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The Integration of Pervious & Impervious Pavements to Address Green Infrastructure Needs

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Written by: Samantha Justice, P.E.

Green infrastructure incentive programs have become commonplace for new construction and redevelopment regulations. Five of the most common incentives include:

  • Development incentives such as expedited permitting, decreased fees, zoning upgrades, and stormwater requirement reductions.
  • Grants.
  • Rebates and installation financing.
  • Awards and recognition programs.
  • Stormwater fee discounts.

A subset of green infrastructure, stormwater management usually includes the consideration of pervious/porous pavements. Traditional asphalt and concrete parking lot surfaces create significant stormwater runoff, and many municipalities do not allow them in expansion or new build situations.

When the entire parking area is constructed using a porous pavement system, stormwater concerns are greatly reduced. Depending on the type chosen, pavements that return rainwater to the aquifer nearly eliminate stormwater runoff and reduce sheet flow and point load erosion problems at the pavement edges. They also reduce the need for additional stormwater infrastructure to convey the water away from the area. Integrating porous pavement systems with asphalt and concrete surfaces can reduce such failures and reduce or eliminate the need for stormwater conveyance channels, pipes, and swales. As a result, downstream stormwater pipe systems see less silt and water, which requires less maintenance and less capital expenditure for upsizing stormwater pipes.

Increase Parking Capacity

Expanding parking areas with porous pavement can have a neutral effect on the existing stormwater loading or, in some cases, can even decrease existing loading.

  • In cases where existing parking areas drain to internal inlets, additions self drain but seldom offer any benefit to existing hard surfaces.
  • In cases where parking areas sheet drains in the direction of the parking capacity addition, the new porous surface can go beyond self-draining and can cut off sheet flow and absorb hard-surface runoff. Of course, you must be careful not to overload the new porous system with sediment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Integrating Permeable with Impervious Pavements

Not all new-build parking lots need to be 100% porous. A combination of pervious and impervious surfaces can solve stormwater concerns and heavy traffic loading expectations. Using asphalt or concrete surfaces in the drive lanes of parking lots alleviates stresses on the system from repetitive passes from vehicles and ensures that all types of vehicles can use the lot. Joined to these drive lanes can be adjacent porous parking stalls, controlling stormwater runoff and eliminating the need for inlets and conveyance systems. While permeable infill promotes fast infiltration, the base depth may be designed to suit the stormwater needs of the site, allowing for storage and natural percolation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-rigid resin-based porous pavement units may be filled with either aggregate or topsoil, allowing for customization of parking lots for aesthetic appeal while considering intensity and frequency of use. The permeable paver units are easily cut to seamlessly align with hard-surface pavements (permeable pavers, asphalt, concrete), even along curved lines. Impervious surfaces can be painted for centerlines and turning lanes. Porous pavement units offer delineators, allowing parking stall lines and other separation markers. Parking stops and signs can be easily installed over porous pavement units, so there are no limitations when it comes to fully outfitting parking areas for a project’s needs.

The Benefits of Porous Pavements in Pavement Design

Whether porous pavements are included in all or part of a green infrastructure pavement project, the benefits they offer for reducing runoff and stormwater infrastructure size/need, protecting watersheds, and reducing cost are significant.

Presto Geosystems offers the GEOBLOCK® grass and GEOPAVE® gravel porous pavement systems to help control stormwater, meet load requirements and suit landscape plans.

See our Myth Busters Blog Series for how the units eliminate typical concerns about using porous pavements.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: Porous Pavements.

    

 

Are you using the right construction access mat for the job?

Posted by Katie Bocskor

By: William G. Handlos, P.E.

Research shows that GEOTERRA® and GEOTERRA® GTO structural mats provide a ground-surface reinforcement layer to support heavy loads over soft subgrades. More cost-effective than other reinforcement mat systems, the GEOTERRA mats can be used for temporary or permanent applications and are reusable. Offering high crush and flexural strength, the GEOTERRA mats have demonstrated the ability to handle the forces from some of the heaviest wheeled and tracked vehicles under severe conditions.

Scope of Test:

The University of Kansas Geotechnical Laboratory tested the performance of the GEOTERRA and GEOTERRA mat systems over weak to intermediate subgrades with CBR values ranging from 1% to 4%. They conducted a total of 12 tests to identify threshold and limit conditions, create a data-set for modeling, and determine the equivalent crushed aggregate base.

