AASHTO Publications Fundamentals of Geosynthetic Materials (4 PDHs) TC3MS021-16-T1

This course offers professional development hours (PDHs). You will see the PDHs on your course completion certificate, which also serves as documentation of your attendance. PDH requirements vary, therefore, it is up to you to determine whether or not this particular course qualifies under your State or board requirements. Course overview: Geosynthetics is a generic term for all synthetic materials used in conjunction with soil, rock, and/or any other engineering related material as an integral part of a man-made project, structure, or system. It includes a broad range of synthetic products. This course provides an introduction to geosynthetic materials, including geosynthetic applications for transportation facilities, construction, and maintenance. It will also cover the types of functions geosynthetics perform, general construction procedures and inspection items for geosynthetic installations, appropriate material property and design parameter test methods for specific geosynthetic applications, and the need for site-specific monitoring or special inspection. This course is divided into four modules: • Module 1: Introduction to Geosynthetic Materials Used in Highway Applications; • Module 2: Applications of Geosynthetic Materials in Highway Construction; • Module 3: Index and Performance Tests; and • Module 4: Inspection and Acceptance. Training level: This training is recommended for the Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council levels II and III. Target audience: This training is designed for individuals in the following roles: construction inspectors responsible for reviewing material submittals from contractors and inspecting geosynthetic installation for conformance with project specifications, entry level and mid-level supervisors, and project/field technicians who are either installing or inspecting. Learning outcomes: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to: • Explain what a geosynthetic material is; • Describe the characteristics of geosynthetic materials; • Explain the different functions of geosynthetic materials (when they are used/what purpose they serve); • List the most common applications for geosynthetic materials; • Explain how geosynthetics are typically used in different highway construction applications; • Explain what index tests are, and what they measure; • Describe what NTPEP is, and why it is beneficial; • Explain what performance tests are, and what they measure; • Identify material/roll information on a geosynthetic product; • Summarize procedures for packaging and identification, receiving and storing, on-site handling, and sample identification of geosynthetic materials; • Explain how the DataMine tool can assist you; • Describe basic procedures for field inspection of geosynthetics; and • Determine the impact of proper and improper installation of geosynthetic materials.