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GIGSA NEWSLETTER December 2019

The South African Chapter of the International Geosynthetics´Society (IGS)

Established in 1994 and dedicated to the Scientific and Engineering Developement of Geosynthetics and Associated

December 2019

NEWSLETTER

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ARC 2019

PAST EVENT

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GIGSA NEWSLETTER December 2019 2

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GIGSA is looking back at another successful year-end quarter for 2019!

Dedicated to scientific and engineering development of geosynthetics and associated

technologies in South Africa, the GIGSA team immersed itself in a host of activities country-

wide.

17TH AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOIL MECHANICS AND GEOTECHNICAL

ENGINEERING

We kicked off the last segment of the year by co-hosting the keynote lecture on barriers at the

ARC 2019 conference, hosted in a young suburb of one of the continent’s most iconic cities,

Century City, Cape Town. The 17th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and

Geotechnical Engineering saw the likes of practitioners, academics and students of all geotechnical back-

grounds. The conference offered extensive opportunities for technical committee meetings, workshops, paper presen-

tations, exhibitions and sponsorships. A variety of tours, including a visit to famous Robben Island, was among the

attractions. Developments in unsaturated soil mechanics with relevance to the African context, was featured promi-

nently at the conference. Proudly, geosynthetics and their relationship to geotechnical engineering, also received

good exposure.

INTRODUCTION OF THE GIGSA COUNCIL TO THE INTERNATIONAL GEOSYNTHETICS SOCIETY COUNCIL,

Hosting the IGS Council Introduction Social Event at the prolific Durbanville Hills Wine Estate was another grand oc-

casion for GIGSA’s council. October 2019 saw the introduction of the GIGSA Council to the International Council,

IGS. It showcased some of the South African tradition and a taste of South Africa’s wines.

Attending by special invite was Professor Kerry Rowe and Kelvin Legge of the Department of Water & Sanitation.


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EVENING LECTURE CO-HOSTED BY GIGSA AND SAICE’S GEOTECH DIVISION

An evening lecture co-hosted by GIGSA and SAICE’s Geotech Division was another well-attended event. GIGSA

sponsored an international speaker, Mr Boyd Ramsey, presenting on “Geomembrane Formulation and Durability”

while SAICE sponsored Professor Conrad Boley who presented on “Geotechnical Design for Large Scale Infrastruc-

ture and Tunnelling projects: Current Experiences, Application of SC 7 and Observational Method”. Professionals in

the geotechnical and geosynthetic fields had the opportunity to absorb knowledge and expertise of these well-known

International Speakers on various relevant topics.

GSI W-2 WEBINAR MSE WALL BACK DRAINAGE DESIGN WEBINAR

On 17 September 2019, a webinar titled “GSI W-2 MSE Wall Back Drainage Design” was held in Johannesburg, Kwa

-Zulu Natal and Cape Town, hosted by GIGSA. Professor Robert Koerner of the Geosynthetics Institute in Pennsylva-

nia, USA, who recently passed away, hosted the webinar. The webinar looked at GSI’s database of 171 failed me-

chanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls reinforced with geogrids or geotextiles. The focus was to help participants un-

derstand how internal and external water enters and acts upon the reinforced soil zone of MSE walls when construct-

ed with low hydraulic conductivity silt and clay soils. The avoidance of hydrostatic pressure using geocomposite

drains located behind the reinforced zone was key in this regard. The webinar was well attended in all three provinces

and provided an opportunity to network with like minded professionals after the webinar. GIGSA is saddened by the

passing of Professor Robert Koerner, we are grateful for all his input into our industry over the years and we extend

our deepest sympathy to the Koerner Family.

WORKSHOP AT LAWTIG 2019

GIGSA also sponsored Mr Ramsay to provide a keynote lecture and full day technical workshop at LAWTIG 2019,

hosted by the IWMSA at The River Club, Observatory, Western Cape. He entertained the audience with his great

technical mind and unconventional sense of humour, literally dropping his pants in order to land his point of landfills

being here to stay.


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“The role of Landfills in our long-term future” and the workshop was all about understanding the use of Geosynthetics

in a “Modern, durable and sustainable Landfill”.