Testing Procedure:

Test sections were subjected to 40 kN (9 kip) cyclic loading on a 300 mm (12 in) diameter plate. Earth pressure cells were placed over of the subgrade to measure vertical interface stress distribution. Loading plate displacements were measured by the displacement transducer inside the actuator.

Test Observations:

The following conclusions were determined for the GEOTERRA and GEOTERRA GTO Structural Mat Systems:

  • The GEOTERRA mats provide additional support for weak to intermediate subgrade subjected to cyclic loadings by reducing permanent deformations and rate of increase in the permanent deformation of the subgrade.
  • The GEOTERRA GTO mats was most effective in cases of larger permanent displacement.
  • The vertical interface stresses between the mat and the subgrade close to the center of the loading plate decreased with an increase of loading cycles. This result is different from that for the aggregate base over the subgrade, in which the vertical interface stresses close to the center increased with the number of loading cycles.
  • Both GEOTERRA mat systems performed similarly to the 12-inch (300 mm) crushed aggregate base over 2% and 4% CBR subgrades.

Test Conclusions:

  • Both GEOTERRA and GEOTERRA GTO mats decreased interface stresses at the load point, which reduces soil movement and ultimately leads to a significant reduction in rutting.
  • Although subjected to rigorous point load testing, the GEOTERRA mats received no significant damage.
  • The testing data proved that the GEOTERRA mat system performed similarly to 12 inches (300 mm) of crushed aggregate base in controlling permanent deformations over 2% and 4% CBR subgrades, with the GEOTERRA GTO mat system performing similarly, but slightly better.

Modular polyethylene construction access mats are lightweight, easy to place without the need for heavy construction equipment, and particularly useful when speed of placement and removal are a factor or when space is at a premium.

To get more information about GEOTERRA mats, go to www.prestogeo.com/products/construction-mats/geoterra-construction-mats/.

Porous Pavements Myth Busters: Cost

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Written By: William G Handlos, P.E.

Does a porous pavement solution cost more?

Porous pavements are less expensive to install than impervious concrete or asphalt when you consider total project costs. When evaluating parking lot construction costs for porous pavements vs. impervious alternatives, you must consider the following cost “buckets.”

Traditional pavements such as bituminous asphalt or Portland cement concrete enjoy low cost and ubiquitous installation contractors. This information may lead one to think that choosing a porous pavement would lead to higher overall project costs, but that is a myth because almost everything else about traditional parking lot construction is far more expensive than the porous pavement alternative. Traditional hard-surface pavements require inlet structures, castings, and covers for inlets and manholes, underground pipes, outfall structures, and detention ponds.

Costs & Maintenance of Stormwater Ponds

Detention ponds have three major cost drivers. Land costs to locate a pond can vary wildly depending upon commercial real estate values, but it is not unusual for land to be upwards of $250,000/acre even in small markets. The impact of the land utilized for detention ponds does not end there.

Lost rental or income value is another cost consideration. Ponds take up valuable commercial or residential real estate, representing a continual annual and growing cost.

Finally, there is the detention pond construction cost and higher liability costs.

An additional consideration is safety and aesthetics. The word “pond” often calls to mind pleasant images of fish jumping and ducks paddling; however, ponds constructed for stormwater management purposes are rarely attractive from a safety perspective or aesthetics standpoint.

A retention pond retains water as it percolates into the soil below. Retention ponds pose a safety concern to children and can be especially dangerous in wet conditions because the slopes make it very difficult in rain and snow to escape once a child slides down the pitch.

It is difficult to mow close to the edge, and, as a result, tall grass and weeds end up collecting blowing trash. Fences placed for safety create garbage traps too. Additionally, the cyclone fence does not make for a very appealing aesthetic.

A detention pond’s primary purpose is to slow the water down from leaving the site, and these structures experience similar challenges. Both types of stormwater ponds are prone to collecting floating garbage and wildlife. This excess of organic matter causes sedimentation to build up at the bottom of the pond, reducing capacity and choking off infiltration.

A wealth of research proves that porous pavements contribute to an overall reduction in project cost and hazard mitigation while meeting aesthetic requirements. With porous pavements, stormwater detention is built right into the open-graded base course to a depth required for the site, so runoff is captured at the source.

