GeotextilesandGeomembranes15 (1997)39-57

~) 1998Elsevier Science Limited

Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved
02j66-1144/97$17.00
ELSEVIER PII: S0266- 1 1 44(97)00006-X

EPS in Road Construction Current Situation in Germany

Giselher B e i n b r e c h a & Roderich Hillmann b

aBASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany
bGerman Federal Highway Research Institute, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

ABSTRACT

Studies on the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a lightweight embank-

ment sub-base material began in Germany in the 1980s. This paper describes
full-scale model studies carried out with the testing facilities of the German
Federal Highway Research Institute (Bundesanstalt ffir Straflenwesen, BASt)
and the additional deformation studies carried out at BASF. The BASt studies
allow a comparison of various pavement structures on top of the EPS layers,
from which general recommendations for the thickness of the pavement layers
as a function of traffic load can be derived.
EPS was first used in Germany in March 1995 in an abutment fill during
construction of a freeway. The knowledge obtained will also be reported.
In parallel to these studies, a working committee within the Highway and
Traffic Research Society (Forschungsgesellschaft ffir Straflen- und Verkehrs-
wesen, FGSV) has drawn up a code of practice on the use of rigid EPS foams
in the construction of road embankments. This paper also discusses the most
important points in this code of practice concerning different cross-sections of
structures using EPS, thickness guidelines and quality control methods.
© 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.

INTRODUCTION

The potential uses of rigid foams made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) in
road construction were investigated in Germany in the late 1950s, i.e. shortly
after the discovery of the material at BASF in Ludwigshafen. By the mid-
1960s, thin Styropor ®* boards had been used for the first time instead of

*Styropor is the BASF trademark for E P S .

39
40 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

conventional frost protection layers in the pavement (Hohwiller & Aposto-

poulos, 1973), utilizing the heat-insulating action of this material. However,
this application is restricted predominantly to highlands and mountain areas,
where severe winters require special frost protection measures. Attention in
Germany was called to the use of EPS as a lightweight sub-base material in
the construction of roads on weak subsoil by the development of this
construction method in Norway.
Since the mid-1980s, German engineers have shown increasing interest in
the G E O F O A M construction method. The 'Earthworks and Foundation
Engineering' working group of the Highway and Traffic Research Society
(Forschungsgesellschaft ffir StraBen- und Verkehrswesen, FGSV) set up a
working committee on lightweight sub-base materials in 1989, which drew
up guidelines for the use of rigid EPS foam in Germany. These guidelines
took into account both the practical experience obtained with this material
abroad and the results from domestic and international research work. One
of the most important scientific studies was an investigation on full-scale
models in the large testing installation at the German Federal Highway
Research Institute (Bundesanstalt ffir StraBenwesen, BASt).
The result of this was the publication by the FGSV in 1995 of a code of
practice for the use of rigid EPS foams in the construction of road embank-
ments (Merkblatt ffir die Verwendung von EPS-Hartschaumstoffen beim
Bau von StraBend/immen, 1995), with recommendations for planning and
construction methods. In the same year, rigid EPS foam was used in an
experimental section of an abutment fill during construction of the A 31
freeway in order to obtain further practical experience with the EPS
construction method.

STUDIES ON M O D E L ROADS

Between 1989 and 1993, the BASt examined various pavement structures in
full-scale models with rigid EPS foam sub-base (Bull-Wasser, 1993). In these
studies in the large testing installation, two layers of rigid EPS foam slabs of
a total thickness of 1.0 m were placed on soft silt, and were covered by three
different pavement structures (Fig. 1).
The thickness of the layers above the EPS was 560mm in all sections.
They differ in the type of pavement immediately above the EPS. In section 1,
a 140-mm-thick concrete slab was used, reinforced in the center to restrict
the width of cracks. In section 2, gravel from a local pit was placed directly
above the EPS layers. In section 3, the EPS layers were covered by a 200-mm
layer of cement-bound sand. For each section, a sub-section with 220 mm,
and a sub-section with 140-mm asphalt layers was produced. These thick-
 EPS in road construction--current situation in Germany 41

!
== o

0 O 0

O O

O 0

~6
Q
r~

o
c~ c~

0 o
l ! O ~

"/ '~~~ '~': W~

:.:o-... F
: o "- "o'
....IN ~=,
0

oo "°'o; :I :I

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!
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42 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

TABLE 1
Results of Subsidence Measurements by Various Measurement Methods Before and After
Long-term Traffic Load

