Reduction of Climate-damaging Gases with Geosynthetics

Key Note Lecture held by Prof. Dr.-Ing Heerten.
At present, the political discussions around the globe are focused on sustainable development. Demand for reduction of energy consumption and emission of climate related gases like CO2 and CH4 are big challenges for the construction industr...  read more

Reduction of Climate-damaging Gases with Geosynthetics

Key Note Lecture held by Prof. Dr.-Ing Heerten.
At present, the political discussions around the globe are focused on sustainable development. Demand for reduction of energy consumption and emission of climate related gases like CO2 and CH4 are big challenges for the construction industry, too.
Read more how geosynthetics can help save our environment.

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Press Release!

The International Symposium on Geotechnical Engineering, Ground Improvement, and Geosynthetics for Sustainable Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change including Global Warming was successfully held on 3 to 4 December 2009 at Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok Hotel.
Read more in the enclos...  read more

Press Release!

The International Symposium on Geotechnical Engineering, Ground Improvement, and Geosynthetics for Sustainable Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change including Global Warming was successfully held on 3 to 4 December 2009 at Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok Hotel.
Read more in the enclosed PDF File.

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Independent Field Study Confirms Secugrid and Combigrid’s Great Performance

From March 2008 to March 2009, NAUE GmbH & Co. KG, Germany cosponsored the construction of test cells for an independent field study of geogrid reinforcement in roadway subgrade stabilization. The Montana Department of Transportation was the other cosponsor. The study and subsequent forensic...  read more

Independent Field Study Confirms Secugrid and Combigrid’s Great Performance

From March 2008 to March 2009, NAUE GmbH & Co. KG, Germany cosponsored the construction of test cells for an independent field study of geogrid reinforcement in roadway subgrade stabilization. The Montana Department of Transportation was the other cosponsor. The study and subsequent forensic evaluation of exhumed materials from numerous manufacturers, which included numerous product manufacturing methods, was carried out by the Western Transportation Institute of Montana State University. The results reveal exceptional performance by NAUE Secugrid and Combigrid materials.
Contact us for more information

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Secugrid® The FOURDIMENSIONS

The four dimensions of length (the bar), width (the geogrid), depth (the soil) and the time (durability) greatly influence construction project scope, design, product selection and expected service life. Today, NAUE introduces you to a new four-dimensional way of understanding reinforcement...  read more

Secugrid® The FOURDIMENSIONS

The four dimensions of length (the bar), width (the geogrid), depth (the soil) and the time (durability) greatly influence construction project scope, design, product selection and expected service life. Today, NAUE introduces you to a new four-dimensional way of understanding reinforcement applications: the Four Dimensions of Secugrid®.
Contact us for more information.

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NAUE Modernizes Municipal Waste Landfill Design in Bali

Bangli Regional Landfill in Indonesia’s Bali province is located about 60km outside of Denpasar, the provincial capital and home to more than 500,000 residents. The region hosts Ngurah Rai International Airport—the main entry point into Bali—and numerous tourist destinations along Bali’s popular...  read more

NAUE Modernizes Municipal Waste Landfill Design in Bali

Bangli Regional Landfill in Indonesia’s Bali province is located about 60km outside of Denpasar, the provincial capital and home to more than 500,000 residents. The region hosts Ngurah Rai International Airport—the main entry point into Bali—and numerous tourist destinations along Bali’s popular white sands beaches.

When the Indonesian central government approved funding for the Bangli landfill project, the Ministry of Public Works put the country on a new path for landfill design: Bangli would become the first landfill in Indonesia to be designed with a modern lining system. It would serve as both a pilot project and the benchmark for future designs throughout the country.

Though the Ministry wanted a geosynthetic containment and drainage system in the landfill, the original consultant’s design did not demonstrate a full understanding of geosynthetic systems. The plans, which were submitted two years before the installation work was performed, indicated only a basic layout with plumbing. Of note, the geotechnical needs for the project, including a stability analysis, were absent.

When NAUE became the geosynthetic supplier for the project, the company also took on the role of providing the necessary geotechnical and analytical support that would enable proper system performance. The project would serve as a future standard for Indonesia’s waste infrastructure, so it was vital to provide a thorough example for designing with and installing geosynthetics.

