FGI membership

Sioen is a member of FGI, the Fabricated Geomembrane Institute. The FGI is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to advancing the use of fabricated geomembranes through education, research and technology transfer.” Our FGI liaison is Greg Roscoe, General Manager of Sioen Coating in North America.

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) is an ‘industry-sponsored non-profit institute dedicated to advancing the use of fabricated geomembranes through education, research, and technology transfer. The FGI is located at the University of Illinois.

In addition to the previously mentioned dedication, the IGS’ goals are the following:

• Conduct applied research on the engineering, design, and performance of fabricated geomembranes.
• Develop test methods, standards of practice and standard guides for design and construction of fabricated geomembranes.
• Provide training and tutorial services to member organizations and their employees.
• Develop and provide short courses, conferences, symposia, workshops and training sessions on fabricated geomembranes.
• Provide fabricated geomembrane information retrieval services.
• Provide publications in the form of newsletters, books, manuals, reports, journals, papers, articles, columns, notes, and memos.
• Develop a library of case histories involving fabricated geomembranes and their behaviour.
• Develop and maintain a website that is the source for fabricated geomembrane news including new products, companies, employees, projects, design ideas, guidance documents, etc.
• Collaborate with other geosynthetics organizations, such as, the GMA, IFAI, ECTC, IAGI, to increase the use of fabricated geomembranes.
• Provide input to legislation related to geosynthetics and in particular fabricated geomembranes.
• Introduce fabricated geomembranes to more engineers and students.
• Involve other universities in FGI activities and research.
  (source)

What are fabricated geomembranes?

According to the FGI website, fabricated geomembranes are “geosynthetic lining materials that are flexible enough for panels to be joined in a factory environment to create large “single” panels of material that may be folded, rolled, and transported efficiently to a containment or project site. “

“There, the large panels are unrolled into position and unfolded without damage. This reduces the number of seams that must be conducted in the field, which facilitates faster, lower cost installations. Standard testing verification methods are available to ensure the factory seam quality too.”

Possible applications are mining works, aquaculture, sewage lagoons, landfills, water containment, etc.