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Geofoam Light-Weight Fill
Rigid cellular plastic foam, molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) has been used as super light-weight fill and in geotechnical insulation applications for more than 25 years.
As light-weight fill, Geofoams manufactured by Insulation Technology, Inc. offer special advantages for: construction on soft ground; slope stabilization; and retaining wall or abutment backfill. The low thermal conduction property of Geofoam is used in roadway and runway subgrade insulation and frost protected shallow foundation construction.

Why Choose Geofoam?
Design and construction on soft ground has been a challenging area of geotechnical engineering practice for a long time. Increasing population and growing necessity to use marginal land in many parts of the world demand innovative and economical solutions for site development on poor foundation soils. Such sites usually have poor bearing capacity, therefore ground stability problems become a major challenge. Even if stability can be assured by proper design, long-term settlements often become an important consideration. Development alternatives that involve substantial placement of natural aggregates over poor foundation soils often result in increased overburden stress and excessive settlements - even with creative use of synthetic fabrics and soil reinforcement. In some areas, supplies of natural aggregates are limited or have been exhausted. Use of sand and gravel materials in construction and site development can be limited to essential applications through alternative use of equivalent or superior light-weight fill materials. Geofoam options can offer cost-effective, superior solutions for geotechnical applications.

Ideally Suited for Cold Climates
In cold climate regions, the structural thickness and long-term performance of airport and highway pavements may be governed by frost rather than subgrade strength considerations. In such cases, substantial savings and improved performance can be effected by using Geofoam for subgrade insulation. Local building codes in cold regions require building foundations and floor slab grades to extend below the depth of frost penetration. This has generally required construction of basements or crawl space below a structural floor as standard practice. Extensive experience with frost protected shallow foundations in Scandinavian countries has demonstrated that slab-on-grade and shallow foundation construction methods ) can be employed in cold climate regions through use of Geofoam as insulation. Also, depth requirements for pipeline burials below frost-penetration may be reduced with Geofoam insulation.

Ease of Handling
Individual Geofoam blocks or boards can be handled by one or two workers. Smaller shapes and sizes required at the job site can be cut by either a chain saw or hot wire. The placement of Geofoam blocks should be staggered to interlock and joints between block layers should not be continuous. Orientation and placement of Geofoam blocks or boards is very similar to brick laying. Where considered necessary, adjacent blocks and Geofoam layers are interconnected by timber fasteners.

For more information about Insulation Technology Inc.'s Geofoam products, please contact us online or give us a call at 508 697-6926.
We look forward to hearing from you soon and welcome the opportunity to quote your next project.