NAUE proposed some immediate changes. First, the slope angle of the landfill cell was reduced from 70º to 45º. The stability analysis performed by NAUE’s engineers revealed that the original design slopes were too ambitious for the site. Not enough stability and safety could be guaranteed given the site’s soils and seismic activity in the region.

Second, a soil veneer analysis was performed to identify the best geosynthetic materials for use in the liner system. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard helped provide a strong guide for this site. The standard requires a base-liner system to have a minimum of one clay liner (either compacted clay or a geosynthetic clay liner [GCL]) and one impermeable liner (high-density polyethylene [HDPE] geomembrane). NAUE proposed the use of Bentofix® for the GCL and Carbofol® (1.5mm thick) for the geomembrane.

Third, after calculating loads such as drop energy, heavy equipment working on top of the material and waste, and the additional load from the drainage layer and soil cover, a cushioning layer of Secutex® R804 was proposed.

Over this cushioning and separation layer, a 40cm-thick drainage layer (rounded gravel) was installed. The piping system was installed inside this drainage layer system, and over it was placed a filtration layer that uses Terrafix® R609 geotextile. A 30cm cover-soil layer forms the top of the system.

As a final piece of insurance for the site, an access road that runs between two cells at this difficult-to-design-for site was reinforced with Secugrid® 40/40 Q1.

From the initial concept to modernize Indonesia’s landfill practice to the final installation and construction quality assurance (CQA) measures, a great many aspects of geosynthetic design were showcased. The Bangli Regional Landfill is a welcomed and impressive edition to the country.

MATERIALS

Bentofix® NSP = 32,000 m²
Carbofol® 406 = 32,000 m²
Secutex® R804 = 29,500 m²
Terrafix® R609 = 10,300 m²
Secugrid® 40/40 Q1 = 8,600 m²



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Somewhere in the Islands

“Where is Diego Garcia?”

That was the question posed in the export department in May 2005. A request had come in for a landfill cover, bottom liner and drainage management materials.

Diego Garcia is a large atoll in the Chagos Archipelago of the British Indi...  read more

Somewhere in the Islands

“Where is Diego Garcia?”

That was the question posed in the export department in May 2005. A request had come in for a landfill cover, bottom liner and drainage management materials.

Diego Garcia is a large atoll in the Chagos Archipelago of the British Indian Ocean Territory. The U.S. Navy maintains a base on Diego Garcia due to its strategic proximity to the Middle East and India.

The request, which came from the San Juan Construction / John Laing International Joint Venture (SJC/JLIJV), included both the supply and installation of a composite system that would consist of a geomembrane liner, geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), protective or nonwoven geotextiles, and drainage composites. All materials for the project would need to meet US standards and regulations.

Everything that the project needed was able to be provided by NAUE, from the GCL through all other standard products, and each product met the specifications. This singularity became important. Subsequent phone conversations with SJC/JLIJV representatives revealed that this was indeed the venture’s first landfill project. In the subsequent project contracting, a single supplier/contact was desired to streamline the project’s execution.

One of NAUE’s expert sales engineers, Mr. Holger Pohlmann, met with the client in Singapore to discuss the materials, the engineered system and the sort of turnkey service the client wanted. NAUE would take the lead and direct any required subcontractors. Huls Engineering (Malaysia), which would become the project installer, was on hand for this supply and installation meeting.

The order was placed in mid-September. Afterwards, the project really became interesting. The sensitivity of the location and military operations meant that the client needed to personally review the products and production quality. Also, delivery could not be direct. Thirty-two 40-ft. containers had to be delivered to a port in Singapore, and from there the containers were loaded onto an American naval vessel for transport to Diego Garcia. This was certainly more complicated than expected, but NAUE´s logistics department adjusted and everyone was satisfied in the end.

The geosynthetics were delivered to Diego Garcia on December 15, at which point Huls Engineering was able to begin the installation work. Construction was completed within the maximum allowable window of 40 days.

Additional services directed by NAUE included generating all required geosynthetic installation plans (executed by BBG) and external monitoring (performed by Geosystems Ltd.).

