Tensar Corp. | www.tensarcorp.com/
How Geogrids Work to Keep Projects on Track
America’s highway system is aging, withmany roadways and bridges structurally deficient or nearing the end of their design life. This is a solvable problem. Engineers have been solving transportation infrastructure problems for thousands of years – they laid the frame- work for roadways that expand our communities far beyond what was ever thought possible. The earliest stone paved roads have been traced to Mesopotamian engineers around 4,000 B.C. Many millen- nia later, the need for engineers to adopt more effective roadway design is more important than ever. The field of geosynthetics arose in the late 20th Century delivering a way to mechanically stabilize roads with greater success. These polymeric products stabilize ter- rain in a variety of applications to extend roadway longevity, reduce maintenance costs and improve motorist safety. Now, it seems, the multiple benefits delivered by geosynthetic materials may be an important component of solving our current transportation infra- structure dilemma. Building a strong foundation for increased infrastructure asset lifespan In the past, engineers have utilized conventional aggregate base to install pavement sections for new and reconstructed roadways. However, with rising construction costs and increasing traffic de- mand traditional methods for construction are becoming too costly and typical pavement sections are failing before their predicted design life. Today, more owners are choosing to implement geogrids to improve the performance of the aggregate within pavement structures to combat increasing material costs, increasing traffic loads and inadequate pavement structures created with traditional pavement sections. Studies have shown that the use of geogrids under major roadways extend pavement life, reduce long term maintenance and repair and ultimately increase owner savings. As a value engineering al- ternative to conventional materials and practices, the engineering team at Tensar International utilizes multiple geogrid solutions for mechanical ground stabilization in a variety of infrastructure appli- cations. One such geogrid solution, Tensar TriAx® Geogrid, is specifi- cally designed for trafficked surfaces. Manufactured from a punched polypropylene sheet, oriented in multiple, equilateral directions to form triangular apertures, the TriAx system leverages the strength
of triangular geometry to provide an enhanced level of in-plane stiffness and deliver optimal in-service stress transfer to it from the aggregate to the stabilizing geogrid. This unique geosynthetic ma- terial improves the performance of pavement materials and reduces construction time. These geogrid products improve load distribution over weak sub- grades, reduce differential settlement, and confine and lock up road- way aggregate, creating a mechanically stabilized layer for a variety of applications. They have been used in over half a million projects worldwide including major highway projects, unpaved windfarm and mining applications, foundation construction, and port and air- port runways. In many cases, geogrids are used to accommodate intense loads and volumes from aircraft, mining trucks and heavy construction equipment. Geogrids create stiffened platforms that maintain the stiffness of the aggregate better over time as well as distribute loads more efficiently over subgrade soils. As a result, our infrastructure is constructed with enhanced structural integrity, greater service life, while also reducing construction time, cost and environmental impacts. About Tensar International Headquartered in Atlanta, Tensar International is a full-service pro- vider of specialty products and engineering services that offer in- novative and cost-effective alternatives to traditional construction methods. Tensar solutions are based on advanced soil stabilization and reinforcement technologies and incorporate unique, engi- neered applications for commercial, industrial, municipal, residential and transportation infrastructure site development. The company specializes in solutions for common site development challenges, including grade changes requiring retaining walls and poor soil conditions affecting the cost of roadways, parking lots and build- ing structures. Patented, polymeric Tensar® Geogrids and Tensar’s Geopier® foundation reinforcement piers are the primary com- ponents of the company’s systems, offering reliable strength and durability. Contracted services include site evaluation, conceptual engineering, design, value engineering and installation advice. For more information, visit http://www.tensarcorp.com.
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august 2018
csengineermag.com
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