Geosynthetics Magazine (Geotextile Tubes Oil Tube Foundation) 0410gs - Digitaledition

APRIL/MAY
APRI
AP
PRI
R L/
L/MA
MAY 2
20
2010
010
10
VOLUME
V
VO
VOLU
OLLU
UME
ME 2
28
8 NU
N
NUMBER
UM
MBBER
BEER
R2
Backfilling
depleted open-pit mines
Geotextile tube oil-pipe
foundations in Tabasco
Innovative bio-enabled
nanoparticle composites
New round-strand
geonet structure
Subscribe at www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
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APRIL/MAY 2010
VOLUME 28 NUMBER 2
10 ON THE COVER
A good example of
an active, open-pit
On Site 28
mine with surround-
ing waste piles, tailing
10 Backfill depleted open-pit mines with
impoundment, and lined landfills, tailings, and heap leach pads
leach pad facilities. By Allan Breitenbach
See page 10.
19 New round-strand innovation in
biplanar geonet structure
By Dhani Narejo and Mengjia Li
28 Geotextile tubes integral components

for oil-pipe foundations, erosion control
By Alfonso Solís, Amy Tang, and Zoe Lin
34 Using a bio-enabled approach to produce 38

By John Toon
38 What do you want from

your green roof?
42 Questions and answers from
the GMA Techline
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com | Geosynthetics 3
0410GS_Cv1-p9.indd 3 3/26/10 8:42:29 AM

In Situ
6 Editorial
What a great group
46 Panorama
Residents want geotextile tubes for beach protection
Delaware students win 2010 GeoChallenge
L.A. may require stormwater capture
48 Geo-Frontiers Watch
Read about Geo-Frontiers 2011 education and
trade show offerings, plus supporting organizations
and organizing committee
49 Geosynthetic Materials Association

Report from GMA’s Lobby Days
46
51 Geosynthetic Institute
Recap of GRI-23
First GSI-Asia conference
53 Calendar
55 Ad Index
Final Inspection
56 Final Inspection
56 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics
COMING NEXT ISSUE

Stormwater management | Walls and slopes | Market report
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4 Geosynthetics | April May 2010
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0410GS_Cv1-p9.indd 5 3/26/10 8:42:39 AM
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE*

Melody A. Adams
What a great group Shaw Environmental Inc., USA

Andrew Aho
T
his issue of Geosynthetics is the perfect opportunity for some GMA, USA
long-overdue thank-yous to the many contributors to this Sam R. Allen
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magazine, in particular the 25 Editorial Advisory Committee
Richard J. Bathurst
members listed on the right side of this page. Royal Military College, Canada
What a group, indeed! In this issue alone, there are five excellent Witty Bindra
articles contributed by members of this committee. Several others Permathene Pty. Ltd., Australia
contributed peer reviews and editing suggestions. David A. Carson
U.S. EPA, USA
And all told over the years, every name you see over there has con-
Daniele A. Cazzuffi
tributed time and content and advice for this magazine: writing, editing, CESI S.p.A., Italy
reviewing, collecting photos, answering technical questions, providing Oscar R. Couttolenc
sound counsel, and often, their personal friendship. GMA, Mexico
A sincere thanks to each one of you. Ronald K. Frobel
R.K. Frobel & Associates, USA
Stephan M. Gale
Gale-Tec Engineering Inc., USA
Another good friend of Geosynthetics magazine, Bob Holtz, delivered Han-Yong Jeon
a wonderful Terzaghi Lecture during ASCE’s GeoFlorida in February. INHA University, Korea
(See our on-site blog from Bob’s SRO presentation at: Robert M. Koerner
The Geosynthetic Institute, USA
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com/posts/blog/523.)
Robert E. Mackey
During the lecture, titled “Reinforced soil technology: From experi- S2L Inc., USA
mental to the familiar,” Bob reminisced, he thanked colleagues past and Kent von Maubeuge
present, and recalled the work of his friends, teachers, and students. In NAUE GmbH, Germany
conclusion, he offered provocative questions regarding the current and Jacek Mlynarek
SAGEOS, Canada
future state of geosynthetics and geotechnical engineering.
Dhani Narejo
Very well done, Bob, and congratulations! Caro Engineering LLC, USA
Roy J. Nelsen
ErosionControlBlanket.com Inc., USA
Are you ready for Brazil? Jim Olsta

CETCO, USA
Under the auspices of the International Geosynthetics Society, the
Ian D. Peggs
primary international geosynthetics event held every four years is, I-Corp International, USA
for the first time, in the Southern Hemisphere from 23–27 May 2010. Greg N. Richardson
9ICG—the 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics—is in the RSG & Associates Inc., USA
city of Guarujá, about 90km from São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil. Marco A. Sánchez
ML Ingeniería, Mexico
For more information: www.9icg-brazil2010.info.
Mark E. Smith
RRD International, USA
L. David Suits
NAGS, USA
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ESP/SKAPS Industries, USA
Ron Bygness
Aigen Zhao
Editor, Geosynthetics magazine Syntec Corp., USA
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of Geosynthetics, its Editorial Advisory Committee, editors,
Geosynthetics is an international, bimonthly publication for civil engineers, or the association.
contractors and government agencies in need of expert information on geo-
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ONLY ON THE WEB
BLOGS INDUSTRY NEWS
Holtz delivers provocative Mackey named D35 chair
Terzaghi Lecture ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics
“Reinforced Soil Technology: From Experimen- has named Robert E. Mackey as its new chair. Mackey is
tal to the Familiar” also a member of Geosynthetics magazine’s Editorial
Dr. Robert D. Holtz, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, Dist.M.ASCE, Advisory Committee.
Professor Emeritus, University of Washington www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com/articles/021910.html
For nearly 50 years, the Karl Terzaghi Lecture has been given
by an individual honored for their exemplary contributions BOOKSTORE
to the field of geotechnical engineering.
“Designer’s Forum:
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com/posts/blog/523 2004–2008” and “How to
buy, design, and build
EPA issues impoundment report retaining walls”
The EPA has released the reports assessing the structural
Both of these popular, new
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compilations are now available
www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com/posts/blog/414 through the IFAI Bookstore.
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Participate in this focus group
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PHOTO 1 An active open pit copper mine operation showing a mine waste (non-ore) rock pile in
the foreground with a heap leach pad and tailings impoundment in the background surrounding a
relatively steep walled open pit excavation.
0410GS_p10-27.indd 10 3/26/10 8:43:13 AM

Backfill depleted open-pit
mines with lined landfills,
tailings, and heap leach pads
By Allan J. Breitenbach
ABSTRACT
L
andfills, tailings impoundments, and heap leach pads are the
largest and highest geomembrane-lined fill structures in the
world. These lined structures require large areas for storage
and containment of solid wastes, precious or base metal mill waste
tailings, and ore heap fill materials.
Today, municipal waste landfills are considering the use of de-
pleted open-pit mines in remote areas to allow for more efficient
use of nearby city land space and natural resources. Lined tailings
impoundments and leach pads could also be located within depleted
mine pit excavations for reduced overall mine site disturbance.
This article discusses the recent historic use and primary engi-
neering concerns and benefits in lining, backfilling, and operating
depleted open-pit mine excavations for containment of solid waste,
tailings, and ore heap fills.
Introduction
The major mine disturbance areas related to open-pit operations
include the excavated mine pit limits, the surrounding mine waste
dump piles from overburden (non-ore) stripping excavations, and
the tailings impoundment or heap leach facilities.
Tailings impoundments and leach pads are typically lined. A partial
or complete backfilling of any depleted mine pit areas with these lined
facilities, where practical, would significantly decrease the overall mine
disturbance areas resulting in lower reclamation costs at closure. The
post-mining backfill of open-pit mine excavations with lined solid waste
landfills is a relatively new concept as well, beginning in the late 1990s.
The steep pit wall excavation slopes and the natural groundwater
conditions above the mine pit bottom limits are the two greatest
engineering design challenges to consider in lining and backfilling
an open-pit mine excavation. Recently, several mine pits have been
lined and backfilled for solid waste landfill and tailings impound-
ment slurry disposal operations. Lined mine pit heap leach designs
have been considered in the past; however, there are no known lined
Allan Breitenbach, P.E., is a
mine pit heaps being constructed currently. An example of an active geotechnical engineer based in
open-pit mine with surrounding waste piles, tailing impoundment, the Golden, Colo., office of Vector
and leach pad facilities is shown in Photo 1. Engineering Inc.
0410GS_p10-27.indd 11 3/26/10 8:43:16 AM

Backfilling depleted open-pit mines
This article will present case history examples of recent lined and Lined landfills for mine pit backfill
backfilled mine pits for solid waste landfill and tailings impoundment Lined landfill operations in the 1980s
disposal, as well as the general engineering design considerations for included numerous excavated cells con-
potential backfilling of lined mine pits for waste disposal and ore heap structed below ground level and lined with
leach operations. a geomembrane liner, a clay soil liner, or
a combination of both geomembrane and
clay liner as a composite liner system for
Case histories of lined facilities in mine pits the disposal of solid wastes.
History Excavated slopes were generally flat-
Open-pit mines have historically been left in an open condition during tened as required for placement of the
operations to closure, unless unstable wall conditions warranted partial compacted low permeability clay soil liner.
backfilling to complete the pit ore excavations. The excavated cell side slopes were steep-
In some cases, the pit bottom limits were partially backfilled to above ened in the 1990s to present day, where
the natural groundwater level, where practical, to prevent ponding of geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) began to be
water at closure or to stabilize waste dump slopes around the pit wall accepted as an equivalent or better replace-
limits. Most open-pit walls are constructed to a safety factor of 1.0 to ment to the clay soil liner. A steepened
extract as much ore from the ground with the least amount of stripping GCL and geomembrane lined valley wall
to expose the ore body. slope with a flatter conventional clayey soil
The backfilling of mine pits with lined landfills, tailings impound- and liner at the base of the steep slope are
ments, and heap leach pads, where practical, would significantly re- shown in Photo 2.
duce the mine disturbance area and related reclamation closure costs. The first abandoned open-pit mine
In addition, mine pit backfilling makes efficient use of the excavated quarry excavation to be lined and back-
storage space with full facility containment within the natural ground filled with municipal solid waste was the
vs. constructing above-ground dams, site grading fills, and diversion Bristol Landfill in Bristol, Va. The open-pit
channels for facility containment. Known case histories of lined mine quarry included near vertical bedrock walls
pit facilities by this author are presented in this section. more than 300ft (100m) high. A mine pit
haul road ramp extended from the mine
pit rim to the pit bottom for truck access
and removal of excavated rock materials,
until the mine operations ended some-
time before 1990. The mine pit quarry was
converted to a lined landfill operation by
1998, as shown in Photo 3.
The near vertical rugged rock quarry
pit walls were the most extreme engineer-
ing challenge known to date for placement
of a geomembrane liner system. The rock
walls were pre-scaled of loose rock debris
and covered with safety wire mesh screen
in 1996 and 1997 to prevent rock falls dur-
ing liner construction and to anchor the
liner system. A layer of geotextile fabric
and HDPE geomembrane liner were placed
on the lower pit side walls with plans to
extend the pit wall liner upward in phases
to maintain fully lined conditions above
PHOTO 2 Steep valley wall lined with composite geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) and geomembrane
the rising active landfill surface. The mine
and valley floor being prepared with conventional compacted clayey soil liner in preparation for
geomembrane liner installation. pit floor was backfilled with a low perme-
0410GS_p10-27.indd 12 3/26/10 8:43:19 AM

ability clayey soil for a conventional landfill
bottom composite liner and overlying
leachate drainage system.
Lined tailings impoundment

for mine pit backfill
Since the 1980s, several underground
mines have been backfilled with tailings
backfill for economic, safety, or mine clo-
sure reasons. Tailings backfill in completed
underground mine workings included
paste or thickened tailings materials mixed
with cement and other stabilizing addi-
tives, which reduced the required amount
of tailings stored in above-ground im-
poundment facilities.
Historically, numerous open-pit mines,
natural lakes, and seacoast areas have been
backfilled with unlined tailings disposal
as well. More mines are adopting the use
of compacted earth and rock fill dams
with geomembrane liner systems for
tailings disposal with long-term contain-
PHOTO 3 Bristol Landfill liner construction in open-pit quarry with conventional composite
ment and improved protection of baseline compacted clay and geomembrane across the valley floor. Note groundwater conditions shown in
groundwater conditions. Lined tailings the bottom right, below the landfill liner system.
impoundment containment within mine
waste piles has been common practice at
several open-pit mines in Nevada since the
early 1990s. However, open-pit mines have
not historically been used for lined tailings
impoundment disposal until recently. An
example of a conventional above-ground
lined tailings impoundment contained by
compacted earth fill dams in the mid-1980s
is shown in Photo 4.
The first geomembrane-lined mine
pit backfilled with conventional tailings
was the El Valle mine pit located in As-
turias in northern Spain. The gold mine
pit was depleted of ore adjacent to other
ongoing nearby active mine pit operations
by 2003.
In 2004, the bottom portion of the
500–1,700ft (152–518m) deep mine pit was
backfilled to above the existing groundwater
conditions with a low permeability clayey
waste rock site grading fill in preparation PHOTO 4 A waste pile-lined tails pond is a co-dispoal option in waste rock piles in the pit or along the
for geomembrane liner placement. The pit limits.
0410GS_p10-27.indd 13 3/26/10 8:43:19 AM

