The White House released guidance on the Build America, Buy America (BABA) initiative, an important component within the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) from 2021. BABA stipulates that certain products must be manufactured in the U.S. to qualify for federal funding in infrastructure projects and emphasizes the use of domestically produced construction materials. As the faucet opens for IIJA projects, make sure your project has certainty and you are building with quality materials you can trust, 100% made in the USA. BABA Highlights: Scope: The BABA guidelines apply to federally funded infrastructure projects, including those under the IIJA. Material Categories: BABA focuses on three primary categories: iron and steel products, manufactured products, and construction materials. Notably, the list has been expanded to include engineered wood but excludes coatings, paint, and bricks based on feedback. Made in America Criteria: To wear the “Made in America” badge, a product must be produced in the U.S., with at least 65% of the cost of its components sourced domestically. This will further increase to 75% in the calendar year 2029. Included Materials: The guidance specifically lists plastic and polymer-based products, non-ferrous materials, glass, fiber-optic cable, engineered wood, drywall and lumber. Implications… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Geosynthetics Industry
A Week of Celebration and Inspiration: Engineers Week 2024
“Welcome to the Future!”: Engineers Week 2024 From February 18 to 24, 2024, the engineering community will come together to celebrate Engineers Week. This year’s theme, “Welcome to the Future!”, is a nod to the incredible advancements that have been made and a look forward to the innovations yet to come. It’s a week to celebrate, reflect, and inspire the next generation of engineers. The Roots and Relevance of Engineers Week Initiated in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), Engineers Week has grown into a global celebration. It acknowledges the vital role engineers play in progressing our society. The week aligns with the birthday of one of history’s great engineers, George Washington, who was also a surveyor. This connection underscores the deep roots and enduring impact of engineering in our world. Why “Welcome to the Future!” Matters This year’s theme emphasizes the forward-looking essence of engineering. It’s not just about honoring past achievements; it’s about shaping the future. Engineers are instrumental in developing innovative solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges, from climate change to advancing technology in renewable energy and communications. This week is an opportunity to showcase how engineering keeps us moving forward,… Read more »
Using Geosynthetics to Stabilize Soils in a Harsh Environment
By Dhani Narejo, PE, Bruno Hay, and Bryan Wedin, PE Mine Site Erosion Problems One of the largest nickel mining sites in the world is located on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia. Due to the size of the mining project and the terrain of the site, significant cut-and-fill work for civil engineering structures was unavoidable. Given the magnitude of the site, the challenge of safeguarding the structures against erosion is formidable. Inaction is not an option due to the sensitive nature of the structures, environmental concerns, and a keen desire by the owners to protect the environment. A typical example of the erosion at the site is the slope in Figure 1. Such slopes require continuous maintenance if the erosion problem is not addressed. In some cases, erosion can cause interruption in the mobility of materials and personnel at the site. Several erosion-control measures had been successfully used at the site, including riprap and concrete. An alternate erosion control system was desired by the owner that would meet the following objectives: Be cost-effective, Require little or no maintenance, Utilize local labor and materials, Have a design life exceeding 50 years. Soil, topography, weather Ultrabasic soils cover about one-third… Read more »
The Dangers of Breaking Specs and Bid Shopping
Written by Sam Justice, P.E. Building roads, housing, and other critical infrastructure is a great responsibility taken on by engineers, architects and project owners. Ensuring that these structures are safe and reliable for years and decades is of the utmost importance at all stages of design and construction. The Challenge of Maintaining Quality in Construction The design team creates building plans and the associated specification that capture the essence of their vision as they work to write the guiding documents for their project. They make decisions about product types, grades, and take great pains to build into their documents citations of certifications and standards to assure only quality materials are allowed on the site. However, product competition and budget demands are a concern seen in many projects that can challenge the specifications intended to produce the best possible structure. Substandard “or equal” substitutions can be encountered in the critical moments between design, bid awards, and construction. It is up to the specifying engineers and architects to hold their spec in all phases of the process to ensure the right materials and installation procedures are used. The Bidding Process and Material Selection Contractors often produce bids with the materials indicated by the… Read more »
Addressing Microplastics: How GEOWEB® Geocells Contribute to Eco-friendly Soil Stabilization Practices
Written by: José Pablo George, M.S., CPESC-IT, International Business Manager Microplastics, tiny plastic particles smaller than five millimeters, present a potential hazard to both wildlife and marine organisms. As revealed by a global microplastics database provided by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), plastic is the dominant type of marine debris in the ocean and the Great Lakes. These microplastics, usually originating from single-use, disposable plastics on land, are transported via rivers and wind into global circulation systems where they accumulate. International Measures and Guidelines: A Proactive Response to Plastic Pollution The United Nations Environment Programme´s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee and Environment Assembly have adopted an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to address plastic pollution throughout its life cycle. Given the array of different types of plastics, the Sea Studios Foundation, in conjunction with Earth911.org, the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy, the WHO International Programme on Chemical Safety, and the US EPA, has published a Smart Plastics Guide. This guide outlines seven commonly used plastic types and their potential health hazards. There are some plastics (often used for disposable packaging) that are not easily recycled and may contain… Read more »
“Or Equal” Substitutions in Geosynthetics: Evaluating the Contractor’s Proposed Alternative Amidst Global Supply Chain Disruptions & Rising Costs