The University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center put together a case study showing the economic advantage of porous pavements. The concepts in this case study are valid for a wide range of porous pavements, including modular pavers such as the GEOPAVE® Gravel Pavers and GEOBLOCK® Grass Pavers.

When comparing porous pavements to traditional pavements, make sure you consider all of the costs and safety implications that come with traditional pavements.

Choosing a green solution doesn’t have to cost more.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: Porous Pavements.

 

 

Porous Pavements Myth Busters: Snow Removal

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Written By: Samantha Justice, P.E.

What You Need to Know About Removing Snow from Porous Pavements

Vehicle and pedestrian use on porous pavements don’t stop because it’s winter. Roads need to be plowed, parking lots need to be cleared, and walking paths need to be snow and ice-free for safe use. This is true for all surface types: concrete, asphalt, and porous pavements—however, it is a common misconception that snow removal is more challenging with porous pavement systems.


Myth Busted: Snow removal on a Porous Pavement System (PPS) is easy!
Get the answers below to the frequently asked questions about removing snow from plastic, modular type porous pavers.

 

Can I Apply Salt to Porous Pavements?

Applying salt or ice melt chemicals to gravel-filled PPS surfaces encourages snow and ice to melt, the same as it would on a concrete road.

Most porous paver units are made with High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), a strong plastic that has a high resistance to environmental factors and is chemically inert. Cold temperatures and freezing and melting snow or ice will not cause damage or deformation to the paver material. Most importantly, HDPE is chemically stable, so it will not react to applied deicers, including road salt.

The added benefit to using a PPS is that the melting snow will infiltrate through the infill material and into the sub-base, minimizing the amount of surface water that could refreeze over time. With the ice at the surface removed or reduced, the insulating effect is gone, reducing the need for deicing salts by up to 70%. And you don’t need to worry about freeze-thaw issues in the base of the PPS either, because of how the open-graded aggregate’s high void space gives the water room to expand as it forms to ice. See More on Freeze-Thaw >>

Of course, deicers should only be used on aggregate infilled PPS as they would do damage to vegetated paver systems.

Can I Apply Sand to Porous Pavements?

Using sand, saw dust, kitty litter, or other abrasive materials on the surface of fallen snow can create traction to prevent slips, but doesn’t promote melting. More importantly, sand is only effective when it is on top–if it is buried or when the snow melts, the sand is ineffective.

Sand should not be used on PPS because it will eventually seep into the open-graded aggregate base underneath the paver units, causing it to clog. A clogged system will not work properly, leading to excessive maintenance requirements in the spring. Avoiding sand and other fine-grained materials will help keep the PPS in ready-mode for the next snowfall.

Can I Use a Snowplow on Porous Pavers?

When heavy snowfalls occur, you cannot rely on deicing alone. For residential or small porous pavement areas, using a hand shovel is perfect for clearing away the snow; but for larger areas, snowplows are the way to go. When plowing over any gravel areas—especially gravel-filled porous pavers–snow blade shoes are recommended. The snow blade shoes will protect the paver units, while avoiding excess wear or movement of the gravel material. When using the blade shoes, snowplows have no special requirements. Simply run the plow according to standard use.

If a blade shoe is not available, the plow’s blade should remain 1 to 2 inches above the paver system to avoid damaging the units or catching on the system. Typically, there isn’t a need for deicers as the warmth of the ground permeates through the open-graded base course and melts the thin layer of unplowed snow—but if desired, deicers can be applied to melt the remaining snow.

How Do I Remove Snow from Grass Pavers?

If the porous pavement system has topsoil infill and sprouts vegetation, then snow removal is typically not required. The grassed area should look and act like a regular lawn, so snow can accumulate and melt naturally. When the snow melts in the spring, maintain the vegetated porous pavement area in accordance with regular landscaping plans.

In the case where snow removal is required—such as an emergency lane—simply leave the blade up 2 inches and allow the remaining snow to melt off naturally. It may be necessary to have visibility poles marking the boundaries of the porous pavement area.

Making Winter Surfaces Safer

As you can see, snow removal on porous pavement systems is easy. Roads, parking lots and walking trails will not only be safer, but with a porous pavement system, drainage and runoff during the spring melt will not be an issue either.

Presto Geosystems offers the GEOBLOCK® grass and GEOPAVE® gravel porous pavement systems to help control stormwater, meet load requirements and suit landscape plans.

Watch this video to learn more about our PPS and start building green today.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: Porous Pavements.

