Soil Reinforcement

Geosynthetica is proud to announce two new media partnerships with conferences: CanBuild09 and Geosynthetics Middle East 2009. The Canadian Brownfield Urban and Industrial Land Development conference (CanBUILD) 2009 takes place in April in Toronto. SKZ's Geosynthetics Middle East 2009 is the 2nd installment in this international series and will take place in November in Dubai. Read more about these events and download the brochures and/or call for papers here.

GeoAmericas 2020 will be the first major geosynthetics conference to be held entirely online. The new format has been welcomed by the global community and a very noteworthy series...

The North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS)--a chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS)--will hold its biennial general assembly on March 14 from 5:00-6:00 pm in the Atrium Room of the Sheraton Dallas. This gathering is in conjunction with Geo-Frontiers 2011. For more information about activities of NAGS, visit the society's home page. Learn more here.;

GeoAmericas 2012 marks the Second Pan-American Geosynthetics Conference and Exhibition. It will be held 1-4 May 2012 in Lima, Peru under the auspices of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS). This week's update includes two key items: The Early-Bird Room Rate for the venue hotel (Westin Libertador Hotel) will be held open until 15 February 2012. Reserve your room today and get the best rate at this key Latin American infrastructure event. And: the GeoAmericas exhibit area is sold out! HOWEVER: at the request of a number of companies, the conference has created an additional exhibit area.

The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) has announced the winners of its 2008-2009 scholarships. Congratulations are in order for Garrett Graybill, Brian Carlton, Rachel Ernst and Joe Tom on their deserved recognition. Read more about their work and the 2009-2010 call for nominations.

BASF SE, the world's biggest chemical company, said it plans to outpace the expected 5 percent annual growth in the global plastics market by boosting operations in Asia. BASF's plastics division will report higher sales and a "significant" improvement in earnings in 2010, board member Martin Brudermueller reiterated at a press conference in Frankenthal, Germany. Demand in Asia will grow at 6 percent a year through 2015, he said. Learn more here.;

In response to a Nor'easter that hit the coast of Staten Island in March of 2010, a gabion retaining wall was installed along the oceanfront property to protect upland infrastructure from storm damage and wave action. The original wall design consisted of PVC coated galvanized steel gabions, spanning 100' parallel to the shore direction with a 9 ft. vertical height and two 30 ft. return walls at either end. During Super Storm Sandy in October 2012, the storm surge had pushed a large volume of sand and debris upland against the existing wall. While minimal damage was observed in confined places, the wall structure remained intact and fully functional.

Tensar offers roof and rib control matting for mining and tunnel installations. The geogrid is white and reflective for safety, and its polymeric formulation is corrosion and flame-resistant. Read the latest flyer from the company on this innovation alternative to welded wire. Learn more here.;

Global construction activity is expected to remain flat during 2010 and then grow nearly +5% in 2011 according to the latest report from IHS Global Insight. Learn more here.;

Tensar Corporation announced today strong performance in 2011, with double digit income growth as compared to 2010. This performance was achieved through record global revenue, operational productivity and the success in the marketplace of its new, patented TriAx® geogrid product. The company continues to generate strong cash flows in support of ongoing operations and achievement of its expanded 2012 earnings projection.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - 10 September 2013 - The Stormwater Equipment Manufacturers Association (SWEMA) is currently participating in the Water Environment Federation's (WEF) Stormwater Testing and Evaluation for Products and Practices (STEPP)...

South Africa-based Kaytech Engineered Fabrics has announced the addition of Paul Pratt to its team of geosynthetics experts. Pratt joins Kaytech as a Technical Manager. Previously, he served as National Sales Manager for Fibertex South Africa. Paul Pratt's new company contact information is paul@kaytech.co.za, +27 (0)83 2810078.

The Federation of International Geo-Engineering Societies (FedIGS) is a collaborative endeavor that brings together four major geotechnical societies. FedIGS facilitates interaction between these learned societies’ members, promotes common interests,...