clayey mine waste materials were taken from local mine stripping operations downhill of the lined pad limits for grav-
to expose the deeper ore materials. The El Valle tailings impoundment at ity leach solution drainage to an external
startup of tailings disposal operations is shown in Photo 5. A conventional lined process pond sump.
above-ground, lined tailings impoundment is shown in Photo 6. Since the 1984 test pad construction,
The clayey site grading fill in the mine pit bottom limits allowed for no known lined and backfilled mine pit
dry construction liner installation above the existing or dewatered mine leach pads have been constructed at the
pit ground water levels. Sufficient compacted clayey subgrade fill was bottom of depleted open-pit mine excava-
placed adjacent to the steep pit walls at startup to allow for perimeter tions. However, several copper mines in
access roads and future lined tailings impoundment expansion raises. New Mexico and Arizona are considering
A woven geotextile fabric was placed between the geomembrane this option, particularly where mine condi-
liner and the clayey rock and soil subgrade to cushion the liner from tions indicate it is economic to construct
puncture on the occasional larger, cobble-sized rocks. The tailings im- for both operations and closure.
poundment liner consisted of a 60-mil (1.5-mm) HDPE liner. Tailings
disposal within the geomembrane lined impoundment commenced in
2005 with conventional slurry tailings disposal. Liner design considerations
for in-pit backfilling
Lined leach pads for mine pit backfill General
This author is aware of only one lined mine pit leach pad operation, Primary engineering concerns in lining,
to date, that was constructed within the open-pit limit. The lined pad backfilling, and operating a depleted open-
was constructed in 1984 on a relatively small scale as a pilot test pad in pit mine for containment of waste fill or
southwestern New Mexico, USA. According to mine personnel, the test ore heap materials include:
pad was located in a depleted side pit wall bench area within a larger • installation and protection of the liner
copper mine pit limit and lined with 80-mil (2.0- mm) HDPE liner. below natural groundwater conditions.
The geomembrane liner was covered with about 5 million tons • stabilizing any steep pit rock wall slopes
of low-grade run-of-mine ore dump fill and included sufficient area that are near a safety factor of 1.
PHOTO 6 Conventional above ground

lined tailings impoundment contained by
a compacted earthfill dam embankment
in South Carolina, USA. Perimeter pipeline
tailings slurry disposal is shown above the
geomembrane liner with an interior water
pool pumped in a water return pipeline back
to the plant facilities for reuse.
PHOTO 5 Lined tailings impoundment for startup conventional tailings slurry disposal within a
depleted open pit gold mine in northern Spain.
0410GS_p10-27.indd 14 3/26/10 8:43:20 AM

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Major benefits of backfilling with a lined facility: ment, waste biodegradation, and methane
• overall reduction in required liner area for storage gas collection (Breitenbach and Thiel,
of materials. 2005). This may require multiple cells
• minimal risk of spills with the elimination of above- and graded gravity flow to sump-pump
ground containment dams and watershed diversions collection locations at the bottom of the
(particularly in high seismic earthquake zones). landfill for recirculation throughout the
• significant reduction in overall mine disturbance areas life of the facilities.
for less reclamation and closure costs. Landfill liner systems prefer dry
The in-pit liner containment becomes more practical ground conditions with deep ground-
and cost effective if included early in the operation plans water levels for no direct connection and
to allow use of nearby stripped mine waste materials for transport of any leachate contamination
bottom pit site grading preparation and steep pit wall away from the lined facilities. Therefore,
stabilization for liner placement. most open-pit mines would require some
The tailings impoundments and leach pad facili- type of continuous groundwater dewater-
ties are generally associated with open-pit mining op- ing and monitoring system beneath an
erations and located in in-pit liner or the option of mine waste
Open-pit mines have seen recent use of close proximity to the site grading fill to raise the liner subgrade
excavated mine pit and above the seasonal high natural ground-
the below-ground excavation limits for stripped non-ore mine water level conditions.
storage of solid waste landfill, tailings, waste pile limits. As the In general, lined solid waste landfill
and ore heap leach fills. open-pit mine is devel- for in-pit backfill includes the following
oped, some mine sites major engineering concerns:
have depleted open-pit • dry and graded subgrade conditions
ore zone pockets or multiple open-pit sites in close prox- beneath the liner system with separate
imity to each other that may be amenable to lining and drainage cells as required.
backfilling for tailings disposal or ore heap leaching. • stable mine pit walls for liner stability and
The overall steep pit wall slopes of 35–55 degrees safe access to dispose of waste materials.
with benches in most hard rock mining operations create • protection of the liner system from differ-
an engineering challenge for liner systems. Waste rock ential subgrade settlement or puncture.
materials from continued mine overburden stripping • protection of the liner system from over-
operations can provide economic site grading fill to lying waste material placement and punc-
stabilize the floor and pit walls for dry geomembrane ture with adequate bottom and side wall
liner installation with the liner system protecting the drain fill or geotextile cover.
underlying groundwater conditions. • minimizing hydraulic heads on the bot-
The pit wall stability would continue to improve, as tom liner system with a leachate collection
lined backfill operations buttress and bury the exposed and recirculation sump pump system.
mine pit wall slopes. Each type of geomembrane lined • designing deep sump well systems with
facility has differing engineering concerns. redundancy and protection of the liner
from the “pile driving effect” of verti-
Lined landfill for in-pit backfill cal well down-drag forces during waste
Municipal solid waste landfills typically require a robust settlement (side wall wells along the liner
multiple liner system for leachate containment, collection, slope are optional).
and recovery operations. A drain fill cover and daily solid
waste soil cover or temporary synthetic geotextile cover Lined tailings impoundment
are common for solid waste disposal. for in-pit backfill
Beginning 10-15 years ago, landfills are applying Lined tailings impoundment may include
irrigated water or recirculated leachate flows to the top storage of several types of tailings waste
surface or by deep well injection to accelerate settle- materials: conventional slurry disposal
0410GS_p10-27.indd 16 3/26/10 8:43:23 AM

(about 45-55% solids to water by weight Conclusions
in a liquefied pipeline slurry discharge), Open-pit mines have seen recent use of
thickened tails slurry disposal (about 60- the below-ground excavation limits for
70% solids to water for less water pool storage of solid waste landfill, tailings,
recirculation back to the plant), and other and ore heap leach fills.
variations of dry filter and paste tailings Primary engineering concerns in lin-
transported by truck, conveyor, or positive ing, backfilling, and operating a depleted
displacement pipeline pumping disposal open-pit mine for containment of waste
to the lined impoundment. or ore heap fill materials include:
Pipeline slurry disposal around the • providing dry construction conditions
perimeter of the lined impoundment is for installation and backfilling of the liner
the most common practice in the mining system below the natural groundwater
industry with milled and depleted waste conditions.
tailings generally consisting of fine grained • stabilizing typical 35-55 degree steep
sand, silt, and clay particles. The fine tail- hard rock mining pit wall slopes that
ings materials form a perimeter sand and are near a safety factor of 1.
silt beach with settled solids forming a Major benefits of using lined facilities
water pool in the interior. Decanted water for mine pit backfill include:
from the water pool is recirculated back to • an overall reduction in the required liner
the plant for reuse in operations. area for storage of materials.
Typically, lined tailings impoundment • minimal risk of spills (particularly in
for in-pit backfill includes the following high seismic earthquake zones) with the
major engineering concerns: elimination of above ground contain-
• dry subgrade conditions for liner con- ment dams.
struction with any required dewatering • significant reduction in overall mine
to maintain the operational tailings beach disturbance areas for less reclamation
and water pool surface above the subgrade and closure costs.
groundwater level at all times to closure. The in-pit containment becomes more
• liner subgrade backfill above bottom practical and cost effective, if included in
groundwater conditions or temporary the operation plans for early use of nearby
dewatering is optional until the lined tail- stripped mine waste materials for site grad-
ings backfill is raised above the ground- ing preparation and pit wall stabilization
water level. during the life of the mine.
• stable mine pit walls for liner stability and
safe access to dispose of waste materials. References
• protection of the liner system from differ- Breitenbach, A.J. and Thiel, R.S. (2005), “A Tale of Two
Conditions: Heap Leach Pad Versus Landfill Liner
ential subgrade settlement or puncture. Strengths,” GRI-19 Geosynthetics 2005 Conference,
• partial drain cover above the liner to Las Vegas, Nev. G
minimize hydraulic heads on the bottom
liner system (optional for maximizing
tailings drainage and consolidation) with >> For more, search mining at
a bottom leachate collection and recir-
culation sump pump system.
• design the optional deep sump well sys-
tems with redundancy and protection of
the liner from vertical well down-drag
forces during waste settlement (side wall
wells along the liner slope are optional).
0410GS_p10-27.indd 17 3/26/10 8:43:23 AM

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0410GS_p10-27.indd 18 3/26/10 8:43:24 AM

An example of a solution to the problem
of high-stress rollover for biplanar geonets
New round-strand innovation

in biplanar geonet structure
By Dhani Narejo and Mengjia Li
Background
T
he primary design property of drainage geocomposites is flow rate
or transmissivity, which is measured in the laboratory according
to ASTM D4716. The laboratory value is used to calculate the
allowable flow rate according to GRI procedure GC8. The compressive
creep of the polymeric core of the drainage geocomposite (i.e., geonet)
along with long-term clogging must be considered when calculating the
allowable flow rate. The expression that considers all these variables is
as follows (per GRI GC8):
q100
qall = (1)
RF cr xRF cc x RF bc
In Equation 1, qall = allowable flow rate (ft3/sec-ft), q100 = flow rate

from a 100-hour test (ft3/sec-ft), RFcr = reduction factor for creep, RFcc
= reduction factor for chemical clogging, and RFbc = reduction factor for
biological clogging. GRI GC8 presents default values for RFbc and RFcc,
while RFcr is product specific and must be obtained from actual tests.
Since the late 1990s, there has been much interest in the creep test-
ing of geonets and many articles have been published on this topic (for
example, Thornton et al., 2000 and Narejo and Allen, 2004). Compressive
creep is now recognized as an important factor in the selection of geonets
for a specific project. Manufacturers are increasingly using creep data
to demonstrate the performance advantage of their products. Dhani Narejo, Ph.D., a senior engineer at Caro
Giroud et al. (2000) derived Equation 2 to demonstrate the effect of Engineering LLC, is a member of the Editorial
thickness on the transmissivity of a geonet. The ratio of transmissivity Advisory Committee for Geosynthetics magazine.
after (θ2) and before (θ1) compression is a cubic function of the thick-
Mengjia Li, Ph.D., is a drainage product manager
ness after (t2) and before (t1) compression. at GSE Lining Technology Inc.
0410GS_p10-27.indd 19 3/26/10 8:43:26 AM

Biplanar geonet structure
t2 3 are performed in the laboratory under

1– constant compressive stress according to
θ2 t1 (2) conventional creep or accelerated creep
= 1– n1
θ1 methods (Narejo and Allen, 2004). The
stress in a creep test is only a fraction of
For example, for a geonet with a typi- the strength of the material tested.
cal original porosity (n1) of 0.7, a 20% For example, for the 22,000psf strength
thickness reduction will lead to a 64% in Figure 1, the creep test may be set up
reduction in its transmissivity. Thus, it is at 10% (2,200psf), 25% (5,500psf), 50%
critical not only to determine the creep (11,000psf), and so on, of the ultimate
reduction factor of a geonet under the compressive strength. A graph with test
long-term compressive load, but also to results is expected to be of the type pre-
calculate the reduction in thickness. sented in Figure 2. Once the creep curve
is established, the linear relationship on a
semi-log scale is used to calculate a creep
Creep and structural reduction factor, RFcr , which can then be
stability of geonets used in Equation 1 to calculate allowable
Most geonets have unique structural fea- flow rate (Giroud et al., 2000).
tures that influence their stress-strain and To use this procedure, it is essential that
creep behavior. the relationship between strain (or thick-
For conventional biplanar geonets the ness retained) and time is linear, as is the
compressive stress-strain relationship is case in Figure 2. More often, however, the
typically of the type presented in Figure creep test on conventional biplanar geonets
1. The peak short-term compressive stress results in creep curves of the type illustrated
is often referred to as layover, rollover, or in Figure 3. This is especially the case when
structural collapse and depends primarily the test is performed without any historical
on the shape of the strands. This value is data on the material being evaluated.
the peak compressive strength, or simply For the test in curve A, there is an abrupt
the compressive strength, of the geonet drop in thickness at about an hour into the
and varies from 5,000psf to 30,000psf for test while the same happens for curve B at
materials available in the market. about 800 hours into the test. The sudden
It was mentioned in the previous sec- change in the curve represents a rollover
tion that a creep reduction factor (RFcr) of the strands or structural collapse of the
for the drainage core is required for calcu- geonet, which is essentially the same as in
lating the allowable flow rate. Creep tests a compression test (see Figure 1).
TABLE 1 Specifications for the materials included in the test program
PROPERTY TEST METHOD VALUE QUALIFIER

Polymer — HDPE —
Thickness ASTM D5199 200-330 mils Range
Density ASTM D1505 0.94 g/cm3 Typical
Tensile Strength ASTM D7179 30-85 lbs/in Range
0410GS_p10-27.indd 20 3/26/10 8:43:27 AM