City/Country: Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
Products Used:
• Carbofol 406, 1.5 mm MegaFriction/MegaFriction – 48,195 sq. m
• Bentofix NSP 4900 S – 79,152 sq. m
• Secutex R504 – 13,050 sq. m
• Secudrain XX8 141/141 – 73,872 sq. m
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WATER RESERVOIR PROJECT

EMBUNG BATUDAWA KARANGASEM, BALI, INDONESIA

The April to October dry season in Karangasem, Indonesia always presents a challenge to water management. But water scarcity is not the only challenge. The area’s porous soil characteristics and stone base formation make it difficult to b...  read more

WATER RESERVOIR PROJECT

EMBUNG BATUDAWA KARANGASEM, BALI, INDONESIA

The April to October dry season in Karangasem, Indonesia always presents a challenge to water management. But water scarcity is not the only challenge. The area’s porous soil characteristics and stone base formation make it difficult to build reservoirs. Water loss due to seepage is a major problem.

To overcome this, the local department of public works sought to construct an irrigation and clean (non-potable) water reservoir that would be lined with an impermeable barrier. Cost, however, was a concern, so the authorities hoped to build the lined facility from a reinforced earth structure—a strategy that would better use the site’s space, increase capacity and lower the overall project cost. A consultant was called, site surveys were conducted and a detailed design for the 5,300 m³ Embung Batudawa Reservoir was produced.

The technical solution that overcame the site’s natural soil problems and met the department’s financial and site performance goals was achieved through the use of NAUE’s Carbofol 406 S/S 1.5mm high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane as an impermeable layer and NAUE’s Secugrid 60/60 Q1 geogrid for earth reinforcement.

A total of 8,000 m² of NAUE’s Carbofol was installed. Project participants selected Carbofol for the material’s high MFI (Melt Flow Index) value. MFI corresponds to material robustness. Based upon engineering calculations, NAUE’s Secugrid was selected for its good stress-strain characteristic and 5,700 m² were installed.

Time of Construction: September - November 2007
Status: Completed
City/Country: Karangasem / Indonesia
Product: Carbofol 406 S/S 1.5mm (8000m²)
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The Growth of Bentofix and the Geosynthetics Industry

During the EuroGeo 4, the Fourth European Conference on Geosynthetics, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) awarded NAUE GmbH & Co. KG an IGS Award in recognition of the company’s activities on development and research on needlepunched Geosynthetic Clay...  read more

The Growth of Bentofix and the Geosynthetics Industry

During the EuroGeo 4, the Fourth European Conference on Geosynthetics, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) awarded NAUE GmbH & Co. KG an IGS Award in recognition of the company’s activities on development and research on needlepunched Geosynthetic Clay Liners.

This is the second award for NAUE this year from the IGS. In March, the company was recognized for its 20+ years of membership in the IGS, which itself is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The needlepunched Geosynthetic Clay Liner Bentofix was developed in 1988, and since then a good number of refinements to the product’s construction and the manufacturing process have separated it from similar products in the field. Also, the field has benefited from these refinements in that these discoveries have improved product performance, spurred greater use of GCLs across numerous sectors, expanded design options for engineers and clients, and given standards committees, laboratories, universities and institutes more data with which to work and improve overall quality control.

In short, it has had a ripple effect.

The 1988 discovery of the needle-punch nonwoven geotextile method of manufacturing (Bentofix’s launching point) stands as a key example. The advance enabled not only the rapid, safe production of GCLs but the efficient shipping of GCLs in rolls. Also, the previously low friction coefficient of the sought-after clay used in GCLs—bentonite—ceased to be of concern because this new method of manufacturing transferred the shear stress from the clay to the highly engineered geotextile to which the bentonite had been bonded.

The speed of manufacturing, shear stress transfer, and ease of installation that needle-punching led to cannot be measured simply by square meters of materials produced; but the volume of production is worth noting and emblematic of the field’s growth.

It’s estimated that more than several 100 million square meters (includes licence manufacturing) of GCLs have been put into service and needlepunched GCL's have reached more than 90 % market share..