Section 1 2 3
Pavement above EPS Concrete slab Gravel layer Cement-bound sand
Thickness of asphalt layers 220ram 140ram 220mm 140ram 220mm 140mm
Benkelman beam measurements
Subsidence (mm) - - n o load 0.56 0.67 2-40 3.08 0.72 0-68
--load 0-55 0.61 2.73 3-99 1-08 0.93
FWD measurements
Subsidence (mm) - - n o load 0.47 0.57 0-81 1.35 0.44 0.48
--load 0-48 0.61 1.27 2.10 0.49 0.67
Permanent subsidence Wp (mm) 1.8 4-4 26.8 48.5 a 3.2 7.1
after 1 million simulated wheel
passes

aCracks after 450000 simulated wheel passes.

nesses of bituminous pavement conform to construction classes III and V,

respectively, of the German guidelines for the standardization of the pave-
ment of traffic areas-RStO 86/89, Table 1, Line 1: Standard cross-sections
for bituminous pavement constructions (Richtlinien ftir die Standardisierung
des Oberbaues von Verkehrsfl~ichen, 1986/89). Differences in thickness
between the test sections were evened out by the unbound base course. The
thin pavement of 560 mm only was chosen in order to achieve maximum
stressing of the EPS structure by the traffic load.
One of the aims of the studies was to compare the load-bearing capacity
and the deformation behavior of the various pavement structures above the
EPS layers under static and dynamic load and under long-term traffic load.
To facilitate comparison with pavements of conventional construction, the
measurement methods usually applied in practice were used to determine the
load-bearing capacity of the test sections. These methods included subsi-
dence measurements using a Benkelman beam and deflection measurements
using a falling weight deflectometer (FWD). The results are shown in
Table 1.
The long-term traffic load was simulated using pulse generators that were
moved over the test sections in the longitudinal and transverse directions in
order to simulate traffic conditions. In 16 runs, a total of N~106 wheel
passes with a wheel load of 50kN were simulated. After each run, the
permanent subsidence Wp (wheel tracks) was measured. The subsidence after
106 wheel passes is also shown in Table 1.
In sections 1 and 3, the permanent subsidence is smaller than usually
 E P S in road construction--current situation in Germany 43

occurs in this type of pavement. In section 2 with 220-mm asphalt layers, the
permanent subsidence is greater than in a conventional sub-base. In section 2
with a 140-mm asphalt layer, longitudinal and transverse cracking occurred
after 450000 simulated wheel passes. The pavement had failed, because the
allowable extension of the asphalt layers was exceeded as a consequence of
the mean stiffness of the lower layers. However, excavation showed no
evidence of permanent deformation of the EPS.
It can be generally concluded from these results that thin layers above EPS
must have a certain rigidity to distribute the load. If the construction is to
withstand traffic loads higher than those defined in construction class III, the
distribution of the load can be achieved, e.g. by a concrete slab or cement-
bound sand layer.

RESULTS OF D E F O R M A T I O N BEHAVIOR TESTS

Since the discovery of EPS at BASF in 1951, its properties have constantly
been studied and developed for specific applications. Properties of particular
interest in EPS as an embankment sub-base material are low density,
compressive strength, compression modulus and long-term load (creep)
behavior. In addition to these mechanical properties, use of EPS as a sub-
base material is affected by its shrinkage behavior, fire resistance, chemical
and biological properties, heat distortion resistance, thermal expansion and
water absorption.
Extensive studies have already been carried out for most of these proper-
ties (BASF-Technical Information, BASF-Technical Information, 1991 and
1992). For this reason, the behavior of EPS under static and dynamic load
and the shrinkage behavior were of particular interest for the drawing-up of
the German code of practice for use of EPS in road construction (Merkblatt
fiir die Verwendung von EPS-Hartschaumstoffen beim Bau von
StraBend~immen, 1995).

