EPS GEOFOAM FILL
PART 1 GENERAL
1.1SECTION INCLUDES
A.Expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam fill used in constructing
embankments.
1.2RELATED SECTIONS
A.Section 02056: Embankment, Borrow, and Backfill
B.Section 02075: Geotextiles
C.Section 02317: Structural Excavation and Backfill
D.Section 03211: Reinforcing Steel and Welded Wire
E.Section 03310: Structural Concrete
F.Section 03575: Flowable Fill
1.3REFERENCES
A.ASTM D 6817: Standard Specification for Rigid Cellular Polystyrene
Geofoam
B.AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications
C.UDOT Geotechnical Manual of Instruction (GMOI)
1.4DEFINITIONS
A.EPS Engineer – The engineer designing the EPS geofoam fill.
B.Manufacturer – The EPS molder who manufactures the EPS geofoam fill.
C.Installer – The Contractor or subcontractor installing the EPS geofoam fill.
EPS Geofoam Fill
1.5SUBMITTALS
A.Manufacturer Qualifications for review. Include at least the following:
1.The company name.
2.Documentation of UL certification for fabricating EPS geofoam
blocks.
3.The manufacturer’s quality control program for the project
4.A list of at least three projects of similar size and scope completed
in the last five years demonstrating successful supply of EPS geofoam fills. List the following for each project:
a.Project name, project location (state and route identifiers),
owner, and approximate date of project opening to traffic.
b.A brief description of the scope of work and quantities
supplied.
c.Two owner or agent references and their contact information
(phone and email). 1) Satisfactory references are those responsible for oversight or inspection of the project.
5.The manufacturer’s construction, installation, handling, and storage
requirements.
B.EPS Engineer Qualifications for review. Include at least the following:
1.Company and EPS Engineer’s Name
2.A list of at least three projects of similar size and scope completed
in the last five years demonstrating successful design and construction of EPS geofoam fills. List the following for each project:
a.Project name, project location (state and route identifiers),
owner, and approximate date of project opening to traffic.
b.A brief description of the scope of work and quantities
installed.
c.Two owner or agent references and their contact information
(phone and email). 1) Satisfactory references are those responsible for oversight or inspection of the project.
C.Installer Qualifications for review. Include at least the following:
1.Company and superintendent’s name
2.A list of at least three projects of similar size, scope, and application
completed under the direction of the superintendent in the last five years demonstrating successful construction of EPS geofoam embankments and fills. List the following for each project:
a.Project name, project location (state and route identifiers),
owner, and approximate date of project opening to traffic.
EPS Geofoam Fill
b.A brief description of the scope of work and quantities
installed.
c.Two owner or agent references and their contact information
(phone and email). 1) Satisfactory references are those responsible for oversight or inspection of the project.
D.EPS Geofoam Fill Drawings for review. Include at least the following:
1.Plans, profiles, cross-sections, quantities, and details for the EPS
geofoam fill and the load distribution slab, including the following:
a.Locations and limits of the types and minimum compressive
resistance of EPS geofoam used.
b.Placement tolerance of EPS geofoam during construction.
c.Provisions for facilities that penetrate the EPS geofoam fill or
load distribution slab, such as drainage catch basins, sewer manholes, piping, utilities, and other buried facilities. 1) Include details showing backfill or placement of flowable fill in void spaces around utility or drainage systems. 2) Include details showing how bridge elements such as drainage catch basins that penetrate the load distribution slab are allowed to move independently from the load distribution slab.
d.Methods, sequence, and equipment for placing the EPS
geofoam blocks and load distribution slab.
e.Methods of providing continuity across horizontal and
vertical joints. 1) Details of shear keys, if used. 2) Details of interlocking or keying of the EPS fill into previous EPS fills or existing embankments.
f.Details of the interface and interaction of the EPS geofoam
with abutments and wingwalls.
g.Details for stepping the EPS geofoam to transition from the
EPS geofoam fill to the earth embankment.
h.Protective measures and equipment access limitations for
placed EPS geofoam.
2.Safety Plan
a.Safety measures for fills greater than 6 ft high
b.Method of securing blocks against wind
3.Design calculations and supporting data
4.Provide the seal of a Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer
licensed in the State of Utah on the drawings, calculations, and safety plan.
EPS Geofoam Fill
E.Certified test results from a testing agency independent from the
manufacturer certifying material compliance with the specified performance characteristics, criteria, and physical requirements in ASTM D 6817 and this Section.
F.Certification from the EPS Engineer that the installed EPS geofoam fill
meets the requirements of ASTM D 6817 and this Section.
1.Include quality control sampling and testing results from a testing
agency independent from the manufacturer.