EVENTS OF 2020

THE GIGSA EDUCATION WEEK

An exciting new project for advancing GIGSA members IN 2020 is already in motion.. The GIGSA Education Week,

further discussed below, will be the main focus event of the year, taking place in July. Members and organisations are

encouraged to contribute and take part in this upcoming venture.

Events planned for 2020 include:

• IGS Technical Committee Workshop feedback (March 2020) – Evening Lecture;

• Education week (Jul 2020):

• Educate the Educator;

• One day Workshop;

• 2nd

Geosynthetic Conference for Young Professionals 2020.

• Post-graduate course at UCT.

• Webinars throughout 2020.

As illustrated in 2019, GIGSA is dedicated in providing the geosynthetics community with a range of quality events.

This dedication is planned to roll into 2020 to ensure that each member receives maximum value for their member-

ship. See you at our next event.


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Challenges surrounding the installation of geosynthetics and the

importance of construction quality assurance

C ompleting a detailed design is always an accomplish-

ing moment for any engineer; it marks the culmina-

tion of months of hard work into an integrated, co-

hesive, final product. The real challenge and risk, however, lie

in implementing the design, i.e. the construction phase.

No matter how fastidiously something has been planned in the

office, anything on site can – and usually will – go awry. For

that very reason, it is critical to generate a thorough construc-

tion quality assurance (CQA) plan, along with project specifica-

tions and drawings, to support the CQA engineer on site. Su-

perficially, a CQA plan outlines the activities, inspections, pro-

cedures, and verifications undertaken by the CQA consultant to

provide assurance to the owner and Regulator that the con-

struction was completed as specified within the design. The

CQA plan is a powerful tool that can assist the CQA engineer to

identify and resolve deficiencies.

As a case study, some examples of deficiencies which arose

during construction of a Class A equivalent barrier design for a

hazardous waste disposal facility will be provided. The deficien-

cies were identified, documented, and resolved through imple-

mentation of the CQA plan and engineering specification.

The first example relates to a visual inspection of the geosyn-

thetic material before installation is even considered: proper

handling of the materials on site. Figure 1 shows punctures on

an HDPE geomembrane resulting from incorrect handling; a

telehandler with forklift attachment attempted to lift the ge-

omembrane roll up instead of carrying it suspended by loading

straps or spreader bar.

Figure 1: Punctured HDPE liner.

This resulted in additional effort to ensure the defects were

identified and the punctures were repaired after installation.

Repairs were completed with patches and extrusion welds

which were checked by spark testing. Figure 2 shows the re-

paired punctures.

Figure 2: Repaired punctures after installation.

The second example refers to the prerequisite to installing geo-

synthetics: preparation of the subgrade to the specified, suita-

ble standard to receive the geosynthetics. Care is often not

taken by the contractor to ensure the surface is free of protru-

sions or defects that may compromise the integrity of the geo-

synthetics. Figure 3 indicates just how blatant these defects

often can be.


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Figure 3: A significant imperfection on the receiving surface which

may damage the liner.

The CQA plan and engineering specifications made clear what

is considered acceptable, and yet this protrusion was not

flagged by the contractor’s internal checks. This is only one

example of numerous occasions where the subgrade was

found to be unsuitable.

The next example, shown in Figure 4, contravened the engi-

neering specification on acceptable moisture exposure to the

geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) and protection of the GCL during

rain events. In this instance, the GCL had not been adequately

covered over an off-site weekend. Severe inclement weather

was predicted, but no significant action was taken, even after

suggestions were made to take the necessary precautions. The

runoff flowed underneath the HDPE geomembrane, flooding

the trenches and inundating the GCL. The panels in question

were removed, discarded, and replaced.

Figure 4: Moisture damage on a GCL panel.

Continuing on the topic of repair work, it also happens that the

correct repair procedure is not adhered to. In the case of Fig-

ure 5, where there was a tear in the HDPE geomembrane, an

extrusion weld was used to cover the defect. This was not in

line with the specification which called for patches to be used

on defects that fully penetrated the geomembrane.

