
Arnstein Watn
KEYNOTE LECTURES – Geosynthetics in the northern countries: geotechnical and environmental challenges
BIOGRAPHY:
M.Sc geotechnical Engineering from NTNU 1981. More than 40 years experience with varied geotechnical consulting, public authority, research and education. Project Manager for national and international design, construction and research project in geotechnics. Participation and project director for a number of large construction projects and research and development projects nationally and internationally including climate adaption, roads, railroads, quays, airfields, dam structures and more.
30 years of experience as sensor and research fellow at University level. More than 150 scientific publications. Long experience in giving courses, leading work-shops and giving presentations at seminars and conferences nationally and internationally. 30 years of experience from national and international standardisation work on geosynthetics, lightweight materials and geotechnical work. Previous board member of the Norwegian Geotecnical society (NGS), leader of the NGS geosynthetic committee and past President of IGS Norwegian Chapter.
ABSTRACT:
Nordic countries commonly have challenging conditions with soft subsoil and changing climate and soil improvement based on natural vegetation (trees, bushes, weeds) has been used in the Nordic countries since more than 1000 years. The introduction of geosynthetics around 1970 provided a good possibility for providing environmental friendly structural solutions that were beneficial technically and economically. A system for classification of geosynthetics for separation and filtration was proposed by the Norwegian Directorate of roads in 1978. This has been the basis for NorGeoSpec, a common system for certification of geosynthetics operating for more than 20 years covering Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
A guideline for design and construction of reinforced soil structures were developed as a co-operation between the Nordic geotechnical societies in 2000. Geosynthetics have been used for large number of construction projects. Special structural solutions include vegetated steep slopes with peat block front for frost insulation and a combination of geosynthetic reinforcement and light weight clay aggregate to provide light wight structural solutions with frost insulation.
A number of research projects have been carried out to develop structural solutions and construction methods for Nordic conditions. The projects include testing of geosynthetic for erosion control in Arctic conditions as far north as Svalbard. The possibility for installing geosynthetics under temperatures down to -25 were carried out in Kemi in Finland close to the Swedish border as a co-operation between the Nordic Traffic authorities, Universities , research institutes and a group of producers.
There has been a long tradition of co-operation in the field of geosynthetics between the Nordic countries related to research, education, certification and on marketing and sales. A common Nordic chapter of IGS which was formerly established from 2023 and hopefully will be the basis for further development of geosynthetics “under Aurora Borealis”.