ART DIRECTOR
standing of the most up-to-date developments in Marti Naughton
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
construction and building technologies. Cathleen Rose
Schools included in the tours were Tufts University, University ADVERTISING SALES
Vivian Cowan, Julia Heath, Sarah Hyland,
of Massachusetts/Lowell, Merrimack College, Worcester Polytechnic Paul Montag, Mary Mullowney, Sandy Tapp,
Institute, Minuteman Career and Technical High School, and Nashoba Elizabeth Welsh | 800 225 4324
EXHIBIT SALES SPECIALIST
Valley Technical High School. Terry Brodsky | tabrodsky@ifai.com
“Due to the war and the regulations imposed by the last regime, Iraq CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SALES/AD DESIGN
is suffering from a shortage of equipment and is a society with many Elizabeth Kaestner | eakaestner@ifai.com
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT COORDINATOR
needs,” noted Moneer Hameed Tolephih, one of the scholars. He added, Shelly Arman | searman@ifai.com
“Our strategy is to help develop a good relationship and cooperation CIRCULATION MANAGER
Mary Moore | mjmoore@ifai.com
with schools and universities in the United States.”
CIRCULATION PROMOTIONS SPECIALIST
Hankour expanded, “This initial visit was a great opportunity for Tiffany Connor | subscriptions@ifai.com
both parties to develop a personal connection and determine how we
can help each other.”
INDUSTRIAL FABRICS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
1801 County Road B W.
Roseville, MN 55113-4061, USA
Ron Bygness +1 651 222 2508 | 800 225 4324 (U.S. and Canada
Editor, Geosynthetics magazine only) | Fax +1 651 631 9334 | www.ifai.com
+1 651 225 6988 The official publication of the Geo-

rwbygness@ifai.com synthetic Materials Association
The official publication of the North

Geosynthetics is an international, bimonthly publication for civil engineers, American Geosynthetics Society
contractors and government agencies in need of expert information on

© 2010 Industrial Fabrics Association International.
geosynthetic engineering solutions. Geosynthetics presents articles from All rights reserved.
field professionals for innovative, exemplary practice.
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 6 8/2/10 12:35:13 PM

synonymous
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 7 8/2/10 12:35:20 PM

FROM OUR READERS
Contact us at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
Geomembrane sealing systems for dams

Editor’s Note: Bob Koerner coauthored this article from the April 2008 issue of Geosynthetics
and he responds to this query.
To read the original article go to http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/0408_f4_sealing.html.
Question
From: Zarko, Macedonia
Posted: May 7, 2010
We have one question: Can we apply the geomembrane
rehabilitation of concrete [to the] dam body?
Answer
From Bob Koerner of the Geosynthetic Institute, GMA Techline, and coauthor
Comment on any of the article cited above, “Geomembrane sealing systems for dams”:
article in Geosynthetics at:
Yes, indeed. Please see accompanying photos below.
OR
Send a letter to the editor at:

rwbygness@ifai.com
Exposed geomembranes on
upstream face of concrete dams.
Photos courtesy CARPI Inc.
30-yr. life as of 2008

>> For more information, search sealing at:
Comments and letters can contain opinions of

individuals who are writing and do not necessarily
reflect the views of Geosynthetics magazine or the
Industrial Fabrics Association International.
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 8 8/2/10 12:35:20 PM

Geotextile tubes are
integral components for
oil-pipe foundations,
erosion control
Editor’s Note: The annual Specifier’s Guide
by Geosynthetics magazine (the December-
January issue every year) provides the ONLY ON THE WEB
answer to the question below regarding
geotextile tubes. www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
To read the original article go to
http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/ CURRENT INDUSTRY NEWS
articles/0410_f3_tubes.html. News is updated each week. See these articles and more
by clicking What’s New on the home page.
Question
RE: Geosynthetic uses » GEO and the Gulf of Mexico » New growth medium
From: Nazir Where does the oily refuse go? from Profile
Posted: April 27, 2010 Biodegradable product
» Highway construction in India from new technologies
Could you please brief us about India continues its massive investment
the weight, thickness, and cost » NAUE geogrid
» New ASTM standards demonstrates stability
per appropriate unit so that we
Material properties for Watch video from this event
might consider this item in our pavement components
forthcoming projects? » GMA and IFAI members
» Terrafix venture with Albarrie assist in cleanup
Reply Firms will manufacture clay liners and Fabric components play crucial role
RE: Geosynthetic uses other specialty products
From: Abbie Yarger
Posted: April 29, 2010 BLOGS
Check out these blog posts and more by clicking Geo BLOG on the home page.
Please see listings of geotextile
tube suppliers in the annual » Geosynthetics featured during » EPA’s coal-ash proposal
Specifier’s Guide produced by U.S. House hearing offers further stimulus
Geosynthetics magazine. Contact July 22, a hearing was conducted by Earlier this year, I was talking with a
suppliers for more information on the U.S. House of Representatives geosynthetics sales manager who
these products. Rural Development, Entrepreneur- offered a brief description of the eco-
ship and Trade Subcommittee of the nomic landscape: “We hung in there
Thanks! House Small Business Committee during 2009 and now we see brighter
Abbie Yarger titled “Coal Combustion Byproducts: things this year and in 2011.” Mark
IFAI Publications web team Potential Impact of a Hazardous those words, then read our report on
Waste Designation on Small Busi- the U.S. geosynthetics marketplace
>> For more information, search tubes at nesses in the Recycling Industry…” “poised for a comeback…”
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com or to
view the 2010 Specifier’s Guide go to » Oil, Oil, Oil
http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/ Oil, oil everywhere! Geosynthetics
specifiersguide to the rescue…
BOOKSTORE
“Designer’s Forum: 2004–2008” and
“How to buy, design, and build retaining walls”
Both of these popular compilations are available through the IFAI Bookstore
at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com. Click on resources/bookstore.
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 9 8/2/10 12:35:22 PM

FROM OUR READERS
Is it magic?
Editor’s Note: Prof. Dov Leshchinsky, a regular contributor to Geosynthetics magazine,
authored an intriguing article for the June/July 2010 issue.
In “Geosynthetic reinforced walls and steep slopes: Is it magic?” Leshchinsky urges a critical
review of the apparent magic before it becomes a “fact” adopted in design. To read the original
article go to http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/0610_f2_slopes.html.
Several online readers responded:
Dov, Hi Dov,
I just finished reading your latest Just wanted to say I enjoyed your article
article in the June/July Geosynthetics in Geosynthetics (June/July issue).
issue and wanted to let you know I always make a special point
the article really hits home. It has concerning the issue of “apparent
been my experience through review cohesion” to my students. One of the
of MSE wall designs and wall failures problems that we deal with in our
that some engineers rely on the more glaciated soils up north is the
“magic” of apparent cohesion in problem of “real but light cohesion”
fill soils by using a liberal design mostly from reprecipitation of
approach and minimizing the carbonates from the grinding action of
reinforcement layout with respect to the glacial garbage can of materials.
spacing, strength, and length.
It is not uncommon for a homeowner
There are likely many MSE walls to make a vertical cut in these soils,
An excavator perched on top of an unreinforced and slopes designed without any which does stand vertically for a
sandy slope during deconstruction of the Indian attention paid to internal and while, and then build a house very
River Inlet Bridge (IRIB) compound internal stability. While near it. Generally, over time, what
many of these walls are still standing, happens is that the slope will slough
indicating their factor of safety (Fs) and a natural angle of repose will
is greater than 1.0, their actual Fs result. This is OK as long as they own
is likely well below engineering the property behind their house to
standards. Failure may only be a rain allow the slope to form by simply
event away … just add water and the removing the sloughing soils allowing
magical “apparent cohesion” is gone. the slope to cut backwards. But I
Sincerely, suspect that some day someone’s
Blaise J. Fitzpatrick, P.E. house will get taken out!
Fitzpatrick Engineering Associates P.C., Stan Vitton
Lawrenceville, Ga. Department of Civil & Environmental
Engineering, Michigan Technological
University, Houghton, Mich.
>> For more information, search reinforcement at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
Transmissivity: An ambiguous contradiction

Editor’s Note: Rich Lacey of TRI/Environmental wrote an interesting article about
transmissivity in the February 2008 issue, prompting this response.
To read the original go to http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/0208_f3_transmissivity.html.
Thanks
From: Mariko
Posted: April 30, 2010
Thanks for explaining the difference between flow rate per unit length
and transmissivity. It’s cleared up some confusion for me.
>> For more information, search transmissivity at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 10 8/2/10 12:35:24 PM

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FROM OUR READERS
Geocell application? Online comment

Editor’s Note: A question-and-answer from the GMA Editor’s Note: This online reader also had a
Techline article in the April/May 2010 issue of Geosynthetics follow-up question regarding geocells.
prompted a follow-up question and this answer. To read the original article and others
To read the original article and other similar, search similar, search geocell at:
geocell at: www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com. www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com.
Question Question
From: Azilah | Malaysia RE: Geocell application
From: Suprio C.
I would like to know the suitability of geocell
Posted: April 3, 2010
ns and Answer
s from the GMA Techline as slope surface protection on acidic soil
Questio
s, testing?
Welding, liner answers all conditions. Can we apply geocell directly on If a layer of geocell is placed on
—the Te ch lin e top of the slope surface? a soft subgrade of say CBR value
ne
1, then what is the method of
To: GMA Techli
RE: Welding LLDPE
How do you achiev
geom
/HDPE
e a satisfactory
embrane and
extrusion weld
a 2mm HDPE geom
between
em-
Reply determining the settlement
a 1mm LLDPE extrusion weld?
constitutes a satisfactory
brane ? What
Niall | Irelan d
From: Bob Koerner, GMA Techline envisaged after 1 layer of geocell
Niall,
You have two
things going again
st you in your
ial differences.
situation:
Regarding is placed and compacted with a
thickness differe
nces and mater
situation, 1mm
is difficult not
to overgrind
Geocells are regularly used in exactly
the thickness placed upon it.
You will
infill soil of, say, “phi” value of 35°?
TECHLINE
to have the extrudate task. It is difficult
in order on this
best personnel
Materials Associ
ation (GMA) offers
the
need to put your
but possible.
Regarding the
material differe
nces, LLDPE has
a broader,
but
the type of application you describe. A
The Geosynthetic technical questi
ons about window than HDPE,
a resource for lower, melting , wedge weld-
GMA Techline, for fast, and somewhat
geosy ntheti cs.
E-mail : gmate
chline @ifai.c om
cal questi ons.
GMA
they do overla
p considerably
. In this regard
difficult than extru-
geotextile is generally placed on the
free, direct
serves as the
answe
geosynthetics
rs to your techni
central resour
and provides
ce for information
a forum for consis
regard ing
tent and
and to
ing of the two
sion welding. I
dealing with the
differe nt resins is more
don’t think this
thinner sheet.
is as much a proble
Clearl y, many
m as is
trial (or test) Reply
accurate inform
ation to increas
e the acceptance,
use, of geosyn
thetics. strips will be neces
sary on your projec
t.
table extrusion
weld. prepared subgrade and then the geocell
From: Dr. Koerner, GMA Techline
te the correct
promo would be an accep tute.org
You also ask what geosynthetic-insti
website at www. you will find
If you go to our look at GRI-GM19
under “specificatio
that 1.5mm HDPE
ns” and
requir es 525N in shear
thinner and weake
and 340N in peel.
r 1mm LLDPE
requir es is deployed in the customary manner. If
Conversely, the
263N in shear
and 250N in peel.
Niall, I am afraid
that all you can
ated with the
ask for in this case
1.0mm LLDPE .
is the
the slope is very steep, steel tendons can The settlement calculations
lower values associ
GMA Techline
be used, passing through the geocells due to consolidation of the
extending to the top of the slope where soft subgrade would be made
they are connected to an anchorage as with any other situation. Of
AM
3/24/10 9:06:35
42 Geosynthetics
| April May 2010
block. The infill of the geocells can be soil, course, with only the light dead
.indd 42
load of the filled geocell, it will