Figure 5: Rear side of an extrusion weld over a tear in the

geomembrane.

Testing the welded seams is an integral part of the installation

process, and it is important that the testing be conducted in

accordance with the specification and verified in line with the

CQA plan. Figure 6 shows a photo taken of a pressure gauge

during a pressure test on a fusion welded seam.

Figure 6: Seam being tested at higher values than specified.

As part of verification of the test results visual observations of

the process following recording the test results are undertak-

en. It was noted by the CQA engineer that the test operator

consistently wrote down a specific test value, which raised

some doubts on the accuracy of the recordings. After some


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inquisitive discussion it was established that the testing opera-

tor was taking the readings incorrectly from the pressure

gauge and reporting a set value which he believed was the

reading from the gauge.

A final common occurrence is damage after installation. We

must ensure that any defects or damage are reported and re-

paired. Figure 7 shows significant damage that occurred during

placement of a ballast layer during nightshift operations. The

damage was reported by a spotter and fixed the next day.

Figure 7: Damage to all layers in a Class A equivalent barrier system.

It is important to be vigilant when doing quality assurance

work. As the CQA engineer, remember that you have the right

to be inquisitive on how tasks are completed. At the end of the

project, the sense of accomplishment of ensuring the delivery

of a quality product to the client is the greatest reward.

Authors: Robert van der Westhuizen & Gerhard Coetzer

[email protected]

[email protected]


Past Events: ARC 2019

The 17th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (XVII ARCSMGE), whose theme was ‘Innovation and Sustainability in Geotechnics for Developing Africa’, was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 7th to 9th October 2019 at the Century City Conference Centre. This prestigious event, organised by the South African Institute of Civil Engineers in conjunction with the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), was preceded by the African Young Geotechnical Engineers confer-ence that took place on 6th October 2019. The ISSMGE Board and Council meetings as well as the International Geosyn-thetics Society board meeting were also held during the con-ference.

More than 250 delegates and 28 exhibitors, from 39 different countries from across the globe, attended the conference, con-sequently fulfilling the aim of bringing together a wide range of engineers, scientists and academics to exchange knowledge in the field of geotechnics, and its engineering and environmental applications. The top 6 countries in terms of number of partici-pants were South Africa, United Kingdom, Germany, Uganda, Nigeria and Sudan.

Besides Parallel Sessions, Workshops and Short Courses, the 3-day conference also hosted the 17th Jennings Lecture present-ed by the world-renowned unsaturated soils expert Prof. Del-wyn Fredlund (Canada) and the Mercer Lecture on geosyn-thetics for construction on soft foundation soils delivered by

Prof. Kerry Rowe (Canada). Additionally, two special lectures by Prof. Buddhima Indraratna (Australia) and Prof. Antonio Gens (Spain) were presented, as well as a Bright Spark Lecture by Dr. Charles MacRobert (South Africa).

The XVII ARCSMGE proceedings comprised of 130 papers deliv-ered by authors from 44 countries. including: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Thai-land, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. All the published papers are availa-ble as open access papers on the ISSMGE Online Library (https://www.issmge.org/publications/online-library).

The next African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (XVIII ARCSMGE) will be held in Mo-rocco in 2023.

Prof. Denis Kalumba, UCT

https://www.issmge.org/publications/online-library



Geosynthetics at the 17th African Regional Conference

on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

In October 2019, the 17th African Regional Conference on Soil

Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, organized by the

SAICE Geotechnical Division, was held in the beautiful city of

Cape Town. The conference was preceded by full day work-

shops in three parallel sessions. Professor R. Kerry Rowe pre-

sented a workshop on “Barrier systems for limiting fluid migra-

tion” which was proudly sponsored by GIGSA. Following the

workshops, the latest research in geotechnical engineering on

the African Continent was presented over two days.

Professor Rowe’s workshop summarised the latest research

taking place at Queens University, Canada. The workshop in-

cluded eleven topics ranging from basics such as barrier system

components and transport mechanisms, to detailed topics

such as tensile strains in geomembranes and the effect of cli-

mate on exposed composite liners. One memorable excerpt

from Rowe’s workshop was “Good engineering can be relied

on. Luck is fickle”.