Congratulations are in order! Just prior to EuroGeo 5 in Spain, NAUE Geosynthetics' Andreas Dürbaum competed with teammates Christoph Dieker and Inga Hormann in Portugal at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Single Driving Championships. Not only did the overall German team—which was comprised of three squads—win the team gold, but Andreas and his partners won the individual gold medal. Read more.

The National Association of County Engineers (NACE) will hold its 2011 conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 17-21 April 2011. As the event comes to the North Star state; and, appropriately enough, will run with the theme, "Guiding with Vision." Learn more at the association website. Learn more here.;

The state of New Jersey wants to armor its shorelines...but softly. The old hard armor embankments, so common in the state, are no longer desired by state agencies. Instead, they would like to see softer solutions. This might include geotextile tubes, vegetated turf reinforcement mats (TRMs), and much more. Learn more here.;

In March, North American Green is offering numerous sessions in various cities of its technical seminar for engineers "Designing with High-Performance (Hydraulic and Rolled) Erosion Control Products." Attendees can earn up to 3.0 Professional Development Hours (PDH) credits while receiving valuable information about specificy and using these materials immediately. Also, registration is FREE. Additionally, all attendees will receive a free, 2-gig USB flash drive, pre-loaded with helpful design and specification data. Read more about the course and learn about dates and cities in which it will be offered. Learn more here.;

Quick upon its announcement of a new Board-appointed Secretary and the addition of an outside management company’s services, IGS North America has issued the call for its next board....

The University of Minnesota held its 61st Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference on Friday, February 22 at the conference center on the St. Paul campus. Sponsored by the U of M Department of Civil Engineering, the Minnesota Geotechnical Society (MGS), and the Geo-Institute of ASCE, this annual gathering continues to impress. In a report on his visit to the conference, Geosynthetica Editor Chris Kelsey writes that "This year's event focused on instrumentation, data interpretation, and the impacts of geotechnical activities on the environment and structures (such as building overlying tunneling zones). These guiding ideas helped provide significant perspective on the changing practice of engineering. Chaired by Steve Gale (Gale-Tec), the event included many presentations in which geosynthetics played a key role in the geotechnical solution."

Tensar is appointing Mala Nanda as Vice President and General Manager Asia Pacific, in a company move which emphasizes its commitment to the area. Based in Shanghai, Mala Nanda has exceptional experience in the construction supply sector, particularly her impressive progress with Owens Corning since 1994, latterly becoming General Manager, Asia Pacific South and winning company awards. Her brief tenure there included developing and investing in the Indian sub-continent, and developing the Australian market.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) openly publishes a "Best of Article Search" selection in its monthly e-newsletter. This month's offering is Stanley M. Miller and Alan C. Joaquin's paper "Geosynthetic Stabilized Earth Using Compost Filter Socks for Sustainable Vegetated Walls and Slopes" from the EC11 conference. Read it here.

In Auburn, Maine, public works officials want to replace a waterside asphalt turnout with a surface that will provide some infiltration rather than route runoff directly down the shoreline and into the water. Gravel alone has performed poorly before. So the city is testing two gravel-filled systems, each of which can support vehicle weight: GeoPave and GeoWeb. It's a contest of plastics blocks vs. geocells. Learn more here.;

In South Africa, the "Dustbowl" traders along a much-needed lagoon access-road reinforcement project are suffering. Jo-Ann Bekker's story notes the significant decline in cheese sales during construction. But the upgrades are vital: gabion support on the embankments to protect against slip failure. Turbidity curtains have also been installed to contain disturbed clay that is mixing into the lagoon. With any luck, the dustbowl trading station will be free of obstructions soon and normal sales will resume. Learn more here.;

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that $48.8 billion in highway funds is now available to state departments of transportation for federal projects through the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. The HIRE Act, which was signed into law last month, included a provision that extended funding authority for surface transportation programs through 31 December 2010. The law provides $40.1 billion from the Highway Trust Fund for highway programs for FY 2010.

By Strata Geosystems – DLF Ltd (Delhi Land & Finance - largest commercial real estate developers in India) redesigned its 18-hole golf course into a grand 27-hole facility in...