How can expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam be used in soft soil remediation, especially in road construction? Traditional heavy fill materials, such as soil, sand and rocks sometimes have to be completely ruled out. In certain construction sites, the soil won’t hold additional weight or might absorb the fill material, causing post-construction settlement.
Construction techniques to work around soft soil conditions can be costly and complex, yet EPS geofoam can be used as a very effective replacement for traditional heavy fill materials due to a combination of very low weight plus a high compressive strength of deformation.
In road construction using EPS geofoam, typically an initial course of sand is compacted at the base of the construction for a new highway or road. The geofoam is then layered up in blocks with courses staggered if required to improve strength. The geofoam has now replaced the bulk and the weight of the construction. Before the pavement layer or driving surface, additional layers are often applied such as a hydrocarbon resistant cover, depending on the site situation.
In this way, the EPS geofoam slots easily into place with the other layers of materials required to complete the road. It provides an evenly distributed load which is easy to calculate and does not resettle overtime. With less weight of materials to handle on site, this means reduced stress and weight on the whole construction area.