As part of the workshop, the Department of Water & Sanita-

tion (DWS) was given an opportunity to present. The topics

covered by DWS included water availability in South Africa,

determining service life of geosynthetics used in barrier sys-

tems and the requirements of design reviews going forward.

This presentation was given by Mr Karl Bester, Ms Boitumelo

Seake and Mr Kelvin Legge and provided South African context

to Rowe’s presentations.

The geotechnical conference had a focus on unsaturated soil

mechanics with Professor Delwyn Fredlund from the University

of Saskatchewan, Canada, presenting during one of the preced-

ing workshops and providing the Jennings Lecture titled

“Determination of unsaturated soil property functions for engi-

neering practice” during the conference. Geosynthetics fea-

tured significantly during the conference. With the Internation-

al Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Council meeting taking place

before the conference, many well-known geosynthetic person-

alities were present to familiarise general geotechnical practi-

tioners with geosynthetics. These included IGS President

Chungsik Yoo, who delivered the Congratulatory Address at the

opening ceremony, and Boyd Ramsey who presented on

“Improvements and Advances in Construction Quality Assur-

ance for Geosynthetics”.

There were many opportunities to network at both the work-

shops and the conference. A range of GIGSA benefactors were

amongst the exhibitors, there was a networking function on

the first evening and a Gala Dinner on the second. At both

functions, attendees were rewarded with culturally rich perfor-

mances by South African artists.

The conference wrapped up with an introduction to the 20th

International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical

Engineering in 2021 which is scheduled to take place in Austral-

ia. This promises to be an exciting conference where the inclu-

sion of geosynthetics will reach new levels – we hope to see

you there.

Charl Cilliers

GIGSA Vice President



Raising The Bar In The Rainbow Nation by IGS

IGS Council Members at IGS Council Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa

South Africa was the scene of intensive IGS strategic planning

sessions last month.

IGS Officers and Council Committee members met in person in

Cape Town to examine current work and plan ways to make

the IGS even more effective in fulfilling its mission and vision.

Over a packed two days, topics discussed included IGS tech-

nical activities, IGS young member activities, communication

methods and knowledge sharing, enhancing understanding

about geosynthetics within a sustainability context, and up-

dates from our regional committees for Africa, The Americas,

Asia and Europe.

All IGS members were invited to participate in the regional

activities meetings, based on their geographical home.

Attendees then distributed to work in the Education, Corpo-

rate or Communication committees.

IGS President Chungsik Yoo dovetailed his trip to Africa by de-

livering a Congratulatory Address at the opening ceremony of

ARC, the 17th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics

and Geotechnical Engineering, which took place immediately

after the two-day Council meeting.

The African Regional Conference is organized by SAICE Ge-

otechnical Division, part of the ISSMGE (International Society

of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering). The South

Africa Chapter of IGS assisted in event planning, arranging a

one-day course on the durability of geomembranes, delivered

by Prof Kerry Rowe and a local representative of the South

African regulators. Many committee members and officers

participated in this conference after attending the IGS

meetings. The IGS also had a booth in the exhibition and en-

dorsed the ARC event.

President Yoo said: “Our many committee meetings were a

vital part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen the IGS and de-

liver fully on our many initiatives. These face-to-face sessions

gave members the chance to ask questions and make sugges-

tions, while also allowing us to set budgets and priorities for

the year ahead.

“I would like to thank all those who attended for their enthusi-

asm and analytical skills. We left Cape Town more energized

and more focused; ready to deliver for our members in the

months ahead.”


Past Events: Workshops

Promoting the use of geosynthetics and GIGSA at the University of Johannesburg

A presentation was given to around 50 students from the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Johan-nesburg. The objective was to expose students to many practical geotechnical problems, good design approaches, and the correct utilization of geosynthetic materials.

The students really enjoyed the talk and GIGSA received at least 37 student applications.

“It was quite interesting to notice, when I later met with the specific groups, for their design mini project, how they would tell that after the presentation they could see where they went wrong and update their design accordingly.” Prof. Maria Ferentinou, Head of Depart-ment.