Although it is not possible to calculate
a creep reduction factor from the data in
Figure 3, the information can be used to
set up the next test. For example, if curve
B represents a test at 50% of the strength,
the next test may be performed at 40% of
the strength or lower.
The senior author has performed many
tests of this type on many conventional
biplanar geonets of different types. Table
1 presents a few property values for the
materials included in the test program. The FIGURE 1 Compressive stress-strain behavior of biplanar geonets
resulting data is reproduced here in Figure

4 (page 22) from a paper (Narejo and Allen,
2010) presented at the 9th International
Conference on Geosynthetics in Brazil
(May 2010). The best-fit equation to the
data in the figure is as follows:
P
= – 0.028 · 1n(t) + 0.68 (3)
S
Where P = applied compressive

stress on geonet (kPa or PSF), S = peak
short-term compressive strength (kPa or
PSF) and t = time to structural collapse
(hours). The above empirical relationship
is used to set up creep tests on biplanar FIGURE 2 Example of a creep curve for a biplanar geonet
geonets so the layover does not occur
prematurely, i.e., during a test before
10,000 hours are complete.
For example, suppose that the strength
(S) of a geonet is 15,000psf. A 10,000-hour
conventional creep test is scheduled on
this geonet. The laboratory performing
the test would like to prevent a layover
of the geonet during the duration of this
test. Substitute t in Equation 3 with 10,000
hours. The result is stress of 6,330psf for
the geonet considered for this test.
A design engineer would like this
geonet to not fail during the active life of
the landfill, which is estimated to be five
years. Substituting t with 43,800 hours
(five years) in Equation 3 results in stress
of 5,711psf.
FIGURE 3 Creep failure in biplanar geonets
0410GS_p10-27.indd 21 3/26/10 8:43:27 AM

Innovation in the structure

of biplanar geonets
It is clear from Figure 4 and Equation 3
that projects with high overburden stress
and long design life require the use of geo-
nets with higher compression strength.
The maximum strength of standard
biplanar geonets is around 25,000psf and
can be increased to 30,000psf with some
adjustments in the manufacturing process.
There are many landfill cells in the U.S.
where overburden stress exceeds 15,000psf
and active design life can be 30 years.
The creep data we have accumulated
points to a concern with the structural
stability of the geonet at high overburden
stress and long design life. Fortunately,
FIGURE 4 Time to failure obtained from creep tests on many biplanar geonets (Reference many alternative materials are available
Narejo and Allen, 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics, Brazil, 2010)
with little or no impact on the cost.
Figure 5(a) presents the traditional ob-
long-shaped structure of biplanar geonets.
FIGURE 5 Shape of geonet strands in biplanar geonets In Figure 5(b), the shape of the strands
was changed by changing the die through
which the strands are extruded. The new
shape is approximately rounded as opposed
to the oblong shape of the conventional
biplanar geonets.
The stress-strain behavior in compres-
sion for the round-strand geonet is pre-
sented in Figure 6 (page 25). The stress-
strain curve indicates a small change in
slope at around 55,000psf but nothing of
(a) Standard biplanar geonet with oblong shaped strands the nature in Figure 1.
It is neither collapse of the strands nor a
sudden flattening. Essentially, the rollover
of the strands that is typical of conventional
biplanar geonets has been eliminated with
the new shape of the strands. Not surpris-
ingly, the creep curve in Figure 7 (page
25) for the round strand product is linear
on a semi-log scale showing no layover
even at 25,000psf.
(b) Round strand biplanar geonet
0410GS_p10-27.indd 22 3/26/10 8:43:27 AM

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Designing for A value of 1.2 is proposed for the in-

structural capacity terim reduction factor. Required stress can
This section relates mostly to conven- be calculated from the following equation:
tional oblong-strand biplanar geonets, for
which a procedure is presented to prevent Preq = γ x h (5)
a structural failure.
For low-stress applications, such as Where, Preq= design stress (psf), γ =
landfill covers, the overburden stress is waste density (pcf), and h = height of waste
much lower than the strength of the most (ft). A factor of safety against structural
commercially available products, includ- failure of a conventional oblong-strand
ing most biplanar products. Therefore, the biplanar geonet can then be calculated by
strength of the material or creep is not an comparing Equations 4 and 5.
important design consideration.
For landfill liner systems, strength or
Pallow
FS = (6)
structural design should be performed Preq
explicitly in addition to the hydraulic
design. The structural design of geonets A factor safety of 1.5 is recommended
is equivalent to the structural design of in Equation 6, based on the authors’ un-
plastic pipes. derstanding of the uncertainty involved
Although GRI procedure GC8 includes in these calculations. The authors also
the effect of creep on allowable flow rate, note that a factor of safety of 2 is typi-
it does not prevent a structural collapse of cally used in drainage calculations where
the geonet structure under load. In fact, there is significantly more uncertainty
a structural capacity design is necessary than in the structural design presented
to ensure that the creep reduction factor in this article.
used in Equation 1 is valid for the product For a specific project, several biplanar
and site under consideration. geonets can be evaluated until an adequate
Moreover, although the hydraulic factor of safety against structural failure
design may indicate adequate flow rate is achieved. In those cases, when it is not
for the specific project, the strength of possible to achieve the required factor of
the material may be too low to prevent safety with conventional oblong-strand
structural failure. Equation 3 can also be biplanar geonets, another type of structure
expressed as: or round strand biplanar geonet should
be considered. The procedure is demon-
P = S 0.68 – 0.028 · 1n(t) strated in the examples below.
One or more partial reduction factors

are required to calculate the allowable Examples of calculations
pressure on a geonet based on the above Example 1— A landfill cell is being de-
empirical equation. An interim reduction signed with a maximum waste height of
factor, RFim, is proposed until additional 45ft. The density of the waste is estimated
data on this topic is available. With the to be 75lbs/ft3. The active life of the cell is
reduction factor, the above equation can five years, at which time the cell is sched-
be written as: uled to receive a final cover.
After the cover liner system, the
S
Pallow= 0.68 – 0.028 · 1n(t) leachate generation is expected to be neg-
RFim ligible. A conventional biplanar geonet
(4) with a compression strength of 20,000psf
0410GS_p10-27.indd 24 3/26/10 8:43:29 AM

is considered as a leak-detection mate-
rial. Determine a factor of safety against
structural failure of this geonet.
Solution— The following information
has been given in the problem:
• cell height = h = 45ft
• waste density = γ = 75lbs/ft3
• design life = t =5 years = 43,800 hours
• compression strength = S = 20,000psf
Substituting the values in Equation 4
with RFim being 1.2, one obtains Pallow of
6,345psf. The required strength is obtained
from Equation 5 as 3,375psf. Then the
factor of safety is obtained from Equa-
tion 6 as 1.9, which is acceptable as it is
greater than 1.5.
Then the next step in the design process
FIGURE 6 Compressive stress-strain curve for modified round-strand biplanar geonet
would be to determine a factor of safety
for flow rate based on GRI GC8 and the
site-specific design information. A creep
reduction factor will be required for use
in Equation 1 that can be obtained from
actual creep tests.
Example 2— A landfill cell is designed
with a maximum waste height of 200ft.
The waste density in the cell is estimated
to be 70lbs/ft3. The active life of the cell
is 20 years, at which time the cell will be
closed with a final cover system.
Within five years of final cover, the
leachate generation within the cell is es-
timated to drop to zero for all practical
purposes. A standard biplanar geonet with
peak strength of 25,000psf is considered.
Calculate a factor of safety against struc-
tural failure of this geonet. FIGURE 7 Creep behavior of modified round-strand biplanar geonet
Solution— The following information

has been given in the problem:
• waste height = h = 200ft
• waste density = γ = 70lbs/ft3
• design life = t = 25 years = 219,000 hours
• compression strength = S = 25,000psf
Substituting the values in Equation 4
with RFim equal to 1.2, one obtains Pallow
of 8,392psf. Required stress is calculated
from Equation 5 to be 14,000psf.
By substituting the values of the allow-
able and required stress in Equation 6, we
0410GS_p10-27.indd 25 3/26/10 8:43:29 AM

obtain a factor of safety of 0.59 against used as a tool to gain understanding of the
the structural failure of the geonet. As nature of the geonets rather than selection
such, the geonet under consideration is or rejection of a particular geonet.
not adequate. The procedure illustrates well that the
Alternatively, the geonet in Figure 5(b) long-term structural capacity of conven-
with round strand or another material tional biplanar geonets is significantly
with high compression strength can be lower than the peak strength. Designing
considered for this project. these materials close to their peak strength
may lead to a strand layover during the
service life.
Limitations of the
structural design procedure
The procedure for calculating the factor Summary
of safety against structural failure of con- Conventional biplanar geonets have strands
ventional oblong-strand biplanar geonets that are oblong shaped. In a compression
presented in previous sections is based on test, the oblong strands result in a stress-
laboratory creep testing. strain curve with a distinct peak. At this
During the creep tests, peak, there is a sudden collapse of the
A new type of round-strand the geonet test specimen strands followed by significant strain or
is sandwiched between compression with constant stress or even
biplanar geonet shows no plates; in the field, the with a drop in stress.
rollover of the strands. boundary conditions can The stress at which rollover occurs is
be geotextile (bonded or known as peak strength or rollover strength
unbonded), geomembrane (smooth or of biplanar geonets. Not all geonets have the
textured), and soil (cohesive or nonco- rollover of the strands. In fact, a new type
hesive with a filter geotextile). The steel- of round-strand biplanar geonet shows no
geonet boundary conditions represent the rollover of the strands.
geonet-geomembrane interface very well. A procedure for structural design of
This interface is not common in landfill conventional oblong-strand biplanar geo-
base liner systems. nets was presented in this article. This
To the author’s knowledge, there has procedure was based on creep testing of
been no published information on the biplanar geonets.
effect of the boundary conditions on the The use of this procedure ensures that
creep of geonets. Creep tests in isolation the maximum stress on a biplanar geonet
(between steel plates) are simple to perform is lower than the stress at which structural
and are often the only tests for which any failure would occur over the design life
data is available. of the drainage geocomposite. The creep
It is possible that the soil-geocomposite data shows that the allowable compres-
interface would prevent the layover of the sive stress on an oblong-strand biplanar
strands. In that case the procedure presented geonet should be much lower than its peak
here is conservative but may significantly compressive strength.
underpredict the structural capacity of
conventional biplanar geonets.
Until additional information on the ef-
fect of the boundary conditions is available,
the procedure presented here should be
0410GS_p10-27.indd 26 3/26/10 8:43:30 AM

IINNOVATION
IN NOVA
NO VAATI
TION
ONN IINN GGEOSYNTHETIC
EOS
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YNNTH
THET
ETTICC CCLAY
LAY LI
LA LINER
LINE
NERR US
NE UUSEE
References
ASTM D 4716, Test Method for Determining the
(In-Plane) Flow Rate per Unit Width and Hydraulic
Transmissivity of a Geosynthetic Using a Constant Head.
Giroud, J.P., Zhao, A., and Richardson, G.N., “Effect

of Thickness Reduction on Geosynthetic Hydraulic
Transmissivity,” Special Issue on Liquid Collection
Systems, Geosynthetics International, 2000, Vol. 7, Nos.
4-6, pp. 433-452. Canals Mining
Giroud, J.P., Zornberg, J.G., and Zhao, A., “Hydraulic Design Civil & Highway Ponds
of Geosynthetic and Granular Liquid Collection Layers,”
Special Issue on Liquid Collection Systems, Geosynthetics Coal Ash Disposal Secondary Containment
International, 2000, Vol. 7, Nos. 4-6, pp. 381-401.
Dams Stormwater Basins
Geosynthetic Research Institute, GRI Standard GC8,
Standard Guide for Determination of the Allowable
Landfills Wastewater Lagoons
Flow Rate of a Drainage Geocomposite.
Narejo, D. and Allen, S., “Using the Stepped Isothermal

Method for Geonet Creep Evaluation,” Proceedings of
EuroGeo3, 3rd European Geosynthetics Conference,
Munich, Germany, March 2004, pp. 539-544. cetco.com
800.527.9948 847.851.1800
Narejo, D. and Allen, S., “A Design Method for
Structural Stability of Conventional Biplanar Geonets,”
9th International Conference on Geosynthetics, Brazil,
May 2010.
Thornton, J., Allen, S., and Siebken, J. 2000. “Long-Term

Compression Creep of High-Density Polyethylene
Geonet,” Proceedings of EuroGeo2, 2nd European
Geosynthetics Conference, Bologna, Italy, October
2000, p. 869. G
>> For more, search drainage materials at

0410GS_p10-27.indd 27 3/26/10 8:43:30 AM

Geotextile tubes filled with sand work as foundations
and support beds for oil pipes at the Dos Bocas
facilities for Petroleos Mexicanos. Below: (a)—At
some locations, gaps between the sea floor and pipe
were more than 2m. (b) & (c)—The geotextile tube
foundations were designed to fill the gaps for each
pipe. See also Figure 3, page 31.
Photos courtesy of Marco Sánchez and the authors
(a) (b) (c)
0410GS_p28-45.indd 28 3/26/10 8:43:48 AM

