On July 25, 2006, a showcase was conducted in Alexandria, Virginia to discuss uses of a technology called Expanded Polystyrene Geofoam (EPS Geofoam). Some questions that were proposed at the outset were: When working on roadway projects, do you occasionally run across situations where the underlying soft soil is too soft and compressible to carry designed loads, or the estimated time-rate of settlement of an embankment exceeds acceptable standards? Have costly corrective fill measures still resulted in significant settlement or decreased stability over time? Do you deal with failing slopes, excessive culvert loads, or problems with high lateral loads behind retaining structures?

 

Expanded Polystyrene Geofoam has the potential to correct these problems!

 

EPS Geofoam is a rigid foam plastic engineered with a unit density as low as 1 pound per square foot, thus delivering a material that is 100 times lighter than most soils. In particular situations this extreme difference in density makes EPS Geofoam an attractive fill option. A lightweight manufactured molded block, EPS Geofoam can be easily cut to any size or shape at the job site. Additionally, as an embankment soil alternative, EPS Geofoam can be covered to look like a normal slope embankment or finished to look like a wall. This technology, when properly applied in the appropriate situation is a field tested, budget-friendly winner. Here is a look at some of the less obvious but very important field proven benefits:

 

• Accelerated construction
• Payroll, transportation and equipment cost savings
• Reduced labor time for construction
• Exerts little or no lateral load on retaining structures
• Easily constructed in limited right-of-way situations
• Allows application in adverse weather conditions

 

On Tuesday, July 25, 2006, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and URS Corporation joined together with the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Resource Center, and the Virginia and Florida Local Technical Assistance Programs to present a one-day Demonstration Showcase on EPS Geofoam and recommended field applications- what to do and what not to do.

 

At the Showcase, participants experienced and evaluated all aspects of this unique technology. Here's a look at what happened:

 

• Silas Nichols, FHWA Senior Geotechnical Engineer, discussed the history and recommended applications for this technology.
• VDOT planners, designers, and engineers discussed every aspect of the showcased project.
• Representatives from CETCO Contracting Services, the project
   construction contractor, offered insights on the EPS Geofoam technology
   from their perspective as the installing contractor.
• A guided field visit to a previous EPS Geofoam installation
   provided an opportunity for in-use evaluation. There is not much to
   see... but that's the point!
• A guided visit to the actual construction site where participants
   gained a real-time experience with EPS Geofoam block preparation and
   placement.
• A post-showcase support team is available to assist with first-time applications back home.

 

Our goal was to provide a well-rounded professional learning experience including experienced professional support for your future EPS Geofoam implementation efforts.

 

Editorial Note: Showcases are designed to be a total learning experience to assist decision makers in evaluating a new technology, product or process. they are offered only as evaluation experiences and should not be interpreted as endorsements, implied or otherwise, for a particular product, service, or technology.