1.6QUALITY CONTROL TESTING
A.Provide quality control testing of EPS geofoam by a third party testing
company independent of the manufacturer before shipment to the project site.
1.Sample and test for the material properties and using the test
methods specified in ASTM D 6817.
a.Sampling and testing may occur at the manufacturing plant
before shipment or at the project site.
b.Sampling and testing at the manufacturing plant
1) Test at least one set of samples (10 samples per set) for each EPS geofoam block type from each 325 cubic yard sample size. 2) Mark the EPS geofoam blocks corresponding to the sample sets successfully tested. 3) Deliver to the project site only EPS geofoam blocks that have been marked as corresponding to successfully tested sample sets.
c.Sampling and testing at the project site
1) Test at least five sets of samples (10 samples per set) from the first 500 cubic yards of EPS geofoam delivered to the project site. 2) Testing frequency may be reduced to one set of samples for every 325 cubic yards of EPS geofoam if all tests in the first 500 cubic yards of EPS geofoam comply with the testing requirements.
a.Each 325 cubic yards of EPS geofoam is
considered one sample size.
EPS Geofoam Fill
3) If any of the tests from a 325 cubic yard sample size fails, then:
a.Additional testing is required for that sample
size.
b.Testing of the following 500 cubic yards of EPS
geofoam will follow the testing requirements of the first 500 cubic yards delivered to the project site. 4) The Engineer may require additional testing.
2.Test for compressive resistance at 1 percent strain, 5 percent
strain, and 10 percent strain.
1.7QUALITY ASSURANCE
A.The Engineer may test EPS geofoam at any time for compliance with
material properties according to ASTM D 6817.
1.Provide samples to the Engineer.
2.The Engineer determines the block(s) to be sampled.
1.8MANUFACTURER REQUIREMENTS
A.Be UL certified for fabricating EPS geofoam blocks.
1.9DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
A.General
1.Design the EPS geofoam fill according to the AASHTO LRFD
Bridge Design Specifications and the GMOI.
2.Design the EPS geofoam embankments against buoyancy for the
design groundwater elevations shown.
3.Design the EPS geofoam fill for zero-net loading when shown.
4.Provide continuity across continuous horizontal and vertical joints.
5.Interlock or key the EPS geofoam fill into previous EPS geofoam
fills or existing embankments.
6.Design transitions from the EPS geofoam fill to the earth
embankment to meet differential settlement requirements.
B.Block layout
1.Design the surface upon which each layer of blocks is placed to be
flat and level.
2.Orient the longitudinal axes of blocks within a layer parallel to each
other.
EPS Geofoam Fill
3.Avoid continuous joints between blocks
a.Offset blocks in a row at least 2 ft relative to adjacent blocks
in rows of the same layer and between adjacent layers.
b.Rotate blocks 90 degrees horizontally from the direction of
placement of the layer below
4.Orient the top layer of blocks to be perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis of the roadway alignment.
5.Orient blocks with the thickness aligned vertically.
C.Use a cast-in-place concrete load distribution slab.
D.Do not use “gripper plates” or steel plates that pierce the EPS geofoam
blocks during construction.
E.Provide a separation geotextile where soil backfill will be placed directly
over EPS geofoam fill.
PART 2 PRODUCTS
2.1MATERIALS
A.EPS Geofoam
1.Use EPS geofoam blocks that meet the requirements of ASTM D
6817 and with the minimum compressive resistances shown in the authorized EPS geofoam fill drawings.
a.Use virgin feedstock having no regrind content.
b.Use EPS geofoam blocks with flame retardant additives that
meet or exceed UL Certifications of Classification for External Fire Exposure and Surface Burning Characteristics.
c.Use EPS geofoam blocks treated to prevent insect attack
when shown. 1) Treatment method is as recommended by the manufacturer and approved by the Engineer.
2.Use EPS geofoam blocks with the following minimum dimensions,
unless otherwise shown in the authorized drawings:
a.Width: 4 ft
b.Length: 8 ft
c.Thickness: 3 ft
These dimensions may be altered in the working drawings to account for vertical and horizontal requirements.
3.Fabricate EPS geofoam blocks so that all surfaces are smooth and
flat and are within tolerance of 0.5% of respective width, length, and thickness dimensions.
EPS Geofoam Fill
B.Load Distribution Slab
1.Concrete
a.Class AA(AE). Refer to Section 03055.
2.Reinforcing Steel
a.Coated. Refer to Section 03211.
C.EPS Bedding
1.Granular Backfill Borrow. Refer to Section 02056.
a.Limit the percent passing the No. 200 sieve to 5 percent or
less.
