Build to Last- Innovations for Water and Waste Water Conveyance using Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) Henry Miller Irrigation District - A Case History

Build to Last- Innovations for Water and Waste Water Conveyance using Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) Henry Miller Irrigation District - A Case History

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Emerging technologies for water conveyance and containment Authors Mr. Nathan Ivy - United States - Concrete Canvas Abstract GCCM’s represent the newest class of geosynthetics that can be used for water conveyance and containment applications. Since their initial introduction nearly 15 years ago, ASTM D8364-Standard Specification for Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCM) Materials has been developed as the internationally recognized standard for testing and classifying GCCM as Type I, II or III. All products discussed herein meet or exceed all aspects of this standard – regardless of type. These products combine both a concrete – hard armor – top surface for protection and an LLDPE geomembrane bottom surface for lower permeability. The panels can be mechanically joined or thermally bonded to provide a lower permeability system. These products provide a long-lived system – in excess of 50 years – while also delivering a solution with a carbon reduction in excess of 60% over traditional construction methods. Installation of GCCM is up to 10 times faster than traditional methods such as pour-in-place concrete, cast-in-place concrete or other hard armor solutions, delivering an in-service system in a fraction of the time normally required with no specialized labor or equipment. In addition to water conveyance, GCCMs can also be used for erosion control, slope protection and weed suppression among other applications.