METRIC'S MANDATED, BUT ARE YOU READY?

A mandated switch to the metric system--System International (SI)--is under way and a unified industry approach would save time and money. This editorial urges the geosynthetics industry to agree on common units, conversion values, and rounding rules at an early stage to avoid problems. The authors propose simple rules that the industry could follow as it makes the transition to metric as the only way to specify, produce, purchase, and install geotextiles. Soft and hard conversions are explained. September 30, 1996, is the deaadline for all federal-aid construction contracts to be in metric measurements.