Geosynthetica's GeoTalk

The geosynthetics field has grown substantially over the past 25 years and been adopted into every major sector of engineering. However, these materials have not become standard in college engineering curricula. Industry veteran Robert Mackey notes that college is far from the only place we need to look in focusing on education. We can’t ignore the engineers already in the field.

The field of geosynthetics has often been defined by how these materials improve the performance and economics of a particular site or application. These goals are achieved through rigorous testing to aid design. However, engineering approaches vary significantly around the world. We talked with Kent von Maubeuge (NAUE Geosynthetics) about how puncture protection is approached for landfill lining systems in different regions.

Dr. Jorge Zornberg (Immediate Past President, International Geosynthetics Society) discusses three major MSE design frameworks with geosynthetics: limit equilibrium, K-stiffness, and AASHTO/FHWA. It's an area of geotechnical engineering in which experts are achieving the tremendous results but sharply disagreeing on the assumptions that need to be taken into designs.

In this episode of Geosynthetica’s GeoTalk Podcast, we sit down with Dr. George Koerner of the Geosynthetic Institute to discuss exposed geomembrane performance. This includes landfill projects that have withstood hurricanes, newer infrastructure sectors, such as coal ash capping, and much more.

Jay Sprague of TRI Environmental discusses how his South Carolina-based laboratory took on a private client’s pullout anchor testing questions with erosion and sediment control systems and components. The results have yielded data on anchor pullout performance that is applicable to the larger field. The interview comes from GeoTalk's first season archive.

Dr. Eve Brantley, an extension specialist and associate professor with Auburn University’s Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Department in the renowned College of Agriculture, discusses the lag in adoption of strong erosion and sediment control programs and how to create effective education to improve this situation. 

Dr. Daniel Medina, P.E., D.WRE discusses low impact development strategies that focus on how we can overcome disparities between countries and differing community priorities with green engineering. This episode comes from the GeoTalk archive of Season 1 (2017).

For more than 10 years, Mary Nodine, P.E. has written geotechnical poetry alongside her daily engineering work. Her work regularly appears in ASCE Geo-Institute's publication GeoStrata. We discuss this creative, problem-solving process with her and how frustration can be a great source for inspiration.

Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) Director of Engineering Robert Bowers details a new Tech Spec on Geosynthetics with Segmental Concrete Pavements. He also discusses pavement system advances, sustainability, and additional resources for contractors, designers, and other stakeholders. This episode comes from Season 1 (2017) of Geosynthetica's GeoTalk podcast.

During the 2017 International Erosion Control Association conference, IECA board member and Eureka, California-based Natural Resources Services Division Director Craig Benson sat down with Geosynthetica to discuss watershed health, including how sedimentation and dams can have a healthy place in the environment. This episode comes from the first season of Geosynthetica's GeoTalk podcast.