Special Series

Twenty-two top executives representing the national standards bodies of the Asia/Pacific region convened at ASTM International for a two-day Open House. The event, held September 22 and 23, was an open forum for frank and stimulating discussion regarding today's changing world of international standardization. The countries participating in the dialogue included: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the People's Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. The Chairman of the World Trade Organization's Technical Barriers to Trade Committee, Juan Antonio Dorantes, via conference call, addressed the subject of international standards, namely standards that are transparent, coherent, and impartial. A reoccurring theme during the event was the need for international standards to be inclusive as opposed to exclusive. Attendees learned firsthand that they have the opportunity and freedom to use U.S.- generated international standards while still honoring the intent of the World Trade Organization's obligations to use international standards. Other discussion points focused on the standardization needs of developing nations, the need for flexibility within the global standards system, and support for small businesses. The guests also challenged their hosts to provide a vision for their organizations in the year 2013, further adding to the meaningful exchange. The Open House was co-sponsored by ASME International, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., and ASTM International, in cooperation with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). During the Open House, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Philippines' Bureau of Product Standards and ASTM International. "The influence of ASTM standards is greatly felt in the Philippines," noted Jesus L. Motoomull, Director of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of Product Standards, at the signing. He went on to explain that 90% of the references to ASTM standards deal with the safety of products in the Philippine market. In his remarks to the audience, ASTM President Jim Thomas described the event as history making for ASTM International and as an opportunity to hear different viewpoints, share ideas, and to learn from each other. About his own organization, Thomas explained, "The process for the development of standards at ASTM International is unlike others in the world. Our participation is direct-no delegations, no prerequisites."

Stephen Wilk, Colin Basye, Dingqing Li, and Brad Kerchoff write on some roles for geosynthetics in railroad applications, such as for ballast pockets and flooded cuts. A version of...

This article is a version of a paper included in the peer-reviewed proceedings from the GAP 2019 transportation engineering conference, which was managed by Geosynthetica's publisher Minerva TRI. Here,...

The inaugural GeoU 2020 co-locates five high-level short courses. Four of the courses are concurrently held engineering classes and the fifth is a half-day marketing course for sales and...

In the latest addition to our GeoAmericas series of articles, Joel Sprague and Jay Sprague of TRI Environmental’s large-scale outdoor research laboratories in South Carolina look at the complex...

Geosynthetics are used frequently to support roads that are built specifically for temporary or limited exposure to very heavy loads. This petrochemical installation project, first presented at GeoAmericas 2016...

During the GAP 2019 transportation engineering conference, W. Jeremy Robinson, P.E. of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) presented on work he and his ERDC colleague...

Dr. Stacey Kulesza, P.E., Robert Sherwood, and Dr. Michelle Berry, P.E. exam fouled ballast and soil-water characteristic curves, in this latest share from the GAP 2019 transportation engineering conference...

The International Geosynthetics Society runs a series of high-level workshops that are organized by the IGS Technical Committees. Two of the major TCs are TC – Soil Reinforcement and...

Fouled ballast results in the degradation of mechanical properties of ballast and railway track instability. Seasonal dry-wet cycles increase the severity of the situation. In this latest addition to...

Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL writes a short Tech Note titled When to Perform a Pond Liner Integrity Survey (LIS)?

Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL recently performed the first electrical integrity survey in India on an HDPE lining system incorporating a conductive geotextile. Read his brief account of a very slippery slope.

Tech note authored by Ian Peggs, I-CORP INTERNATIONAL - Liner Integrity/Leak Location Surveys: Practical Problems Encountered. "I have learned some practical pointers from recently performed integrity surveys at several stages of construction and immediately after completion of the following lining system..."

Ian Peggs, I-CORP INTERNATIONAL reports: Electrical integrity/leak location surveys were made on lining system components during the construction of two railroad locomotive fueling platforms. From the top down one of the lining systems was as follows…

During Geo-Frontiers there was considerable discussion on the locations and causes of leaks in geomembrane lining systems. This information has been clearly summarized by Nosko et al in the following figure and tables…

Written by Peter Grkinic: Design Provisions Required for Protecting Membrane Baffle Curtains Within Reservoirs, Contact Tanks, or Other Water Retaining Structures.

PGI Tech Notes November 15, 2001- This Tech notes files is designed to keep you informed of the ongoing technical work done by the PGI

PVC Geomembrane Institute Tech Notes this month discusses a new Brown Bag program being designed by the institute for Engineering students. University of Illinois student working on the durability of PVC geomembrane for his Ph.D. If you would like to read more about these topics or to receive the Tech Notes e-news letter monthly please e-mail: pgi@ce.uiuc.edu

Structural design of highway or airfield pavements or railroads involves assumption of key mechanistic parameter values such as resilient modulus, modulus of subgrade reaction, dynamic modulus, and track modulus....

Geosynthetica’s GeoAmericas series continues with a look at the utilization of geomembranes in oil and gas operations. This article was originally published in the GeoAmericas 2016 proceedings (published by...

Slope stability analysis is a common design problem in geotechnics and thus, several slope stability methods using classical limit equilibrium analysis are available. In these methods, applied surcharge load...

From the GAP 2019 transportation engineering conference: Danniel Rodriguez, Jose Garibay, and Soheil Nazarian from the Center for Transportation Infrastructure Systems (University of Texas – El Paso) examine asphalt-stabilized...

Lightweight Foamed Concrete (LWFC) is being investigated by the Railway Engineering Research Institute (RERI) in China as a potential subgrade foundation at bridge transition zones. It has the characteristics...

A major intermodal logistics facilities and solutions provider for global commodities transport sought to construct new warehouses at a site in Perú. However, poor foundation conditions--clay silt materials, high...

This installment from the GeoAmericas Series is timely! The author, Glen W. Toepfer of CQA Solutions, Ltd., will lead an important, free, online discussion on March 27 at 1:00...