Porous Pavements Myth Buster: Clogging

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Written By: Bill Handlos, P.E.

Not All Porous Pavements Clog

Well-designed porous pavement systems resist clogging

When designing porous pavement systems, it is important to consider the effects of silt, grit, sand, and other fine material that can slow or stop water from infiltrating. However, it is a common myth that all porous pavement systems eventually clog. A good PPS system design, simple but effective site design, and careful construction inspection and field guidance can all but eliminate the clogging threat.

System Design Do’s and Don’ts

Cross-sections will vary according to the porous pavement selected, but following some simple practices can ensure a successful system with long-lasting percolation.

Never place filter fabric immediately below the porous pavement surface. Whether you are using pervious concrete, porous asphalt, polyethylene injection-molded paving block (such as GEOBLOCK vegetated or GEOPAVE aggregate PPS), or concrete paving stone, your cross-section should allow free flow from the paving layer to the base and storage layers. The last thing you want is to trap water in your pavement layer. Surprisingly, at least one aggregate PPS manufacturer sells their product with a filter fabric attached to the bottom of the units.

Always use a filter fabric or other separator at the bottom of the base layer if the subbase contains fines that can move up into the open-graded base course when saturated.

Choose wisely when specifying choker course and base gradation. A choker course is not necessary for polyethylene molded block products since they ride on the surface of the open-graded base course but is necessary for brick pavers, pervious concrete, and porous asphalt. You should select choker course materials carefully to prevent them from migrating into the base and creating settlement problems. Choosing a material that is too fine may cause settlement, and choosing one that is too coarse will prevent your paving surface from placing properly.

Common Site Design Errors

 Drainage is still important but for different reasons. For impervious surfaces, positive drainage to avoid puddling is standard. For pervious surfaces, one has to consider drainage below the surface. The design needs to consider water moving through the base to the low spot of the pavement area. Be cautious not to discharge from the base up through the surface of the pavement course. Consider a 50-foot long pervious pavement driveway at a 4% slope. There would be 2 feet of fall from the high-end to the low-end, and in a heavy rain event, water could become transient and flow out of the pavement at the low side. This horizontal transportation of water carries silt and sand that would become concentrated at the low-end of the pavement structure.

 

Another way that site design could create clogging is a lack of consideration for off-pavement sheet flow. Whether it’s leaves, grass clippings, or silt and topsoil, pavement-adjacent drainage can transport contaminants in heavy loading conditions. Cut-off swales and site contouring can prevent this from happening.

Common Installation Errors

 Pervious concrete should be a very stiff and dry mix. Adding water to the mix for workability at the site leads to the paste being pulled down by gravity and settling at the bottom of the concrete lift. With that thin layer of paste hardening, the high-volume water flow gets caught like a perched water table within the pervious concrete. This is not only bad for volume flow, but cold-weather climates can create a standing water layer.

Gradations with a high degree of fines should be avoided for both aggregate polyethylene block style pavement as well as for open-graded base course material. While there is no need for washed material, delivering material with high fines content essentially pre-contaminates your porous pavement system.

In some areas, river rock or brownstone is plentiful and inexpensive. The specifier should fight the urge to accept such stone as a substitute for crushed aggregate base course. Good porous pavement locks up and carries load well.

Some resin-based block style products specify sand bases. While initially, coarse sand can drain adequately, it will quickly become clogged, water will saturate, pore pressures will rise, and saturated conditions will lead to running.

How to Guarantee Success

Intelligent design by experienced manufacturers and engineers and installation by seasoned contractors will ensure success.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: Porous Pavements.

Porous Pavements Myth Buster: Winter Durability

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Written By: Bill Handlos, P.E.

Properly designed porous pavement systems will not be damaged by the dynamics of freeze-thaw cycles.

For decades, civil engineering roadway designers have been trained to use positive drainage, crack sealing, and sealcoating to keep the area under pavement dry. The prevailing mentality was to use a well-graded, tightly compacted base under impervious concrete or asphalt wearing surfaces. When water gets between the well-graded base and the impervious surface, frost conditions would lift pavements, weaken the base structure, create potholes and, in general, wreak havoc with the life of the pavement.

  

So, it is not surprising that age-old tenets related to moisture, seepage, and freeze-thaw cycles get mistakenly applied to porous pavement systems.

