Special Series

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…

International e-Conference on Modern Trends in Foundation Engineering - Geotechnical Challenges and Solutions. January 26 - 30, 2004 Hosted by the Geotechnical Engineering Division Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, Chennai, India. Coordinators are Prof. K. Rajagopal and Prof. Nainan P. Kurian. "We are pleased to inform you that we have by now received 50 papers running to 526 pages. As on date this site has also received 1536 hits. Being perhaps the first International e-Conference in our field, we consider it as no mean achievement. As you would agree, no conference is complete without discussions on the papers and the authors’ replies. Indeed the papers were open for discussion at an international level from the time they were launched on our conference website. In order to make this forum active, however, we have now created two Buttons, Discussion and Author’s reply, to enable online submission of both. For the convenience of those taking part in the discussion and for the authors to enter their replies we have created two Templates which will open out when the respective buttons are clicked. On receipt of the discussion we will place them at the foot of the corresponding paper on the website and also forward the matter to the author (s) for the reply. On receipt of the reply we will place them at the foot of the discussion under the corresponding paper, besides forwarding it to the discusser. As a leading and active member of the geotechnical community, we request you to browse our web site and send us your valuable comments on the papers relevant to your area of interest. You will be glad to know that your discussions and replies will be featured when the proceedings of the conference are printed. We are now awaiting your discussions." Modern day foundation engineering is emerging as a technology-driven subject. A humble medium such as the thin drilling mud, which has enhanced the scope of foundation construction ever since the feasibility of the technique was established, is perhaps the most telling example of this truism. This is not to speak of geosynthetics -- available in a large varieties and forms -- which have virtually revolutionized the practice of earthwork and foundation engineering in recent times. To this may be added the use of shells, prestressing, etc., in foundations, which have added exciting dimensions to modern foundation engineering practice. Indeed the focus of the conference is the new techniques and technologies which have contributed to advancing the frontiers of geotechnical engineering practice the world over. Our aim is to go beyond the narrow academic confines and reach out to a wider section of the profession in a manner they would find participation in the conference more meaningful and productive in their own fields of endeavours. Please visit the conference web site and participate.

The State Council Information Office published on Monday a white paper titled Environmental Protection in China (1996-2005). The document, composed of 10 chapters, gives a systematic introduction to the unremitting efforts made by China in environmental protection over the past ten years. Learn more here.;

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Justice have reached agreements with two companies affiliated with manufacturing at the Groveland Wells Supderfund Sites 1 & 2 in Massachusetts. A metal-parts cleaner, trichloroethene (TCE), is the main concern, as it leaked into the 850-acre site's soils. The agreement ensures some repayment for the EPA's cleanup operations. Learn more here.;

IECA welcomes new Board Members Tom Williams (founding member of the Mountain States Chapter), Julie Etra (served two terms as the Western Chapter President), and Michael Chase (Professional Development Committee chairperson).

More from the Dutch news regarding the fire that broke out on the night of August 2 at a facility formerly used by Ten Cate Nicolon. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has a bi-annual Student Awards program, whereby the successful candidate from each IGS Chapter is invited and sponsored to attend one of the two IGS regional conferences in 2004, i.e., EuroGeo3 and or GeoAsia 2004. The IGS Student Award is for an amount of US$1 000 per chapter, which is to be used to cover conference participation costs (i.e., registration fees, travel, accommodation etc). GIGSA will contribute a matching amount of US$1 000 to the successful candidate. The award recipient is expected to submit a written report on the regional conference within 30 days of attending the conference. GIGSA would therefore like to select a suitable candidate to represent the South African Chapter of the IGS at one of the regional conferences in 2004. Criteria for selection are the following: 1) The candidate should be preferably be an MSc or PhD student involved in geosynthetics. 2) The candidate must not be older than 35 years of age in 2004. 3) The candidate should be interested and actively involved in the science of geosynthetics. 4) The candidate must be a paid up member of GIGSA. Nominations are now invited from suitable candidates for the IGS Student Award. Nominations are to be submitted together with a written motivation not exceeding one A4 page to the President of GIGSA by close of business on Monday 1 December 2003. Selection of the successful candidate for the award will be carried out by the GIGSA Committee during December 2003. The decision of the GIGSA Committee will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into thereafter. The IGS will be notified of the name of the award recipient nominee before 31 January 2004.

BBA Aviation plc (previously BBA Group plc) is pleased to announce the completion of the demerger of Fiberweb plc and the consolidation of BBA Aviation's ordinary share capital. Learn more here.;

A proper silt fence installation is more complicated than people think," writes Tom Carpenter in Land and Water's most recent issue. The article addresses aspects of placement, quantity, installation, compaction, posting and attachment. Read it online at the link below. Learn more here.;

geosynthetica is proud to welcome NAUE to our new on-line tool, www.geosIndex.com under the ASTM geogrid and ASTM gcl specification tables. Please visit geosIndex by clicking the link below and don't forget to view NAUE's three-tabbed company page within geosIndex to learn more about the company and their products (go to the "Company" Tab and click on NAUE's logo). Learn more here.;

TRI will host two one-day short courses April 2 and 3 at TRI's Austin, Texas facility on the subject of Construction QA/QC for Compacted Clay & GCL Liner & Geosynthetic Installations. A CQA Certification Exam follows on April 4 for those interested in the CQA - Inspectors Certification Program (ICP). Instructors are Dr. Bob Gilbert and Sam Allen. Mark Sieracke, a landfill design and CQA consultant, will serve as a special guest instructor. For more information, download the short course PDF.

