WEIMAR, GERMANY — Roughly 120 visitors came to the renowned Bauhaus University Weimar for a Department of Civil Engineering event entitled “Energy. Experiment. Experience.” One of the event’s highlights included the first public testing of geogrid-reinforced stone columns using a 2.2-ton vehicle. NAUE GmbH & Co. KG, an international manufacturer of geosynthetics, worked with Prof. -Ing. Karl Josef Witt, PhD and Dipl.-Ing. Mary Noack from the Bauhaus University Weimar, to create the geogrid-reinforced stone columns on which the car was supported. The geogrid used in the experiment was NAUE’s Secugrid.

The four columns, each 40 x 40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 x 16 in.), were constructed in front of the audience. Crushed gravel 8 mm – 32 mm (0.3 in – 1.25 in.) was poured into the formwork with NAUE Secugrid 40/40 Q1 geogrid inserted every 10 cm (4 in.) to create three layers of reinforcement.

When the forklift was ready to set the vehicle upon the Secugrid-reinforced columns, a few doubting voices were heard in the audience. “A reinforcement geogrid cannot support that,” some said. “It will collapse,” others agreed.

Two television crews were on hand to capture what would happen when the forms were removed and Secugrid’s ability to absorb such direct forces was put to the test. And as the formworks fell and the vehicle weight could be observed settling in the tires, the reinforced columns held. More than 2,200 kg (4,800 lbs.) stood firmly and safely upon Secugrid’s strength.

The audience, media representatives, and civil engineering professors were enthusiastic. The Bauhaus University Weimar, Department of Civil Engineering faculty, had successfully demonstrated how well modern geosynthetic reinforcement techniques perform. The soil-strengthening force of NAUE’s Secugrid 40/40 Q1 made it possible.

To view video documentation, visit www.naue.com/video-en.

For more information on NAUE GmbH & Co. KG and Secugrid geogrids, contact info@NAUE.com or visit www.naue.com or www.secugrid.com.