PEMEX marine facilities in Tabasco, Mexico
Geotextile tubes are integral

components for oil-pipe
foundations, erosion control
By Alfonso Solís, Amy Tang, and Zoe Lin
ABSTRACT DBPM
»»
N
I
n this project, geotextile tube technology is adopted as part
of an integral solution for beach erosion problems at the Dos
Bocas marine facilities for Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX). TABASCO
The solutions designed consisted of:
• geotextile tubes (GT) filled with sand working as beds for oil
conduction pipes that were previously in risk of col-
lapsing due to sand foundations lost within
the surf zone (see photos, left).
• installation of a submerged breakwater
using GT along 1.9km of coastline.
• installation of 62,000m3 of beach nour-
ishment for coastline stabilization.
This article describes elements of the
design criteria and installation process, field
survey data before and after beach profiles
comparison and graphical material is presented,
and analysis corroborating natural beach recovery
after breakwater installation. Post-construction evidence
is also given, leading to the conclusion that this project has
worked as expected, ensuring long-term oil conduction and stor-
FIGURE 1 Project site location
age facility integrity.
Introduction Alfonso Solís is coastal

The Dos Bocas PEMEX marine facilities, located at Paraíso, engineering manager with
the firm Axis Ingeniería
Tabasco, Mexico (Figure 1), had sustained progressive beach
S.A. de C.V., Mérida, Mexico
erosion, which was compromising oil conduction and storage
infrastructure integrity. Amy Tang is a technical manager
Beach protection hard structures (groins and stone revetments), and Zoe Lin is an engineer, both
built two decades ago, had been seriously damaged by wave action, with Ace Geosynthetics Inc.
losing 30% of their original length and 40% of their height, failing
Marco Sánchez, an engineer with
to ensure beach-site stability.
ML Ingeniería and a member
A major issue was the loss of sand foundation for the marine conduc- of Geosynthetics magazine’s
tion pipes within the surf zone, leading to potential risk of pipe failure Editorial Advisory Committee,
and catastrophic economic and environmental consequences. also contributed to this article.
0410GS_p28-45.indd 29 3/26/10 8:43:51 AM

Geotextile tubes
Project description Solution design

Figure 2 depicts the coastal area where this project was After analyzing several beach protection
developed. The area is divided into seven sections, each options, PEMEX decided to adopt a solu-
one delimited by the existing groins. tion that involved the use of woven pro-
In section 4, three pipes conduct oil from inland to pylene geotextile tubes (GT).
marine facilities where it is shipped for distribution. GT were selected as an environmentally
Within section 7, four 36-in.- responsible solution and for their flexibility
diameter pipes conduct oil to to adapt to a dynamic maritime media.
inland facilities for storage. The possibility of quick modification of
The primary objective structures, according to morphological
was to recover and restore response, and comparatively lower costs for
the pipe foundations, and, initial installation and maintenance were
further, to ensure shoreline also considerations. For this project, instal-
stabilization to protect in- lation logistics and equipment required
land storage facilities. only slurry pumps and small boats.
FIGURE 2 Aerial view: Project coastal area
Pipe support elements
Preliminary study results showed that 5 of
the 7 oil conduction pipes had lost their
foundations due to beach erosion. The
most critical cases were detected along
pipes 6 and 7 where, at some points, gaps
The Presto GEOWEB® system between the sea bottom and pipe were at
2.5m—see Photo (a), page 28.
...is the ultimate economical and
After analysis of field data, it was de-
environmental solution to cided to use 7.8m-circumference (1.25m
challenging slope and height) GT as pipe support elements. Two
geomembrane protection types of sections, depicted in Figure 3 (a
problems. and b), were designed, taking into account
gap height from sea floor to pipe. Finally,
according to these criteria, for each par-
ticular case the proper arrangement was
defined to fill the existing gaps.
Submerged breakwater
The submerged breakwater was designed
to achieve two main objectives: to reduce
the incident wave energy on the beach by
controlling the wave-breaking process,
thus promoting natural sand accumu-
.2.0! Ë.#
.0 =0#!Ë.#20#!. lation shoreward of the structure; and
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0410GS_p28-45.indd 30 3/26/10 8:43:55 AM

govern the wave breaking mechanism that (a) ST2 Criteria: (b) ST1 Criteria:
OIL PIPE OIL PIPE
controls wave energy reduction” (Alvarez H2<=1m Ф=0.9 H2>1m Ф=0.9
et al., 2006).
The breakwater cross section design
(Figure 4) was built with a 7.8m-circum- 0.5-1
? H2 0.3 (min)
ference principal GT seamed to a 2.5m- 0.3 (min)
? H1
long scour apron and to a smaller GT that 1.8
1-1.5
works as an anchor tube (1.4m-circumfer- 1.8 SEA BOTTOM
ence). Given the principal GT’s proposed
3
dimensions that, when filled with sand to GEOTEXTILE TUBE
SEA BOTTOM
its 90% capacity, would reach a 1-1.25m GEOTEXTILE TUBE
height (Leshchinsky et al., 2006). Based on FIGURE 3 Designed sections: (a) gap <1m; (b) gap >1m
this criterion, the submerged breakwater
was placed at a 1-1.25m depth, ensuring
structure crest would coincide with mean
low water level (LWL). Chimney (Filling Port)
D=0.4m
Beach nourishment
1.0m
The beach fill profile was designed to reach
3.8m
0.10m above the high water level (HWL).
D=0.4m
As depicted in Figure 5, material would 2
MexicoPipeFigs.indd 3/18/10 11:22:35 AM
be retained by the breakwater, widening Location of Seam
1.0m
the beach by 30-40m after wave action D=0.2m
profile stabilization.
An important issue for beach nourish-
ment success is that the material artificially 4.0m
placed has the same, or larger, grain size Length of Scour Apron = 2.5m
Circumference = 7.8m ± 10cm
and density as the natural beach mate- Circumference strength = Geotextile Tensile Strength of CD
rial (USACE, 2004). This was ensured by Anchor Tube
Circumference = 1.4m ± 10cm
dredging material from offshore submarine
FIGURE 4 Breakwater cross section
banks 400m offshore that were previously
monitored and authorized by federal en-
vironmental authorities.
Installation process 30 to 40 m
BEACH NOURISHMENT PROFILE
Preliminary work before GT installation HWL
consisted of removing from the sea floor LWL
anything that could be a threat to GT in-
≈1.25 m
tegrity (stone, steel, debris, etc.).
During the GT sand filling process,
stresses in the encapsulating geosynthetic
MexicoPipeFigs.indd 1 3/18
due to slurry pumping pressure was an STABILIZED P.GT SCOUR APRON ANCHOR GT
BEACH PROFILE
issue because overpressure during filling
of the tubes may cause geotextile failure FIGURE 5 Beach nourishment designed profile
(Leshchinsky, et al., 1996). This job was
carried out with 4-in. discharge-diameter
slurry pumps with volume discharge rates
up to 40-50m3/hr with 10–30% of solids.
MexicoPipeFigs.indd 3 3/18/10 11:22:36 AM
0410GS_p28-45.indd 31 3/26/10 8:43:56 AM

Geotextile tubes
(a) (b)
Figure 6 shows slurry-pumping op-
erations for both the GT support ele-
ments and breakwaters. Pumped mate-
rial was obtained from submarine banks
50-70m offshore.
Once GT installation was finished,
beach nourishment continued using a
12-in.-diameter suction dredge, with
volume discharge rates up to 250m3/hr.
FIGURE 6 Filling GT tasks: (a) pipe support elements and (b) breakwater Material was conducted to shore by a 10-
in. flexible hose (Figure 7).
The total fill volume required to reach
the profile level designed along seven proj-
ect sections was approximately 62,000m3.
Performance
Installation of pipe support elements con-
cluded by the end of July 2009.
Figures 8 and 9 show before-and-af-
ter comparisons. In some cases, gaps had
reached 2.5m. The photos also show the
GT’s flexibility and adaptation to marine
FIGURE 7 Beach nourishment activities
media—key points for this project’s success,
giving complete support where required.
As for breakwater performance, Figure
10 shows the wave-breaking concept due
to GT presence, creating a wave energy
reduction zone, with turbulence generated
shoreward inducing sand accumulation.
During the breakwater installation pro-
cess, beach evolution profile surveys were
done for all sections, corroborating that the
structure was performing as expected, pro-
moting natural sand accumulation shore-
FIGURE 8 Before-and-after comparison for pipe 3 ward of the structure (Figure 11).
Beach fill construction clearly enhanced
project performance, providing additional
stability to the shoreline and the support
elements for the oil-conduction pipes.
And as the breakwater continues to reduce
longshore transport rates and minimizes
end losses, it will ensure the lifespan of
service for this facility (Figure 12).
FIGURE 9 Before-and-after comparison for pipes 6 and 7
0410GS_p28-45.indd 32 3/26/10 8:43:56 AM

WAVE BREAKING DUE TO GT
WAVE ENERGY
LWL
REDUCTION ZONE
FIGURE 10 Breakwater performance
LWL Distance offshore
Distance offshore
FIGURE 12 Final situation for section 7 FIGURE 11 Beach profile evolution after breakwater installation: (a) Section 1, (b) Section 7
Conclusions Regardless of the successes of this proj- References

Alvarez, E., Rubio, R., & Ricalde, H., 2005, “Beach
The following conclusions are highlighted ect and the proven potential of GT to be
Restoration with Geotextile Tubes as Submerged
for this project: effective for shore protection, based on site Breakwaters in Yucatan, Mexico,” Proceedings of the
• Adopting an integral solution guarantees observations during project construction, International Symposium on Tsunami Reconstruction
with Geosynthetics–Protection, Mitigation and
a long-term solution to this beach ero- there are issues that require continued Rehabilitation of Coastal and Waterway Erosion
sion problem. monitoring and research, including: Control. Bangkok, Thailand, pp. 123-135.
• The versatility of the GT allows usage in • GT durability against UV exposure. Alvarez, E. and Espinosa, B., 2008, “The role of the
an innovative application such as pipe • scour apron performance for assuring geotextile tubes in coastal protection and beach
support elements. settlement control. restoration. The experience in Yucatan, Mexico,”
GeoAmericas-2008: First PanAmerican Geosynthetics
• As in other projects in Mexico (Alvarez et • strength of the seams and filling port sec- Conference, Cancún, Mexico.
al., 2006; Alvarez and Espinoza, 2008; and tions of manufactured geotextile tubes.
Escalante, S., & Solís, A., 2008, “Coastal dune
Escalante and Solís, 2008), GT working as stabilization using geotextile tubes at Las Coloradas,”
coastal protection structures have acted Acknowledgments Gesoynthetics magazine, Vol.26, No.1, pp. 16-24.
Project management & construction: Marsa S.A. de C.V.
as effective and environmentally friendly Leshchinsky, D., Leshchinsky, O., Ling, H.I., and Gilbert,
alternatives for shore stabilization. Project direction and engineering: Axis Ingeniería P.A., 1996, “Geosynthetic tubes for confining pressurized
slurry: some design aspects,” Journal of Geotechnical
• Beach nourishment, in conjunction with Geotextile tube supplier and manufacturer: ML Ingeniería Engineering, ASCE, Vol.122, No.8, pp. 682-690.
shore protection structures, is a good and Ace Geosynthetics, respectively, both providing full
technical support during project construction U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004, “Coastal
alternative to increase the longevity of Engineering Manual,” Coastal Engineering Research
The authors thank Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) for Center, Vicksburg, Miss., USA. G
beach reconstruction projects.
providing economic resources for project construction
• GT structure construction requires com- and to Marsa S.A. de C.V. for conducting the project.
>> For more, search geotextile tubes at
paratively minimal logistics and equip- www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
ment, while offering installation and
maintenance cost benefits.
0410GS_p28-45.indd 33 3/26/10 8:43:58 AM

Strong as silk:
Using a bio-enabled
approach to produce
By John Toon
Georgia Tech researcher Eugenia Kharlampieva studies the properties

of composite materials containing silk and metallic nanoparticles.
Photos courtesy of Georgia Tech Research Horizons magazine
0410GS_p28-45.indd 34 3/26/10 8:43:59 AM

U
sing thin films of silk as templates, researchers
have incorporated inorganic nanoparticles
that join with the silk to form strong
and flexible composite structures that have unusual
optical and mechanical properties.
This bio-enabled, surface-mediated approach mimics
the growth and assembly processes of natural materials,
Atomic-force miscroscope image shows a silk
taking advantage of the ability of biomolecules to chemi-
film where gold nanoparticles have been grown.
cally reduce metal ions to produce nanoparticles without
harsh processing conditions.
Less than 100 nanometers thick, silk-silver nanopar-
ticle composite films formed in this process can be used
as flexible mirrors. The technique could also be used
to create films that reflect light in specific wavelengths,
antimicrobial coatings, thin film sensors, self-cleaning
coatings, catalytic materials, and, potentially, even flex-
ible photovoltaic cells.
“We are taking advantage of biological molecules
that have the ability to bind metallic ions of silver or
gold from solution,” says Vladimir Tsukruk, a profes-
sor in the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science Illustration shows how nanoparticles form in the
and Engineering. silk template.
“These molecules can create mono-dispersed metallic

nanoparticles of consistent sizes under ambient condi- using a spin-coating technique that pro-
tions, at room temperature, and in a water-based environ- duces multiple layers of thin film that are
ment without high vacuum or high temperatures.” then patterned into a template using a
Sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Re- nanolithography technique.
search and the Air Force Research Laboratory, the re- “Because silk is a protein, we can con-
search was described at the Fall 2009 National Meeting trol the properties of the surface and de-
of the American Chemical Society. The nanoparticles sign different kinds of surfaces,” explains
produced range in size from four to six nanometers in Kharlampieva. “This surface-mediated
diameter, surrounded by a biological shell of between approach is flexible at producing different
one and two nanometers. shapes. We can apply the method to coat
The silk template permits good control of the nano- any surface we want, including objects of
particle placement, creating a composite with equally complex shapes.”
dispersed particles that remain separate. The optical Next, the silk template is placed in a solu-
properties of the resulting film depend on the nanopar- tion containing ions of gold, silver, or other
ticle material and size. metal. Over a period of time ranging from
“This system provides very precise control over nano- hours to days, nanoparticles form within the
particle sizes,” says Eugenia Kharlampieva, a postdoctoral template. The relatively long growth process,
researcher in Tsukruk’s laboratory. “We produce well- which operates at room temperature and John Toon is the editor
defined materials without the problem of precipitation, neutral pH in a water-based environment, of Georgia Tech Research
aggregation, or formation of large crystals. Since the allows precise control of the particle size Horizons magazine.
silk fibroin is mono-dispersed, we can create uniform and spacing, Tsukruk notes.
This article appeared originally
domains within the template.” “We operate at conditions that are suit-
in the Summer/Fall 2009 issue
Fabrication of the nanocomposites begins by dissolv- able for biological activities,” he explains. of Georgia Tech Research
ing silk cocoons and making the resulting fibroin water “No reducing agents are required to pro- Horizons magazine; reprinted
soluble. The silk is then placed onto a silicon substrate duce the particles because the biomolecules with permission.
0410GS_p28-45.indd 35 3/26/10 8:44:00 AM