Creep behavior under static load

EPS yields under prolonged pressure, and this is greatest at higher pressures.
This viscoelastic behavior, which is typical of polymeric materials, has been
the subject of numerous studies (Krollmann, 1995). As far as road
construction is concerned, creep over a period of 50years is of particular
interest. However, continuous load tests over such periods are too time-
consuming, and consequently, numerous mathematical approaches for
describing creep have been studied. The approximately 30 years of experience
gathered at BASF from continuous load tests on thermoplastics show that
44 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillrnann

the simplified Findley equation (Horvath, 1995) is suitable for describing the
creep behavior:

e(tr, t) = eo(tr) + m(tr) t~(~),

where e(a,t) = total compression at a given time (t); eo(tr)=compression

immediately after application of the load (t = 0); m(tr) and n(tr)= coefficients
determined from the creep curve by regression calculation that depend on the
magnitude of the compressive stress.
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is therefore
currently drawing up a guideline (European Standard EN 1606, 1995) that
can be used together with short-term tests and the Findley calculation
method to determine the creep behavior of heat-insulating materials and thus
also of EPS. Extrapolation to 30 times the test time is allowed. It is therefore
possible to predict creep over a period of 50 years after a measurement time
of between 1.5 and 2 years.
Analysis of the tests also allows calculation of the compression for inter-
mediate tr values as a function of the load time. It should be noted here that
the calculations are limited to the linear part of the pressure/compression
curve. Furthermore, extrapolation should always be considered critically
with respect to the load values. Figure 2 shows the result of these calcula-
tions for Styropor, with the total compression after 50 years as a function of
density and load. This provides, for the individual case of a certain load, a
simple way of determining the minimum density of the foam for a defined
compression.

Creep behavior under dynamic load

Besides behavior under static load, a crucial factor for the use of EPS in road
construction is its behavior under cyclic pressure load. In Du~kov (1994),
studies were carried out on the creep behavior and the determination of the
dynamic modu|i of elasticity at relatively high loads. For the load conditions
in roads, dynamic pressure tests at a frequency of 5 Hz and up to 4.3 million
load changes were carried out on Styropor at the BASF materials laboratory
at Ludwigshafen.
In these tests, Styropor with a density of 20 kg/m 3 (PS 20) and 30 kg/m 3
(PS 30) was investigated. The combined static (as) and cyclic (O-c) loads were
as = 12 k N / m 2 and ac = 18 k N / m 2 for PS 20 and trc = 28 k N / m 2 for PS 30. The
tests show that the compression values for static and cyclic load are virtually
identical throughout the experiment. To assess the creep behavior of EPS
under cyclic load, the curves from the static long-term tests (trs = 30 k N / m 2
and 40 k N / m 2) can be used.
 EPS in road construction--current situation in Germany 45

1,6 i

applied stress
r--i 1,2 : - * - 4 0 kPa
! --=- 35 kPa
-~- 30 kPa ;
._=
i -o-25kPa j
.-x- 20 kPa ,
O,S

iload duration: 50 years!

0,4
J

!,
r

10 15 20 25 30 35
EPS-density [kg/m~]
Fig. 2. Total compression of Styropor as a function of density and load.

Shrinkage behavior

In addition to this deformation under load, EPS also exhibits load-independent

shrinkage. The shrinkage is initiated by diffusion of residues of blowing agents
added during the production process for expansion of the polystyrene beads.
The shrinkage is time-dependent and can be divided into three phases:
• Phase 1: Directly after production of the block, the majority of the blow-
ing agent diffuses out immediately during the subsequent one-day storage
and cooling phase required by the production process. In this phase, the
shrinkage is accompanied by the contraction which occurs during cooling
of the EPS blocks to ambient temperature.
• Phase 2: After cooling, the blocks are cut to shape if necessary. This marks
commencement of the post-shrinkage phase with interim storage by the
producer and later at the construction site before installation.
• Phase 3: Shrinkage that occurs after installation of the blocks, which we
will call 'residual shrinkage'.
Studies at BASF have shown that the post-shrinkage of Styropor boards
from Phase 2 is between 0.3 and 0.4%, depending on the processing condi-
tions and foam density. Figure 3 shows the change in post-shrinkage during
the storage time. The final value is achieved after about 150 days. Only Phase
3 with residual shrinkage is relevant for the practicability of EPS blocks.
46 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

"0

0
0

o o

L-

o
to

v-- t~

6uplu!,qs - ~,sod
 E P S in road construction--current situation in Germany 47

The practical requirements regarding this residual shrinkage are directed at

the acceptable width of the joint between the individual slabs, but more at the
surface settlement, which occurs as a result of residual shrinkage. It can be seen
from Fig. 3 that the extent of this residual shrinkage returns to a value of less
than 0.1% after a storage and installation time of only a few weeks. If the
bituminous asphalt layers are placed after this time, the shrinkage behavior of
EPS has no measurable effect on deformation in the road surface.