The Refinement Process

All manufactures find ways to improve their products at the point of production, and these stories are valuable. Some of the key refinements to Bentofix have been:
• A unique fibre-bonding process locks the needle-punched fibres into place. This creates a high internal shear-strength with unsurpassed creep resistance.
• The complete impregnation of the non-woven cover of the Bentofix with bentonite powder creates an ideal, intimate contact condition between the Bentofix and a geomembrane. This discovery came about during investigations into the flow rate between GCLs and geomembranes in composite systems (studies which were being conducted in 1992).
• Similarly, the 50-cm-width impregnation of GCL panel side overlaps with bentonite powder creates a self-sealing overlap and reduces additional on-site overlap treatment.
• Continuous development of the needling process has brought about a low (10%) moisture content in the Bentofix range of products.
• The addition of continuous needle detection and removal devices during manufacture has improved product quality.

Expanding Reach

Manufacture, of course, is not the only place in which companies expand expertise and realize product potentials. Expansion in application is key—again, not just for the manufacturer but for the entire profession—and NAUE has taken GCLs quite a ways.

For example: underwater installations, such as for canals.

NAUE has used a combined sandmat/GCL system for underwater installation, and it has opened the potential for GCLs to be used in waterway sealing without disrupting active traffic. The GCL provides excellent impermeability. The bentonite powder-impregnated 50-cm-edge (ie, sealed overlaps) assures long-term performance.

In this application, homogeneous swelling of the GCL below water and a long-term peel strength are created through the installation of a top layer made of an uniform thickness of quartz. The quartz also provides the weight responsible for the immediate sinking of the entire GCL composite. And the sandmat acts as a protection layer against the loading of a riprap layer.

Another example: the waste management industry’s use of GCLs.

GCLs provide economical and environmental advantages when used as the base layer in landfills instead of cells relying on multiple layers of hard-to-construct compacted clay. Also, GCLs can increase the potential containment volume and reduce the amount of necessary excavation. From a logistical view, the advantages are easy to see: one truckload of Bentofix, for example, covers 4000m² compared to only 40m² (50 cm thick) for a similar truckload of clay.

Similar logic applies to the use of GCLs in landfill capping systems. The necessary cover thickness will be less with a GCL; meaning: more containment reserved for waste burial. And the simplicity of installation—no need for generators or welding machines—also assists with safety requirements for such sites.

The sealing of dykes and dams is another interesting application to which GCLs are and have been applied to great economic success, especially where there is a local shortage of natural sealing material with a low hydraulic conductivity. The Sainte-Marguerite Dam in France is an exemplary case. The 42-year-old, 20m-high structure was lined with Bentofix GCL as the primary watertight barrier.

The dam’s cross section reveals some interesting aspects of the project’s scope and hints at the degree to which geosynthetics may aid this piece of the water management field:
• Foundation of 20m layer of compacted coarse sand
• Watertight trench with a maximum depth of 65m
• Sealing of the slope with Bentofix
• One metre of protection backfill in two layers of sand and gravel and stones

For other instructive water management applications, NAUE does not need to look outside of Germany, where the devastating flooding of 2002 has led to various dyke construction projects. A basic “three-zone dyke” principle is guiding the refurbishment: a barrier, dyke core and a down-stream load filter. Bentofix GCL has been the choice for several hundred thousand square metres of up-stream barriers: it is a very cost-effective alternative to a 60cm clay layer.

More Growth to Come

The advantages for GCLs are many. In addition to the aforementioned ease of installation and long-term performance, NAUE has found that truly outstanding sealing properties (k < 5 x 10E-11 m/s) can be engineered, and the ability to install these products in all weather conditions has only expanded the scope of what can be done.

As can be seen, Bentofix is an extremely versatile clay-based lining product. Once hydrated it is an effective barrier against liquids, vapours and gases.

With many years of successful installations, the range of Bentofix applications is virtually limitless; waste and contaminated soil caps; landfill base liners; gas and vapour seals; surface impoundment liners; secondary containment; dams, canals and water courses; tailings containment; groundwater protection; sorptive barriers; vertical barriers; waterproofing; and others.
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NAUE Receives IGS Corporate Award for Excellence

10 September 2008 – During the opening banquet of EuroGeo 4, the Fourth European Conference on Geosynthetics, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) awarded NAUE GmbH & Co. KG its highest award, an IGS Award, for overall excellence. The award recognizes NAUE’s...  read more

NAUE Receives IGS Corporate Award for Excellence

10 September 2008 – During the opening banquet of EuroGeo 4, the Fourth European Conference on Geosynthetics, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) awarded NAUE GmbH & Co. KG its highest award, an IGS Award, for overall excellence. The award recognizes NAUE’s numerous manufacturing innovations and contributions to the field of geosynthetic engineering.