GIGSA is looking forward to continue promoting geosynthetics to students in 2020.


Past Events: Workshops

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TC-S Group (left)

TC-H Group (right)


Past Events: LANDFILL 2019

T he Landfill and Waste Treatment Interest Group (LAWTIG) of the Institute of Waste Management of South Africa

(IWMSA) held their Landfill 2019 conference on 6 and 7 November 2019 at the River Club in Observatory, Cape Town.

The event was held in partnership with GIGSA and the conference theme of “The Death of Landfill? – If and how land-

fills will be part of our long term future”, saw experts from across the landfill and alternative waste treatment industries come

together to ponder this important question.

In his keynote address, geosynthetic, environmental containment and waste disposal expert Mr. Boyd Ramsey stressed the vital

importance of ending the disposal of materials that still have value or can possibly be reused, even if difficult. “The cost of

throwing something away is not included in the cost of that thing,” he stressed.

In her keynote address Professor Linda Godfrey of the CSIR pointed out that by targeting just three main Municipal solid waste

streams, some 60 to 70% of waste (by mass) could be diverted away from landfill towards value recovery, in the process cre-

ating much-needed jobs. These streams comprise construction and demolition waste; organic waste; and paper and packaging

waste.

Speaking on a panel, Mr Leon Grobbelaar, current president of IWMSA, stated that South Africa will likely continue to make use

of landfills for at least the next 20 years. Professor Linda Godfrey, principal scientist, CSIR, concurred, but questioned instead

what percentage of our waste should continue to go to landfill. The consensus was that, although landfills are here to stay, we

need to move away from the uncontrolled dumps that are all over South Africa, to engineered landfill sites.


Past Events: LANDFILL 2019

Thereafter, consideration can be given as to how to phase out landfills. Professor Godfrey argued for a national discussion to

determine where the sector is headed, so that everyone can work towards the same goals. “We need to have a healthy discus-

sion on what the role of local government should be.”

The programme allowed for parallel sessions with a variety of topics discussed and provided the more than 140 attending dele-

gates with options on what presentations to attend. The talks ranged from municipal waste recycling to landfill capping and

lining design. Copies of the presentations will be available on the IWMSA website. The exhibition area showcased the current

diversity in waste management treatment options with exhibitors including specialists from equipment suppliers, geosynthetic

manufacturers, installers and food waste treatment companies to name a few. During the half day geosynthetics workshop held

by Mr Boyd Ramsey and sponsored by GIGSA, the delegates were treated to very interesting case histories of geosynthetics in

landfill and containment applications, geosynthetic capping options and ethics in civil engineering and geosynthetics. The event

was very well received by all and resulted in some very productive networking and learning opportunities for all involved. LAW-

TIG, the IWMSA and GIGSA would like to thank all who made this event possible.

Nash Dookhi

GIGSA Board Member


Upcoming Events 2020

https://igs.wufoo.com/forms/r12o6tjw1fr979k/

https://www.adtevento.com.br/2020/geoamericas/sis/inscricao/index.asp

https://eurogeo7.org/registration/

https://www.wastecon.co.za/delegate_registration.html


Competitions

The GIGSA 2019 Photo Contest Deadline has been extended to all members of GIGSA. All entries should include a

photo title, description and photo credit.

An adhoc committee is formed by GIGSA Board members to award the best photos reflecting the use of

geosynthetics. These will be showcased and recognized on the GIGSA website and in newsletters.

Please visit the GIGSA website (www.gigsa.org) for more information as well as to find the detailed list of the

recipients of previous awards.

Entries can be submitted to [email protected] with a subject of photo competition and your full details

(name,cell,etc.).

Prizes will be as follows:

1st Place – R 2000,00

2nd Place – R 1000,00

3rd Place – R 500,00

DEADLINE: 31st January 2020.