The 59th Montgomery County Agricultural Fair will take place in Maryland soon. Fair organizers are responding to changing county demographics and issues with events. Included in this year's activities: erosion and sediment control education. Learn more here.;

Geoengineer.org announces a new service: The Geoengineer.org Press Center which currently includes: 1. Real Time Worldwide Geo-News Monitoring Center: searches more than 20,000 press agencies publishing magazines, journals, websites and other publications and provides direct links to articles related to Geotechnical Engineering and related fields. 2. Press Release Distribution Center: promotes the press releases of Organizations and Companies affiliated with Geoengineer.org. Your company is welcome to become a Press Affiliate (go to the link below to learn more). Learn more here.;

Polk County landfill tests cover system that could boost performance and cut costs - Polk County North Central Landfill (FL) has just completed 16.5 acres of exposed green 60 mil textured HDPE geomembrane cap. Steve Laux at Jones, Edmunds & Associates was the project manager. The geomembrane was fastened down in anchor trenches about 60 ft apart to resist uplift from winds up to 80 mph. To prevent the pull of material under contraction stresses to one end of the cap, every other panel was anchored along both edges and the panels between were welded on each edge to the panels previously installed, as shown in the figure. Use of an exposed geomembrane reduced installation costs from $144,000 per acre to about $65,000 per acre - a significant saving.

Geosynthetics manufacturer Kolon International Corp., India, seeks an Engineer Project Manager / Site Engineer / Civil Engineer with geosynthetic experience. The job involves design and marketing responsibilities. Learn more here.;

The latest episode of Land and Water’s Erosion and Sediment Control Network (ESCN.tv) is available. This week, anchors Tamara Forlanski and Dean Cooper deliver stories on Profile Products’ latest innovation, the use of geosynthetics in the BP oil spill in the Gulf (including the utilization of Tencate materials), IECA’s Western Chapter scholarship, and a Tip of the Week from Alex Zimmerman on “Planning Your Project.” Watch it online today. Learn more here.;

Volume 4, Issue 4 contains information about EPI's latest activities and personnel additions.

An even greater reason for homeowners, contractors, and developers to heed stormwater codes is the formation of stormwater management oversight departments on the county and city level. This is exactly what is happening around Evansville, Indiana. Learn more here.;

Rapra report looks at PE, PP use vs. PVC - Rapra Technology Ltd. has a new report revealing technological progress, material advances and growing markets are contributing to the region's plastic pipe industry. The report looks at the growing use of polyethylene and polypropylene instead of PVC in pipe production and how innovative installation techniques, such as trenchless technologies, are leading to new applications. To receive "The European Plastic Pipes Market" - +44 (193) 925-0383 (vox) or email: ruth@rapra.net

Geomemranes Guide de Choix is a newly released book authored by André L. Rollin, Patrick Pierson & Stéphane Lambert. Published in French this book is 312 pages with 150 figures and photos, and 90 tables. To purchase the book published by International Press, Ecole Polytechnique please contact Europe - Lavoisier edition@Lavoisier.fr - other countries: pip@polymtl.ca

4th seminar taking place on the 11th & 12 of September 2001 at the Milnerton Library in Cape Town. Prospective authors for oral papers on landfill related matter (max. 8 x A4 pages/30 min. presentation should complete and return form plus a one page abstract, no later than Feb. 23, 2001 and accepted papers must be submitted no later than June 29, 2001.For more information: vhok@iafrica.com

The 4th European Geosynthetics Conference will take place 7-10 Sept 2008 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The event is being organized by the UK chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) under the auspices of the IGS. Abstracts are due 30 August 2007. Learn more here.;

On April 5th, the American Excelsior opened a new distribution location in Raritan, New Jersey. The location warehouses and distributes the full-line of American Excelsior Company manufactured products, including Curlex(r) Excelsior Erosion Control Blankets, which are well known for their ability to reduce erosion and sediment run-off on residential and commercial construction projects. "We are very pleased to be opening up a new location to support a market that we have served for many years," states American Excelsior Company's ESD Director Jerry Bohannon. "This new location will bring a much better level of local support to the many customers we have in this area." The facility's local management team includes Justin Wilk, the Distribution Manager, supported by Jim Giumarra and Don Sheaffer, two area sales managers.

Another effort is being made to get General Electric to cleanup a silty, PCB-contaminated section of the Hudson River. The pollution goes back to decades of GE's operations along the waterway. When--if--cleanup begins, dredging operations with protective turbidity curtains, dewatering bags, and contaminated water and soil collection and treatment zones will be needed. Learn more here.;

As already announced in IGS News of July 2006, an Ordinary General Assembly of the IGS will be held on Friday, September 22, 2006 from 10:30 to 12:00 hrs in Yokohama, Japan. View the Agenda for the next IGS OGA. Learn more here.;