What makes well-designed porous pavement cross-sections so resistant to the power of freezing and expanding water? The answer is space. Poorly graded crushed aggregate offers up to a 40% void ratio, which gives water a place to move and expand upon freezing, and a network of pathways to drain.

High void ratio systems allow the Earth’s natural warmth to move up from below the frost line into and through the open-air system just as water and ice-melt move through the system. If the water can’t permeate into the ground and becomes trapped in the open-graded base system, the voids allow expansion of the water as it forms into ice.

How Freeze-Thaw Affects Porous Pavement

There is more than one freeze type. There are dry freeze and hard dry freeze conditions that describe regions with low precipitation and multiple freeze-thaw cycles or only one or two freeze cycles, respectively. Neither of these freeze types challenges porous pavement systems because they lack moisture.

There are wet freeze regions having 15+ freeze-thaw cycles that require 6 to 12 inches of open-graded base course to safely allow expansion of the water that percolates and drains through the pavement and base throughout the cycles.

Then there is the more challenging hard wet freeze. This is the condition described by areas that have moderate to high precipitation combined with a frost depth that develops over several months. The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association offers a solid set of recommendations defining open-graded base course depth and the porous pavement depth, based on 65% of the maximum frost depth for the area. An area that gets 24 inches of frost depth should design for a 16-inch total pervious cross-section. The 16 inches includes the porous pavement, the open-graded base course, and any pervious subbase.

 

Concerns with freeze-thaw negatively affecting the performance of porous pavements are understandable but simply a myth. Because of their high void space and ability to allow expansion of water to ice, freeze-thaw cycles have little effect on porous pavements.

 

You can have all of the benefits of porous pavements with the comfort of knowing that freeze-thaw cycles will not damage your porous pavement.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: Porous Pavements.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: Porous Pavements.

Porous Pavements Myth Buster: Winter Maintenance

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Winter Maintenance for Porous & Pervious Pavements

Porous pavement systems are a great way to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff on your site and incorporate Low Impact Development (LID) practices. One of the simplest ways of creating a porous pavement area is to confine unbound aggregate in a rigid paving unit such as the GEOPAVE® Aggregate Porous Paver. The GEOPAVE system is similar to pervious concrete and porous asphalt solutions, but is usually both less expensive and easier to install.

Porous Pavements Are Difficult to Maintain in Winter Weather Conditions.

 

NOT TRUE!

The GEOPAVE Gravel Pavers are easy to maintain, and requires no special equipment. GEOPAVE parking lots or low volume roadways can be maintained in much the same way as a regular concrete or asphalt surface.

An unbound aggregate system has many maintenance benefits over other porous pavement systems. Look at the table below and you’ll see how the GEOPAVE system beats pervious concrete and porous asphalt every time.

 

 

(Click Chart to Zoom)

 

The GEOPAVE rigid porous pavement system is comparable to standard paving materials, and a cut above other porous pavement systems. GEOPAVE systems have all of the benefits of hard surface porous pavements—fast infiltration, reduced runoff, no traffic restrictions—with a safer winter surface, much lower cost, and none of the maintenance hardships.

For more information on porous pavements, visit our web page: GEOPAVE Permeable Gravel Pavers

 

 

Railroad ballast performance improvement using GEOWEB® Geocells

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Each year railroads must allocate a significant portion of their capital and maintenance budget toward the creation and upkeep of high-quality ballast layers. Enduring, well-designed ballast is quite literally the foundation on which a successful rail line operates. With ballooning rail traffic carrying heavier loads than ever, GEOWEB cellular confinement (geocell) effectively takes the pressure off critical ballast systems.

Oregon State University (OSU) recently performed state-of-the-art, three-dimensional dynamic Finite Element modeling to analyze the reinforcing benefit of GEOWEB geocells in railway applications. Completed in cooperation with the University of Kansas (KU), who simultaneously performed a testing program of Geocell-reinforced ballast placed over weak subgrade.

The digital modeling results were reinforced by the laboratory tests and showed a significant decrease in settlement of the railway ballast when GEOWEB confinement was used. Using the GEOWEB system not only decreased settlement but also reduced pressure on point-to-point aggregate load transfer contact. This resulted in less damage to ballast aggregate particles leading to less progressive deformation and longer maintenance frequencies of the entire ballast embankment. In short, more cycles mean less track down-time for maintenance.

