The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute

Please join Tim Stark as he asks panelists follow-up questions from their Live Panel Discussion Webinar on Subgrade Preparation and CQC/CQA for Geomembranes, that was presented on December 8, 2020.  The panelists include:  Matt Kemnitz (Leak Location Services, Inc.), John Allen (Owens Corning), Kennedy Garber (Hallaton Environmental Linings), Brian Baille (Tencate Geosynthetics), Dave McLaury (DemTech Services, Inc.), and Doug Hilts (Hilts Consulting Group).  

Please join Tim Stark and Jen Miller as they discuss issues of constructing on soft foundation with Dr. Kerry Rowe of Queens University.  Dr. Rowe provided answers to follow-up questions from his excellent FGI Webinar titled, "Construction on Soft Foundation Soils (2020 Mercer Lecture), presented on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.  Topics that Dr. Rowe addressed include:  avoiding geogrid construction damage, floating columns, effects of secondary compression on peat, allocating vertical resistance between compression of the column and load transfer into soft clay, and many more.

Please join Tim Stark and Jen Miller as they discuss geosynthetics for mining applications with Denys Parra, P.E. of Anddes, Peru.  Denys address several follow up questions from his outstanding FGI Webinar titled "Geosynthetics in Mining" that was presented on November 12, 2020.  The Q and A includes topics of:  geosynthetics recommended for mining applications, heap leach considerations, challenges with high altitudes, low temperatures, and winds, downslope bentonite migration concerns, and much more.

This podcast addressed the follow up questions from J.R. Register and Andy Bittner's webinar titled, "US EPA Reconsideration of CCR Regulations Impacting the Geosynthetics Industry" presented on October 8, 2020.  The focus of the webinar was on the proposed and finalized amendments scheduled in 2020 to rules promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to the Coal Combustion Residuals Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Rule (CCR Rule). The 2020 amendments seek to comply to with the USWAG Decision handed down by the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and captures reconsideration of certain elements of the 2015 CCR Rule by US EPA as discussed in briefs to the Court. One of the most critical elements of the USWAG Decision and reconsideration by US EPA centers on the technical adequacy of CCR surface impoundment liner systems and commits US EPA to establish a deadline for when unlined CCR surface impoundments must cease operations and close those units. The decision also found that clay liners alone (engineered or natural) did not meet risk standard established by US EPA in its 2014 CCR Rule Risk Assessment. This presentation will summarize the analysis from EPA’s Composite Model for Leachate Migration with Transformation Products (EPACMTP) and contextualize that output with the USWAG Decision and the 2020 Rulemaking efforts that are underway.

Please join Tim Stark and Jen Miller as they address all of the questions asked during and after Tim Stark's webinar titled, "Geomembrane Wrinkles in Containment Applications" that was presented on September 17, 2020.  Topics of this podcast include:  regulations, stress cracking, wrinkles size and height, dimensional stability, best materials for exposed ponds, and more.

Join special guests, Dr. Ryan Berg and Dr. Jim Collin, as they present a podcast as a follow-up to their FGI Webinar on the Yeager Airport Reinforced Soil Slope Failure Case Study.  Ryan and Jim answer many questions that were posed to them during and after their excellent case study presentation.

Panelists answer questions about handling factory fabricated geomembranes panels, including how to choose the best material for the job,  how to determine optimal subgrade characteristics before placement of a geomembrane panel, which method is better for nonwoven geotextile seaming, sewing or heat-bonding, and more. Panelist Bios: Pat Elliott is the Director of Installation Services for Raven Engineered Films through their subsidiary Raven CLI Construction, Inc. Pat oversees and directs the installation operations for Raven CLI Construction and is also the current President of the FGI. Dan Rohe is President of Environmental Protection, Inc. and has been involved in the factory fabrication and installation of geomembranes at EPI for over 20 years with millions of square feet installed, including the Columbus UpGround Reservoir Project. Ronald K. Frobel, MSCE, P.E.  Ron Frobel is a registered professional engineer and owner/principal of R. K. Frobel & Associates Consulting Engineers, Evergreen, Colorado. With more than thirty years experience as an internationally recognized technical specialist in the field of Geosynthetics. Duff Simbeck Duff Simbeck is Vice-President of Simbeck and Associates and has been involved in the field installation of geosynthetics and project management for 22 years from North Carolina to California. Douglas Hilts, P.E., S.E. Douglas Hilts is a registered professional civil and structural engineer in multiple states and has more than 30 years experience throughout the US and internationally with geosynthetics. Mr. Hilts is recognized as a technical specialist in the field of reservoir geomembrane floating covers and liners.  

In this episode, special guest Andrew Mills describes best practices for handling, identifying, rolling/folding, storing, transporting, and deploying fabricated geomembranes.  He also discussed the advantages of using factory fabricated panels, proper subgrade preparation, as well as welding procedures for field repairs.

In this episode, Tim explains the primary functions of a geomembrane, common types, the most important aspects of geomembrane design, chemical resistance applications, as well as other important design properties that should be considered.

This podcast is a follow up to Eric Blond's webinar on June 16, 2020 titled, "Testing and Design of Drainage Geocomposites."  This podcast covers the outstanding questions from his webinar.

Follow-up of May 19, 2020 Webinar on Post Closure Care of Landfills by Jeremy Morris of Geosyntec Consultants.

This podcast addresses follow-up questions on the leak location survey podcast by Matt Kemnitz.

This podcast discuss a case history involving one factory and one field fabricated geomembranes for a direct comparison. 

Tim explains the FGI's Pond Leakage and Panel Weight Calculators.  These tools are designed to help owners, consultants, engineers, architects, and contractors optimize their designs for lining basins to contain its contents and/or protect the surrounding environments, as well as estimate material, factory fabrication, shipping, and field installation time and costs to optimize the basin size.

Tim and Jen welcome special guest, Ed Silva  - VP for Business Development with E2 Coated Fabric Solutions to discuss secondary containment applications, current federal (US EPA) and state regulations for secondary containment, typical geomembranes used, types of secondary barriers, as well as testing required.

Tim and Jen interview Terry Sheridan of GeoStorage Corporation about Stormwater Management and Geosynthetics.  Terry addresses several follow-up questions from his 3/24/20 FGI Webinar on the same topic.  A few of the topics addressed include:  ASTM puncture tests used, typical puncture specification for a geomembrane, chemical compatibility issues, techniques for placing angular gravel on geotextiles and geomembranes, and lightweight aggregates.

Tim discussed air channel testing for fabricated geomembranes.  

Tim Stark, FGI's Director discusses Geomembrane Nomenclature.

An introduction to all things Geomembranes/Geosynthetics.  

Fabricated Geomembrane Institute will be exhibiting at the Geosynthetics Conference.  

All about Factory Fabrication of Geomembranes.  

Learn more about the Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) history, and it's director Dr. Timothy Stark.