D.Separation Geotextile
1.Refer to Section 02075. Nonwoven.
E.Flowable Fill
1.Refer to Section 03575.
PART 3 EXECUTION
3.1GENERAL
A.Haul, store, and ship EPS geofoam blocks according to the
manufacturer’s recommendations and in a manner that minimizes the potential of producing defects.
B.Visually observe each EPS geofoam block delivered to the site to confirm
EPS geofoam type and check for damage, for label information, and for quality control marking if quality control testing occurs at the manufacturing plant.
1.Blocks with damage less than 1 ft3 and with no linear dimension
greater than 1 ft may be left in place as-is.
2.Remove from the site blocks with damage that exceeds these
limits.
a.Damaged EPS geofoam blocks may be cut and the
undamaged portion used within the EPS geofoam fill, provided the undamaged portion of the EPS geofoam block meets all other requirements
C.Construct the EPS geofoam fill according to the authorized EPS geofoam
fill drawings.
EPS Geofoam Fill
D.Coordinate EPS geofoam placement with installation of geotechnical
instrumentation.
1.Do not begin EPS geofoam placement until it is determined that the
geotechnical instrumentation is working properly.
3.2EXCAVATION
A.Excavate to the lines and grades shown.
1.Refer to Section 02317.
3.3FOUNDATION PREPARATION
A.Compact the foundation soils using at least three passes of a light-weight
smooth-drum roller, or as determined by the Engineer before EPS bedding placement.
B.Over-excavate unsuitable foundation soils and replace with EPS bedding,
or with other suitable material as directed by the Engineer.
C.Remove standing water, frozen subgrade, and accumulations of snow or
ice before placing EPS geofoam blocks.
3.4EPS BEDDING
A.Place and compact the EPS bedding below the EPS geofoam fill as
shown.
1.Place EPS bedding upon properly placed and compacted
foundation soils.
2.Compact the EPS bedding using at least three passes of a light-
weight smooth-drum roller, or as determined by the Engineer before EPS geofoam placement.
3.Provide a compacted thickness of at least 8 inch.
3.5PROTECTION OF EPS GEOFOAM
A.Prevent damage to the EPS geofoam blocks during storage and
construction according to the EPS Engineer’s and manufacturer’s recommendations.
B.Cover EPS geofoam blocks that will be exposed to the sun for more than
90 days with opaque material.
C.Protect EPS geofoam blocks from petroleum based solvents such as
gasoline or diesel fuel.
EPS Geofoam Fill
D.Do not expose or place EPS near open flames or potential ignition
sources.
E.Protect workers from slippery EPS geofoam surfaces that can occur
during cold, wet weather.
F.Protect EPS geofoam blocks from damage due to construction equipment
or vehicles.
1.Do not allow construction equipment or vehicles directly on the EPS
geofoam blocks.
2.The EPS Engineer determines the required protection of the EPS
geofoam and load distribution slab for specific equipment or vehicles.
G.Provide temporary weighting or guying to securely restrain EPS geofoam
blocks against wind and weather, both during construction and during periods of downtime when EPS geofoam is not being placed, such as at nights, weekends, or holidays.
3.6PLACEMENT
A.Place EPS geofoam fill at the lines and grades shown in the authorized
EPS geofoam fill drawings.
B.Construct rows of EPS geofoam blocks that are to receive additional EPS
geofoam blocks with a surface variation tolerance of no more than 1/2 inch in a 10 ft interval.
C.Limit the horizontal gap between adjacent EPS geofoam blocks to less
than 1 inch.
D.Limit vertical steps in the EPS geofoam fill to at most 2 ft.
E.Trim EPS geofoam blocks in the shop or in the field to construct a 3:1
slope between steps at the top of the EPS geofoam fill finished grade, or as necessary to match the geometry of the fill being constructed.
1.Use a saw or hot wire to trim EPS geofoam blocks.
2.Alternative cutting methods may be used with the Engineer’s
approval.
F.Place each consecutive row of EPS geofoam blocks rotated 90 degrees in
the horizontal plane from the previously placed row to form a running bond offset of at least 2 ft.
EPS Geofoam Fill
G.Consecutive vertical joints less than 2 ft apart are not allowed with the
exception of the vertical joints at the phasing line shown in the working drawings.
H.Do not place EPS geofoam blocks when wind speeds exceed 20 mph.
I.Use precast concrete block bar supports to support reinforcing steel
during construction of load distribution slab.
3.7CAST-IN-PLACE LOAD DISTRIBUTION SLAB
A.Place, finish, and cure concrete according to Section 03310.
END OF SECTION
EPS Geofoam Fill
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Source: Utah Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 293–302 of 1,331.
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