Basic HTML Version
38
Geotechnical News • June 2014
www.geotechnicalnews.com
GEOSYNTHETICS
the mind to think of something that
cannot be learned in textbooks
”. I
am concerned that we are in danger
of losing our collective appreciation
for the purpose of the textbook, and
indeed other related publications – it is
a guide in support of acquiring a good
education, and not simply a repository
of facts that should be committed to
memory in order to progress steadily
through a program of study or, for that
matter, and recalling one of Terzaghi’s
concerns in his presidential address,
a repository of claims that should be
accepted as universally correct state-
ments of fact. If we are not careful, it
seems to me that the “thinking” part of
a good education, and indeed, a good
continuing-education, may be lost in
the rush to acquire yet more facts at
the expense of nurturing the imagina-
tion for purposes of problem-solving,
and cultivating a sixth-sense for
sources of error. I raise this concern
because it appears to me that many,
if not perhaps most, undergraduate
textbooks on geotechnical engineering
address the subject of geosynthetics in
a simply woeful manner, if indeed the
subject of geosynthetics is addressed
at all.
So where exactly does this leave us
and, more to the point, leave future
articles in this column on the subject
of Geosynthetics? We can no longer
claim geosynthetics are a new material
in construction practice, nor can we
overlook the fact that, when properly
used in a relatively benign environ-
ment, like many other materials, they
prove durable (Fig.4). We also have a
very extensive body of information on
geosynthetics, published in the form
of conference papers, peer-reviewed
journal articles, and specialist techni-
cal literature, all of which comple-
ments the many published standards
for materials testing and the design
guidance of regulatory agencies. Well,
in answer to my own question, I would
venture that it leaves us in a position
to benefit from an informed synthesis
of the available information, a synthe-
sis that discriminates between what
is really known and what has been
merely believed (if I may paraphrase
Terzaghi), and a synthesis that encour-
ages thinking above a mere recital
of facts (if I may also paraphrase
Einstein).
In closing, I hope that you have
enjoyed my gathering of thoughts for
this opening article. I will certainly
endeavour to bring much of the same
spirit-of-engagement to future articles
that will feature in the column – which
I hope you will find interesting,
informative and thought-provoking.
Furthermore, I also hope that you find
“adequate evidence” in support of any
and all claims made on the subject of
geosynthetics.
Fannin, R.J. (2008). Karl Terzaghi:
from theory to practice in geotech-
nical filter design. ASCE Journal
of Geotechnical and Geoenviron-
mental Engineering, 134:267-276.
Lacroix, Y. (1960). Design and instal-
lation of the plastic membrane of
Mission Dam. International Power
and Engineering Consultants Ltd.,
Unpublished report, 30p.
Lacroix, Y. (1984). The geomembrane
liner at Terzaghi Dam. Proceed-
ings, International Conference on
Geomembranes, Denver, Colo-
rado, 20-24 June 1984, pp.9-14.
Terzaghi, K. and Lacroix, Y. (1964).
MissionDam: an earth and rockfill
dam on a highly compressible
foundation. Geotechnique, 14:14-
50.
Zornberg, J.G. (2013). The Inter-
national Geosynthetics Society
(IGS): no borders for the good user
of geosynthetics. Proceedings 25
th
Geosynthetic Research Institute
Conference, Long Beach, Califor-
nia, 1-2 April 2013, pp.342-357.
Jonathan Fannin
, Ph.D., P.Eng.,
FEIC
Professor of Civil Engineering
University of British Columbia
6250 Applied Science Lane
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Tel.: 604-822-3557
Email: jonathan.fannin@ubc.ca
Figure 4. Sea-trial on the durability of a moulded polyethylene surf kayak,
Tofino, Canada by your erstwhile Editor.