E X P E R I M E N T A L SECTION OF A F R E E W A Y

During widening of the west bypass around Emden, Germany, during

construction of the A 31 freeway, rigid EPS foam was placed in an experi-
mental section of an abutment fill. The section is 43 m in length and is loca-
ted between a bridge with deep foundations over the 'Larrelter Tief' drainage
channel, which is 30 m wide, and an old dyke. This dyke was built decades
ago and is no longer settling. In spite of preconsolidation, it was expected
that over the years, a settlement hollow would form between the two
constructions, impairing driving safety and comfort and requiring constant
maintenance. The bridge, dyke and experimental road section with addi-
tional relief from the installation of rigid EPS foam are shown in Fig. 4.
The soft alluvium layers of organic clay and peat are 7.5m thick. Their
initial shear strength before the preconsolidation fill was around 10 kN/m 2.
A 400-m marsh bridge was originally planned in this area. For cost reasons,
the decision was made before construction commencement in 1989 in favor
of a 75.5-m three-span bridge structure with ramps produced by the
surcharging method.
The height of the preconsolidation embankment was about 9 m. Under
this load, the soft alluvial layers were compressed by 2.5 m during the 3-year
settlement time (Fig. 4).
For the installation of this experimental section, it was decided:
• to minimize the predicted settlement hollow between the bridge construc-
tion and the retired dyke,
• to gather experience in the use of expanded polystyrene as a sub-base
material under practical conditions, and
• to compare the EPS construction method with the classical surcharging
method.

E P S at the Larrelter Tief

EPS was placed on the south side of the bridge over the Larrelter Tief
between 27 and 31 March 1995, under adverse weather conditions with rain,
48 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

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....~........,..,.~
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 E P S in road construction--current situation in Germany 49

snow and gusty wind. The EPS blocks, which were 4.0 m in length, 1.0 m in
width and 0.5 m thick, were unloaded from the truck and placed directly, like
building blocks. One block has a mass of 40 kg and can be handled easily by
two people.
The width of the first layer is 13 m. The next four layers are each inset by
half a block width at each side, so that the top layer has a width of 9 m. In
order to provide a gradual transition from the EPS layers to the conven-
tional embankment, the layers at the dyke are each shortened by 3 m on the
abutment side. The individual rows of a layer begin alternately with a whole
block and half a block. This arrangement ensures that there are no contin-
uous joints in the longitudinal and transverse directions. At the abutment,
the slabs are cut to size with a wire.
When a course has been laid, it is filled in at the sides and at the dyke. The
filling soil (fine sand) is compacted with tampers and vibratory plates. Figure
5 shows the position after the fourth and fifth layers have been placed.
A double-sided spike grid is located between the EPS layers and retains the
slabs in position. This, and immediate installation of the covering layers,
ensures that the slabs are not blown away even by strong winds. A nonwo-
ven geotextile is laid on top of the uppermost layer to prevent soil falling into
the joints between the EPS blocks if the soil under the water-imoermeable
pavement dries out.

Fig. 5. Position after the 4th EPS layer and the 5th layer have been installed.
50 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

The thickness of the sand layer above the EPS is 1.25 m. The uppermost
150 mm is bound with cement. This is followed by asphalt layers in accor-
dance with RStO 86/89, Table 1, line 2, for construction class III in a total
thickness of 180mm. The road was opened to traffic on 14 September 1995.

Measurements and measurement results

Controls on compaction in the slopes and in the layers above the EPS gave
results that satisfy the requirements for road construction. Figure 6 shows a
schematic view.
In order to assess load-bearing capacity changes, zero measurements were
carried out on the pavement using the Benkelman beam and the falling
weight deflectometer (FWD) and repeated in a 6-month cycle. The results of
the Benkelman measurements show no significant differences between the
regions with and without rigid EPS foam. The deflections measured with the
FWD are somewhat greater in the EPS region than in the region of the dyke
and on the northern bridge ramp. In a load test with an 80-ton truck, only a
slight settlement of 0.15-0.20mm was measured in the road surface, and
even this disappeared again virtually completely when the load was removed.
There was no measurable increase in the pressure on the abutment.
Since completion of the EPS embankment, the maximum settlement in the
support plane from May to September 1995 was 7 mm. Comparison with the
northern bridge ramp is impossible at this time, since the measurement nails
were not placed in the road surface until the last layer was produced in
August 1995.

