Geosynthetics June/July 2023 - 8

UPDATE
Committee D35 on Geosynthetics meets
in San Antonio, Texas
By Gary T. Torosian
A
STM International's Committee D35 on Geosynthetics held its first biannual committee meetings
of 2023 on January 25-27 in San Antonio, Texas. The meetings started with a special workshop to
help define what role our committee should play regarding sustainability. Big thanks to our five distinguished
speakers-Dr. Mark Wayne (Tensar International), Chris Quirk (NAUE Geosynthetics Ltd.),
Bryan Gee (Tensar International), Charlie Rossignol (Solmax), and Sam Allen (TRI Environmental Inc.).
We learned about the myriad ways geosynthetics can and do help with sustainability, how other organizations
are addressing sustainability, and how it all starts with us-as individuals-to make personal
commitments to change. The workshop concluded with the formation of a special task group focused
on outlining recommended action items for the committee.
Our technical subcommittee meetings were a great success, with
participation from across the globe. Some of the accomplishments
and ongoing work items in our subcommittees include the following:
D35.01 on Mechanical Properties: Several standards are
Speakers and organizers of
Committee D35's Sustainability
Workshop held in January, 2023.
Pictured, left to right, is Charlie
Rossignol, Chris Quirk, Sam Allen,
John Allen, and Mark Wayne.
(Not pictured: Bryan Gee)
being revised, including D4595, Standard Test Method for Tensile
Properties of Geotextiles by the Wide-Width Strip Method; D4354,
Standard Practice for Sampling of Geosynthetics and Rolled Erosion
Control Products (RECPs) for Testing; and D6706, Standard Test
Method for Measuring Geosynthetic Pullout Resistance in Soil. Work
continues on a new standard for Radial Stiffness of Geogrids and
Geosynthetic Composite Stiffness Value.
D35.02 on Endurance Properties: Some new and exciting work
is being conducted within this subcommittee, which saw record attendance in San Antonio. Work
is currently being performed to update D1987, Standard Test Method for Biological Clogging of
Geotextile Drainage Geocomposites, or Soil/Geotextile Filters; D5262, Creep; D6992, Standard
Test Method for Accelerated Tensile Creep and Creep-Rupture of Geosynthetic Materials Based on
Time-Temperature Superposition Using the Stepped Isothermal Method; and D7361, Standard Test
Method for Accelerated Compressive Creep of Geosynthetic Materials Based on Time-Temperature
Superposition Using the Stepped Isothermal Method.
D35.04 on Geosynthetic Clay Liners: Current work includes an update to D5887, Standard
Gary T. Torosian currently
serves as chairman of ASTM
International's Committee
D35 on Geosynthetics and
is chief operating officer of
Geocomp/GeoTesting Express,
headquartered in Acton, Mass.
8
Geosynthetics | June July 2023
Test Method for Measurement of Index Flux Through Saturated Geosynthetic Clay Liner Specimens
Using a Flexible Wall Permeameter; and D6496, Standard Test Method for Determining Average
Bonding Peel Strength Between Top and Bottom Layers of Needle-Punched Geosynthetic Clay
Liners. The next committee week will have some added focus on bentonite-polymer composites,
the permeability of excavated GCLs and long-term testing of GCLs.
D35.05 on Geosynthetic Erosion Control: Work continued with new standards for GCCM
(geosynthetic cementitious composite mat), such as peel and tensile strength, and revisions to
D8030, Standard Practice for Sample Preparation for GCCM; D8173, Standard Guide for Site
Preparation, Layout, Installation, and Hydration of Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats;
and D8058, Standard Test Method for Determining the Flexural Strength of a Geosynthetic
Geosynthetics June/July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics June/July 2023
