Caltrans and other California government officials were subjected to extensive scrutiny for their decision to award the contract to the low-bid, foreign supplier. The question above should not need to be asked, but what if you read an article about a cable-stayed steel suspension bridge that had been constructed with steel cables that had no quality control requirements or inspections at the time of fabrication? Or what if the engineer failed to specify key performance requirements of the steel? You would question the long-term performance and safety of that structure.įor comparative reference, the purchase of steel fabricated in China for the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge project drew considerable media coverage. Steel or geosynthetics: Should there really be a difference in material certifications? This article discusses the importance of raw material certifications, presents a real-life scenario with structural steel, and outlines to engineers, specifiers, and owners what is required to ensure the long-term durability performance of PET geogrid. All these documents provide specification and material testing requirements important to the long-term performance of the geosynthetic reinforcement, and they include specific guidelines relative to the long-term durability of geogrid reinforcement manufactured from PET fiber. Previous articles from NCMA have noted both AASHTO specifications and FHWA guidelines support the design of geosynthetic reinforced soil structures in public sector markets including structures designed for state DOTs.
The NCMA’s Design Manual for Segmental Retaining Walls, 3rd edition, has been instrumental in the growth of geosynthetic reinforced soil walls in commercial markets by providing a fundamental geotechnical-based method for structural stability analysis. This article was written to emphasize the importance of having documentable certification for geogrid reinforcement products delivered to a construction site for use in any and all civil engineering structures. They felt it necessary to remind users that not all geogrids are “created equal.” A geogrid product may look and feel like all other geogrid products, but unless it is subjected to the proper testing protocols, the end user may be getting sub-par material.
Lance Carter and Michael Bernardi, although competitors, felt the need to remind geosynthetic users, specifiers, and designers that as manufacturers and marketers of polyester reinforcement products, they are held to high standards when it comes to the quality of these products. Lance Carter and Michael BernardiĪdopted by the NCMA Segmental Retaining Wall & Hardscape Products Committee Editor’s note Submittal requirements for polyester geogrid reinforcement By R.
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