Rules and Guidelines of the Photo Contest are listed below:

1. Photos should clearly display a geosynthetic material/technology in use.

2. Photos should provide a clear understanding of what geosynthetic technology or event is being demonstrated.

3. Contestant must be a GIGSA member in good standing.

4. Each individual member of GIGSA and/or Benefactor Member Representative may submit up to 5 photographs

each. Each Benefactor Company may also submit up to 5 photographs each.

5. A title, description, and photo credit are required for each photo.

6. The file size should be a minimum of 4MB and a maximum of 15MB per picture.

7. File format must be .jpg.

8. Naming convention of the submitted .jpg should match or be similar to your photo title to avoid any confusion.

9. Photos should be sharp, well focused and aesthetically pleasing.

10. “Before and After” photo’s sets are welcome and count as one entry.

11. Final selection of First, Second, Third and Honourable Mention photos will be made by an independent

committee.

PH TO

C MPETITI N


Development and Technology Award

KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR

UPCOMING COMPETITIONS in 2020

The development in the geosynthetic in terms of product should be wholly South

African in conception and design.

The technology should be new, unique and or an improvement on existing prod-

ucts, designs and/or applications.

The product, design or application should be functional, economical and have had a

successful application in a recognized project.

The product, design or application should have industry appeal and make a significant contribution to the

geosynthetic industry.

The GIGSA Awards aim to recognize members’ achievements in developing, manufacturing, ap-

plication and knowledge of geosynthetics through various categories since the establishment of

GIGSA in 1994. Subject to the award it can be presented annually or biennially. All members of

GIGSA are eligible for GIGSA awards except the President of GIGSA and the members of the

GIGSA Awards Committee. The awards shall be made to the projects themselves and not to the

individuals, firms or organizations involved.

Project Award

The project should have unique or unusual features and should demonstrate

some notable advance in geosynthetics in the solution of engineering problems.

It should have particular aesthetic appeal.

It should display engineering ingenuity in analysis or design and/or in construc-

tion technique and/or the application of geosynthetic materials.

The project should show functional efficiency.

The handling of geosynthetic challenges should be particularly successful.

The project should have been well managed, the geosynthetics installed according to best practices and

have finished within time constraints and within budget to the clients satisfaction.

Competitions


Social Media & Website

Upgrading of GIGSA Website—Improvement of Technical Content One of the main goals for the current GIGSA Board is to increase the availability of technical information to our members. To this end, the GIGSA website is currently undergoing an upgrade in which each member will be given a login password to access the technical content. The technical page is currently being reconstructed in order to facilitate the uploading of information as well as provide our members with exclusive technical content regarding geosynthetics. Below is a glimpse of the structure and content we are working towards. Visit us at: www.gigsa.org


Task Force: Media and Membership

TASK FORCE:

MEDIA

Social media is no longer just on the rise but a major way of staying in touch. It has now be-come an everyday way of life. To better keep in contact with GIGSA or find out about future events relating to the geosynthetic industry; try connecting with us through LinkedIn. We may not have many followers yet but we will get there in time with your help. Invite your friends and colleagues as well. These social media plat-forms can be used as a forum for discussions pertaining to anything geosynthetic related.

Some tips for GIGSA’s social media platforms:

Tip #1: Place your questions or thoughts on any of

these platforms and you are likely to get a response be it

from a supplier, consultant, contractor or someone just

browsing the page.

Tip#2: Don’t be afraid to ask GIGSA questions as

well. If we can’t answer you then we can get someone

that will be able to!

Tip #3: Keep it clean! Social media was invented

to keep in contact not grow apart; help maintain our level

of professionalism by always being courteous!

TASK FORCE: MEMBERSHIP

As of December 2019, the figures below show

the current status of the GIGSA

membership with a total of 245 members.

We currently stand at 30 Benefactors

and 6 Affiliated members.