Strong as silk
serve as reducing agents. We don’t add any chemicals that “If we combine gold-binding and silver-
could be toxic to the protein.” binding peptides, we can make composites
Use of these mild processing conditions could re- that will include a mixture of gold and
duce the cost of producing the composites and their silver nanoparticles,” says Kharlampieva.
potential environmental impact. When dried, the “Each particle will have its own proper-
resulting silk-nanoparticle film has ties, and combining them will create more
This bio-enabled, high tensile strength, high elasticity, interesting composite materials.”
surface-mediated and toughness. The researchers also hope to find ad-
“Silk is almost as strong as Kevlar, ditional applications for the films in such
approach mimics
but it can be deformed by 30% without areas as photovoltaics, medical technology,
the growth and breaking,” says Tsukruk. “The silk and anti-microbial films that utilize the
assembly processes film is very robust, with a compli- properties of silver nanoparticles.
of natural materials. cated structure that you don’t find in Beyond Tsukruk and Kharlampieva,
synthetic materials.” the research team has included Dmitry
For the future, the researchers plan to use the bio- Zimnistky, Maneesh Gupta, and Kathryn
assisted, surface-mediated technique to produce nano- Bergman of Georgia Tech, David Kaplan
particles from other metals. They also hope to combine of the Department of Biomedical Engi-
different types of particles to create new optical and neering at Tufts University, and Rajesh
mechanical properties. Naik of the Materials and Manufacturing
Directorate of the U.S. Air Force Research
Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base in Ohio.
americanwick.com
“Nanomaterials grown under environ-
WE’RE HERE mentally friendly conditions can be as good
TO COLLECT… as synthetic materials that are produced
WAT E R under harsh conditions,” Tsukruk adds.

“This technique allows us to grow very use-
A
ful materials under natural conditions.”
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0410GS_p28-45.indd 36 3/26/10 8:44:02 AM

0410GS_p28-45.indd 37 3/26/10 8:44:02 AM
PROJECT SHOWCASE
What do you want

from your green roof?
1616 P Street in Washington, D.C.: Originally budgeted

for roof replacement, the building owner opted for the
added value of a 3,000-sf vegetated roof. In addition
to rooftop seating, the conference room overlooks the
roof, creating a desirable meeting space.
Pages 38-40 include selections from Geosynthetics encourages your contributions of case histories, photos, and field tips.
“Green roof design and installation” For submittal guidelines, contact Ron Bygness at 800 225 4324 or +1 651 225 6988;
by Angie Durhman, TectaAmerica, e-mail: rwbygness@ifai.com; www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
angie@greenroof.com Photos courtesy of TectaAmerica (p. 38, p. 40 top-left and bottom)
Photos courtesy of Roofscapes Inc. (p. 39 top, p. 40 top-right)
0410GS_p28-45.indd 38 3/26/10 8:44:04 AM

What a green roof can do
LONGLASTING
WATERTIGHT ROOF
PROVIDE PRODUCE
NATURAL LIGHT ELECTRICITY
TO THE INTERIOR
PRODUCTIVITY SAVE ENERGY
AESTHETICALLY MANAGE
PLEASING STORMWATER
OUTDOOR SPACE COLLECT RAINWATER
FOR REUSE
Green roofs: Essential components

Geosynthetic materials are required for correct green roof construction
DROUGHT TOLERANT
VEGETATION
3"4" GROWING MEDIA
FILTER FABRIC
DRAINAGE LAYER
ROOT BARRIER
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE
NRCA Construction Details

Common components used within a green roof system
ENGINEERED SOIL WITH PLANTINGS
FILTER FABRIC DRAINAGE LAYER
RESERVOIR LAYER ROOT BARRIER
MOISTURERETENTION LAYER PROTECTION COURSE
AERATION LAYER WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE
THERMAL INSULATION STRUCTURAL DECK
0410GS_p28-45.indd 39 3/26/10 8:44:05 AM

Green roofs
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) headquarters in Chicago City Hall: Approximately 14,000 ft.3 of geofoam was used
Washington, D.C.: This roof was designed to maximize stormwater to create the illusion of a rolling terrain.
management and species diversity.
Target Center, Minneapolis
• Largest extensive green roof on an existing This green roof:

building in the world • Used a proven waterproofing membrane
• 1st green roof on an arena building • Included a leak-detection system
• 5th-largest green roof in North America • Features a 2.5-in.-thick growth zone in the center,
3.5in. around the perimeter
• 10th-largest green roof in the world
• Has a guaranteed 20-year maintenance contract
• Reduces the roof’s temperature by as much
as 80°F
• Is designed to attract Karner blue butterflies,
an endangered species G
>> For more, search green roofs at

0410GS_p28-45.indd 40 3/26/10 8:44:07 AM 0310GEOsubform.in

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0310GEOsubform.indd 411
0410GS_p28-45.indd 3/19/10
3/26/10 8:10:12
8:44:15 AM
Questions and Answers from the GMA Techline
Welding, liners, testing?

—the Techline answers all
To: GMA Techline

RE: Welding LLDPE/HDPE
How do you achieve a satisfactory extrusion weld between
a 1mm LLDPE geomembrane and a 2mm HDPE geomem-
brane? What constitutes a satisfactory extrusion weld?
Niall | Ireland
Niall,
You have two things going against you in your situation:
thickness differences and material differences. Regarding
TECHLINE
the thickness situation, 1mm is difficult not to overgrind
in order to have the extrudate placed upon it. You will
need to put your best personnel on this task. It is difficult
The Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) offers the but possible.
GMA Techline, a resource for technical questions about
geosynthetics. E-mail: gmatechline@ifai.com for fast, Regarding the material differences, LLDPE has a broader,
free, direct answers to your technical questions. GMA and somewhat lower, melting window than HDPE, but
serves as the central resource for information regarding they do overlap considerably. In this regard, wedge weld-
geosynthetics and provides a forum for consistent and ing of the two different resins is more difficult than extru-
accurate information to increase the acceptance, and to sion welding. I don’t think this is as much a problem as is
promote the correct use, of geosynthetics. dealing with the thinner sheet. Clearly, many trial (or test)
strips will be necessary on your project.
You also ask what would be an acceptable extrusion weld.
If you go to our website at www.geosynthetic-institute.org
under “specifications” and look at GRI-GM19 you will find
that 1.5mm HDPE requires 525N in shear and 340N in peel.
Conversely, the thinner and weaker 1mm LLDPE requires
263N in shear and 250N in peel.
Niall, I am afraid that all you can ask for in this case is the
lower values associated with the 1.0mm LLDPE.
GMA Techline
0410GS_p28-45.indd 42 3/26/10 8:44:16 AM

To: GMA Techline To: GMA Techline
RE: Welding follow-up RE: Geocell application
Our landfill project was brought to a standstill I would like to know the suitability of geocell as slope surface protec-
today by the CQA engineer. We were attempt- tion on acidic soil conditions. Can we apply geocell directly on top of
ing to weld a textured 1mm LLDPE cap to a the slope surface?
textured 2mm HDPE basal liner at the crest of Azilah | Malaysia
a cell slope using LLDPE welding granulate.
Production weld samples are passing normal
peel and shear destructive tests (according to Azilah,
me) because the 1mm liner is ribboning out
Geocells are regularly used in exactly the type of application you de-
and ultimately breaking and the weld remains
scribe. A geotextile is generally placed on the prepared subgrade and
intact (an SE 2 type break).
then the geocell is deployed in the customary manner. If the slope is
The CQA engineer, however, is insisting on very steep, steel tendons can be used, passing through the geocells
destructively testing the bond between the extending to the top of the slope where they are connected to an an-
LLDPE extradite and the HDPE liner. The result- chorage block. The infill of the geocells can be soil, stone, or concrete
ing extradite-to-liner destructive peel test is depending on the conditions and anticipated service life.
resulting in an AD1 adhesion failure, so he is
Regarding the acid conditions you mention, the HDPE will not be
then determining that the weld has failed and
affected nor will an underlying PP geotextile. If, however, you are
must be repaired. We have argued all day but
concerned about the acidity getting through the system thereby pol-
he is sticking to his opinion.
luting a stream or waterway, you should consider placing a geomem-
What do you think? Are there any industry brane on the slope before the geocell is placed. This particular appli-
guidelines relating to the welding and testing cation has been accomplished in several locations.
of HDPE to LLDPE connections? Would it be
GMA Techline
better to use HDPE welding granulate?
Niall | Ireland
To: GMA Techline

Dear Niall,
RE: Textured HDPE?
There are no criteria to my knowledge for
welding dissimilar geomembranes of any We are looking at a stormwater basin about 2-3 acres in size with a
type including LLDPE to HDPE. This is what 20-30ft side slope at 4:1. We are using 60-ml HDPE smooth and it
I wrote to you [previously] and the best you will be covered with sand. The pond will be partially filled with water
can probably get is the average of the two most of the time.
values for strength. Will the sand stay on the slope at 4:1? Some folks say use textured 60-
Extrudite-wise, I would certainly try a HDPE HDPE. Will the textured make that much difference at a 4:1 slope?
rod and I think it would have been my first Bob | Wisconsin
choice. The temperature control will be criti-
cal and get it just high enough to melt the
rod but not the LLDPE. Dear Bob,
GMA Techline I am firmly in the camp of “some folks.” While sand on smooth HDPE is
at or slightly higher than 14 degrees, when you have drawdown of the
water the hydrostatic forces are sure to bring the sand covering with it.
RE: Welding follow-up With textured HDPE you still might have sloughing of the sand within
Thanks for your help! We switched from using the sand itself but the interface with the HDPE should be adequate.
LLDPE welding granulate to HDPE welding rod Bob, don’t give it a second thought; go with double-sided, tex-
and the test samples are now passing—thank tured material.
God—and everybody is happy!
GMA Techline
Niall | Ireland
0410GS_p28-45.indd 43 3/26/10 8:44:18 AM

GMA Techline

RE: Lining task RE: Testing
Please find attached some recent pictures of an aluminum storage We prepared specifications for [a landfill]
tank in one of our ongoing projects. Initially, we proposed to line the liner section that included parameters
tank with a 2mm-thick HDPE sheet based on its chemical resistance. for nondestructive testing of the primary
The tank is already fabricated with carbon steel by our client who (80-mil) and secondary (60-mil) HDPE
failed to inform us about the top cover. A small opening (24-in. diam- geomembrane liner. At this time, there
eter) is available for us to perform the lining task. is a need to install a 30-mil liner along
the sideslope.
Kindly recommend the best industry practice that we can adopt at
this point to remedy the problem along with the technical viability of It is my understanding that GRI does not
using the HDPE sheet. provide any recommendation with regards
to pressurized air-channel testing for 30-
Mustafa | Saudi Arabia
mil HDPE liners. Would you be able to pro-
vide me with any comments on testing the
Mustafa, 30-mil HDPE liner to a pressure between
22-27psi with a maximum pressure drop of
Assuming that the largest opening is shown [in your photos], this is
4psi over 3 minutes? Any insight would be
going to be an extremely difficult job to accomplish with 2mm-thick
greatly appreciated.
HDPE liner. The liner will have to be fed into the opening in strips and
then extrusion welded in place within the tank. There are even some Joe | New Jersey
penetrations shown in some of the photos. You should contact some
installers to find out what they think in this regard.
Joe,
As such, I would consider a spray-on liner, such as a urethane, which
is easily installed (without seams) but probably has lower chemical The reason we don’t have info on 30-mil
resistance. Again, you will have to contact some suppliers. is because it is so hard to fusion weld. In a
sense we are trying to encourage the use
Good luck on this difficult project! of 40-mil or higher. If your field people feel
GMA Techline confident in welding 30-mil, just go pro-
portionately down from the other thick-
nesses. That said, watch for burnouts and
severe crimping in the weld area.
To: GMA Techline Good luck!
RE: Veneer stability GMA Techline
I have a question about veneer stability in moving earth upslope
vs. downslope. In the downslope equations in GRI18, how is the
lack of a buttressed passive wedge accounted for in the factor of
safety (FS) equations during placement of soil? I think I am getting
confused on how the passive wedge is defined on a downslope
placement of material.
Matt | South Carolina
Matt,
Moving upslope, we have the passive wedge as a buttress. It is not a
big item unless you go into a tapered cover soil scenario. That said,
there is no buttress going downslope. Perhaps more importantly, I
have assumed that there are no dynamic forces going upslope and
that there are such forces going downslope. This is the really impor-
tant assumption and the one that significantly decreases the FS value.
GMA Techline
0410GS_p28-45.indd 44 3/26/10 8:44:18 AM