The research results were clear. The benefits of applying GEOWEB Geocell confinement for reinforcement of real ballast over weak subgrades includes:

  • Significant decrease in settlement of the railway ballast. GEOWEB confinement influence reduced settlement by to up 50% under heavy freight loadings over weak sub grades.
  • Decrease in subgrade interface pressure by nearly 50% for weak subgrades. The decreased pressure in subgrade results in lower subgrade settlements.
  • Increase in ballast resiliency after many cycles—resulting in decreased rate of cyclic settlement.
  • Decrease in lateral heave and movement of the ballast material.
  • Redistribution of vertical stresses on the subgrade—resulting in higher shear strength and reduction in plastic deformation.
  • For the largest loading conditions used in the analysis, the strains in the GEOWEB geocell were low (less than 1%) and within the elastic range for typical geosynthetic materials. The maximum tensile strains were localized at the bottom corners of the GEOWEB cells, illustrating the importance of adequately durable seams.
  • Strains in the GEOWEB ballast layer were low (less than 1%) even under heavy, freight loadings over very soft sub grades. Stress concentrations were found at the seams, highlighting the importance of GEOWEB seam strength during loading condition.

A Better Built Ballast

The benefits of GEOWEB confined ballast are substantiated through rigorous testing. Conventional ballast reinforcing materials (eg geogrids, Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)) do not have the strengthening attributes that GEOWEB geocells can provide, especially in soft subgrades. Building a more stable ballast layer with less settlement, higher shear strength, and less maintenance requirements is possible when built with GEOWEB geocells.

For more information, see https://www.prestogeo.com/applications/railroad/aar-ttci-performance-tested/.
Request an on-site technical presentation: https://www.prestogeo.com/lunch-and-learn/

Bringing Stability to an Unstable World

Posted by Katie Bocskor

With this summer’s extremely wet weather conditions across the country, building access roads is a major challenge.  Muddy, soft ground is causing construction delays when it comes to moving heavy vehicles and equipment over the soft soils.

Presto’s GEOWEB® Soil Stabilization System offers a way to build roads even with these site challenges using low-cost, local fill—and has been doing so for over 30 years. In fact, the GEOWEB system is the go-to solution for many oil companies in remote areas like the Canadian oil sands and the Amazon basin. Recently, EnergyNow Media featured an article on GEOWEB roads addressing the latest access challenges in the energy sector. The EnergyNow article is republished below.

Reprint of recent article written by “EnergyNow Media” (North American Energy Magazine)

Presto Geosystems: Bringing Stability to an Unstable World

Oil and gas is a tricky business. Everything from resource extraction to site management to processing is fraught with difficulties, challenges, and trials. However, one often-overlooked aspect within this industry is that of simply being able to access the resource site in the first place. Once access is established, it’s crucial that there is a clean, stable platform to work on and transport resources back out. As anyone familiar with the industry knows, energy resources are rarely discovered in local, easily accessible areas. Rather, oil and gas drilling most often takes place in the most far-flung reaches of wilderness imaginable, where even constructing safe, reliable roads and working platforms can be a near-insurmountable challenge.

In these situations, Presto Geosystems truly excels.

Established in Appleton, Wisconsin, Presto Geosystems specializes in soil stabilization and cellular confinement technology. In 1978, Gary Bach developed the Presto Geosystems crowning achievement: the 3D geocell. Since then, Presto Geosystems has lead the way in their field, culminating with the most recent iteration of their flagship soil stabilization product: GEOWEB®, which offers the highest and longest-lasting performance of any geocell stabilization system on the civilian market today. The GEOWEB product is designed to handle the abuse from repeated heavy truck and equipment loading over some of the worst, wet soft soils.  Able to use local on-site fill – even sand – makes the 3D geocell system the quickest way to build roads and platforms in remote areas with limited aggregate resources.

“It’s critical that the weld is consistent so that you can count on the strength of these systems, and know how much load you can carry,” Presto Geosystems Director, Bill Handlos, explains. “The tensile strength of the strip is important so that it’s not too stiff, or too soft…there’s a blend that’s just right. This is what we’ve perfected.” It’s this dogged pursuit of excellence that has made the Presto Geosystems name synonymous with quality and stability when it comes to building site access roads, oil pads, work platforms, surface pipeline protection, construction mats, and much more.