0410GS_p28-45
stone, or concrete depending on the conditions

and anticipated service life. likely be small.
Regarding the acid conditions you mention, the In this case, I would consider a live
HDPE will not be affected nor will an underlying load of a truck or construction/
polypropylene geotextile. If, however, you are maintenance vehicle, and
concerned about the acidity getting through the depending what you use, the
system thereby polluting a stream or waterway, settlement value will be greater
you should consider placing a geomembrane and perhaps more realistic.
on the slope before the geocell is placed. This
particular application has been accomplished in
several locations.
ASTM correction
To the editor:
I just read the article in June/July Geosynthetics on purging dated test methods and specs.
I couldn’t agree more with the article. I still commonly see specifications for NSF-54!
I would make one bit of clarification on [this] information. You list ASTM D6214 replacing
D4437 and D4545 for PVC. Actually, ASTM D7408 has already replaced D6214, so the current
specification for all PVC geomembrane seams (factory and field) is ASTM D7408.
Dan Rohe
President, Environmental Protection Inc., Mancelona, Mich. G
0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 12 8/2/10 12:35:31 PM

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Frank Edgerton Martin is a contributing
editor for Fabric Architecture magazine
who writes frequently about landscape
architecture and planning issues.
Ron Bygness, editor of Geosynthetics

magazine, also contributed to this article.
Fabric Architecture and Geosynthetics are

two of seven magazines published by the
Industrial Fabrics Association International.
0810GS_p14-33.indd 14 8/2/10 12:36:08 PM

The High Line
An urban promenade for the 21st century, the
High Line’s linear roof garden offers sophisticated
drainage and planting solutions
By Frank Edgerton Martin
Aerial view of the

High Line over Little
West 12th Street
Photo courtesy
Friends of the High Line
© Iwan Baan 2009
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
CLIENT
City of New York, N.Y.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Field Operations, with architects Diller
Scofidio + Renfro
TECHNICAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

SiteWorks LLC
GREEN ROOF SYSTEM

ZinCo USA Inc.
GEOTEXTILE FILTER FABRIC

TerraTex N04 nonwoven geotextile
by Hanes Geo Components
0810GS_p14-33.indd 15 8/2/10 12:36:14 PM

The High Line
T he reborn High Line is one of the

first places in New York City that
really has a 21st century feel. The irony
roof deck. Almost a century later, the
High Line’s renewers deserve credit for
preserving it without adding competing
is that the High Line’s new LED lighting, statements of their own and for using the
sleek benches, and emerging milieu of retrained design palette of Piet Oudolf ’s
star architect hotels and condo towers plantings that keep the deck on the High
are all built on 19th and early 20th cen- Line as a “thin” foreground for looking at
tury infrastructure. the city from a forgotten aspect.
Designed by James Corner, principal Yet, the very thinness of this old rail
at Field Operations, with architects Diller line presents significant technical chal-
Scofidio + Renfro, the High Line will ulti- lenges for drainage and the creation of a
mately extend 1.5 miles through Manhat- soil profile deep enough to support plants
tan’s Meatpacking and Chelsea Districts. and trees. Annette Wilkus, ASLA, principal
>> For more, search green roofs at
Much of the design’s brilliance is that it of SiteWorks LLC, often consults design
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com calls attention to the time layers of the firms such as Field Operations on technical
surrounding city landscape and not its issues and site-specific solutions. The High
own. There are places, such as near 14th Line presented stormwater challenges,
Street, where undulations in the walking including its elevation from the street and
deck surface encourage a slower pace to its linear form. The solution required a
look at the views over the Hudson River tailored combination of products.
and into the Meatpacking District. At A green roof system was installed
10th Avenue, the High Line angles over throughout all the planting beds of the
the street with a framed view of the Statue High Line. Approximately 25mm thick,
of Liberty and Ellis Island. this system has an egg-carton-shaped
The railroad engineers who built this type of base, filled with gravel and cov-
line in the 1920s to get freight trains off ered with a layer of geotextile filter fabric.
the streets certainly didn’t plan for this Soil is placed over the system. Set at the
aesthetic outlook for growing trees and planter plank interface in combination
gardens on what is essentially a linear with perforated metal is another geotextile
6. PLANT LEVEL
Accomodates a variety of
vegetation based on climate, 3. DRAINAGE LAYER
landscape design, load Retains rainwater for dry
Green Roof System bearing requirements and periods and drains sur-
Build-Ups desired benefits to building plus water.
owners and communities.
Each layer of a
green roof build-up 2. PROTECTION MAT
5. GROWING LAYER Protects roof membrane from
compensates with Engineered growing me-
sharp objects and retains rain
the necessary functions dium based on minerals and
water for plants.
that are otherwise lost organic material.
with the missing ground.
A durable plant coverage 1. ROOT BARRIER
4. FILTER SHEET Prevents roots from penetrat-
is guaranteed. Prevents fine particles ing the roof membrane if the
from being washed into existing roof membrane is not
the drainage layer. root proof.
Source: ZinCo
0810GS_p14-33.indd 16 8/2/10 12:36:20 PM

What is the
‘High Line’?
The High Line was built in the
1930s, as part of a massive
public-private infrastructure
project called the West Side
Improvement. It lifted rail freight
traffic 30ft high, removing
dangerous trains from the streets
of Manhattan’s largest industrial
district. No trains have run on the
High Line since 1980.
Although much of the old rail line appears original, the renovation actually Friends of the High Line, a
removed the rails and relocated them on new ties. To the right of the tracks at the community-based nonprofit
bottom of a future planting bed, workers installed a layer of geotextile filter fabric. group, formed in 1999 when
the historic structure was under
threat of demolition. This group
worked in partnership with the
city of New York to preserve and
maintain the structure as an
elevated public park.
The project gained the city’s
support in 2002. The High Line
south of 30th Street was donated
to the city by CSX Transportation
Inc. in 2005. The design team
of landscape architects James
Corner of Field Operations,
with architects Diller Scofidio +
Renfro, created the High Line’s
public landscaping. Construction
on the park began in 2006.
The High Line is located on
Manhattan’s West Side. It runs
from Gansevoort Street in the
Meatpacking District to 34th
Street, between 10th and 11th
Avenues. Section 1 of the High
Line, which opened to the public
on June 9, 2009, runs from
Gansevoort Street to 20th Street.
The renovated High Line on Manhattan’s West Side features innovative plantings
and sleek benches, all built on19th and early 20th century infrastructure.
Courtesy Annette Wilkus
0810GS_p14-33.indd 17 8/2/10 12:36:20 PM

The High Line
layer that holds the soil in place while

also preventing rodent infestation. (This
nonwoven material is a standard drainage
geotextile that meets or exceeds com-
monly specified DOT and commercial
drainage protection requirements.)
Wilkus explains, “Drains were located
throughout this green roof system
wrapped with filter fabrics.” Set at sur-
face level, each of the drains is wrapped in
filter fabric, then surrounded by 152mm
of gravel. Because the narrow gauge of
the project allowed little room for water
retention, water runoff leads directly into
the city stormsewer system. Yet this water,
having already percolated through a rich
array of flowers and grasses, is cleaner
than water drained from surrounding
hard surface streets and roofs.
Without the drainage and filtering
options made possible by geosynthetic
materials and emerging green roof systems,
daring 21st century reuse projects such as
the High Line would be much harder to
build and sustain. Clearly this linear prom-
enade’s elevated views, cool breezes, and
soft plantings are meeting some hunger felt
by New Yorkers—especially those who live
Typical cross street for the High Line: West 20th Street looking east. downtown with few big parks of their own.
Courtesy Annette Wilkus
Since opening in June 2009, the High Line
has received its millionth visitor and is now
a major tourist attraction. G
Green roof industry up 16%

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) overall flat roofing industry, which replaces or
announced in June the results of its 2010 builds more than 4 billion ft2 in North America
corporate members industry survey. annually,” said Steven Peck, founder and
Despite the economic downturn last year, the president of GRHC.
green roof industry grew by 16.1% in 2009. “Policies in cities such as Chicago, New York,
In the Top 10 cities list, Chicago led the way Washington, Portland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee,
for the sixth year in a row, with more than and Toronto, to name a few, are making a
500,000ft2 installed, followed by Washington, difference”, said Jeffrey Bruce, chair, GRHC.
D.C., at 190,000ft2. Geosynthetic waterproofing and drainage
“Opportunities for future annual growth are materials are required for proper construction
enormous, with green roofs accounting for of green roofs.
an estimated 10 million ft2 annually in an
0810GS_p14-33.indd 18 8/2/10 12:36:32 PM

0810GS_p14-33.indd 19 8/2/10 12:36:40 PM
Vegetative state of the facade and new
road two months after construction
0810GS_p14-33.indd 20 8/2/10 12:36:41 PM

An option for ecological and environmental projects
Green geosynthetic-
reinforced soil walls
By Guerra Escobar and Roberto Madriz
F or some projects, the environmental and land-

scaping requirements have obliged engineers and
architects to look for novel methods of constructing
retaining walls and slopes. Thus, the advent of “green”
into these structures.
In this project, they are constructed from soil
reinforced with geosynthetics with facades made from
UV-degradable sacks filled with organic material and
vegetation to create a natural appearance. This article
provides a detailed description of the designs of the
green reinforced soil walls and slopes.
These designs incorporate the use of various geosyn-
thetics, including woven geotextiles to reinforce the soil,
geodrains for the drainage both behind and within the
walls, and permanent turf reinforcement mats (TRMs)
to protect the wall facade from erosion. Also presented
are details of the construction process needed to ensure
the stability of the wall.
This article concludes with an analysis of the green
reinforced soil walls highlighting the economic, techni-
cal, and environmental advantages.
1. Introduction
Retaining soil walls and slopes reinforced with geosynthetic
materials present an alternative to traditional retaining
wall solutions, such as walls of reinforced concrete or soil
embankments in their natural angle of repose.
Reinforced soil walls are challenging more traditional Guerra Escobar, M.P.,
constructions due to their economic competitiveness AMANCO-PAVCO, Geosistemas
and their green environmental credentials. Further, the Pavco S.A., San José, Costa Rica
introduction of soil walls or slopes has permitted the
Roberto Madriz, AMANCO
construction of retaining walls in places where the load
technical advisor for
capacity of the foundation soil is not sufficient for rigid geosystems
walls or where there are space restrictions preventing
the construction of soil fills or soil embankments at their Ron Bygness, editor of
natural angle of repose. Geosynthetics, also contributed
Geosynthetic-reinforced soil walls or slopes are also to this article.
attractive solutions because of the flexibility they provide, Photos courtesy of AMANCO PAVCO
0810GS_p14-33.indd 21 8/2/10 12:36:44 PM

Green reinforced soil walls
PHOTO 1 Initial status: Failure of the

existing soil slope and roadway
as their design can be adapted to suit a traditional solutions that use concrete,
range of different loads, solicitations, block, or stone facades.
geometries, landscape features, and envi- The facades of the so-called green
ronments. Increasingly urban housing walls are made from UV-degradable
complexes and new tourist developments sacks filled with organic soil and vegeta-
are emphasizing ecological awareness and tion. Once the facade is finished, these
care for the environment in their con- sacks are covered with a permanent ero-
struction, and geosynthetic-reinforced sion-control/turf-reinforcement mat
soil walls are used because they meet the (TRM) to guarantee the growth and
construction goals. development of the vegetation on the
For these types of projects we have wall facade.
developed a system for building green The facade inclination for this type
walls or slopes—geotextile-reinforced of structure must be no more than 80°
soil slopes that have a uniform covering with respect to the horizontal, to guar-
of vegetation on their facade to give a antee the development of the vegetation
natural appearance. The resulting slope on the wall facade. When the incli-
is attractive and as strong and robust as nation is 70° or less, the structure is
0810GS_p14-33.indd 22 8/2/10 12:36:46 PM GS_FindIt_FP_0810