RE: 3 questions RE: Optimum height?
1. How do I approach designing/specifying ASTM D4873 covers the identification, storage, and handling of geotex-
GM/GCL composite liners for MSW land- tiles. However, there is no guide on what the optimum height should be
fills? Do I simply adopt the GM13 standard, for stacking rolls of material. This is often covered by statements to the ef-
which is based on fundamental research, fect that this should be “specified by the manufacturer.” All well and good,
and then double-check that the leachate but surely there needs to be a standard that defines what the best practice
leakage rate is within acceptable limits for is. Are there any such guidelines?
my specific project?
Andrew | Australia
2. What other material parameters need to
be project specific? And is shear critical?
Dear Andrew,
3. Is there an established maximum ac-
ceptable leachate leakage rate for GM/ In the waste containment QA/QC technical guidance book by Daniel and
GCL composite liners used for MSW land- Koerner (ASCE Press, 2007, ISBN 0-7844-0859-9), there is a section regard-
fills? I have read literature where typical ing geotextile storage at a field site. Item 3 (page 256) states, “The roles
action leakage rates (ALR) of 50–200 lphd should be stacked in such a way that cores are not crushed and the geo-
were mentioned. textile is not damaged. Furthermore, they should be stacked in such a way
that access for conformance testing is possible.”
K.O.
Hope this helps you.
A new IGS member
GMA Techline G
Dear K.O.,
1. You should use the GRI GM13 specifica- >> For more, search GMA Techline at
tion for the GM and the GRI GCL13 speci-
fication for the GCL. That is exactly what
they were developed for and should be
used accordingly. All credible manufactur-
ers know of their existence and produce
products accordingly.
2. The specifications are material specs, not
design specs. Yes, shear strength of all sur-
faces adjacent to the GM and GCL must be
assessed and compared to the site-specific
shear stresses. It is a straight geotechnical
design.
3. ALR values are set by the regulator who is
giving the permit for the project. That said,
50–200 lphd is, indeed, a common value
and one that should be met using a GM/
GCL composite with good CQC and CQA.
GMA Techline
0410GS_p28-45.indd 45 3/26/10 8:44:18 AM

PANORAMA
GEO news and notes from around the world

Residents want geotextile tubes for beach protection
Australian residents near the New South Wales mid- The group cites the success of an earlier local
north coast area of Taree have very personal and vested effort—a gabion wall built at Badgers Creek in 1992
interests in the Old Bar erosion issue. Many say they as a precedent. Despite being uncovered at times of
intend to retire there on the beachfront location midway heavy rain when the creek scours, the wall of rock-filled
between Sydney and Brisbane. That is, if the resort area wire cages soon traps sand again and replenishes the
can withstand the relentless encroaching coastline. scoured sections.
The Old Bar Beach Sand Replenishment Group The OBBSRG has worked with scientific groups and
(OBBSRG) was formed more than a year ago to air engineers on research into suitable groins. It believes a
residents’ concerns about the erosion, which has already series of six groins—sand-filled geotextile bags—is the
claimed two beachfront dwellings. The organization practical and economical way to protect Old Bar beach-
has staged a letter-writing campaign to local council front properties.
members, mainly based on its belief that protective, The group’s estimate of the cost for the groins to save
geotextile-tube groins, used successfully around Aus- Old Bar’s most-sensitive stretch of coast is $200,000. To
tralia and the world, could be the answer to Old Bar’s protect the toe of the dune is another $200,000.
erosion problems. OBBSRG members maintain that the $400,000 would
Group members have researched the use of geotextile be an excellent investment, considering the groins will
bags in groins at places such as Russell Heads, Elliott protect an estimated $300 million worth of property and
Heads, and Agnes Waters in Queensland, also at Cot- Old Bar infrastructure.
tlesloe in Western Australia. —compiled and edited by Ron Bygness
Delaware students win

2010 GeoChallenge
The team of civil engineering students from the
University of Delaware emerged from a strong
field to win the 5th annual GeoChallenge Stu-
dent Competition Feb. 23, 2010. The event was
conducted during the American Society of Civil
Engineers’ annual GeoCongress—this year at
GeoFlorida in West Palm Beach.
Student teams from across the country show-
cased their engineering design, construction,
communication, and teamwork skills during
this competition.
The competition project required each stu-
dent team to construct a model-scale, mechani-
cally-stabilized earth wall consisting of dry sand
and paper reinforcement behind a posterboard
facing in a plywood box. Each team was judged
Standing, L to R: Prof. Chris Meehan, Bob McGurk, Lauren Lobo,
Majid Khabbazian, Olivia Dalton, Jason Hertz
on the wall’s ability to carry a surface load, the
Kneeling, L to R: Emily Valentino, Tom Costabile amount of reinforcement used, the time needed
Not pictured: The winning UD team also included James Taylor for construction, and the quality of the team’s
and Farshid Vahedifard
design report.
—R.B.
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 46 3/24/10 9:07:13 AM

L.A. may require of Public Works has acquiesced on
stormwater capture some points.
A proposed city ordinance would require The board decreased the per-gallon
residential and commercial developments mitigation fee from $20 to $13. The miti-
in Los Angeles to capture and reuse run- gation fees would fund public low-impact
off generated in rainstorms. developments, including retrofitting with
The proposal was originally approved porous pavement, bioretention basins,
in January by the city’s Department of and other water infiltration strategies
Public Works. It would require such proj- designed to capture 2 million gallons of
ects to capture and reuse 100% of runoff stormwater that would otherwise flow to
generated by a 0.75-in. rainstorm or to the ocean.
pay a stormwater pollution mitigation fee Board members backing the proposal
that would help fund off-site, low-impact say they hope the ordinance is approved
public developments. this year and goes into effect by 2011.
This new approach to managing
stormwater and urban runoff is designed Source: WaterTechOnline
to mitigate the negative effects of urban-

ization by controlling runoff at its source
with small, cost-effective, natural systems
instead of treatment facilities. Reduc-
ing runoff improves water quality and
recharges groundwater.
Public Works board members main-
tain that the new requirements would
prevent 104 million gallons of polluted
urban runoff from ending up in the
Pacific Ocean.
The ordinance would require builders
to use stormwater storage tanks, perme-
able pavements, infiltration swales or curb
geosynthetics
market report
bumpouts to manage the water where it
falls. Builders unable to manage 100% of
a project’s runoff on-site would pay a pen-
alty of $13/gallon of runoff not handled
there—a requirement the local construc- The most comprehensive and accurate measure
tion association has been fighting.
A spokesperson for the L.A./Ventura
of the geosynthetic market in the U.S. and Canada.
Building Industry Association said that
some building projects, such as those in This report quantifies the production of:
downtown L.A. or areas where the soil has Geotextiles • Geogrids • Drainage Composites • Geomembranes
a high clay content, would have difficulty
with the 100% retention rule and that the
$13-a-gallon mitigation fee is too high. A It also includes a comprehensive Manufacturers Directory.
1-acre building on ground where runoff
could not be managed on-site, could pay a
fee of more than $200,000, she said
At the urging of business groups
For information about purchasing this report, contact Andrew Aho at amaho@ifai.com or 800 636 5042.
opposed to an earlier draft, the Board
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 47 3/24/10 9:07:15 AM

GEO-FRONTIERS WATCH
Announcing HIGHLIGHTS
Geo-Frontiers 2011 Education
The organizing committee is developing an
• Transportation Research Board (TRB)
• U. S. Universities Council for Geotechnical
Education and Research
T he Geo-Institute of ASCE, the extensive menu of technical paper presen-

tations, workshops, and short courses. • Chinese Institution of Soil Mechanics and
Industrial Fabrics Association Geotechnical Engineering.
The event will fill four full days, including
International (IFAI) and the Geosyn- seven full-day short courses that will appeal
Expectations are high for an unprecedented
mix of attendees from all aspects of the geo-
thetic Materials Association (GMA), to beginners and advanced attendees alike.
technical industry. Supporting Organizations
the North American Geosynthet- An expected 300 technical papers with more receive special conference pricing among
ics Society (NAGS) join forces to than 60 sessions will be presented, cover- other benefits. For more details, to suggest
ing hundreds of new ideas—from design a potential candidate, or to become a Sup-
present Geo-Frontiers 2011 at the and engineering strategies to cost-saving porting Organization, contact Tonya Walsh:
Sheraton Dallas Hotel. The confer- geotechnical solutions. All papers undergo a tmwalsh@ifai.com.
ence is conducted under the aus- vigorous peer review process ensuring high-
quality, noncommercial technical sessions. Organizing Committee
pices of the IGS and will also feature Event Co-chairs
The GRI-24 Conference theme is “Enhancing
the GRI-24 Conference. Jim Collin, The Collin Group Ltd.
Sustainability Using Geosynthetics.”
Dave Suits, NAGS
The top North American geotech- To become a part of any of the education Honorary Chair
nical event of the year, it reprises a tracks at Geo-Frontiers 2011, contact Barbara Bernard Myles, BMGeo Ltd.
Connett: bjconnett@ifai.com.
similar event from six years ago— Secretary General/Event Manager
Geo-Frontiers 2005 in Austin, Texas. Tonya Walsh, Industrial Fabrics
Trade Show Association International
Featuring an extensive multidis- The trade show floor for Geo-Frontiers 2011
is currently filling with an impressive variety Technical Committee Co-chairs
ciplinary organizing committee, the of manufacturers and service providers Jie Han, University of Kansas
Geo-Frontiers 2011 event is focused Daniel Alzamora, FHWA
showcasing geotechnical solutions, tech-
on exploring the latest state of the nologies, and innovations. Technical Program questions
Barbara Connett, Industrial Fabrics
art and practice as applied to all With an estimated 1,500–1,800 participants Association International
and limited exhibit space, the Geo-Frontiers
aspects of geotechnical engineering. 2011 trade show will sell out. Book your Exhibit/Sponsorship Chair
Andrew Aho, GMA
exhibit space now by contacting Shelly
For more information: Arman: searman@ifai.com. Short Courses Chair
www.geofrontiers11.com Ben Rivers, FHWA
Supporting Organizations Student Paper Competition Chair
Industry organizations are support- Ahmet Aydilek, University of Maryland
ing the Geo-Frontiers event, currently
Wall Design Competition Chair
including the following groups as Robert Parsons, University of Kansas
Supporting Organizations:
Local Liaison Co-chairs
• Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI)
Anand Puppala, University of Texas at
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Arlington; Tom Taylor, T&B Structures
• Geosynthetic Institute (GSI)
• geosynthetica.net International Liaison Chair
• International Association of Geosynthetic Vern Schaefer, Iowa State University
Installers (IAGI)
For more information about this
• The International Association of Founda- event: www.geofrontiers11.com
tion Drilling
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 48 3/24/10 9:07:16 AM

GEOSYNTHETIC MATERIALS ASSOCIATION
Report from GMA’s Lobby Days

By Andrew Aho
Andrew Aho
Managing Director
G MA members were in Washington, D.C., March 1-3 for the asso-
ciation’s semiannual Lobby Days. GMA has consistent represen-
tation in Washington through our contracted firms, Kemp Partners/
+1 651 225 6907 or Whitmer & Worrall. But to reinforce GMA’s message on Capitol Hill,
800 636 5042 twice a year GMA-member companies send representatives to meet
amaho@ifai.com with Members of Congress as both constituents and members of our
trade association.
Interesting time
It was an interesting time in Washington, D.C., as we observed how a
GMA is dedicated to
sole U.S. senator, Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), singlehandedly blocked a tem-
our members’ success.
porary jobs and transportation measure forcing a two-day shutdown
GMA actively identifies, of the U.S. Department of Transportation and temporarily delaying
assesses, analyzes a 30-day extension of unemployment benefits and shutting off trans-
and acts upon market
portation funding.
growth opportunities
As a result, there were massive furloughs within the U.S. DOT and
and issues that affect
its member companies.
a stop to funding for state DOTs. Not uncommon in politics, a “deal”
The activities of finally was negotiated for Sen. Bunning to stop his filibuster of this
the association are funding, and in a matter of days the Senate passed the funding bill, it
proactive in nature and was signed by the president, and funds once again started to flow to
center on five areas: state DOTs.
» Engineering support (As a side note, before his political career Jim Bunning was a Hall
» Business of Fame Major League Baseball pitcher, “shutting down” his opponents
development by recording more than 2,000 strikeouts.)
» Education
» Government relations
Executive Council
Our activities in Washington began March 1 with a meeting of the GMA
» Geosynthetics
industry recognition
Executive Council members.
The Executive Council acted on several issues related to the asso-
ciation, including a review of the draft project work plan from the
www.gmanow.com American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) National Transportation Product Evaluation Program
(NTPEP). The proposed work plan would create new quality control
and product testing requirements for geotextile manufacturers with
products that are used in federal and state transportation projects.
GMA proposed the program to NTPEP and is pleased with the
progress to-date. The program will be discussed in detail during the
NTPEP annual meeting May 13 in Orlando, Fla.
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 49 3/24/10 9:07:16 AM