SUMMARY OF MEMBERSHIP

Individualships covered by Affiliate status 6

Individualships covered by Benefactor status 58

Individuals 147

Honorary Members 17

Student Member 17

245 Total membership (persons)

Affiliate Members 6

Benefactors 30


Parent Society

Have You Updated Your IGS Profile? You can now link your LinkedIn profile within your personal IGS profile. A search criteria has also been added to the directory to allow searches of any member who is interested in being contacted for employment opportunities. https://www.geosyntheticssociety.org/update-your-igs-profile/

IGS Young Members: Down to Earth – An In-terview with Dawie Marx The Young Members Committee inter-viewed past GeoAfrica 2017 Student Award Winner from South Africa, Dawie Marx. Dawie is currently a Graduate Re-search Assistant at The University of Texas at Austin under IGS Past President Jorge Zornberg. https://www.geosyntheticssociety.org/igs-young-members-down-to-earth-an-interview-with-dawie-marx/

2nd EurAsian Geosynthetics Symposium (EAGS·2019) About 200 people from many different countries in the field of geosyn-thetics gathered in Beijing to focus on the theme of “New Era, Shared Future,” for the 2nd EurAsian Geosynthetics Symposium (EAGS·2019) that was held in Beijing, China on November 18-19, 2019. https://www.geosyntheticssociety.org/2nd-eurasian-geosynthetics-symposium-eags%c2%b72019/

In Memoriam: Robert “Bob” Koerner The Koerner Family has announced the passing of Robert M. Koerner and his wife Pauline W. Koerner. Together with Paula, Bob founded the Geosyn-thetics Institute (GSI) as a research organization with international outreach programs for the design of geosynthetic materials in construction. They are survived by three children: Michael (wife Mary) Koerner, George (wife Jamie) Koerner, and Pauline (husband Doug) Limberg, and six grandchildren.

Bob was a long-standing member of the IGS and was awarded honorary membership in 2008 at the first Pan-American Geosynthetics Conference (GeoAmericas). A true educator, researcher, and innovator in our discipline, Bob was Professor Emeritus of civil, architectural, and environmental engi-neering at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bob also au-thored and co-authored over 750 papers on geosynthetics and geotechnical topics in journals and at national and international conferences. His most widely used publication is his book entitled “Designing with Geosynthetics” now in its sixth edition. His significant contributions in the development of ge-osynthetics engineering technology will always be remembered and he will be missed by all. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the whole Koerner Family during this difficult time.

For further updates, please visit the Koerner Family Foundation website at www.kffoundation.org.

GIGSA is saddened by the passing of an exceptional professional of the industry and would like to ex-tend our deepest sympathy to the Koerner Family.

http://www.kffoundation.org


Small claims court – Self-help guide

The Small Claims Court (SCC) allows you to insti-tute civil claims through a quick, affordable and

simple process without the need to use an attorney.

1. WHO CAN CLAIM:

The Claimant/Plaintiff must be a natural person. No juristic persons such as Companies and Associations. A person under 18 must be assisted by a parent or legal guardian.

2. WHO CAN YOU CLAIM FROM:

Any natural person, Company or Association except the State (Municipalities, Local Government etc.)

3. WHAT AMOUNT CAN BE CLAIMED:

Currently an amount not exceeding R 15 000.00. If a claim exceeds this amount in value, then the Claimant can claim a lesser amount to pursue the matter in SCC. https://saice.org.za/small-claims-court-self-help-guide/

Sister Society

How does South Africa move forward at a time like this? Highlighting the way ahead for South Africa and engineers in Africa post the conclusion of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa Meet-ing seems remiss in the wake of the tragic week South Africa has had. The brutal rape and murder of Uyinene Mretwanya, has re-centered discussions of the epidemic of femicide in the country. SAICE would like to extend its deepest condolences to the Mretwanya family and the families of the many young children and women who lost their lives in senseless acts of violence this past week.

At the same time, we have seen a surge of xenophobic attacks that have threatened to cast a cloud over an economic forum aimed at boosting intra-African trade.

South African citizens, civil rights groups and political representatives have called on government to take action, following a string of re-ports detailing brutal and violent crimes against women in the country. The President has condemned these as well as attacks on foreign nationals living in South Africa, saying South Africa is a “home for all”. “South Africa is a multicultural society that promotes interaction among people of different backgrounds. Our Constitution protects the rights of all people living in the country, South Africans and for-eigners alike. South Africa recognises that its future is inextricably linked to that of the rest of the continent.”