CODE OF PRACTICE R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S

Material studies, full-scale testings and experimental construction sites, on

the one hand, and international research and practical experience with the
G E O F O A M construction method from abroad, on the other hand, were the
basis for drawing up the code of practice (Merkblatt fiir die Verwendung von
EPS-Hartschaumstoffen beim Bau von Stral3end/immen, 1995) published by
the FGSV in 1995. The code of practice gives guidelines and recommenda-
tions both for planning and for actual construction. The most important
recommendations are described below.

Dimensioning of embankments with rigid EPS foam

Rigid EPS foam is a material that has viscoelastic deformation behavior. The
magnitude of the potential deformation depends on the density. When
 EPS in road construction--current situation in Germany 51

! .~ ~i~i

,...;

X "
0
0

0 0
0

0
0

/ E
.. :.. i" -.'..,...-.. ", ,..,'. ".'"I" ""t".','I :'"'-" ©
,d

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iiiii.il
• .........~...-... . ~0.
•• °, ". ~..:..,. ." ! .,=,
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,... ,-...',: ~ ~ ~ ~ !-!.-,.
i • ":'" , . ,,4 ,4 ~ t,,i ,-.; : . °° -:°-. . ~°
.
52 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

determining the requisite density and thickness of the layers above EPS, their
static load and the quasi-dynamic load from traffic must be taken into
account. The elastic and plastic components of the deformation must be so
small that the road remains serviceable throughout its useful life. Slight
deformations can be dealt with when the surface is renewed,
In order to satisfy the above requirements, the density of the rigid EPS
foam must be such that the total compression due to static and quasi-
dynamic load after 50years is <1.5%. Under road surfaces, EPS with a
minimum density of 20 kg/m 3 should always be used, irrespective of the
actual load. The thickness of the mineral layers above the EPS should be
_>600mm (Hillmann, 1995). The BASt and BASF studies mentioned show
that, if these requirements are observed, creep deformation is negligible in
road construction and that traffic load causes no plastic deformation in the
EPS layers.
In Germany, the EPS density is determined using the diagrams reproduced
in Figs 7 and 8. The long-term load (compressive stress) contains a static
component for the weight of the layers above EPS and a quasi-static
component regard to the traffic load. The creep is obtained from the differ-
ence between total and initial strain.

Different construction methods

The studies carried out in the full-scale testing facilities at BASt, in parti-
cular, resulted in the recommendations for three different construction
methods, which differ in the location of the EPS in the embankment struc-
ture and in the covering of the EPS with conventional embankment materials
(Fig. 9). In construction 'A', the EPS layers are in the lower region of the
embankment. EPS is covered on the surface with a sufficiently thick layer of
embankment material ( > 1 m). Under these conditions, the requirements are
generally fulfilled for a base course on which the remainder of the pavement
can be placed in accordance with RSTO 86/89.
In construction 'B', the EPS is covered by a layer of embankment material
with a thickness of less than 1 m. In order to ensure the deformation modu-
lus Ev2>45 kN/m 2 on the base course, it may be necessary to cover the EPS
surface with a 120-150-mm slab of concrete. Alternatively, the layer above
the EPS can be bound to a thickness of about 200 ram.
In construction 'C', the EPS layers are in the upper region of the
embankment and are not covered by mineral materials. A centrally rein-
forced concrete slab or a bound layer directly on the EPS is essential here to
distribute the load. The unbound layer should have a minimum thickness of
300ram and should only be compacted statically with a light implement.
Construction 'C' is only of limited suitability for high traffic loads.
 EPS in road construction----current situation in Germany 53

90 EPS Density/
30 kg/m3 /
g0

60

RN

/,,/ /
V
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
Strain, ~ [%]

Fig. 7. Pressure load/initial compression of rigid EPS foam of various densities (on applica-
tion of load).

The following points should be taken into account when deciding on the
suitable construction method:
• the traffic status of the road,
• the subsoil conditions,
• the water situation,
• preconsolidation of the subsoil in nature and extent, and
• the local conditions, for example the position of pipes and buildings
around the site.
If the subsoil conditions and the gradients allow, construction 'A' with EPS in
the lower region of the embankment is recommended since, with no restric-
tions on traffic load, not only is the maximum saving in weight of the
embankment achieved, but furthermore, no particular measures are necessary
for the foundations of traffic signs, control systems, etc. At high traffic loads,
54 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

/
Density
30 kg/m 3

0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Total strain, ~ [%]

Fig. 8. Pressure load/overall compression of rigid EPS foam of various densities, with a load
duration of 50 years.

construction 'C' is only suitable if load-distributing layers o f sufficient thick-

ness are placed above the EPS and is therefore seldom used in these cases.