GEOSYNTHETIC MATERIALS ASSOCIATION
USIFI dinner Lobby Days 2 and 3 require the use of geosynthetics liners in
Day 1 of Lobby Days concluded with a Day 2 was packed with 18 meetings with coal-ash waste sites. Rep. Shuler contin-
joint dinner with representatives from the Members of Congress and their staffs. ues to be one of our strongest congres-
United States Industrial Fabrics Institute The meetings were designed to garner sional supporters regarding the use of
(USIFI). USIFI, like GMA, is a division of support for the use of geosynthetic liners geosynthetic materials.
IFAI, and represents U.S. manufacturers in coal-ash waste sites and also for support Day 3 concluded with a meeting with
and suppliers of technical textiles. of a GMA-proposed geotextiles-as-separa- other trade associations interested in the
Officials from the Department of tors study. GMA has had a steady presence coal-ash issue.
Commerce, including the chief textile on Capitol Hill and many of the Members GMA wants to recognize these mem-
negotiator of the U.S. Trade Office joined of Congress were familiar with the GMA ber companies that sent representatives to
50 members of USIFI and GMA for din- issues and were very supportive. these lobby days and provided financial
ner. Joung Lee, a financial analyst for On March 3, a small group of GMA support for GMA’s ongoing government
AASHTO shared his take on transporta- members and lobbyists met with Rep. relations program: Agru America, Cooley,
tion funding (or more accurately, the lack Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and discussed Dalco Nonwovens, Fiberweb, GSE, Propex,
of funding) with the group. legislation he was introducing that would RMA, TenCate, and Tensar.
For more information: Andrew Aho, 651 225

6907, amaho@ifai.com
Carlisle’s GeoPolypro meets the the new GM-18 standard for polypropylene.
The industry’s only geomembrane designed with Carlisle’s proprietary weathering technology, Carlisle’s
GeoPolypro continues to perform after 20,000 hours of intense U/V exposure. GM-18 testing, conducted by
the Geosynthetics Research Institute, is the most stringent test in the industry.
For more information on Carlisle’s GeoMembrane and the new GM-18 standard,
visit www.carlislegeomembrane.com
CARLISLE GEOMEMBRANES FOR AMERICA AND THE WORLD

800-4-SYNTEC • P.O. Box 7000 • Carlisle, PA 17013 • Fax: 717-245-7053 • www.carlislegeomembranes.com
Carlisle is a trademark of Carlisle. © 2009 Carlisle.
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 50 3/24/10 9:07:18 AM

GEOSYNTHETIC INSTITUTE
Recap of ASTM/GRI-23
23rd annual workshop’s focus:
‘Geosynthetic materials durability’
A
Bob Koerner, Ph.D., P.E., workshop on field and laboratory experiences of geosynthetic
NAE, is director of the materials durability was held in conjunction with ASTM’s Com-
Geosynthetic Institute mittee D35 meeting in San Antonio, Texas on Jan. 29, 2010.
in Folsom, Pa., and is a
This one-day event was organized by Sam Allen of TRI Environ-
member of Geosynthetics
mental and George Koerner of the Geosynthetic Institute. There were
magazine’s Editorial
19 presentations and to say that the topics, presentations, and audi-
Advisory Committee.
GSI: +1 610 522 8440, ence participation were all excellent is a decided understatement. Rave
www.geosynthetic-institute.org reviews and numerous compliments were expressed at the workshop’s
conclusion and in the days following. A glimpse of the material pre-
sented by each speaker follows.
The morning session focused on geomembrane durability. Bob
Koerner of GRI presented a review of laboratory-exposed geomem-
brane durability via 5 years of incubation in ultraviolet fluorescent
weathering devices. HDPE, LLDPE, fPP, and EPDM were included in
the evaluations and, properly formulated, all should function for at least
30 years in a hot climate. Rick Thomas of TRI followed, describing how
an investigator assesses the remaining life of exposed geomembranes
that have already been in service. The issue, of course, is how much
longer is the material viable. Rick gave several interesting illustra-
tions of his technique. Ian Peggs of I-Corp followed with his approach
toward predicting end-of-life for exposed HDPE geomembranes. For
HDPE he looks at surface oxidation, embrittlement, and initiation of
stress cracking. These three opening presentations dovetailed in a very
instructive manner.
George Koerner of GSI then presented two case histories of exposed
HDPE geomembranes (16 and 20 years), with comparison of various
property values as-manufactured vs. their current condition. Oxidative
induction time was seen as the key parameter to monitor in this regard.
Mark Wolschon of EPI International illustrated how a PVC geomem-
brane retained its functionality after 30 years of exposed service. Bob
Koerner of GSI then illustrated the basic failure modes of fPP geomem-
branes: cracking, powdering, and flaking. This latter mode has never
been reported before. Craig Benson of the University of Wisconsin gave
his results of the behavior of various exhumed geosynthetics in landfill
covers after service lifetimes of 5-9 years at 9 different landfills. Most
significant in this regard was the reported loss of interface strength of
thermally bonded geotextile-to-geonet drainage composites.
In a change-of-pace presentation, Chris Athanassopoulos of
CETCO (for Archie Filshill) described how polymer additives inserted
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 51 3/24/10 9:07:20 AM

GEOSYNTHETIC INSTITUTE
into the structure of bentonite enhances a maximum permeability of 5 x 10-9 cm/s, First GSI-Asia conference
physical and mechanical properties of which meets the GRI-GCL3 specification. in November
geosynthetics using data from HDPE Eric Blond of SAGEOS and Pascal Saunier The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) and
testing. Indeed, nanotechnology has of Afitex-Texel presented their laboratory the National Pingtung University of Sci-
come to geosynthetics! evaluations of a new drainage geocompos- ence and Technology (NPUST) have
Jimmy Youngblood of GSE illustrated ite insofar as mechanical and hydraulic announced the first GSI-Asia Geosyn-
the 9-year and 20-year performance of properties are concerned. Joel Sprague of thetics Conference.
two HDPE lined surface impoundments. TRI Environmental illustrated a potential The conference is scheduled for Nov.
As illustrated by physical and mechanical in-situ test method to evaluate the tensile 16–18, 2010, in Taichung, Taiwan. Spon-
testing, there was no apparent degrada- strength (aka, possible degradation) of sors for the event include the National
tion. John Cowland of GeoSystems Ltd. rolled erosion control products. Science Council and the Taiwan minis-
gave a presentation that compared steel H.-Y. Jeon of INHA University used tries for economy and for education.
tank containment of hazardous liquids accelerated immersion testing with differ- The conference theme is “Geosyn-
against a floating geomembrane cover ent liquids at different pH values to eval- thetics in Infrastructure Applications,”
system. The latter is significantly more uate possible degradation of geotextiles. with main topics including: mechanically
economical. Five years of performance Guidance on the conditions and criteria stabilized earth structures, coastal and
data for such an application was also for acceptable long-term performance hydraulic engineering, erosion control
presented. This particular presentation were also presented. Kent von Maubeuge and sustainable engineering, and trans-
engendered much participant discussion of NAUE gave two sets of exposed dura- portation and pavement engineering.
with respect to geomembrane additives, bility data on black vs. white geotextiles. Major presentations during GSI-Asia
and whether the specific anti-oxidant for- In the laboratory weathering device, the include: Imad L.Al-Qadi, director, Illinois
mulations should be made public (at least black geotextile outperformed the white Center of Transportation, “Geosynthet-
to the owner/designer/purchaser). It was geotextile, while in the field the exact ics in pavements: Optimization through
a lively discussion to say the least! opposite was observed. The discussion advanced modeling and field response
The afternoon session focused on as to why and how this occurred was measurements;” Chris Lawson, global
durability of geosynthetics other than fascinating. Dhani Narejo of Caro Engi- director, Soil Reinforcement & Geosyn-
geomembranes. Willie Lieu of Tensar neering offered historical insight into two thetics, TenCate, “Geosynthetic soil rein-
began by presenting data on exposed geocell walls, one nonvegetated, the other forcement in Asia;” Robert M. Koerner,
PP geogrids in laboratory incubation vegetated. No noticeable degradation to director, GSI, “The importance of drain-
for 80°C, 70°C and (anticipated) 60°C the HDPE material was noticeable in age control for MSE walls and slopes;”
with a resulting halflife of 114 years. Ben either wall after 25 years of service. and Jorge G. Zornberg, vice president,
Doerge of the USDS-NRCS federal agency Sam Allen was the excellent modera- IGS, “Geosynthetic capillary barriers.”
presented geotextile information after tor of the workshop and George Koerner To register or for more information:
exhuming samples that had been in place closed the event by summarizing each www.gsi-asia2010.npust.edu.tw
for 20 years. There were no changes in paper in an accurate and succinct man- —Ron Bygness
any of the mechanical properties. This ner. A booklet of the 19 abstracts is avail-
type of “no change” is a powerful induce- able from GSI. That said, if specifics of
ment for agencies to use geosynthetics for any presentation is desired the presenter
long-term applications. Robert Lozano should be contacted directly. Also to be
of Linear Composites presented data on mentioned is that many of the abstracts
three MSE walls that had been in-place are coauthored. To those coauthors,
for 20-30 years. The PET reinforcement appreciation is also extended. Lastly, Sam
geogrids showed no signs of hydrolytic and George thanked the audience for
degradation. J. P. Kline of Geotechnics their active and lively questions that fol-
presented results of an overlap test to lowed each of the 19 presentations.
evaluate possible leakage between adja- —Bob Koerner, director, GSI
cent GCL panels. The resulting perme-
ability through the seam overlap indicates
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 52 3/24/10 9:07:21 AM