The sad truth is that the quote from Klaus Schwaub (Founder and Executive Chairman of the WEF) in 2016 – “There has never been a time of greater promise or greater peril” will come true. The greater promise of what he calls the Fourth Industrial Revolution will come, as did the previous revolutions, to the countries with the skills in the technologies of the future. The greater peril will come to those countries with large numbers of young people unskilled in the technologies of the future.

The misnomer of “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” is that it is clearly not Industrial. The technologies of Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Biotechnology and 3D Printing will change how we work and live over the next ten – twenty – thirty years. The greater promise this time does not lie with Europe, but with the United States of America and the countries of the far east (China, Korea, Taiwan and Ja-pan). Europe has now been reduced to an also-ran in the top technology countries in the world.

How the scenario will play out no-one can tell – jobs will change, and jobs will disappear. The only certainty is that social cohesion is a criti-cal component for a better outcome. A cohesive society is one where people are protected against life risks, trust their neighbors and the institutions of the state and can work towards a better future for themselves and their families. Fostering social cohesion is about striving for greater inclusiveness, more civic participation and creating opportunities for upward mobility. It is the glue that holds society togeth-er.

In a world where global leaders are promoting barriers and division, we are moving in precisely the wrong direction, and these events in South Africa have not assisted in this process in Africa at all. The 28th African session of WEF, under the theme of Shaping Inclusive Growth and Shared Futures in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is in serious trouble.

We say that it is time for politicians to stand together and to promote a cohesive society regardless of their political parties and policies. We only have one chance and time is running out. Let us not say that we stood by and did nothing.

SAICE celebrates Civil Engineering innovation at National Awards

https://saice.org.za/civil-engineering-innovation/

SAICE hosts success-ful Practical Geometric Design course Tom Mckune hosted his much antici-pated Practical Geometric Design 5 day course in Midrand, from 11 to 15 November 2019 at the Altron Conference Centre. The course is highly practical and aims to equip delegates with knowledge and confidence pertaining to the important aspects of geomet-ric design. This includes knowledge on how to correctly inter-pret computer design output and be hands on when it comes to the various aspects of geometric design.

The course was well attended with over 60 delegates in at-tendance. To find out when future courses will be held, visit our website www.saice.org.za or contact Dawn Hermanus [email protected]

https://www.saice.org.za

mailto:[email protected]


Date Event/Info Host Location Abstract Submis-

sion Deadline

20

20

20-23 Jan TC-Reinforcement & TC-

Barriers IGS Barcelona, Spain NA

26-29 Apr GeoAmericas 2020 IGS Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil closed

TBC July

Educate the Educators

GIGSA TBA, JHB TBA

TBC July Geosynthetic Conference of

Young Professionals GIGSA TBA, JHB TBA

6-9 Sep Eurogeo 7 IGS Warsaw, Poland closed

6-8 Oct WasteCon 2020 IWMSA Emperor’s Pal-

ace, JHB 1 Feb


BENEFACTORS

Engineered Linings (Pty) Ltd

www.englining.co.za

(T): (021) 551 2430

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Kaytech (Pty) Ltd

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Fibertex South Africa (Pty)

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BENEFACTORS

Integrated Polypropylene Products

www.poly-prop.co.za

(T): (031) 710 4446

(E): via website

Plasti-Weld c.c.

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(T): (011) 849 9058


Rho-Tech

www.rho-tech.co.za

(T): (031) 914 0966


Geo-X (Pty) Ltd

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(T): (011) 3140023 / 3140058


WBHO (Pty) Ltd

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Beal Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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(E): via website

Knight Piésold (Pty) Ltd

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(E): via website

TRI Africa Environmental Services

(Pty) Ltd.

(T) 079 875 5691

(E) [email protected]

GeoKatanga

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(T): (011) 84 611 8819

E): [email protected]

Geobrugg

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T): (011) 794 3248

E): via website

TeMaSA

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(T): 072 873 0101


Envitech

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(E) via website

This could be your

company logo—become a

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Visit www.gigsa.org

PROLining

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Mzansi Plastic Linings

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Turnkey Civil International

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