Geofoam is commonly used for lightweight roads as well as construction of other types. In fact, geofoam has been used for lightweight roads for more than 50 years. This lightweight fill material is used in block form to facilitate rapid road building that proves stable across posterity.
Geofoam blocks are stacked atop one another until just the right elevation is reached. These blocks are then covered with a geomembrane and subsequently topped off with either concrete or asphalt. The beauty of using geofoam for lightweight roads is it is comparably affordable, requires less time than other approaches, and empowers contractors to alter projects as desired based on field conditions. Add in the fact that geofoam is easy to use and quite forgiving and there is all the more reason to use it to build lightweight roads.
Alternatively, heavy fill materials are difficult to transport and more expensive. Geofoam replaces soils that are compressible or used in place of those bulky fill materials for optimal loading on the soil below as well as structures adjacent to the road. Geofoam’s superior compressive resistance ensures it can adequately support traffic above. The icing on the cake is the fact that geofoam is easy to handle, especially when juxtaposed against heavier fill material. There is no need to use any type of special equipment when using geofoam for building lightweight roads.
Furthermore, geofoam is a fully engineered product, meaning it is put to the test with quality assurance testing amidst a rigorous engineering process. The same cannot be said of other fill materials that often do not pass through the same level of testing or, in some cases, require QA and QC testing that chews up an excessive amount of time. Opt for geofoam for your lightweight road and you will find it bolsters the pavement’s lifespan, ensuring ample reinforcement, filtration, and durability