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0810GS_p14-33.indd 23 1 7/22/10
8/2/10 12:36:50
10:55:03 PM
AM
analyzed as a reinforced soil slope and

for inclinations between 70°–80°, the
structure is calculated as a reinforced
soil wall.
The maximum height recommended
for the green reinforced wall or slope is
12m (40ft) in one block. If the height is
greater than 12m, the recommendation is
to design a wall or slope with terraces and
a berm of 1m (3.3ft) minimum between
terraces. (For an 18m wall, the recom-
mendation is to design three terraces,
each 6m high with a 1m berm between
PHOTO 2 Preparation of the site for construction of a new reinforced wall
each terrace.)
2. Design methodology
2.1 Overview
Soils have a high resistance to compres-
sive forces but give way easily under the
application of tensile forces. However,
soils may be reinforced with other mate-
rials, such as geotextiles that are designed
to absorb tensile forces.
With soil wall needing to resist both
compressive and tensile stresses, a struc-
ture of much greater resistance is required
PHOTO 3 Wall drainage system
by including a suitable geotextile within
the soil mass. The extra strength pro-
vided is principally due to shear stresses
produced by the friction between the
geosynthetic material and the adjacent
layers of soil.
Various design methodologies are
available for the reinforcement of soil
walls using geosynthetics, such as:
• Robert M. Koerner, “Designing
with Geosynthetics”
• Robert D. Holtz, Barry R. Christopher,
Ryan R. Berg, “Geosynthetic
Engineering”
Fundamental to this methodology
PHOTO 4 Installation of sacks (filled to one-third of their volume with organic soil)
in the façade are the design principles of Whitcomb
and Bell (1979), which state not to con-
sider hydrostatic pressure in the design
calculations and that the active failure
surface should be a plane surface defined
by ranking methodology.
0810GS_p14-33.indd 24 8/2/10 12:36:51 PM

2.2 Stages of the
design methodology
The design methodology for soil walls >> For more, search walls at
or slopes reinforced with geosynthetics www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
consists of three stages:
• Stage 1: Internal stability
In this stage the vertical space between
layers is calculated as well as the correct
length of reinforcing required to achieve
the necessary resistance. The calculations
must be based on the technical specifica-
tions of the geosynthetic material used.
• Stage 2: External stability { Many Applications - One Source }
In this stage the design must be reviewed
to ensure adequate external stability. This
stage analyzes the overall structure using
the limit equilibrium approach to verify IRRIGATION
RESERVOIRS
the safety factors of base sliding, over- CANALS
turning and bearing capacity.

• Stage 3: External conditions
LANDFILL CAPS
In this stage the type of wall facade is AGRICULTURE
AND FLOATING
APPLICATIONS
COVERS
specified and the conditions of drainage
and subdrainage analyzed.
AQUACULTURE MINING
APPLICATIONS APPLICATIONS
3. Design for a ‘green’
reinforced soil wall or slope
A case history to describe the process GOLF COURSE
of design for a geosynthetic-reinforced AND DECORATIVE STORM WATER
COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
soil retaining wall or slope was designed APPLICATIONS
and constructed in Costa Rica in January
2008. This slope was designed to have
an erosion resistant facade of vegetation { Proud to be Part of the Overall Solution }
and for this it is referred to as a “green”
reinforced soil slope. Innovative projects require innovative products, like
Firestone Geomembranes. The durability and elasticity of our
3.1 Initial conditions products, even in exposed applications, combined with our expertise,
For the example of the reinforced soil help ensure the success of even the most demanding projects.
slope that is described in this document,

a stability failure of the initial slope
occurred in October 2007. (October is
the rainiest month in Costa Rica).
Because of the failure, part of the road
To learn more about geomembrane solutions from Firestone Specialty Products
collapsed and some areas of the project
800-428-4442 l info@firestonesp.com l www.firestonesp.com/ifai7
had no access. The failure was a land-
slide, with typical soils of this region—a Visit our booths at the following shows:
lateritic type with a red color. When pore StormCon- booth #825, WasteCon- booth #3008 and ASLA- booth #1103.
pressure increases, the tear strength of
0810GS_p14-33.indd 25 8/2/10 12:36:54 PM

this type of soil is reduced and it produces

movement of the soil mass.
The landslide resulted because of the
saturation of the soils due to the intense
and nearly nonstop rain of the previ-
ous months. As a solution to the land-
slide, the proposal was to construct a
geotextile-reinforced soil slope with a
facade of vegetation, using the green wall
methodology.
It was also important to construct a
drainage system at the base and the rear
of the slope. For this component of the
project, a geocomposite drain was built,
as later described in 3.5. A superficial
drainage system over the retaining slope
and the terrain beside the slope was nec-
essary to control and avoid infiltration of
water in the slope.
PHOTO 5 Installation of the woven geotextile and spreading of the fill soil 3.2 Design considerations
Geometry dimensions:
• Variable heights = 3.30m, 4.00m,
6.00m
• Maximum height = 6.00m. (This is the
height critical for the design.)
• Base = 0.8H (80% of the height) =
4.80m
• Total length = 80m
• Facade inclination = 70° (with respect
to the horizontal)
Loads:
• Surcharge load = 19.62 kN/m2
• Vehicle loads on the wall
were considered
Fill material: reinforced soil

The fill material must meet or exceed
PHOTO 6 Compaction of the soil: Density greater than 95% of modified proctor
these conditions:
• Cohesion = 0.98 kN/m2
• Friction angle = 28°
• Unit weight = 16.67 kN/m3
Minimum requirements for fill material
(reinforced soil):
• Plasticity index < 10
• Maximum particle size 75mm
• Passing sieve #200 < 25% in weight
0810GS_p14-33.indd 26 8/2/10 12:36:55 PM

• Laboratory CBR > 10% • FRCR= 2.2 for creep
• Tested CBR expansion 0% • FRQD = 1.0 for chemical degradation
• Organic material content 0% • FRBD = 1.0 for biological degradation
• FSG = 1.3 factor of overall safety
Minimum requirements for the
compaction of the fill material: Reinforcement woven geotextiles
• Determined optimum humidity used in design:
and unit weight using the • Woven geotextile T2400:
modified proctor Class 1 – standard specification
• Compaction minimum 95% of the AASHTO M288-05
modified proctor Width resistance (ASTM D-4595) =
• Seismic acceleration in order to 41 kN/m
analyze pseudostatic = 0.20g • Woven Geotextile TR4000:
Class 1 – standard specification
Reduction factors and
AASHTO M288-05
overall safety factors:
Width resistance (ASTM D-4595) =
• FRDI = 1.5 for installation damages
64 kN/m
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3.3 Analysis results

for internal stability
The internal stability analysis is made
using in-house software for the design of
soil reinforced walls.
In this analysis, the space between
layers is defined as well as the type of geo-
textile used and the length of geotextile
necessary for each layer. The results for
the exemplar wall are:
• 13 layers of 0.20m with
geotextile TR4000
• 9 layers of 0.20m with
geotextile T2400
• 4 layers of 0.40m with geotextile T2400
3.4 Analysis for external stability
For the analysis for external stability a
number of factors must be taken into
account, including the geotechnical char-
acteristics of the foundation, backfill, and
reinforced soils, as well as the static and
dynamic conditions of the wall.
PHOTO 7 Facade of the wall with sacks filled with organic soil
For the purposes of this article,
which is to highlight the overall design
and construction process, the details of
this stage are less important and are not
included here.
3.5 Wall drainage and

subdrainage systems
Adequate wall drainage at the base and
rear can be achieved using a geodrain at
the rear of the wall and a drainage trench
at the base.
The trench should have a transverse
section of 0.40m x 0.30m, with a perfo-
PHOTO 8 Vegetation seeds are installed in each sack rated drainage tube of 4in. in diameter.
The geodrain should be hung in strips 2m
wide, with 1m spacings between the strips
to prevent a failure surface at the rear.
The 2m wide strips of geodrain should
cover the full height of the wall.
As with other walls, it is recom-
mended to include internal drains to
remove any water that infiltrates the
wall. One option for the internal drains
is to use strips 0.5m wide of geodrain,
with a length that is approximately 66%
0810GS_p14-33.indd 28 8/2/10 12:36:57 PM

that of the wall base. The drains should • The sacks should only be filled to one-
be put each 1.50m (both horizontally third of their total volume so that the
and vertically). soil-filled part of the sack is 0.20m in
height, 0.35m in width, and 0.30m in
3.6 Facade of UV degradable depth. The quantity of organic soil in
sacks, vegetation, TRM each sack should be 0.021m3 (0.20 x
To achieve a wall facade of uniform vegeta- 0.35 x 0.20 m3).
tion the following steps are recommended:
The sacks, however, need to be larger
• Polypropylene sacks filled with rich, than this so that there is approximately
organic soil are used as the base 0.50m of sack length at one end without >> For more, search walls at
for the final covering of vegetation. filling that can be used as an anchorage
The placement of these sacks in the when the soil is compacted over it. The
wall facade should be carried out connection between the geotextile and
at the same time as the compaction the sacks is provided by gravity that is
of each layer of soil. This option is guaranteed by the soil compacted over
the most economical and is a major the empty part of the sack.
construction benefit because it is not To use this method of construction
necessary to use formwork at any successfully, it is important to install veg-
stage in the construction process. etation as soon as the wall construction is
0810GS_p14-33.indd 29 8/2/10 12:36:59 PM

complete. Sacks must not be left exposed

(without the benefit of a vegetative cover-
ing) for more than a week.
To ensure the correct growth of the
vegetative covering, a permanent erosion
control mat (TRM) must be placed on the
outer surface of the wall. The principal
functions of this mat are to improve the
growing conditions for the vegetation
and to prevent the erosion of the organic
material in the sacks.
Permanent turf reinforcement
mat (TRM435):
• Tensile strength (ASTM D-6818) =
2.6 kN/m
• Thickness (ASTM D-6525) = 8.9mm
• Color = green
4. Conclusions
We have shown how “green” reinforced
soil walls can be constructed from soil
reinforced with geosynthetics.
An attractive vegetative facade is cre-
ated by the use of UV-degradable poly-
propylene sacks filled with organic rich
soil and a permanent erosion control
mat to protect the wall facade. These
PHOTO 9 Installation of the permanent erosion-control/turf-reinforcement mat walls are technically and economi-
cally attractive solutions for all types
of retaining walls, but are particularly
suited for projects where the landscap-
ing and the natural appearance of the
walls is important.
From an economic perspective, the
walls are attractive because the cost of a
reinforced soil wall is generally lower in
comparison with traditional structures.
Natural fill soil walls or embankments
use a large amount of material in their
construction but reinforced soil walls
can be constructed with steeper slopes
substantially reducing the amount of
material needed, and thus, a lower cost.
Compared to rigid structure walls, rein-
forced soil walls are usually lower in
PHOTO 10 Vegetative state of the facade and new road two months cost due to the relative prices of the
after construction materials used.
0810GS_p14-33.indd 30 8/2/10 12:36:59 PM

americanwick.com
WE’RE HERE
TO COLLECT…
WAT E R
From a technical perspective, the walls
are attractive because all the construction
materials are easily obtainable and the
construction techniques do not require
A merican Wick Drain provides proven, engineered, highly
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VERTICAL WALLS
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down to earth, we’re… Focusing our Sites on Gaining Ground.
lowing the steps outlined in this article, t RETENTION/DETENTION PONDS
t HIGHWAY EDGE DRAINS
a green reinforced wall can be built by
t LANDSCAPING
Increased Flow Rates
anyone with basic construction skills. Reduces Hydrostatic Pressure t PERIMETER DRAINS
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Further, the reinforcement of the soil Advantage
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t CONCRETE CHANNELS
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with geosynthetic materials guarantees an Vertical and Horizontal Applications SLOPE DRAINS
t TUNNEL AND BOX CULVERTS
improvement of the wall’s factor of safety t CHIMNEY DRAINS
in static and dynamic conditions, over that
of a natural fill soil wall or embankment.
References
AASHTO (American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials), “Guide for Design of
Pavement Structures” (1993).
AASHTO, “Geotextile Specification for Highway

Applications,” AASHTO Designation: M 288-00,
Washington, D.C. (2000).
800.242.WICK PH 704.238.9200 FX 704.296.0690 info@americanwick.com Focusing Our Sites on Gaining Ground
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), “Storm Water

Management for Construction Activities,” USA (1992).
Holtz, R.D., Christopher, B.R. and Berg, R.R.,