Quality controlling and testing

The code of practice defines the requirements o f the EPS blocks with respect
to the following properties:
• condition,
• block geometry (rectangularity and dimensional accuracy),
• density,
• compressive strength,
• flexural strength, and
• water absorption.
 E P S in road construction---current situation in Germany 55

e ~ co~r ~ " roadW

~ t :~ f~4
vo~ ~ to . ~ t ~ , ~ ~ ":~'~', T
i " '

~ [ " . I I . I . I I I t

by sumllago
Construction A

B 25 concrete slab, relflforced cen'o'ally, thickne~ > 120 mm ]

/Y-.~.~i TM I I £mxzOClm I I+ ~

~.....:. ~.-+-,..,.t;~.-v-~.~,.~.~~.--.+~,,.:-..,;. +.,, , - ~ , ~ ~

: ;:...'.":.-..' :', .'..." ':.:-,: :+":.~>,~, ;,.~ r: ..; ...' ~ ",~ -~ Y;-:'.. :-,.. :,.': ;,...:.'.':.
.,~-.":~.?,-.,.c,...~...:,, ;.,,;... : . + - . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . ,~':'! ,o,~m
~ -'.': "--:~ :. , ..9 :..,: : . - : :,~.-:,j,; .-- : . . . . ",-,:r,,"--'~GI
-"- . . . . "" "--: ."" ":,;: .: ,. • :-?-..; v ..'?t.-..." ~..-',:','..::.. ~'~.I
.-.,.,,-. _,,,_ ~ " ..,;,;,L-~.a,l
soft ground preconsaldat~
+ mramo~
Construction B

B 25 concrete slab, rdnforced centrally, thickness ;~ 120~ ~ Sub-line

__ r ~ ' - -

p r ~ m t d = ~ ~ , ,, I , J EPS rock

___ __. . _ _ , . . . . .
-'"- --'- --,-,,- soft ground pmconsolida~
by su~oe
Construction C
Fig. 9, Construction methods according to code of practice.

The material is tested for these requirements during quality control. In

accordance with the Additional Technical Contract Conditions and Guide-
lines for Earthworks (Zus~itzliche Technische Vertragsbedingungen und
Richtlinien f(ir Erdarbeiten im StraSenbau, 1994) and in accordance with
Table 2, those concerned should also carry out the following tests:
56 G. Beinbrech, R. Hillmann

TABLE 2
Tests on EPS Used in Road Construction

Test property Suitability tests Self-monitoring tests Controlling tests

Rectangularity
Dimensional accuracy
Density
Compressive strength
Flexural strength
Water absorption
X X
X x
X X x
X X
X X
X

• suitability tests every 2 years by the EPS manufacturer as part of moni-

toring by an independent laboratory,
• self-monitoring tests by the construction site (contractor), and
• controlling tests by the building site (site manager).
The self-monitoring tests should be carried out on two blocks for sites where
up to 500 m 3 of EPS are being placed, on at least four blocks for sites up to
1000 m 3 of EPS and in addition on at least one block for every additional
1000 m 3 of EPS.

SUMMARY

The very low density of rigid EPS foam enables many stability and defor-
mation problems in road construction on weak subsoil to be overcome. The
requisite practical experience was gathered in a test section in Emden.
Although rigid EPS foam was a completely new material for all concerned,
and although the poor weather conditions made the work more difficult, the
building proceeded quickly and on time. The test can be regarded as
successful.
Further EPS installations are therefore planned. Again, during construc-
tion of the A 31 freeway at Emden, the embankments of a pedestrian and
cycle overpass will be built using the EPS method in order to relieve a high-
pressure gas pipeline (1996). Instead of preconsolidation during rehabilita-
tion of the existing town road along the Larrelter Tief, it is proposed that
EPS be placed behind the two abutments in order to relieve the subsoil and
increase the gradient (1997/1998). This should shorten the construction time
by 2 years, since the new bridge structure can be erected in the preconsoli-
dation settlement time. Further applications are envisaged in overpass ramps
during construction of the link roads to the Weser tunnel at Dedesdorf, of
the A 26 at Stade/Horneburg and of the Hamburg-Fuhlsbfittel bypass. Use
of EPS in safety and noise protection embankments on the Hanover-Berlin
 EPS in road construction---current situation in Germany 57

rail line and in H a m b u r g are currently at the design and planning phase. It is
proposed that a site access road be built using the EPS m e t h o d and later
integrated into the protection embankment.

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