In addition, Presto Geosystems works to provide project support from the very inception of an endeavour all the way up to the completion of a satisfactory installation. “We shine because we’re willing to start during the project conception and vision,” Handlos states proudly. “We do a lot of work with engineers to define the problem and give them evaluations to get them started. As (loadings) become more defined, we often refine and revise designs. We take a journey with our clients without asking for a dime. As they purchase the material, we go to the site with them to give them tips and tricks to help lay down the product faster.” It takes an incredible amount of commitment and dedication to provide so much hands-on assistance even once the product has been sold and shipped out the door, but for Presto Geosystems, that’s simply another part of day-to-day operations.

Providing outstanding levels of client support is one thing, but that doesn’t amount to much if the end product isn’t up to standard. As in all things, however, Presto Geosystems holds itself to an exceptionally high level of excellence and quality when it comes to the materials it develops and advocates for. “We’ve proven that our products work for almost four decades,” Handlos confidently states. “The fact that we invented the product speaks volumes as well. Our models are spot-on in forecasting how the product will hold up, and we have the experience and knowledge to quickly get the product in the ground.”

More than that, Presto Geosystems is made up of team members who have a profound level of respect for the environment, and encourage green practices and policies whenever they are able to. “Our most successful people are those who value the lower carbon footprint that our product creates,” Handlos tells us. “You’re using less natural resources, and saving money all around. We are the green solution, and that matters quite a bit to oil and gas companies, as they are trying to do things with as little impact as they can. We play a role there.”

Ultimately, everything circles back to the outstanding, innovative line of products and services that Presto Geosystems has created and continues to offer to the world stage. “We’re in 60 countries with our products, and are proud to offer free designs for our customers, as clients see the value in these savings,” Handlos lets us know. “We stabilize an unstable world. We are a solution when others won’t work, or are too expensive to deploy. We make it easy to design and construct. We stand behind our product. We’ve set the standards for our industry.

For more information on the pioneering services and products offered by Presto Geosystems, visit them online at www.prestogeo.com, or contact Bill Handlos at 1-800-548-3424 or [email protected].

Choosing the Right Geocell

Posted by Katie Bocskor

Written By: Bryan Wedin P.E., Chief Design Engineer, Presto Geosystems

Not all geocells are created equal. While most manufacturers can provide similar-looking written specifications, you need assurances that the material delivered for your project is of the high quality that you expect. Important factors in the success of your geocell project include:

Quality

The geocell material is proven, strong, and will last

  • Require only the highest quality virgin High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) resin
    • Low quality or recycled resin can lead to weak and/or inconsistent seam strength, putting the success of your project at risk.
    • Non-HDPE materials cannot match the nearly 40 years of in-ground experience of HDPE geocells and plastic alloy proprietary blends can mask cheap stiff filler materials.
  • ISO Certification
    • Important, but the manufacturer sets the testing protocol for the certification. Require a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the material that is shipped to your project. An ISO certification that does not require continuous testing is lacking.

Integral Components

The complete solution includes proper components

  • Non-corrosive, high-strength panel connection method (ATRA® Keys vs. weak staples or zip ties)
  • Anchors that provide secure connections to the geocell (ATRA® stakes vs. J-hooks)
  • Load Transfer Devices for tendon applications that are non-corrosive and offer a secure connection to the cell walls (ATRA® tendon clips vs. washers, knots or pipes)

Certification

The geocell material “as shipped” meets proven industry standards

  • Insist upon signed material certs showing the proper testing/certification for your application
  • Unscrupulous providers supply special material for testing and ship lower quality material

Design and Specification Support

You receive proper tools and engineering guidance

  • Require the manufacturer to provide project design assistance for their specific material. Variations of resin and of anchoring and connection methods on the market make it “critical that designs from one manufacturer not be used for alternate material.”
  • Require the manufacturer to provide a complete specification/submittal package

Installation Support

The contractor receives proper installation tools and training

  • Many contractors are not experienced in the installation of geocells. Require pre-construction training and on-site field supervision by a certified manufacturer’s representative to ensure your project is installed correctly and economically.

Certainty

Your owner and your reputation are protected

  • All of the above factors combine to provide you the level of confidence you expect from the material you specify. Why risk this certainty for the small savings (savings that come from the use of inferior resin, non-engineered components and a lack of project support) that come with allowing inferior, alternate material suppliers?

 

Bryan Wedin P.E., Chief Design Engineer, Presto Geosystems
P: (920) 738-1342
[email protected]
www.prestogeo.com