“Geosynthetic Engineering,” BiTech Publishers Ltd.
(1997).
The Presto GEOWEB® system
Holtz, R.D., Kovacs, W.D., “An Introduction to ...is the ultimate economical and
Geotechnical Engineering” (1981).
environmental solution to
IFAI, “A Design Primer: Geotextiles and Related
Materials,” Industrial Fabrics Association International, challenging slope and
USA (1992).
geomembrane protection
Koerner Robert, “Designing with Geosynthetics, Fifth problems.
Edition” (2005).
PAVCO, Departamento de Ingeniería, “Manual de

Diseño, Séptima Edición” (2006). G
.2.0! Ë.#
.0 =0#!Ë.#20#!.
PRESTO
Appleton, Wisconsin, USA VË7j~jÍ?Í
Ph: 800-548-3424; 1-920-738-1336 VË#ÄÍjË~~Áj~?Íj
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0810GS_p14-33.indd 32 8/2/10 12:37:03 PM

y Reinforcement.
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0810GS_p14-33.indd 33 8/2/10 12:37:05 PM

Geosynthetic Materials
Association
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geosynthetic marketplace? Determine association direction,
budget allocation & other voting matters
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0810GS_p34-49.indd 34 8/2/10 12:37:56 PM

Working Together
In the next 14 pages, you
Coming together is a beginning. will see classic examples of
geosynthetics installation
Keeping together is progress.
companies working together
Working together is success. with their construction
partners to complete two
—Henry Ford complex landfill projects.
0810GS_p34-49.indd 35 8/2/10 12:37:57 PM

Deployment and alignment of the primary landfill
liner was a demanding task in the Florida heat.
INSET: Aerial view of the worksite.
0810GS_p34-49.indd 36 8/2/10 12:38:00 PM

Working Together
Proven geosolutions
for Florida landfill
expansion
Introduction
T he combined efforts of industry experts make it possible to

complete large, complex projects on time, on budget, and with
the highest regard to quality.
In 2009, the 62-acre expansion of the Sarasota Municipal Landfill PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
was the state of Florida’s largest single landfill installation. In addi- PROJECT
tion to adhering to state and federal regulations, Sarasota County Phase II Class I Landfill Expansion,
requested that the design accommodate future vertical expansion, Central County Solid Waste
which could double the height of the landfill. Provisions for potential Disposal Complex
leachate recirculation, bioreactor operations, and methane reuse
CLIENT
were also built into this design. Municipality of Sarasota, Fla.
The design specified a double synthetic liner system. From the
prepared subgrade up, this landfill system consists of: SITE SIZE
• a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) alternative clay foundation. 62 acres
• a secondary layer of textured 60-mil HDPE liner. DESIGN
• a geocomposite leak-detection layer. HDR Engineering Inc.
• a primary layer of 60-mil textured HDPE.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
• another layer of geocomposite for leachate collection.
Glover Construction Co. Inc.
• 2ft (0.6m) of sand that functions as a protective cover layer.
The site itself is just 20ft above sea level and is surrounded by pro- INSTALLER
tected wetlands (see aerial photo, page 36). In addition to the deli- Geo-Synthetics Inc. (G-SI)
cate nature of the environment, the installation had to be completed MATERIALS SUPPLIER
between Florida’s rainy season and its hurricane season, a time frame Gundle/SLT Environmental Inc. (GSE)
of less than six months.
Experts hired
Understanding the value in hiring experts to accomplish specialty
work is a key for success in this type of venture.
Coordinating all of the subgrade preparation with the manufacturer,
along with aligning transportation and the liner installation materials,
required the expertise of three companies that had an extensive history
Source: Geo-Synthetics Inc.,
of working together. “Before the county awarded the project, they had us www.geo-synthetics.com
call around and do a detailed check of all the contractor and subcontrac-
tor references,” explained Tom Yanoschak, an engineer with HDR. Ron Bygness, editor of Geosynthetics,
“They wanted to be certain that the companies that won the bid also contributed to this article.
had a good performance record and a good reputation for working Photos courtesy of Geo-Synthetics Inc. & Bedford Falls Communications
0810GS_p34-49.indd 37 8/2/10 12:38:05 PM

Working Together / Florida landfill expansion
together. A project like this is too big for sible for what along the way, which is why
one company to handle and too impor- they have never had a job run over.”
tant to be compromised if communica- Three weeks prior to beginning
tion breaks down.” construction, Jerry Walski, site superin-
tendent for Glover, relocated to Sarasota
to prepare for the project. This included
Go time mobilizing the 150-person workforce and
In any landfill installation, timing is selecting the fleet of heavy equipment
crucial. Well before the official notice to from the company’s inventory.
proceed, GSE, G-SI, and Glover coor- Twenty-two years of experience made
dinated the equipment, personnel, and Walski well-qualified to do the initial
materials necessary to execute such a large construction assessments and staging. In
project within the designated time frame. the case of the Sarasota expansion, the
“Glover and G-SI work very well existing landfill was fully operational, so
together because they have a clear divi- preparation also meant gaining familiar-
sion of responsibility,” said Steve Eckhart, ity with the people who worked there.
vice president of sales and marketing at Walski also held several meetings with
GSE. “They have very good communica- county officials and members of the HDR
tion so everyone knows who is respon- engineering firm to ensure a smooth start
to the project.
In advance of G-SI’s mobilization,
Glover prepared landfill cells #1 and #2
for liner installation. The first task was to
ensure that the site was secure.
“You make sure that erosion controls
are in place or you don’t start work,” said
Walski. As the job progressed, the com-
paction, slopes, and grades of the site
were perfected. To complete the ground-
work, Glover installed the leachate collec-
tion system, placed the pump station and
manholes, laid approximately 2 miles of
leachate force main, and stockpiled liner
A panorama of black geomembrane liner stretched across the new material for G-SI.
landfill expansion.
While Glover executed the prelimi-
nary site preparations, G-SI organized
everything related to liner installation.
Ongoing contact with manufacturer GSE
ensured that liner materials were pro-
duced and delivered to the site on time
for construction.
“We use GSE as our supplier for liner
materials because they have the capacity
to make every kind of geosynthetic and
geotextile used on virtually any project,”
said G-SI project manager James Larsen.
“Having one source for everything is a big
advantage. It significantly streamlines the
An armada of construction trucks were at-the-ready to deliver the
protective cover of sand.
logistics of moving materials.”
0810GS_p34-49.indd 38 8/2/10 12:38:08 PM

Stone leachate trenches for drainage are covered with a Liner cleaning and seaming required meticulous attention to detail.
composite drainage material.
Deployment crews prepare to pull another liner “run.”
0810GS_p34-49.indd 39 8/2/10 12:38:11 PM

With backhoe and loader,

installation proceeded
with the leachate pipe and Larsen also made arrangements to
stone over the completed have specially outfitted skidsteers, used to
liner area.
By the Numbers
Sarasota Municipal Landfill expansion dispatch the rolls of geosynthetics, onsite.
A hand-selected crew of experienced
375.6 acres of liner materials: laborers and well-trained technicians
2.7 million SF of GCL from G-SI’s workforce also relocated to
5.6 million SF of HDPE liner Sarasota where they remained for the
5.6 million SF of geocomposite duration of the installation.
108 acres of grading:

If it was easy,
700,000 cubic yards of fill (subgrade)
everyone would do it
300,000 tons of sand (top layer)
GSE’s tight control in manufacturing
the geosynthetics, from raw materials
to delivery, was only half of what deter-
mines whether a liner system will per-
form. The rest is determined by how the
materials are cared for on the job and
how they are installed.
“We don’t sell our materials to every-
body who asks us for a bid,” said Eckhart.
“There is a lot of liability attached to these
0810GS_p34-49.indd 40 8/2/10 12:38:18 PM

things and a lot at stake. We only partner
with people if we have confidence in their
work. They must fully understand the
materials and have the same commitment
to quality as we do,” he said. “Basically,
after we sell a job we don’t want to get
any phone calls.”
Due to the sheer size of the Sara-
sota Landfill expansion, the project was
completed in four 13-acre cells. This
required careful coordination between
Glover and G-SI.
Glover started construction with the
preparation of the subgrade. Federal
regulations require a 2-ft layer of clay for
the first layer above the subgrade in all
liner systems. Since there was no appro-
priate clay in the vicinity, the first layer
G-SI installed was a geosynthetic clay
A technician ties together the adjacent net component of the composite
liner (GCL), a geotextile infused with drainage material. 5.6 million SF of this material was manually fastened.
bentonite clay. This GCL has the same
performance value of 24in. of clay, but it
is extremely sensitive to moisture, requir-
ing immediate cover.
G-SI installed all the layers of the
A secure, efficient and cost-saving choice,
liner system in one section before mov- ACETube® for your engineering solutions.
ing on to the next. Once a section was
Marine and Hydraulic Engineering
completed, Glover topped it with 2ft of
protective sand. “We work hard to get
out of their way, and then they work
hard to get out of ours,” said Walski,
Glover’s site superintendent.
Testing
Larry Boles, G-SI’s site superintendent for
the Sarasota project, had 23 years of expe-
rience installing liners. In Sarasota, Boles
started every working day with a safety
meeting that outlined the day’s objectives.
In addition to the third-party quality Environment Engineering
control, every member of the G-SI team Shoreline Protection Dewatering Treatment
attended these meetings. “Production- Marine Engineering Structure Pipeline Protection and Support
wise, things go a lot more smoothly when
everyone on the team is in the loop,” ACE Geosynthetics
explained Boles, who worked closely with Contact ACE Geosynthetics for Spec and Sample
Glover’s Walski.
As the installer, G-SI was responsible Certified ISO-9001
for quality control regarding the liner. http : //www.geoace.com E-mail : sales@geoace.com
ce
e.com
com
0810GS_p34-49.indd 41 8/2/10 12:38:20 PM

Its team conducted and recorded the

standard quality assurance tests during
the installation. Samples of the liner seam
were taken every 500ft and pulled apart
by a tensometer, which measures seam
stretch under strain.
Destructive tests were also per-
formed on each panel, which required
extracting a circle of liner and per-
formance testing it. The location and
results were recorded, and then the hole
was patched using an extrusion welder.
The information collected from these
tests was compiled into a report for
the state to review prior to issuing the
permit for use.
In addition to specification requirements, destructive testing and patching ensured

the quality of this liner installation. Quality
Standard tests measured the performance
of the liner material, but quality liner
installation includes how the contractor,
installer, and supplier work together.
The huge Sarasota Landfill expansion,
with its limited time frame and special
environmental considerations, demanded
expertise that can only come from a team
of seasoned experts. “We have done simi-
lar projects with Glover and G-SI many
times before,” said Eckhart. “We all share
a commitment to quality. Installations
have a lot of moving parts, and to make
Quality control on a project of this magnitude was a top priority: VS = wedge
everything go smoothly each company
operators initials; W97 = installer’s wedge number; 750 = wedge temperature; has to have confidence in the abilities of
7.00 = rate of speed (7ft/min.); notation of date and time welded. the others.” G
>> For more, search landfill at

DT = destructive test; S = secondary liner seam; 145 = seam/sample number;

CCSWDC = project name; 08–0779 = 3rd-party ID number; dates the coupons were
welded and cut; S173/174 indicates the panels seamed together.
0810GS_p34-49.indd 42 8/2/10 12:38:23 PM

geosynthetics
market report
The most comprehensive and accurate measure of the
geosynthetic market in the U.S. and Canada.
This report quantifies the production of:
Geotextiles • Geogrids • Drainage Composites • Geomembranes
It also includes a comprehensive Manufacturers Directory.
For information about purchasing this report, contact Andrew Aho at amaho@ifai.com or 800 636 5042.
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marks used by permission. www.ifai.com
0810GS_p34-49.indd 43 8/2/10 12:38:28 PM

Tie-in section to base cell lining
0810GS_p34-49.indd 44 8/2/10 12:38:30 PM

Working Together
Award-winning
landfill cap in
Colorado
Project description
P hase 1: Construction of an RCRA cap/cover system over the

triple-lined enhanced hazardous waste landfill at the U.S. Army
CERCLA (“Superfund”) Rocky Mountain Arsenal Site in Commerce
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
City, Colo.
Construction included a multilayered landfill cover system LOCATION
for a 26-acre, 1.2-million yard³ capacity hazardous waste landfill. Commerce City, Colo.
Construction included approximately 26 acres of surface prepara- DESCRIPTION
tion work, more than 4 million ft² of geosynthetic materials and Civil construction—an RCRA*
installation—including geotextiles, geocomposites, 60-mil HDPE enhanced hazardous waste landfill
geomembrane, geosynthetic clay liner (GCL)—and approximately cover project (Phase 1)
350,000yd³ of controlled earthwork that included five separate cover
TIMELINE
components and materials.
September 2008–April 2009
This hazardous waste landfill has a 1,000-year design life and this
cover system was the final stage in ensuring the permanent encap- PROJECT VALUE
sulation of more than 1.2 million yds³ of hazardous waste. $16M
REMEDIATION VENTURE OFFICE (RVO)

