Building dikes with geosynthetics

TenCate, Pendergrass, Ga., manufactures the Mirafi® line of geosynthetics, used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build a rock dike at the Calcasieu River in Louisiana. The dike, 70 feet wide at its base and five miles long, used Mirafi HS900PP, a woven polyester and polypropylene hybrid, and Mirafi FW404, a high-flow separation geotextile. The hybrid provides high tensile strength at low strains and was placed directly on the river bottom for stability and even distribution of settling materials. The permeable Mirafi FW404 formed the outer shell of the dike, suspending dredge materials but allowing water to flow freely.

TenCate manufactures protective fabrics, outdoor fabrics, aerospace and armor composites, industrial fabrics and artificial turf. Superbowl XLII may be just a pleasant memory, but TenCate can boast of installing grass surfaces for both the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

For more information, visit the company’s Web site, www.tencate.com.