This is the second IGS Award for NAUE this year. In March, the company was recognized for its 20+ years of membership in the IGS, which itself is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Many of NAUE’s significant achievements have involved geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), a major class of barrier geosynthetics. GCLs are used in critical infrastructure installations such as landfill lining and capping, tunnel sealing, and dam and canal improvement.

NAUE discovered the needle-punch method of nonwoven geotextile manufacturing in 1988, a process that revolutionized the field. The advance enabled not only the rapid, safe production of GCLs but efficient shipping of GCLs in rolls. Also of note, the previously low friction coefficient of the sought-after clay used in GCLs—bentonite—ceased to be of concern because this new method of manufacturing transferred the shear stress from the clay to the highly engineered geotextile to which the bentonite had been bonded.

In addition to the manufacturing advances, NAUE’s research and installations around the world have also benefitted the entire geosynthetic engineering community. Key developments include self-sealing overlaps in GCL panels, underwater installations with GCLs and sandmats, and landfill capping.

ABOUT NAUE

NAUE GmbH & Co. KG, an ISO 9001 certified group of international companies, manufacturers geotextiles, geomembranes, GCLs, geogrids, drainage and erosion control materials for all applications. NAUE also offers product development and geotechnical advice to assist with the most challenging engineering projects. The company’s global specialties include: filtration, drainage, reinforcement, containment and erosion control landfills, groundwater protection, civil engineering, tunneling, waterproofing and hydraulic engineering.
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Senthilrajah No. 18-M, Jalan SR 1/9 Seksyen 9, Serdang Raya 43300 Seri Kembangan Selangor Malaysia Tel.: +60 (389) 452927 E-mail: isenthil@naue.com Eunice Ho Yee Nyin No. 18-M, Jalan SR 1/9 Seksyen 9, Serdang Raya 43300 Seri Kembangan Selangor Malaysia Tel.: +6012 2895321 E-mail: eunice@naue.com Holger Pohlmann Gewerbestr. 2 32339 Espelkamp Germany Tel.: +49 (5743) 41 557 Fax.: +49 (5743) 41577 E-mail: hpohlmann@naue.com Distributor Brunei C.Tech Sdn Bhd Unit 20, 2nd Floor, Block B, Bgn Ben Kassim & Hjh Zaliha Spg 440, Jln Muara BC2115 Brunei Darussalam Tel: +673-2341625 Fax: +673-2341626 http://www.ctechbrunei.com E-mail: enquiry@ctechbrunei.com Distributor Malaysia MTS Fibromat (M) Sdn Bhd 574A, B &C, Jalan Samudra Utara Satu, Taman Samudra, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel : 00603-61884300 Fax : 00603-61879775 www.fibromat.com.my E-mail: dnng7575@gmail.com Distributor Malaysia HULS ENGINEERING SDN BHD Lot 56, Jalan PBS 14/3, Taman Perindustrian Bukit Serdang 43300 Seri Kembangan Selangor Darul Ehsan. MALAYSIA Tel : +603.8941 9011 Fax : +603.8941 9022 website : www.hulsmalaysia.com E-mail: enquiries@hulsmalaysia.com Distributor Thailand Vigor Merger Co., Ltd. 96, Soi Ratchadaphisek 19, Ratchadaphisek Rd., Wat Thapra, Bangkokyai, Bangkok 10600 Thailand Tel : +66 2848-0999 Fax : +66 2848-0806 www.vigormerger.com E-mail: vigor@vigormerger.com Distributor Philippines EWS Environmental Waste Solutions Unit 701, Common Goal Tower Finance Str. cor.Industry Street Madrigal Business Center, Alabang Muntinlupa City, Philipinnes Tel.: (632) 8506209 www.ewswaste.com E-mail: admin@ewswaste.com