U.S. Army, Shell Oil, and U.S. Fish &
Judging criteria Wildlife Service
Teamwork and project management
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Envirocon compiled a team of diverse professionals and experts to
Tetra Tech Environmental Corp.,
accomplish this project. The team included Envirocon, Colorado Lin-
Pasadena, Calif.
ing, Fiore Construction, Hascall Surveys, and Reichler Engineering.
FIRST-TIER SUBCONTRACTOR
Safety Envirocon, Missoula, Mont.
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal is an Occupational Safety and Health SECOND-TIER SUBCONTRACTOR
Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Colorado Lining International,
Status site. The project adopted these VPP techniques to assure the Parker, Colo.
health and safety for all the workers and the community. *RCRA is the Resource Conservation and
Every day started with an interactive detailed health and safety Recovery Act, enacted by Congress in 1976.
tailgate meeting where all the management, operators, technicians, and
craft personnel were involved. Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) was
discussed and written up for every task as a proactive means to pro- Source: Colorado Lining International,
mote safety in the workplace. Prior to any new or modified task, a field www.coloradolining.com
safety meeting was held to discuss the work and potential hazards.
Ron Bygness, editor of Geosynthetics,
The project included approximately 50,000 man-hours with one
also contributed to this article.
minor recordable incident (minor back strain). In addition, there
Photos courtesy of Colorado Lining
0810GS_p34-49.indd 45 8/2/10 12:38:33 PM

Working Together / Colorado landfill cap
Aerial shot of the deployment nearing completion
were approximately 20 minor incidents crushed into a rock-like matrix consist-

or unplanned events. These incidents ing of stone dust, up to 12-in.-diameter
were reviewed with the personnel as “les- cobbles, all crushed concrete.
sons learned” to increase safety aware- This recycled crushed concrete was
ness. There were no “lost time” injuries applied over the landfill cover system to
on the project. provide a barrier layer against burrow-
ing animals. For the project, this par-
Innovation ticular component was named the Biota
This project utilized typical geosynthet- Barrier Material (BBM). Additional soil
ics capping materials, such as a geocom- was then placed over the BBM layer and
posite gas vent layer, geosynthetic clay vegetated with native species for proper
liner, 60-mil HDPE geomembrane, and a evapotranspiration from the landfill
nonwoven geotextile cushioning layer. cover system.
One of the most innovative portions of
the project was the use of approximately Contribution to community
100,000 tons of recycled crushed concrete or industry
aggregate from the old Stapleton Airport This project was the final stage of encap-
runways in northeast Denver. Following sulating more than 1.2 million yds³ of
the completion of the new Denver Inter- hazardous waste at the Rocky Moun-
national Airport (DIA), the old Stapleton tain Arsenal and helped transform this
Airport runways were demolished and Superfund site into an Urban National
0810GS_p34-49.indd 46 8/2/10 12:38:36 PM

Wildlife Refuge. The National Wildlife
Refuge is open to the public and provides
educational programs for schools and the
general public.
Overcoming challenges
The project was scheduled to work through
the winter, and adverse weather condi-
tions and high winds created a challenging
Carlisle’s GeoPolypro meets the the new GM-18 standard for polypropylene.
construction environment. The team
The industry’s only geomembrane designed with Carlisle’s
pulled together, working long hours seven
proprietary weathering technology, Carlisle’s GeoPolypro continues
days per week, with additional personnel to perform after 20,000 hours of intense U/V exposure. GM-18
staffed up to keep the project on time and testing, conducted by the Geosynthetics Research Institute, is the
on budget. The installation of the geosyn- most stringent test in the industry.
thetic capping system was completed one

For more information on Carlisle’s
month ahead of schedule. GeoMembrane and the new GM-18 standard,
visit www.carlislegeomembrane.com
Construction quality
and craftsmanship CARLISLE GEOMEMBRANES FOR AMERICA AND THE WORLD
All contributors said this project valued 800-479-6832 • P.O. Box 7000 • Carlisle, PA 17013 • Fax: 717-245-7053 • www.carlislegeomembrane.com
Carlisle is a trademark of Carlisle. © 2010 Carlisle.
health, safety, and quality.
The team worked together to assure
that all personnel understood the need
to excel regarding quality of workman-
ship. Prior to any work, a detailed quality
control manual was written to outline the
QC means and methods for the project.
In addition, manufacturer QC manuals
were compiled from the vendors. Manu- IINNOVATION
IN NOVA
NO VAATI
TION
ONN IN
IN GGEOSYNTHETIC
EOS
OSYN
YNNTH
THET
ETTICC CCLAY
LAY LI
LA LINER
LINE
NERR US
NE UUSEE
facturing plant visits were completed and
materials sampled and tested to ensure
they were produced in strict conformance
with project requirements.
Quality control installation manu-
als were also written specifically for
each phase of the project and for every
task and type of material used. Training Canals Mining
sessions were conducted to assure that
Civil & Highway Ponds
all personnel were familiar with the
project requirements and understood
Coal Ash Disposal Secondary Containment
the importance of quality in the work- Dams Stormwater Basins
manship. The quality control manager Landfills Wastewater Lagoons
and a multitude of QC and QA techni-
cians worked with the craft personnel
on an ongoing basis, and in a proactive
manner, to ensure that everyone knew
the project requirements and helped 800.527.9948 847.851.1800 cetco.com
achieve 100% quality in the work on
this project.
0810GS_p34-49.indd 47 8/2/10 12:38:37 PM

Working Together / Colorado landfill cap
Aerial shot of the deployment nearing completion
Function and aesthetic “It is an honor and a privilege to have

quality of the design been awarded the Gold Hard Hat,” said CLI
This landfill was designed in an unusual president John Heap. “This award would
shape, with irregular grades to blend into not have been possible without CLI’s dedi-
the natural surrounding rolling hills in cated staff and personnel from Envirocon
the area and to enhance the landscape. and Tetra Tech Environmental. It was a
team effort and I am thrilled CLI could be
part of a project of this importance.”
Awards The Rocky Mountain Arsenal proj-
Colorado Lining received a local Gold ect is a 26-acre, multi-layered cap over
Hard Hat Award for its work on the Rocky hazardous waste. This project was the
Snow and wind during the winter installation Mountain Arsenal enhanced landfill cap. final stage of encapsulating more than 1.2
Gold Hard Hats is an annual competition million cubic yards of hazardous materi-
to determine the best projects completed als, transforming the desolate area into a
by Colorado firms. Judging is done by a National Wildlife Refuge.
panel of industry experts and based on The project was scheduled through-
design quality and innovation, crafts- out the winter of 2008–2009. In late
manship, the project’s contribution to December 2008, the project jobsite was
the community and the industry, solution hit by a 56-hour sustained windstorm
of unique design and construction chal- that caused millions of dollars in dam-
lenges, and overall excellence. age to homes and businesses in the area.
0810GS_p34-49.indd 48 8/2/10 12:38:38 PM

Strong winds during winter installation created tough working conditions
Approximately 6 acres of geosynthetic The Arsenal’s final cleanup details will

material was displaced by the storm. be completed in 2010. At that point, the
The month of January required CLI Refuge will reach its final size of 15,000
and its partners to repair and replace the acres with a final land transfer from the
damaged lining. CLI added to its work- Army, making it one of the largest urban
force on the site and worked seven days a wildlife refuges in the country. G
week to get the project back on schedule.
It was completed one month ahead of >> For more, search landfill at
schedule and under budget. www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
About the Refuge

During World War II, the U.S. Army
transformed the area into a chemical
weapons manufacturing facility—called
the Rocky Mountain Arsenal—to support
the war effort. As production declined
at war’s end, some of the idle facilities
were leased to Shell Chemical Co. for the
production of agricultural chemicals. The
Arsenal area was later used for Cold War
weapons production.
In the mid-1990s, a public-private
partnership was formed with the U.S.
Army, Shell Oil Co., and the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service to plan for the future of
this site. As cleanup of the area progressed
and projects met federal and state regula-
tory requirements, the Army transferred
12,500 acres to the Wildlife Service to
establish and expand the Refuge.
0810GS_p34-49.indd 49 8/2/10 12:38:42 PM

Special Section
Tribute for saeryrvSice

Pete and Rosem tevenson
ct io n of ph ot os sh ow s Pete and Rosemary
This colle
h their many years of
at different events throug ty.
rv ice w ith th e Inte rn at ional Geosynthetics Socie
se
s
ing members
n w as o n e of the found G S )
so (I
Pete Steven etics Society
In tern at io n al Geosynth r 10 ye ars
of the as IGS treasure
r fo
H e se rv e d r 1 6 years
in 1983. d as IG S se cretary fo
994 an
from 1984–1
010.
from 1994–2 tariat
n so n w as the Secre
Rosemary S
te ve the IGS.
is tr a ti ve assistant for
Manager, ad
m in ffice as
vo lv e m e n t in the IGS o a l Pete and Rose
mary
a n h er in th e offici e conference
She beg b e fo re b e co ming Stevenso n at th
g the 9th
in 1984 dinner held du
rin
a volunteer in 1 9 9 5 . na l Co nf erence on
cre ta ri a t M anager Intern at io
Gu arujá, Brazil,
Se ay , th e y were Geosynthet ics in
razil, la st M
in Guarujá, B d May 26, 2010.
At the 9ICG d re n n ia l IG S Awards an
d at the qu a Photo courtesy
9ICG
both honore ve n th in IG S history.

se
embly—the ard bestowe
d by
General Ass h ig h e st aw
en the Rosemary’s
Pete was giv o ra ry Member.
f H o n
the IGS, tha t o Plaque.
co g n iz e d with the IGS
re
service was ard Myles,
n g ti m e friend, Bern
Pete Steven
so n ’s lo Pete in the
d w h o is seen with
Apri l a n General
who died in lso h o no re d at the 7th
, was a
totem photo te Service
th e n e w IGS Corpora
Assembly w
it h emory.
ill b e p re se nted in his m
w
Award that l Assembly w
as
to B e rn ie at the Genera e tics,
Pete’s tribute e of Geosynth
th e June/July issu /
publis h e d in agazine.com
(h tt p ://g e o syntheticsm
page 64 l).
_fi_myles.htm
articles/0610
ent on the
yo ur sto ry ab ou t Pe te or Rosemary or to comm
To share evenson.html
otos, go to ww w. ge os yntheticsmagazine.com/st
ph
ers.
ed courtesy of IGS memb
These photos are provid
page 52.
Learn more about IGS on
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 50 8/2/10 12:41:36 PM

0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 51 8/2/10 12:41:49 PM

PANORAMA
GEO NEWS AND NOTES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
14th IGS Council is formed

At the 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG) in Guarujá, Brazil,
the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Council marked the beginning of a
new term.
During the IGS’s General Assembly May 26, the officers and council members
elected to serve for the 2010–2014 term were announced and officially took office.
The elected officers are: Jorge G. Zornberg–president, Russell Jones–vice president,
and Fumio Tatsuoka–immediate past president.
Per IGS bylaws, the new council elected a treasurer and secretary from the current
council membership. John Cowland, the incumbent treasurer, was reappointed by
the council to serve as the IGS Treasurer. Elizabeth Peggs, a six-year member of the
council, was appointed IGS Secretary.
In addition to these appointments, the IGS Council co-opted members to better
represent the diversity of IGS membership within the council. Gerhard Bräu continues
as the editor of IGS News and in that position has a permanent invitation to participate
in IGS Council meetings.
For more information: www.geosyntheticssociety.org
The current IGS Council roster

