How long have you been with Presto Geosystems? Time flies when you are having fun! I have been with Presto Geosystems going on 14 years. In that time, I got to work with some really great people and enjoyed speaking with Gary Bach on how geocells were invented back in the late 70s and early 80s. Can you tell us a bit about your background? I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and enjoyed doing all things outdoors. My father was an Olympic ski jumper, so I had no choice but to strap on a pair of skis and follow in his footsteps. I became pretty good and was in three junior Olympics before a bad fall ended that part of my life. I grew up before video games, so we were always outside playing football, baseball or just riding bikes. After a year at Michigan State University, I attended college at Michigan Tech University in Houghton, MI and graduated with a degree in Environmental Engineering. After graduation, I moved to Green Bay, WI, and worked for Foth & Van Dyke and then Robert E. Lee engineering consulting firms before joining Presto Geosystems. What attracted you to the… Read more »
Posts Categorized: General
Are material shortages delaying your road construction projects? Here is how to stay on schedule and within budget.
Written by: Bryan Wedin, P.E., Chief Design Engineer Road construction is booming, and this trend is expected to remain strong due to high demand and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which includes investments across many sectors, including public infrastructure. Along with this boom, the road construction industry has been dealing with inflation-related cost increases and limited availability of construction materials. The industry has been impacted by supply-chain interruptions and shortages for many roadway materials including lime, cement, and even aggregate. These materials are typically used for roadway base construction, which means road construction projects that use these materials may be subject to delays. Due to these shortages and delays, on-site material or sand-filled GEOWEB® geocells can provide a cost-effective, readily available substitute for base materials–especially where native subgrade conditions consist of weak or soft soils. GEOWEB® Geocells for Roadway Base Stabilization The GEOWEB geocells have been used for load support and foundation applications worldwide for more than 40 years. Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the late 1970s, Presto co-invented the technology now known as geocells or a cellular confinement system (CCS). The early applications of geocells consisted primarily of stabilized, expedient… Read more »
Presto Geosystems Announces Launch of the ATRA® Wall Key
We are thrilled to announce our newest innovation at Presto Geosystems: the patented ATRA® Wall Key for the GEOWEB® Retaining Wall System. The ATRA Wall Key is used to connect adjacent GEOWEB Retaining Wall sections through the GEOWEB material slots (I-slots). The ATRA Wall Key includes an integrated washer at the base of the handle for coverage of the I-slots when connecting adjacent wall sections, frictional barbs for an improved interlock with the GEOWEB sections, and an ergonomic handle with S-shaped contouring for ease of installation. The ATRA Wall Keys are the most effective way to connect the GEOWEB Retaining Wall sections, ensuring the long-term success of your project. Made of non-reactive, chemically inert high-density polyethylene, the ATRA Wall Keys provide a more secure and permanent mechanical connection over staples or zip ties, and they are the only geocell connector specifically designed for use in exposed wall face applications. Formulated to withstand weathering and ultraviolet radiation, the ATRA Wall Keys will not corrode or photodegrade, even when exposed to harsh environments. Securing sections with the Wall Keys is faster than using staples or zip ties, requires no tools, and can be completed by one installer with one easy turn. The… Read more »
How Geosynthetics Are Uniquely Poised to Help Alleviate Congestion at U.S. Ports
Written by: Michael J. Dickey, PE, Director and Bryan Wedin, PE, Chief Design Engineer On May 6, 2022, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) released an amended Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), allocating over $234 million for port infrastructure development in 2022. Adding to the previously appropriated amount of $450 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), this will bring the total amount available for port improvement projects to $684 million for FY2022. The significance of this investment comes at a crucial time. According to the American Association of Port Authorities, the pandemic has laid bare the need for a transport system that is able to surge and stretch across all links—from sea, to land, to rail, to warehouse, to consumer. The question is, how can this funding be used to meet this need quickly and cost-effectively? The answer may lie in a strategy implemented in 2021 in the state of Georgia to alleviate congestion at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Port Authority, in partnership with Norfolk Southern, implemented a solution that has caught the attention of other U.S. port authorities and Class I railroads using what is being referred to as “pop-up container yards”…. Read more »
Sustainable Vegetated Channels = The Death of Rip Rap
Rip rap is a common channel protection method because of its resistance to most flows with appropriate rock size; however, it does have significant drawbacks. Material can be expensive, not locally available, and placement requires heavy equipment. Additionally, rip rap channels are prone to regular maintenance, collection of debris and garbage, erosion at boundaries, undermining, and movement. Naturally vegetated channels are grassed greenways that offer substantially lower maintenance and cost but are limited in their ability to resist moderate-high flows and shear forces even for short durations—unless the soils and vegetation can be stabilized. High-Performing Vegetated Solution The GEOWEB® Soil Confinement System offers protection to channels with continuous low flows—as well as moderate-to-high flow intermittent channels. The system’s honeycomb-like network creates check-dams that protect the soil layer from hydrological erosive forces and resulting erosion that impacts unconfined soils. Cell wall perforations lock up with the vegetative root for further stabilization. The GEOWEB single-layer vegetated channels can withstand ~9 ft/s (2.7 m/s), more than doubling the resistance of typical unsupported vegetated channels (4 ft/s (1.2 m/s). The GEOWEB channels can withstand even higher velocities—as high as 30 ft/s (9m/s)—with an overlying Turf Reinforcement Mat (TRM) when fully vegetated. This is a significant… Read more »
Meet the Presto Geosystems Team: Get to Know JP