CALENDAR
APRIL 35th Southwest Geotechnical Geotechnical Earthquake

Engineers Conference Engineering Conference
United States Society on 26–29 APRIL | BATON ROUGE, LA. 24–29 MAY | SAN DIEGO, CALIF.
Dams 2010 Annual Meeting Hosted by the Louisiana Department of Transpor- The Fifth International Conference on Geotechnical
and Conference tation and the Federal Highway Administration, Earthquake and Soil Dynamics, plus a symposium
12-16 APRIL | SACRAMENTO, CALIF. participants at this conference have been federal, in honor of Professor I.M. Idriss, will be held at the
The theme of the 2010 USSD Conference, which state, university, and private industry/consultant Marriott Mission Valley in San Diego.
will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Sacra- engineers and geologists representing state de- The dates for the conference are May 24-29, 2010.
mento, Calif., is “Collaborative Management of partments of transportation from Louisiana, Texas, Exhibitor registration is now open.
Integrated Watersheds.” Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada,
California, and Hawaii. To register, exhibit, or for more information:
Attendees will discuss best practices and new tech-
A preliminary agenda includes a reception Monday http://conference.mst.edu/5geoeqconf2010/
nologies in design, construction, monitoring, safety,
security, and risk management for levees, impound- evening, April 26, with technical sessions all day
ments, concrete dams, and embankment dams. April 27-28 and the morning of Thursday, April 29.
One day will be devoted to discussion of unknown JUNE
www.ussdams.org/2010conf.html foundations, with an emphasis on nondestructive
testing and evaluation. GeoShanghai
This conference is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Baton 3–5 JUNE | SHANGHAI, CHINA
Soil Engineering for Non-Soils
Rouge (+1 225 925 2244), with a block of rooms GeoShanghai 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China,
Engineers and Technicians reserved at a rate of $99 per night plus tax. Please June 3-5, 2010.
13–14 APRIL | MADISON, WIS. identify yourself as an attendee of the SWGEC group
The conference intends to bring together researchers
This course will help participants obtain a working when making your reservation.
and practitioners from around the world to share the
knowledge of soil behavior and many of the basic Registration fee is $190, which includes a reception advancements and discuss the future directions of
concepts of soil engineering, understand soil com- on Monday evening, breakfast, breaks, lunch, and a geotechnical engineering.
paction and use of geosynthetics in earthworks banquet on Wednesday evening.
A wide range of issues related to geotechnical
Topics include: review of basic soil engineering con-
For more information: Ching Tsai, LaDOT, +1 engineering will be addressed at the conference.
cepts, importance of water in soils, how and why soil
225 379 1843 or +1 225 379 1705, ching.tsai@ Technical papers will be compiled into a series of
compresses and settles, construction procedures
la.gov; Daniel Alzamora, FHWA, +1 720 963 ASCE Geotechnical Special Publications.
for earthworks, slope stability and landslides, and
3214 or +1 303 594 5210, daniel.alzamora@ Among the conference themes are: geosynthetics,
geosynthetics and soils.
fhwa.dot.gov soil dynamics and earthquake engineering, deep
We assume you have no formal geotechnical educa-
excavations and deep foundations, tunneling and
tion but are currently working in this field and need to
underground constructions, and pavement me-
develop your understanding of the basics. The course
is focused on helping you understand concepts and
MAY chanics.
solutions rather than rigorous mathematics, theory, The conference will be held at Grand Central Hotel
9th International Conference (www.grandcentralhotelsh.com).
and research.
on Geosynthetics
Participants in this course can earn 14 Professional For more information: geoshanghai@tongji.
23–27 MAY | GUARUJÁ, SP, BRAZIL
Development Hours (PDH) and 1.4 Continuing Edu- edu.cn
cation Units (CEU). Organized by the Brasil chapter of the International
Geosynthetics Society (IGS), this event will be held
Course fee: $995 (discounts available). at the Sofitel Jequitimar Guarujá. 4th Geotechnical/Seoul–Ocean
For more information: Guarujá, situated on the island of Santo Amaro, Construction & 7th Ground
http://epdweb.engr.wisc.edu/ 55mi (88km) southeast of São Paulo, is listed as Improvement Techniques
one of the most fashionable and busiest resorts in 23–25 JUNE | SEOUL, KOREA
São Paulo state.
National Association of For a complete description of all conference events,
The recurring twin international conferences on
County Engineers geoenvironmental and geotechnical engineering are
see Final Inspection, page 56. scheduled for June 23-25 in Seoul, South Korea.
25–29 APRIL | FORT WORTH, TEXAS
To register, exhibit, or for more information: GT-2010 “Green Ocean Construction” includes top-
“Celebrating the Past, Engineering the Future” is the
www.9icg-brazil2010.info ics such as: LEED, natural disaster warnings, waste
theme for the 2010 annual NACE conference in Fort
management, beach restoration, aquaculture, de-
Worth April 25-29.
salinization, and others.
For more information: +1 202 393 5041, GI-2010 “Ground Improvement Techniques” includes
nace@naco.org, www.countyengineers.org; topics such as: soil stabilization and reinforcement,
conference hotel—Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel compaction of granular soils, grouting, environmental
and Spa (www.sheratonfortworth.com); aspects, and others.
location information—www.fortworth.com
To register or for more information: cipremie@
singnet.com.sg, www.cipremier.com
CALENDAR
AUGUST RemTech Expo 2010 The Congress will have four days of technical ses-
sions (Monday–Thursday) and one day of field vis-
21–23 SEPTEMBER | FERRARA, ITALY
Earth Retention-2010 its (Friday). The Congress will be held in a five-star
The 4th edition of Remediation Technologies Ex- equivalent environment, the India Habitat Centre
1–4 AUGUST | BELLEVUE, WASH. hibition will be held at the Ferrara Exhibition and in New Delhi.
ER Conference-3 will be at the Hyatt Regency Bel- Conference Centre in Ferrara, Italy.
levue Aug. 1–4. For more information: www.6iceg.org
The event is organized by the Ferrara Fiere Congress
Organized by the Earth Retaining Structures Com- and by coordinator, Dr. Daniele Cazzuffi.
mittee of ASCE’s Geo-Institute, the every-20-years The expo will feature: remediation technologies;
event follows ER-1 (1970) and ER-2 (1990) that were removal and encapsulation of asbestos; character-
MARCH
held in Ithaca, N.Y. ER2010 will bring together a broad ization, investigation, and instruments for analysis,
community of geo-professionals working on retention Geo-Frontiers
inspection, and monitoring; brownfields and real
structures using a wide range of support systems with estate; landfills, and dredging activities. 13–16 MARCH 2011 | DALLAS, TEXAS
comprehensive coverage of developments during The Geo-Institute of ASCE, the Industrial Fabrics
the past 20 years. To register, exhibit, or for more information: Association International (IFAI), the Geosynthetic
+39 0532 909495 900713, info@remtechexpo. Materials Association (GMA), the North American
Conference coverage is diverse, including case his-
com, www.remtechexpo.com Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), and the Geosynthetic
tories and practice-oriented papers, recent research
findings, innovative technologies, and the emerging Research Institute join forces to present Geo-Fron-
arts across many disciplines. Professional engineers, tiers/2011 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
researchers, specialty contractors, regulators, edu- OCTOBER Billed as the top geotechnical event of the year, it
cators, and students will interact across a range of reprises a similar event from six years ago—Geo-
technical sessions, tutorials, short courses, discussions, 2010 Global Waste Frontiers/2005 in Austin, Texas.
and equipment demonstrations. Management Symposium
Read more at the Geo-Frontiers Watch section in
3–6 OCTOBER | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS this issue, page 10.
For more information: www.er2010.org
The Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS)
is a three-day event serving the needs of the landfill To register, exhibit, or for more information:
community. www.geofrontiers11.com
SEPTEMBER
The GWMS offers a technical sessions forum for the
3rd International Symposium on peer-reviewed presentation of applied and fundamen- IFAI Expo Asia
Geosynthetic Clay Liners tal research, case studies, and policy analysis.
22–25 MARCH 2011 | SINGAPORE
15–16 SEPTEMBER | FORTRESS MARIENBERG, Among the 2010 GWMS technical session topics:
There is a tremendous output and consumption of
WÜRZBURG, GERMANY biocovers, bioreactor case studies, moisture content
specialty fabrics in the Asia-Pacific region. The cur-
Topics for this conference include: application/case in bioreactors, landfill siting issues, landfill liners and
rent trade shows in India and China focus almost
studies, durability/lifetime, laboratory testing, per- covers, landfill cover performance, final closure of
exclusively on the disposable nonwoven industry.
formance, and regulations/approvals. landfills, leachate management, and solar energy
IFAI Expo Asia 2011 is the first major event in the re-
for landfills.
The Scientific Committee: Robert M. Koerner (GSI), gion that specifically targets end-product fabricators
Nathalie Touze-Foltz (Cemagref), and Helmut Zan- For more information: www.wastesymposium. who use all types of materials: woven, nonwoven,
zinger (SKZ). com/gws2010/public/enter.aspx knit, and composite textiles.
The Organizing Committee: Irina Bender (SKZ) and IFAI Expo Asia 2011 will feature a trade exhibition,
Norbert Schlör (SKZ). attracting as visitors three targeted audiences:
6th International Congress on
• those involved in the supply chain seeking network-
For more information: www.gbrc-wuerzburg.com/ Environmental Geotechnics
ing and partnership opportunities.
(6ICEG)
• the actual fabricators of finished products in appli-
8–12 NOVEMBER | NEW DELHI, INDIA
cations such as medical, automotive, construction,
The Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS) will host the safety, military, recreation, and structures.
ASDSO’s Dam Safety ‘10 6th International Congress on Environmental Geo-
19–23 SEPTEMBER | SEATTLE, WASH. technics (6ICEG) in New Delhi Nov. 8-12, 2010, on • those who have design, application, and market
behalf of the International Society for Soil Mechanics influence, such as government purchasing agencies,
The conference, associated meetings, and technical
and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). More than civil engineers, and architects.
sessions will be at the Washington State Convention
& Trade Center in downtown Seattle. 400 delegates, including 250 from abroad, will gather Besides the trade exhibition, the four-day event will
to discuss the latest geotechnical developments. feature world-class educational symposiums for 10
Hotel reservations in the ASDSO group block are
The 6th Congress is titled “Environmental Geotech- specific niche end-markets for specialty fabrics.
available until Aug. 24 at the Grand Hyatt Seattle
(www.grandseattle.hyatt.com) or the Hyatt-Olive 8 nics for Sustainable Development,” with these eight For more information: www.ifaiexpoasia.com
(www.olive8.hyatt.com). Or call the Passkey reserva- technical themes: MSWs and landfills, slurry ponds;
tion service (1 888 421 1442) to make a reservation contaminated land, groundwater, and abandoned
at either hotel. landfills; geosynthetics and other new materials;
sustainability—professional practice and education;
Registration information is available starting in geohazards—disaster mitigation and management;
May 2010. testing, monitoring, and performance evaluation;
For more information: www.damsafety.org physical and numerical modeling.

ADVERTISER INDEX
27 ACE Geosynthetics ✦ 47 Geosynthetics Market Report

This magazine is made possible www.geoace.com 800 636 5042
by the ongoing investment of the
advertisers you see here. We thank Cv2 Agru America ✦ GMA 5 GSE Lining Technology Inc. ✦ GMA
our readers for supporting them 800 373 2478 www.gseworld.com
throughout the year. www.agruamerica.com
Cv4 Huesker, Inc. ✦ GMA
For advertising rates and
36 American Wick Drain Corp. ✦ 800 942 9418
information, call Shelly Arman
800 242 9425 www.huesker.com
at 800 436 2408.
www.americanwick.com
23 Maccaferri Inc. ✦ GMA
37 Atarfil ✦ 800 638 7744
+34 958 439 200 www.maccaferri-usa.com
www.atarfil.com
8 NAUE America Inc. ✦ GMA
The bolded advertisers are 50 Carlisle SynTec +1 404 504 6295
exhibitors at Geo-Frontiers 2011. 800 479 6832 www.naue.com
Be sure to visit their booths at the www.carlislegeomembrane.com
show, which will be held at the 30 Presto Geosystems ✦
Sheraton Dallas in Dallas, Texas on 27 CETCO Lining Technologies ✦ GMA 800 548 3424
13–16 March 2011. 800 527 9948 www.prestogeo.com
www.cetco.com
For more information on 1 Strata Systems Inc. ✦ GMA
Geo-Frontiers 2011, please visit
9 DEMTECH Services Inc. ✦ 800 680 7750
888 324 9353 www.geogrid.com
www.geofrontiers11.com.
www.demtech.com
15 TenCate Geosynthetics ✦ GMA
45 East Coast Erosion Blankets 800 685 9990
800 582 4005 www.mirafi.com
www.erosionblankets.com
2 Tensar International Corp ✦ GMA
17 Fabinno ✦ 888 828 5007
www.fabinno.com www.tensarcorp.com/thinkingcap_GEO
18 Fiberweb ✦ GMA
800 441 2760
www.TyparGeotextiles.com
The Geosynthetic Materials SEE US ONLINE
Association actively identifies, 7 Firestone Specialty Products ✦ GMA www.geosyntheticsmagazine.com
assesses, analyzes and acts upon 800 428 4442
market growth opportunities www.firestonesp.com/ifai7 Tensar Iternational Corporation ✦ GMA
and issue that affect its member
Thrace-LINQ, Inc. ✦ GMA
companies. The activities of Cv3 Geo-Frontiers 2011
the association are proactive in www.geofrontiers11.com
nature and focus on five areas:
Engineering support • Business
development • Education •
Government relations • Geo- ) IFAI member
synthetic industry promotion GMA Geosynthetic Materials Association member
VISIT
www.gmanow.com
CONTACT
Andrew Aho
amaho@ifai.com
800 636 5042.
FINAL INSPECTION
9th International Conference on Geosynthetics–9ICG

23-27 May, 2010
Technical Program Exhibition
The conference will highlight the main An international exhibition will be opened
topics in the geosynthetic industry and to the conference delegates and visitors to
applications. The traditional Giroud Lec-
show the latest technological innovations,
ture will be delivered in a special session.
products, applications, and services pro-
Keynote lectures and selected papers will
vided by the geosynthetics industry.
be presented on the main themes:
The conference venue has outstand-
• case histories
ing exhibition facilities, with 2,000m2 of
• design approaches and
numerical solutions available space for about 80 exhibitors
The coastal town of Guarujá, S.P., Brazil is
the site for 9ICG. • drainage and filtration (manufacturers, laboratories, consultants,
• durability and long-term contractors, suppliers, installers, agen-
Guarujá, Brazil performance cies, project offices, and all organizations
The 9ICG is organized by the Brazilian • geosynthetics in agriculture related to geosynthetics).
Chapter of the International Geosynthet- and aquaculture Detailed information for both the
ics Society (IGS Brasil) and the Brazilian • geosynthetics in dynamic 9IGC and the international exhibition is
Association for Soil Mechanics and Geo- applications available at: www.9icg-brazil2010.info
technical Engineering (ABMS), under the • geosynthetics in environmental
auspices of the International Geosynthet- Venue
applications The 9ICG will be held at the Sofitel Jequi-
ics Society (IGS) and supported by the • geosynthetics in highways
Brazilian Association of Nonwoven and timar in Guarujá, Brazil.
and railways
Technical Textiles Industries (ABINT). Guarujá is a beautiful coastal town
• geosynthetics in hydraulic
Geosynthetics magazine is a Strategic about 88km (55mi) from the city of São
applications
Partner for the event. Paulo, which is the largest urban area in
• geosynthetics in mining applications
South America and offers a variety of cul-
Conference Aims • geosynthetics properties
tural, tourist, and gastronomic attractions.
The aims of this conference are to offer: • innovative uses and solutions
• new geosynthetic products Language
• an outstanding opportunity to exchange
• reinforced walls and slopes English is the official language of the
knowledge and experiences between
• reinforcement of embankments 9ICG conference.
geosynthetic researchers, consultants,
and unpaved roads
owners, geotechnical and environmen- Conference Secretariat
• soil-geosynthetic interaction 9ICG–Brazil 2010
tal engineers, geosynthetic manufac-
turers, project regulators, contractors, Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 1478 sala
and academics through discussion 314, São Paulo, SP,
about the main geosynthetics themes 01451-001, Brazil
Tel.: + 55 11 3032 3399
via keynote lectures, paper presenta-
Fax: + 55 11 3819 6311
tions, and debates.
info@9icg-brazil2010.info
• an overview of new technologies and
www.9icg-brazil2010.info
innovations, by offering a large forum
to engineers and researchers.
Source: 9th International Conference
• The conference will be conducted at on Geosynthetics
high scientific and technical levels,
and will present applications infor-
mation to match the expectations of
all participants.
0410GS_p46-Cv4.indd 56 3/24/10 9:07:25 AM

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
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