Jorge Zornberg (USA) Jiro Kuwano (Japan)
PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER
Fumio Tatsuoka (Japan) Peter Legg (South Africa)
IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER
Russell Jones (UK) Jun Otani (Japan)
VICE PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER
John Cowland (Hong Kong) Victor Pimentel (Brazil)
TREASURER COUNCIL MEMBER
Elizabeth Peggs (USA) Karpurapu Rajagopal (India)
SECRETARY COUNCIL MEMBER
>> View more news at
Gerhard Bräu (Germany) Mike Sadlier (Australia)
IGS NEWS EDITOR COUNCIL MEMBER
Pedro Abad (Spain) Xiao-Wu Tang (China)
COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER
Sam Allen (USA) Nathalie Touze-Foltz (France)
Dennes Bergado (Thailand) German Vivar (Peru)
Eric Blond (Canada) Chungsik Yoo (Korea)
Malek Bouazza (Australia) Martin Ziegler (Germany)
Neil Dixon (UK) The IGS Council has selected a
COUNCIL MEMBER new Secretariat Manager. Effective
Pierpaolo Fantini (Italy) Aug. 2, 2010, Diana Davis will report
COUNCIL MEMBER to the IGS officers and will serve the
IGS membership in this capacity.
Han-Yong Jeon (Korea)
COUNCIL MEMBER
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 52 8/2/10 12:42:14 PM

Propex emerging, diversifying
After several years of uncertainty, company leaders and employees at
Chattanooga-based Propex Inc. say they are glad to be back on a stable
economic track.
A major corporate merger on the eve of a recession-headed economy
eventually led the geosynthetics manufacturing giant to enter Chapter
11 in January 2008. Now more diversified and with reduced debt,
Propex officials say they’re still the world’s largest independent pro-
Propex’s history is in carpet
ducer of carpet-backing material, but that’s only a segment of where
the company is headed. backing and geosynthetics.
Industry observers noticed a significant debt problem follow- The company has diversified
ing Propex’s purchase of Synthetics Inc.’s geosynthetics and concrete
businesses in January 2006. Then the U.S. credit crisis ensued and the its offerings this year as
company could not refinance that debt. Wayzata Investment Partners, a it moves toward a goal of
Minnesota-based equity group, bought Propex at an auction in 2009 and
being a vertically integrated
helped the manufacturer focus on its core competencies, according to
company executives. Propex also emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy polypropylene producer.
reorganization in 2009.
Propex emerged this year via the acquisition by Wayzata and com-
pany officials say that it is currently positioned to leverage global and
U.S. assets for growth and profitability. TIMELINE
JANUARY 2006
Propex diversifies Propex purchases Synthetic Inc.’s
While Propex’s history is in carpet backing and geosynthetics, the com- geosynthetics and concrete businesses
pany has diversified its offerings this year as it moves toward a goal of
being a vertically integrated polypropylene producer. JANUARY 2008
Propex has 480 employees in the Chattanooga (Tenn.) area and Propex seeks protection under Chapter
11 bankruptcy to enable restructuring
about 2,000 worldwide. Propex CEO and president, William S. Brant
Jr., has directed the development of four technology platforms and 20
products since he was named to the position following the company’s MARCH 2009
Bankruptcy judge approves Wayzata
sale to Wayzata. Investment Partners’ bid for Propex’s
The company says it is particularly excited about its new Opus assets through auction process
Roof Blanket, which replaces traditional tarpaper on roofing jobs. And
another new product is Curv, a woven material described as the first APRIL 2009
self-reinforced 100% polypropylene composite that combines ballistic Wayzata acquires Propex assets, final
strength with flexibility. Both have seen success in initial applications sale concluded, William S. Brant Jr.
appointed president and CEO
and the company is marketing these and other new technologies.
Propex is now divided into four operating units: the traditional
furnishing and geosynthetics divisions, which have been joined by the
concrete and performance technologies divisions. The company is still
described as an industry leader in the production of geosynthetics,
including the world’s largest nonwoven plant.
SOURCES Propex Inc. and other industry news sites
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 53 8/2/10 1:05:33 PM

PANORAMA
Infrastructure news and notes

House votes to add $600 million now available Billion dollar link for China
$521 million to federal in TIGER II grants China’s Gansu Province will benefit from
highway program Following on the success of the U.S. DOT’s a new highway connection. Work on the
The U.S. House of Representatives TIGER (Transportation Investment Gen- Cheng County-Wudu highway is sched-
approved legislation in May that provides erating Economic Recovery) Discretion- uled to start at the end of August 2010.
$521 million in additional highway fund- ary Grant Program, it has announced the This connection will be a major new
ing, increasing allocations for 37 states, availability of $600 million in TIGER II multi-lane highway and is expected to cost
according to the AASHTO Journal. grants for capital investment in surface about $1.61 billion USD to complete. The
This allocation is contained in a tax- transportation projects. TIGER II grants Cheng County-Wudu highway will stretch
extenders bill, HR 4213, the American will be awarded on a competitive basis to 90.5km (56mi) when it is completed.
Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, projects that have a significant impact on SOURCE World Highways
which the House passed 215-204. the nation, a region, or metropolitan area
The bill also contains an extension and can create jobs. Albania to surface road links
of Build America Bonds, which were Primary selection criteria include Albania’s road network is currently in
created by the American Recovery and contributing to the long-term economic poor condition with insufficient highway
Reinvestment Act of 2009. The federal competitiveness of the nation, improving capacity for the volume of vehicles.
government subsidizes interest costs for the condition of existing transportation The country has few paved highways
the bonds paid by state and local gov- facilities and systems, improving energy and many unsurfaced roads. However, the
ernments when they borrow money to efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas Albanian government has pledged a pav-
finance infrastructure projects. emissions. The DOT will also give prior- ing initiative, starting with coastal roads
SOURCE American Association of State Highway and ity to projects that are expected to quickly that will be paved by the end of 2010.
Transportation Officials create and preserve jobs and stimulate The goal is to boost coastal tourism
rapid increases in economic activity. and help to develop the country’s strug-
$22 million for Applications are due Aug. 23 from gling economy. G
Caltrans project state and local governments. SOURCE World Highways
Granite Construction Co. has been SOURCE eRoadPro
awarded a $22 million contract by the
California DOT (Caltrans) for the widen- $3.54 billion proposed
ing of Highway 46 near Bakersfield. for N.J. DOT
Scope of the work includes the con- The New Jersey Department of Transpor-
struction and widening of the existing tation (NJDOT) has proposed a transpor-
two-lane highway to a four-lane express- tation capital program for NJDOT and NJ >> View more news at
way, including the placement of aggregate TRANSIT in the amount of $3.54 billion www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
base, asphalt and concrete paving, and for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2010.
the construction of drainage culverts. The FY11 spending plan includes a
Estimated completion is by Septem- $200 million state-funded local aid com-
ber 2011. For more information: www. ponent and approaches last year’s $3.6
dot.ca.gov. billion program despite a challenging
SOURCE eRoadPro budget environment.
SOURCE eRoadPro
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 54 8/2/10 1:05:33 PM

GEO-FRONTIERS WATCH
INFORMATION ABOUT THE GEO-FRONTIERS 2011 CONFERENCE
The largest gathering of geotechnical

professionals in North America
Exhibits and sponsorship presentations meets the intellectual needs
activity is well under way of geotechnical professionals. Attendees can
Geo-Frontiers 2011 will provide a unique earn PDH credits throughout the show.
opportunity to present products and ser-
vices to an audience much broader than Sponsorships
the traditional geosynthetics conference This show presents many valuable spon-
audience. Partners in this event March sorship opportunities. They are available
13–16 in Dallas include ASCE’s Geo-Insti- in packages or à la carte.
tute (G-I), IFAI, the Geosynthetic Mate- AgruAmerica is the sponsor of the >> For more information:
rials Association (GMA), and the North opening night reception in the exhibit www.geofrontiers11.com
American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS). hall, a great time to meet and network
The show also features the Geosynthetic with colleagues and friends.
Institute’s annual conference, GRI-24. TenCate and Huesker are platinum
Perhaps you recall the success of level sponsors. They enjoy company
Geo-Frontiers in 2005 when these same exposure on the Geo-Frontiers website,
partners put together what many attend- show program, and throughout the con-
ees still refer to the “best geo conference ference including the exhibit hall. They
ever.” Even more successes are expected will also provide a welcome address prior
at Geo-Frontiers 2011. to plenary lectures.
An estimated 1,800 participants— Go to www.geofrontiers11.com to see
practitioners, designers, regulators, con- a complete list of sponsorship opportunities.
tractors, installers, academics, and man-
ufacturers—will attend. These attendees
will not only be drawn to the conference
by the excellent educational sessions but
also the opportunity to see and hear about
the advancements in geo products and
services displayed on the show floor.
An unprecedented 1,161 authors
from 60 countries submitted a record 809
abstracts, a key indicator of the number
of participants expected. The conference
will feature more than 90 technical ses-
sions, numerous receptions, and seven
full-day short courses.
The lineup begins on Sunday, March
13, with short courses. The balance of the
week is scheduled via nine distinct tracks,
85 technical paper sessions, and more
than 400 individual presentations.
Technical session papers are peer-
reviewed to ensure that the caliber of the
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 55 8/2/10 12:42:15 PM

GEO-FRONTIERS WATCH
Exhibits executive vice president of Miller

Attendees can visit with vendors and Weldmaster has this to say about the
service providers on the show floor event: “The first Geo-Frontiers event
beginning with the opening night recep- in Austin in 2005 was a great show. We
tion on Monday, March 14. were excited to learn the GeoCongress
Three days of exhibits will provide and Geosynthetics events are combined
>> For more information: ample connection time with potential new again for Geo-Frontiers in 2011. As an
www.geofrontiers11.com buyers and specifiers. The show schedule exhibitor, we love seeing all the extra
is structured to provide exclusive trade customers, and I know that attendees
floor time for attendees with the open- like the larger number of exhibitors they
ing reception, refreshment breaks, and get to meet.” G
lunches on the show floor.
Exhibit space can be reserved by —Andrew Aho, GMA managing
accessing the show site or calling IFAI director and Geo-Frontiers exhibits/
exhibit sales at 800 225 4324. sponsorship chair
Geo-Frontiers 2011 promises to be the
geotechnical event of 2011. Jeff Sponseller,
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800 241 4628 (South-Eastern U.S.) Switzerland / www.leister.com
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 56 8/2/10 12:42:16 PM

GMA NEWS By Andrew Aho
GMA pushes onward for

coal-ash containment liners
Geosynthetic
Materials
I n May, the EPA announced that it plans
to regulate coal-ash containment sites
by requiring that all sites are fitted with
The second option would regulate
CCRs under Subtitle D of RCRA. Under
this option coal ash would be regulated
Association liners (geomembranes and geosynthetic as solid waste (just as municipal garbage
GMA is dedicated to clay liners). is currently regulated).
our members’ success. As you know, GMA has been advo- For years the geosynthetic liner indus-
cating for such regulations through our try has recognized the inadequacies of
GMA actively identifies,
assesses, analyzes government relations program. We suc- coal-ash containment sites. The regula-
and acts upon market cessfully lobbied Members of Congress tions have basically been left to states. It is
growth opportunities to send a letter to the EPA with the evident by a survey of the sites conducted
and issues that affect recommendation to mandate lining of by EPA that that method was sorely lack-
its member companies. coal-ash sites and we have been assist- ing. The survey revealed that some sites
The activities of ing in the development of legislation were not designed by certified engineers
the association are that would require geosynthetic lining and others did not have engineers moni-
proactive in nature and of these sites. toring the construction QA/QC.
center on five areas: When adopted, these regulations will Of course, the triggering event that
» Engineering support have a tremendous impact on the geo- brought this issue to the fore was the
» Business synthetic materials market in the U.S. December 2008 failure of the TVA coal-
development The proposed rules will apply to all new ash surface impoundment retaining wall
» Education and all existing sites. Geomembranes and in Kingston, Tenn. The option that the
» Government relations GCLs will be used as liners. Geotextiles EPA adopts will address the issue of struc-
» Geosynthetics and geogrids will be used in access roads tural and safety integrity of the coal-ash
industry recognition and levee reinforcement for these sites. surface impoundments to prevent failures
We estimate that this work will result such as the Kingston disaster.
www.gmanow.com in $350 million in revenue for the geo- GMA assembled a task group of experts
synthetic industry during the next five from the liner industry to review the EPA’s
to seven years. That is a conservative proposed options and rules, with the goal
estimate and is predicated on which of preparing commentary verbiage sub-
regulations the EPA adopts. mitted by GMA as an industry participant.
This summer the EPA sought com- That group was chaired by Boyd Ramsey
ments on two options for regulating coal of GSE Lining Technologies.
combustion residuals. The first is to regu- This summer Boyd said, “GMA has
late coal combustion residuals (CCR) worked hard and effectively and has
Andrew Aho under Subtitle C of the Resource Conser- positioned the geosynthetic industry
Managing Director
vation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This well on this issue. All participants under-
+1 651 225 6907 or
option would regulate coal ash as haz- stand the need for lining systems and
800 636 5042
ardous waste. Even though this regula- GMA will continue to promote proper
amaho@ifai.com
tion would require double-liner systems, regulations and usage of the correct
GMA has consistently held the position materials to protect the environment
that coal ash should not be considered with the best materials and civil engi-
hazardous waste. neering practices available.” G
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 57 8/2/10 12:42:17 PM

