Contents PREFACE xiii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS — xv 1 OVERVIEW OF GEOS YNTHETICS 1 1.0 Introduction 2 LI Basie Description of Geosynthetics 4 LLL Types of Geosynthetics 6 1.1.2. Functions Provided by Geosynthetics 11.3 Market Activity 9 1.2. Polymeric Materials (aka, Plastics) 11 1.2.1 BriefOverview 11 1.2.2. Polymer Identification 16 1.2.3. Polymer Formulations 30 1.3. Overview of Geotextiles 33 13.1 History 33 1.3.2 Manufacture 35 1.3.3. Current Uses 44 134 Sales 46 9 viiOverview of Geogrids 47 14.1 History 47 1.4.2 Manufacture 48 14.3 Current Uses 50 144 Sales 51 Overview of Geonets 51 1.5.1 History 51 2 Manufacture 52 3 Current Uses 54 15.4 Sales 55 Overview of Geomembranes 55 16.1 History 55 6.2 Manufacture 57 6.3 Current Uses 65 64 Sales 67 Overview of Geosynthetic Clay Liners 67 1.7.1 History 67 1.7.2. Manufacture 68 1.7.3 Current Uses 70 1.74 Sales 71 Overview of Geofoam = 71. 1.8.1 History 71 1.8.2 Manufacture 72 1.8.3. Current Uses 74 1.8.4 Sales 74 Overview of Geocomposites 75 1.9.1 Geotextile-Geonet Composites 75 1.9.2 Geotextile-Polymer Core Composites 75 1.9.3 Geotextile-Geomembrane Composites 76 1.9.4 Geomembrane-Geogrid Composites 76