Written by: Michael J. Dickey, P.E., Director of Presto Geosystems As supply chain issues and project delays continue to wreak havoc in the global geosynthetics industry, Presto Geosystems has prepared this “reboot” of our tips for evaluating “or equal” substitutions to help you navigate the decision-making process when confronted with a proposed alternative geosynthetic product. According to a recent special feature article from Geosynthetic News Alerts (GNA), more oversight and diligence is needed—now more than ever—as deceptive products and inferior raw materials continue to find their way into global markets. According to GNA “Distributors and installers that place orders in good faith—particularly with overseas vendors—may wind up with rolls of geosynthetics they can’t use, and no wriggle room in compressed delivery timelines to find alternatives or otherwise rectify errors.” To protect against this, GNA goes on to emphasize the importance of vetting geosynthetics suppliers to maintain quality metrics. In light of this, Presto offers this reboot of our five tips for evaluating “or equal” substitutions to help you keep your project on the path to success amidst the chaos. Tip #1: Review Product Datasheets Closely (Be Wary of Disclaimers) Many design professionals tend to focus on the numbers shown on… Read more »
How Geosynthetics Are Uniquely Poised to Help Alleviate Congestion at U.S. Ports
Written by: Michael J. Dickey, PE, Director and Bryan Wedin, PE, Chief Design Engineer On May 6, 2022, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) released an amended Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), allocating over $234 million for port infrastructure development in 2022. Adding to the previously appropriated amount of $450 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), this will bring the total amount available for port improvement projects to $684 million for FY2022. The significance of this investment comes at a crucial time. According to the American Association of Port Authorities, the pandemic has laid bare the need for a transport system that is able to surge and stretch across all links—from sea, to land, to rail, to warehouse, to consumer. The question is, how can this funding be used to meet this need quickly and cost-effectively? The answer may lie in a strategy implemented in 2021 in the state of Georgia to alleviate congestion at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Port Authority, in partnership with Norfolk Southern, implemented a solution that has caught the attention of other U.S. port authorities and Class I railroads using what is being referred to as “pop-up container yards”…. Read more »
Protecting Environmental Geomembrane Covers With Suspended GEOWEB Geocells
Economic pressure, the desire for green solutions, and the intensification of climate extremes have converged to create a need for better methods to effect soil stabilization. Fortunately, a proven technology exists that addresses issues associated with these conditions and provides a more stable cover solution for landfill covers, lagoons, stormwater containment basins, and other geomembrane-covered systems. Soil, aggregate, and concrete protective covers over geomembranes can be secured against known gravitational, hydrodynamic, and seismic forces using the GEOWEB® Soil Confinement System. Soil and aggregate are commonly used as a protective cover over liners on slopes of 3H:1V or less. However, when slope gradients are greater, unconfined soil and aggregate covers are typically unstable and not used. In arid areas, cover depth may range from 75 mm (3 in) to 150 mm (6 in). Where conditions support vegetation, cover depth may range from 100 (4) to 600 mm (24 in) or greater where the final depth is a function of the characteristics of the desired vegetation. Regardless of cover depth, if an extreme rainfall event occurs that is 10%, or greater than what would typically be expected, soil mass increases, assumed friction angles decrease, and factors of safety for soil stability drop to… Read more »
GEOWEB Geocells Combined with a Turf Reinforcement Mat (TRM)
GEOWEB® System – Research Synopsis Research Objective Measure the performance of the GEOWEB (GW) material combined with a turf reinforcement mat (TRM) (integrated system) with topsoil infill and vegetation under varying shear stresses and flow rates to quantify both hydraulic forces and corresponding soil loss. The test consisted of a series of continuous one-hour flows over the GW-TRM system at incrementally increasing discharges. The performance threshold was defined as the point at which 0.5 inches (13 mm) of soil loss occurred. Research Scenario The Research Facility Steep-Gradient Overtopping Facility (SGOF) at the Hydraulics Laboratory of the Engineering Research Center (ERCD) at Colorado State University (CSU), Ft. Collins, Colorado Test Timeframe April 2005-August 2006 Test Materials GEOWEB Soil Stabilization System North American Green C350 Turf Reinforcement Mat Scope of Test Hydraulic performance testing was conducted on an integrated system comprising the GW30V textured/perforated GEOWEB System and the North American Green C350 composite turf reinforcement mat. The C350 TRM was chosen for its known performance in the test apparatus. Six tests were conducted under the research program to measure the performance of the integrated system, identify stability threshold conditions, and quantify both hydraulic forces and soil loss. Assembling the Test Components The… Read more »
Solar Installations on Closed Landfills: Using Geosynthetics to Overcome Redevelopment Challenges
Written by: Michael Dickey, P.E. (WI, FL, GA, NC), Director Redevelopment of closed landfills and capped solid waste sites represent a unique opportunity for landfill owners, solar developers, and communities to work together to put underutilized properties back into productive use. Moreover, many such sites are conveniently located near existing transmission infrastructure and may be easier and more economical from an interconnection standpoint than rural greenfield sites. However, building over a closed landfill poses unique challenges because most landfills are covered by an engineered cap not typically designed to support loads from permanent foundations or heavy equipment. Additionally, state and federal regulations generally prohibit any activity that could potentially breach or damage the cap. Therefore, retrofitting a closed landfill for utility-scale or community solar projects requires careful planning. Ultimately, the project must not jeopardize the intent of the original cap design; that is, to protect human health and the environment. Selecting a Suitable Foundation Concrete slabs and pre-cast ballast footings are both foundation options for solar system installations on landfill caps. In general, concrete slab foundations are heavier than ballast footings and pose a higher risk of creating landfill settlement and side-slope stability issues. Ballasted footings are a lighter-weight option… Read more »
800.548.3424