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0310GEOsubform.indd 58
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 1 3/19/10 12:42:19
8/2/10 8:10:12 PM
AM
GSI NEWS By Bob Koerner
A uniquely wonderful conference

T he conferences that most of us
involved with geosynthetics attend
follow similar formats. The larger ones
GEOSYNTHETIC (i.e., more than 1,000 attendees) have
INSTITUTE keynote lectures and are then followed
by simultaneous sessions subdivided by
GSI’s Mission is to specific themes. The papers delivered
develop and transfer have been peer reviewed and are in-
knowledge, assess and cluded on a CD or proceedings given to
all participants. Evenings are set aside for
critique geosynthetics,
meetings of various professional groups
and provide services
associated with the relevant technology.
to the member Included in this group, among others,
organizations. are the following:
• IGS and its national affiliates
such as NAGS GeoAmericas 2008 in Cancún, Mexico
• continental conferences such as

EuroGeo, GeoAsia, and GeoAmericas
• regional or state environmental
• conferences sponsored by IFAI or conferences
cosponsored with groups such as the
• conferences on erosion and sediment
Geo-Institute of ASCE
control, hardscaping, and ground
• international symposium on earth modification
reinforcement in Japan
• corporate sponsored conferences
Bob Koerner, Ph.D., P.E., • international conference on
NAE, is director of the
• university organized conferences
geosynthetic clay liners in Germany
Geosynthetic Institute • organization or institute sponsored
• international landfill conference in Italy
in Folsom, Pa., and is a conferences
member of Geosynthetics There are many other smaller confer-
magazine’s Editorial
ences (up to 300 attendees) that follow For all of these conferences, both
Advisory Committee.
this model but are not nearly as rigor- large and small, days and evenings are
GSI: +1 610 522 8440,
ous—they are without paper reviews and chock-full of scheduled events and
www.geosynthetic-institute.org
rarely have simultaneous sessions. They meetings. If you have ever taken your
either have no proceedings or only reprint spouse, she or he was probably left alone
the various speaker’s slides. While they for most of the conference, exceedingly
have lower attendance, they are equally bored throughout, and would rarely
as intense and often last into the evening attend another such event.
with specialty meetings focused on the Completely different from that
group’s mandate. Included in this group, description is the “Solid Waste & Recy-
among others, are: cling Conference” hosted by the New York
• regional or state geotechnical Federation of Solid Waste Associations.
conferences This state federation is a multifaceted
3/19/10 8:10:12 AM 0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 59 8/2/10 12:42:25 PM

GSI NEWS
organization. Included under the its engineers, and regulators alike. This con-
organizational umbrella are the: ference typically attracts more than 700
• NYS Chapter of the Solid Waste public and private sector solid waste and
Association of North America recycling professionals to a technical pro-
(SWANA) gram with about 90 presentations and an
expanded trade show that is supported by
• NYS Association for Solid Waste
about 120 exhibitors.
Management (NYSASWM)
Since 2000, the Conference and
• NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse Trade Show has been held at The Saga-
This is a conference and Recycling (NYSAR3) more, an exquisite resort located on
where your spouse The goals of the Federation are to: Lake George in upstate New York. The
definitely wants to • develop appropriate public policy Sagamore, one of New York’s landmark
and legislative recommendations for hotels, is situated on its own 80-acre
accompany you. consideration by state and federal island and is listed on the National Reg-
representatives. ister of Historic Places.
The technical sessions are 90 min-
• coordinate memberships and mailings.
utes and usually consist of three presen-
• coordinate and conduct an annual tations, which gives sufficient time for
joint conference. questions and answers. The exhibits are
Each of the three member associations open throughout the event and time is
has developed a mission statement that available for individual discussions.
>> For more events, go to: reflects its individual goals to promote The ambience surrounding the ses-
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com/
sound solid waste management practices sions and exhibits is excellent. Ample time
resources/calendar
in concert with the New York State solid for off-hour networking opportunities is
waste management hierarchy: reduc- available and it even includes fireworks,
tion, reuse, recycling, resource recovery golfing, hiking, fishing, boating, horse-
through waste-to-energy facilities, and back riding, lawn games, culinary dem-
landfilling of discarded materials. onstrations, a casino night, and moonlit
Importantly, the New York State meandering in a wonderful setting. This
Department of Environmental Conser- is a conference where your spouse defi-
vation (NYS-DEC) is fully involved in the nitely wants to accompany you.
technical and regulatory issues pertinent Of course, there are always several
to the sessions and (when appropriate) tracks devoted to geosynthetics. This year
adding value to the participants. there were two sessions:
Throughout the year, the three mem- • New Horizons in Geosynthetics (1.5
ber Associations conduct their own PDHs), which had six short presentations
educational and training events. These on new developments within geosyn-
one- or two-day events are regularly held thetic materials.
throughout the state, covering the broad • Solar Landfill Caps (1.5 PDHs)
spectrum of solid waste management which had three longer presentations on
issues. Continuing education and New this new concept for energy production
York professional engineering develop- at closed landfills.
ment hours are frequently offered. Both were very successful with over-
The three organizations of the Federa- flow audiences of 100+ attendees.
tion come together each spring for their Next year the conference will again
annual conference with an agenda that be at The Sagamore May 1–4, 2011. It is
targets emerging issues and technologies highly recommended and information
important to solid waste management can be accessed through the Federation’s
facility owners, policymakers, design website: www.nyfederation.org. G
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 60 8/2/10 12:42:29 PM

CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER Tailings and Mine Waste ‘10
17–20 OCTOBER | VAIL, COLO.
3rd International Symposium 2010 Global Waste
This event is the next in a series of symposia on
on Geosynthetic Clay Liners Management Symposium mill tailings management started at Colorado State
15–16 SEPTEMBER | FORTRESS MARIENBERG 3–6 OCTOBER | SAN ANTONIO University in 1978.
WÜRZBURG, GERMANY The Global Waste Management Symposium The conference objective is to provide a forum for pre-
Topics for this conference include: application/case (GWMS) is a three-day event serving the needs of senting the state-of-the-art regarding mill tailings and
studies, durability/lifetime, laboratory testing, perfor- the landfill community. mine waste, and to discuss current and future issues
mance, and regulations/approvals. facing the mining and environmental communities.
The GWMS offers a technical sessions forum for the
The Scientific Committee: Robert M. Koerner (GSI), peer-reviewed presentation of applied and funda- The scope of the conference includes: mill tailings,
Natalie Touze-Foltz (Cemagref ), and Helmut Zanz- mental research, case studies, and policy analysis. waste rock, ore, and other mined materials; contain-
inger (SKZ). ment systems (including geosynthetic and composite
Among the 2010 GWMS technical session topics:
The Organizing Committee: Irina Bender (SKZ) and biocovers, bioreactor case studies, moisture content liners, leak-detection and collection systems, and
Norbert Schlör (SKZ). in bioreactors, landfill siting issues, landfill liners and groundwater protection), and permitting issues.
covers, landfill cover performance, final closure of
For more information: For more information:
landfills, leachate management, and solar energy
www.gbrc-wuerzburg.com www.tailingsandminewaste.org
for landfills.
For more information: www.wastesymposium.

ASDSO’s Dam Safety ‘10 com/gws2010/public/enter.aspx 140th ASCE Civil
Engineering Conference
19–23 SEPTEMBER | SEATTLE
21–23 OCTOBER | LAS VEGAS
The conference, associated meetings, and technical Constructing with Fabricated
sessions will be at the Washington State Convention The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 140th annual
Geomembranes conference is at Bally’s Hotel in Las Vegas, with the
Center in downtown Seattle.
15 OCTOBER | DENVER theme “Innovating a Dynamic Future.”
Hotel reservations in the ASDSO group block are
available until Aug. 24 at the Grand Hyatt Seattle Presented by the Fabricated Geomembrane Insti- A variety of technical sessions, including career skills,
(www.grandseattle.hyatt.com) or the Hyatt-Olive 8 tute (FGI), this one-day workshop is at the Embassy sustainability, public policy, and earthquake impacts,
(www.olive8.hyatt.com). Or call the Passkey reserva- Suites Denver. are planned. Also scheduled are several symposia
tion service (888 421 1442) to make a reservation at Attendees will gain a broad knowledge of the ad- and tours celebrating the 75th anniversary of Hoover
either hotel. vantages of fabricated geomembranes and what is Dam.
Registration information is now available. required to properly design, specify, and construct
For more information: http://www.
with fabricated geomembranes for multiple ap-
asceannualconference.org
For more information: www.damsafety.org plications, including wastewater ponds, floating
covers, canals, secondary containment, mining, and
potable water. IFAI Expo Americas 2010
RemTech Expo 2010 Fees: private industry $199, government $99, stu- 27–29 OCTOBER | ORLANDO
21–23 SEPTEMBER | FERRARA, ITALY dents free.
The largest specialty fabrics trade show in the Ameri-
The 4th edition of Remediation Technologies Exhibi-
To register or for more information: cas, the annual IFAI Expo for 2010 is at the Orange
tion will be held at the Ferrara Exhibition and Confer-
http://fgidenver.eventbrite.com County Convention Center in Orlando.
ence Centre in Ferrara, Italy. The event is organized
by the Ferrara Fiere Congress and by coordinator Dr. New for 2010 is “Advanced Textiles: Blending Technol-
Daniele Cazzuffi. ogy and Materials.”
The RemTech expo will feature: remediation tech- To register, exhibit, or for more information on ex-
nologies; removal and encapsulation of asbestos; hibiting, sponsoring, or speaking at the show: www.
characterization, investigation, and instruments for ifaiexpo.com
analysis, inspection, and monitoring; brownfields and
real estate; landfills, and dredging activities.
To register, exhibit, or for more information: +39
0532 909495 900713, info@remtechexpo.com, www.
remtechexpo.com
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 61 8/2/10 12:42:30 PM

CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 1st GSI–Asia Conference MARCH
16–18 NOVEMBER | TAICHUNG, TAIWAN
6th International Congress Geo-Frontiers
This conference will take place at the Windsor Hotel
on Environmental in Taichung, Taiwan. 13–16 MARCH, 2011 | DALLAS
Geotechnics (6ICEG)
The theme is “Geosynthetics in Infrastructure Ap- The Geo-Institute of ASCE, the Industrial Fabrics Asso-
8–12 NOVEMBER | NEW DELHI, INDIA ciation International (IFAI), the Geosynthetic Materials
plications,” with main topics including: mechanically
The Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS) will host the stabilized earth structures, coastal and hydraulic en- Association (GMA), the North American Geosynthet-
6th International Congress on Environmental Geo- gineering, erosion control and sustainable engineer- ics Society (NAGS), and the Geosynthetic Research
technics (6ICEG) on behalf of the International Soci- ing, and transportation and pavement engineering. Institute join forces to present Geo-Frontiers/2011
ety for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
(ISSMGE). More than 400 delegates, including 250 To register or for more information:
Billed as the top geotechnical event of the year, it
from abroad, will gather to discuss the latest geo- http://gsi-asia2010npust.edu.tw
reprises a similar event from six years ago—Geo-
technical developments. Frontiers/2005 in Austin, Texas.
The 6th Congress is titled “Environmental Geotech- Waterproof Membranes–‘10 Read more at the Geo-Frontiers Watch section in this
nics for Sustainable Development,” with these eight issue, page 55.
technical themes: MSWs and landfills; slurry ponds; NOV. 30–DEC. 2 | COLOGNE, GERMANY
contaminated land, groundwater, and abandoned The 2010 international business and technol- To register, exhibit, or for more information:
landfills; geosynthetics and other new materials; ogy conference on waterproofing in roofing and www.geofrontiers11.com
sustainability—professional practice and education; geomembrane liners, organized by Applied Market
geohazards—disaster mitigation and management; Information Ltd. (AMI), is at the Maritim Hotel in
testing, monitoring, and performance evaluation; Cologne. The focus is on roofing membranes and IFAI Expo Asia
physical and numerical modeling. geomembranes. 22–25 MARCH, 2011 | SINGAPORE
The Congress will have four days of technical sessions The opening evening is a welcome cocktail reception There is a tremendous output and consumption of
(Monday–Thursday) and one day of field visits (Fri- and registration, followed by a two-day program of specialty fabrics in the Asia-Pacific region, and the
day). It will be held in a five-star equivalent environ- expert presentations. A specialist exhibition runs current trade shows in India and China focus almost
ment, the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. concurrently with this conference. exclusively on the disposable nonwoven industry.
For more information: www.6iceg.org Waterproof Membranes 2010 provides a global IFAI Expo Asia 2011 is the first major event in the re-
forum for all companies involved in waterproofing gion that specifically targets end-product fabricators
membranes, including end-users, specifiers, archi- who use all types of materials: woven, nonwoven,
Venice 2010: 3rd International tects, expert installers, manufacturers, researchers, knit, and composite textiles.
Symposium on Energy from and suppliers to the industry.
IFAI Expo Asia 2011 will feature a trade exhibition,
Biomass and Waste To register, exhibit, or for more information about this attracting three targeted audiences:
conference, contact Jenny Skinner: js@amiplastics.
8–11 NOVEMBER | VENICE, ITALY • those involved in the supply chain seeking network-
com;,+44 117 924 9442
Organized by the not-for-profit International Waste ing and partnership opportunities.
Working Group (IWWG), this event aims to provide • fabricators of finished products in applications such
a platform to encourage integrated and sustainable as medical, automotive, construction, safety, military,
waste management and to promote practical scien- FEBRUARY recreation, and structures.
tific development in the field.
• those who have design, application, and market
Symposium topics include: potential energy sources,
IECA’S Environmental influence, such as government purchasing agencies,
renewable fuels, anaerobic digestion, refuse-derived civil engineers, and architects.
fuel, thermal treatments, policies and legal aspects,
Connection
20–23 FEBRUARY, 2011 | ORLANDO Besides the trade exhibition, the four-day event will
new research and developments. The event will also
feature world-class educational symposiums for 10
include presentations, poster sessions, a small exhibi- Billed as the world’s largest soil and water event, the specific niche end markets for specialty fabrics.
tion, and technical tours. IECA’s 2011 annual conference is at Disney’s Coro-
nado Springs Resort. For more information: www.ifaiexpoasia.com
For more information:
info@venicesymposium.it, The conference is a premier educational event for the
www.venicesymposium.it erosion, sediment control, and stormwater industry.
Environmental Connection combines full- and half-
day training courses with topic-focused technical
National Tribal sessions and concurrent exhibit hall.
Transportation Conference
For more information: www.ieca.org
15–18 NOVEMBER | ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.
The largest tribal transportation conference in the
U.S., the 13th annual NTTC is scheduled at the Hard
Rock Hotel in Albuquerque.
To register, exhibit, or for more information: 1 800

262 7623, ext. 1 or 3; http://ttap.colostate.edu
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 62 8/2/10 12:42:30 PM

ADVERTISER INDEX
This magazine is made possible
by the ongoing investment of the 41 ACE Geosynthetics ✦ GMA 5 GSE Lining
advertisers you see here. We thank www.geoace.com Technology Inc. ✦ GMA
our readers for supporting them www.gseworld.com
throughout the year. Cv2, 19 Agru America ✦ GMA
For advertising rates and 800 373 2478 27 Hapco Inc ✦
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information, call Shelly Arman
www.hapcoinc.com
at 800 436 2408.
31 American Wick Drain Corp. ✦
800 242 9425 Cv4 Huesker Inc. ✦ GMA
www.americanwick.com 800 942 9418
www.huesker.com
7 Atarfil ✦
+34 958 439 200 43 IFAI Membership Benefit/FedEx
The bolded advertisers are www.atarfil.com 800 475 6708
exhibitors at Geo-Frontiers 2011. www.ifai.com
Be sure to visit their booths at the 47 Carlisle SynTec
show, which will be held at the
800 479 6832 56 Leister ✦
www.carlislegeomembrane.com 800 694 1472
Sheraton Dallas in Dallas, Texas on
www.leister.com
13–16 March 2011.
47 CETCO Lining
Technologies ✦ GMA 13 Maccaferri Inc. ✦ GMA
For more information on 800 527 9948 800 638 7744
Geo-Frontiers 2011, please visit www.cetco.com www.maccaferri-usa.com
www.geofrontiers11.com.
11 DEMTECH Services Inc. ✦ 29 NAUE America Inc. ✦ GMA
888 324 9353 +1 404 504 6295
www.demtech.com www.naue.com
49 East Coast Erosion Blankets 31 Presto Products ✦ GMA

800 582 4005 800 548 3424
www.erosionblankets.com www.prestogeo.com
56 Fabinno ✦ 32,33 TenCate Geosynthetics ✦ GMA

www.fabinno.com 800 685 9990
The Geosynthetic Materials www.mirafi.com
Association actively identifies, 1 Fiberweb ✦ GMA
assesses, analyzes and acts upon 800 441 2760 2 Tensar International Corp. ✦ GMA
market growth opportunities www.TyparGeotextiles.com 888 828 5007
and issue that affect its member www.tensarcorp.com/GEO_TriAx
companies. The activities of 25 Firestone Specialty
the association are proactive in Products ✦ GMA
nature and focus on five areas: 800 428 4442
Engineering support • Business www.firestonesp.com/ifai7 SEE US ONLINE
development • Education •
Cv3 Geo-Frontiers 2011
Government relations • Geo-
www.geofrontiers11.com Tensar International Corporation ✦ GMA
synthetic industry promotion Thrace-LINQ Inc. ✦ GMA
34 Geosynthetic Materials Association
VISIT 800 636 5042
www.gmanow.com www.gmanow.com
✦ IFAI member
CONTACT 43 GMA/Geosynthetics Market Report GMA Geosynthetic Materials Association member
Andrew Aho 800 636 5042
amaho@ifai.com
800 636 5042
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 63 8/2/10 12:42:31 PM

FINAL INSPECTION
9ICG: A great success!

T he 9th International Conference on
Geosynthetics (9ICG) of the IGS was
held in Guarujá, Brazil, May 23-27, 2010,
The 9ICG Discussion Sessions allowed
the audience to discuss applications,
design procedures, and other hot topics
with more than 800 participants. It was the on geosynthetics with leading experts
first ICG in the Southern Hemisphere. from different parts of the world.
The 9ICG keynote lecturers were: About 200 Technical Session paper
>> For more information, go to: Sandro Sandroni, Brazil (“Brazilian presentations addressed important geo-
www.9icg-brazil2010.info Research and Practice with Geosynthet- synthetics applications, such as in retaining
ics”); Daniele Cazzuffi, Italy (“Geosyn- structures, steep slopes, embankments on
thetics in Barrier Systems for Dams”); soft soils, waste disposal, erosion control,
Steve Perkins, USA (“Geosynthetics environmental protection, drainage and
in Pavement Reinforcement Applica- filtration systems, and roads and railways.
tions”); and Andy Fourie, Australia The Meeting the Industry sessions
(“Improving the Performance of Min- focused on case-histories involving the
ing Infrastructure through the Judicious use of geosynthetics and encouraged a
Use of Geosynthetics”). closer contact among members of the
The conference also hosted the tra- geosynthetic industry with practitioners,
ditional Giroud Lecture, delivered by designers, and researchers.
Heinz Brandl, Austria (“Geosynthet- The conference’s technical program
ics Applications for the Mitigation of also included 11 Training Lectures and
Natural Disasters”); and two Terzaghi four Short Courses. The proceedings of the
Lectures, delivered by J.P. Giroud, USA, 9ICG (CD and printed versions) include
2008 (“Development of Criteria for the lecture papers, discussion session
Geotextile and Granular Filters”); and papers, and 318 peer-reviewed technical
Robert Holtz, USA, 2010 (“Geosyn- papers by authors from 42 countries.
thetic Reinforced Soil: From Experi- The 10th ICG/2014 will be in Berlin,
mental to Familiar.”) Germany. G
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd 64 8/2/10 12:42:32 PM

GeoFront11SaveDateA
Advances in Geotechnical Engineering
MARK YOUR CALENDAR

FOR THE GEOTECHNICAL
EVENT OF 2011
Where engineering design and construction come

together with dynamic products and applications
The objective of the Event is to share new developments in
geotechnical engineering technologies. Attendees will be
exposed to the latest state-of-the-art-and-practice as applied
to geotechnical engineering.
www.geofrontiers11.com
Geo-Frontiers 2011 is co-organized by Under the auspices of Includes GRI-24 Annual Conference
0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd Cv3 8/2/10 12:42:38 PM

GeoFront11SaveDateAd_FP_0310.indd 1 3/18/10 2:59:32 PM
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0810GS_p50-Cv4.indd Cv4 8/2/10 12:42:39 PM

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Walking the High Line

New IGS Council &

0810GS_Cv1.indd 1 8/2/10 12:34:17 PM

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd Cv2 8/2/10 12:34:57 PM

Typar® is a registered trademark of Fiberweb, Inc.

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 1 8/2/10 12:35:00 PM

©2010, Tensar International Corporation. FP-TXGEO4C10

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 2 8/2/10 12:35:01 PM

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 3 8/2/10 12:35:02 PM

50 Special Section COMING NEXT ISSUE

4 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 4 8/2/10 12:35:08 PM

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE*

Building peace from Richard J. Bathurst | Royal Military College, Canada

the ground up David A. Carson | U.S. EPA, USA

The excursion was sponsored by UN-HABITAT, PUBLISHER

+1 651 225 6988 The official publication of the Geo-

The official publication of the North

contractors and government agencies in need of expert information on

6 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 6 8/2/10 12:35:13 PM

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 7 8/2/10 12:35:20 PM

Geomembrane sealing systems for dams

Send a letter to the editor at:

30-yr. life as of 2008

Comments and letters can contain opinions of

8 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 8 8/2/10 12:35:20 PM

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 9 8/2/10 12:35:22 PM

Transmissivity: An ambiguous contradiction

>> For more information, search transmissivity at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com

10 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 10 8/2/10 12:35:24 PM

MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

DEM ECH BUILT BETTER!

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 11 8/2/10 12:35:31 PM

Geocell application? Online comment

load of the filled geocell, it will

stone, or concrete depending on the conditions

12 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 12 8/2/10 12:35:31 PM

Engineering a better solution

0810GS_Cv2-p13.indd 13 8/2/10 12:35:34 PM

Ron Bygness, editor of Geosynthetics

Fabric Architecture and Geosynthetics are

14 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_p14-33.indd 14 8/2/10 12:36:08 PM

Aerial view of the

TECHNICAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

GREEN ROOF SYSTEM

GEOTEXTILE FILTER FABRIC

0810GS_p14-33.indd 15 8/2/10 12:36:14 PM

T he reborn High Line is one of the

16 Geosynthetics | August September 2010

0810GS_p14-33.indd 16 8/2/10 12:36:20 PM

0810GS_p14-33.indd 17 8/2/10 12:36:20 PM

layer that holds the soil in place while

Green roof industry up 16%

Original GEOWEB® VË ?ajËËÍjË2.ËwÁËÏåËßj?ÁÄ