EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE - THE LIGHT SOLUTION

Some 24 years of experience with Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) as a lightweight filling material have brought about both a wider use on a global scale and introduction of a number of different design applications. In addition to reduced vertical loads, advantages from using EPS may also include reduced horizontal loads, simplified designs and increased speed and ease of performing construction activities. Although special care should be observed to avoid damage related to buoyancy forces associated with fluctuating water levels and fire hazards during construction, existing fills have proved to behave as expected. A normal design life cycle of at least 100 years for the EPS blocks may therefore be counted on. Special applications of EPS, involving both a temporary realignment of a railway line as well as the reconstructed line and support for bridge abutments with continuous multispan concrete decks, are also described. For the covering abstract see ITRD E109968.