As sustainability and efficiency have become higher priorities for the construction industry, a material that’s been around since the 1950s has been surging in popularity.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam, is a form of lightweight thermal plastic produced in sheets or large blocks. Since it first hit the market more than 60 years ago, it has been used primarily for filling voids in soil created during construction projects like highways, bridge embankments, and parking lots.
Soil can be unpredictable and inconsistent, varying greatly in its composition from location to location. Geofoam acts as a lightweight base material, maintaining similar strength as soil while being just 1–2% as dense.
Surprises are definitely the last thing engineers want when stabilizing a steep slope or choosing a material for structural retention. Since it’s man-made, geofoam is highly consistent from batch to batch. It’s also highly insulative and will never break down and leech into the soil. In fact, it can even be dug up and used again.
These are just some of the material’s advantages, which helps account for its expanding use in construction projects.