We have a great team here at Presto Geosystems, so we thought it would be fun to share a bit more about each member through a new blog series. For our inaugural Meet the Presto Geosystems Team blog post, we are thrilled to introduce José Pablo George—Presto Geosystem’s International Business Manager (BDM). Let’s get to know JP… How long have you been with Presto Geosystems? Time slides and blurs in a funny way. It seems so natural for me to be doing what I do with GEO, as if I’ve always been here and can draw deeply on decades of experiences, yet at the same time I still have the positive outlook and optimism of a freshly minted graduate. The year-over-year calendar and the bits of chrome in my hair suggest a compromise: this year marks my eighth year with GEO; call me a well-seasoned new-ish guy. Can you tell us a bit about your background? My specialty is in establishing, culturing, and maintaining business relationships, especially with our international clients. My former life and experiences pre-Presto support this well. I was a Spanish teacher (secondary schools and technical colleges) for 17 years, and have the linguistic skills and cross-cultural… Read more »
Women in Engineering: Meet Sam Justice, P.E., Design Engineer at Presto Geosystems
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) takes place every year on June 23 to celebrate the work and achievements of women in the field of engineering. INWED provides an opportunity to raise the profile of women engineers and highlight the career opportunities available in this industry. Historically, women have been under-represented in the academic and professional engineering fields; however, numbers have increased over the years. In 1960, about 1% of all engineers were women. In 2019, women made up approximately 20% of the engineering workforce. Organizations like the UK’s Women’s Engineering Society (WES) hope to see these numbers grow even more as they work to provide young women with resources and opportunities that encourage them to pursue careers in engineering. The organization launched Women in Engineering Day in 2014, and the holiday became globally recognized in 2017. Each year, people participate in hundreds of INWED events across the globe. In honor of INWED 2021, we’re sitting down with Presto Geosystems’ very own Civil Design Engineer, Sam Justice. Backed by a decade of specialized engineering experience, Sam is an accomplished civil engineer with a proven history of guiding complex projects to successful outcomes. She holds a geotechnical engineering degree from… Read more »
Innovative Solutions for Designing & Constructing Transmission Line Roads & Substations
When natural disasters, power surges, accidents, or general equipment failures threaten the reliability of the power grid, maintenance crews must be able to quickly and safely access transmission lines and substations to make repairs. Designing resilient energy infrastructure that ensures power companies have a reliable, regular supply of energy and contingency measures in place in the event of a power failure is crucial to their business and the communities they serve. Build Sustainable Roads for Utility Transmission & Substation Access Accessing sites in remote or undeveloped areas can present several challenges for the energy industry when it comes to building, operating, and maintaining power transmission lines and substations. Soft soils and low-water crossings can make it difficult for utility vehicles to safely and effectively reach sites for routine maintenance and emergency repairs. The GEOWEB® 3D Soil Stabilization System is ideal for shallow ground improvement applications and can easily be incorporated into unpaved access roads for transmission lines and substations. The GEOWEB geocells, made from an all-weather high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, are durable, chemical resistant, and outperform standard two-dimensional geosynthetics through lateral confinement of infill materials, facilitating what is known as the “mattress effect” for distributing loads across weak subgrades. The… Read more »
Presto Geosystems’ Mission Statement and Philosophy
Our mission is to give the world a strong foundation to build on. Geosynthetics play a tremendous role in preserving the environment and building toward a more sustainable planet Earth. This Earth Day, we wanted to recognize this fact by sharing our updated mission statement and philosophy. Over the past several months, the team at Presto Geosystems met to discuss our mission, goals, and role in overcoming challenges related to climate change and environmental protection. Every day, we strive to lead the way for sustainable development that will improve the quality of life and foster opportunities for communities around the world. From these conversations, we tried to encapsulate this idea into a simple mission statement and philosophy that we can build upon as we continue to challenge ourselves and our industry. With the introduction of geocell soil confinement technology in the early 1980s, Presto Geosystems made history as one of the early pioneers in the world of geosynthetics. Four decades later, that innovative spirit is as alive today as it was at the beginning of our journey. Our products have been used on every continent and on thousands of projects to improve infrastructure reliability and environmental quality for communities around… Read more »
Designing and Building Sustainable Multi-Use Trails Using 3D Soil Confinement
Trails and greenways play a vital role in communities by preserving and creating open spaces for low or no-cost outdoor recreation. They encourage people to get outside and safely explore environmentally sensitive areas that would otherwise be difficult or dangerous to access. Trails also function as a safe transportation corridor for those who commute by foot or bicycle. When talking about recreational trails, it’s also important to acknowledge the economic impact they have on communities. Many recreational trails across the country are revenue-generating tourist destinations that positively impact local economies. Fundamentals of Good Recreational Trail Design There are three key considerations to good trail design: reinforcement, drainage, and confinement of surface materials. These are critical components required to withstand repeated traffic loading, resist degradation from erosion, and minimize environmental impact. Finding economical and low-maintenance solutions to stabilize trails and greenways can be difficult. It is even more challenging in poor soil environments or environmentally sensitive areas where minimal disturbance is allowed, or where paving or filling within an existing floodplain or coastal area is limited by local, state, or federal regulations. Presto Geosystems’ soil stabilization solutions overcome these challenges by providing low environmental impact options that offer long-term stability for… Read more »
800.548.3424
