November 2009 | Geofoam | Using Styrofoam* Megatrend Geotechnical Technology

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GEOFOAM:

Using Stryrofoam Megatrend Geotechnical Technology

* Styrofoam is a material that is familiar in our daily lives. Most of us know him as a material for packaging / packing (packaging) and for decoration, and some of us also view it as waste (waste) that is increasingly become a serious environmental problem, because it looks more and more berserakannya cups, blocks, and sheets of styrofoam along eye-view of the disposal of waste, and exacerbated its image with the fact that Styrofoam is not rot (non-biodegradeable), so that the Styrofoam waste will continue to grow if not recycled (recycling) in a professional manner.

Actually the term of this Styrofoam is a trademark of Dow Chemical Corp. of the United States. So, to respect their copyrights, from this point, this article will discuss these materials with a general, that is EPS (expanded polystyrene). Fortunately, with the development of the research will use the last EPS, the use of EPS is much more insightful and responsible compared with the use for packing material (packaging) and decorations. One example of new uses for EPS is a popular material for building panels for temperature and sound barrier, which is also more resistant to earthquakes. Products using the EPS building panels, such as for example b-panel^®, has begun to be produced and marketed in Indonesia in recent years, and have started well received by consumers, both property developers, consultants / contractors and building owners. The use of EPS for building materials is much more environmentally friendly than the use of EPS for packaging, for a very long-term use (the years for building use), and instead of “disposable waste” such as the EPS for the packaging. In addition, while building one day be dismantled, EPS recycling process can be carried out systematically.

Geofoam is the new examples of the use of EPS. Geofoam is geotechnical solutions, namely EPS specially designed to function as a filler soil or other construction materials. Actually Geofoam solution has been used overseas for more than 30 years. EPS is one of the leading European Integration, Jebsen & Jessen, for example, the former producing EPS only for packaging, but it’s been more than 70% turnover in Europe is from the sale of EPS to non-packaging purposes, such as for application geofoam. In Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, geofoam is new is a geotechnical megatren technology. Because the benefits and advantages that are very clear, in the near future geofoam technology is expected to dominate and replace conventional geotechnical methodologies.

Because of its density is very lightweight (only about 1 / 10, or 10% of the average weight of land fill), geofoam reduce the burden to be borne by the soil with a very significant, the effect is to reduce and slow down the reduction process (settlement) on the ground base and infrastructure in it, and can increase soil stability.

Geofoam have a very high strength to weight (excellent strength-to-weight ratio) and the value of compressive strength (compressive strength) is high, making it suitable for heavy construction, such as for heavy road transport. In fact, geofoam already applied for an airport runway!

A few examples of using the Geofoam:

1. As substitute land fill for road construction

2. Retaining wall (reduce pressure and lateral movement on the wall)

3. Bridge boundary

4. Terraces at movie theater

5. Raise floor elevation

The advantages of using geofoam:

1. Very lightweight (specific gravity of approximately 1 / 10, or 10% of the land urugan) to reduce and slow the decline in soil significantly.
2. High compression strength so that it can be used for heavy weight construction.
3. Durable and service life (service life) is very long.

- No rot (non-biodegradeable) and is not oxidized by air, water and other natural elements

– Hold termites (with special treatment)

4. Save time (= cost)

– EPS is a light beam, thereby reducing the logistical constraints
– Efficiency of equipment and manpower
– Easy set up and installed
– Installation is not delayed by weather conditions

EPS for the application of EPS produced geofoam is precise, in accordance with international technical standards, such as ASTM 6817 for compression strength (compressive strength) and ASTM C578 for thermal performance.

Most factories produce only EPS EPS for the packaging, making it very difficult for their care, understand, and capable of designing geofoam order to properly EPS

So, if you are interested in EPS for construction purposes such as for applications geofoam, make sure your EPS supplier meet the following requirements:

Supplier of producing EPS in their own facilities so that the quality of EPS (raw materials, density, pembalokan) will be more secure. Often a supplier claim to have its own factory, in fact take the goods from other factories.

Supplier has a high production capacity. EPS for the installation geofoam volume is much larger than most of the volume of bookings EPS for packaging. EPS Factory which usually only accept orders packaging will be overwhelmed to meet the needs of EPS for geofoam Supplier’ve made EPS for construction purposes, and have the team and staff experts (civil engineering, geotechnical) within the organization. EPS for geofoam is material that must be designed technically (highly-engineered material), unlike the EPS for the packaging. Suppliers who already produce EPS for construction purposes has been understood correctly by the terms of construction quality EPS (construction grade), for example with the requirements of type EPS Fire Retardant (FR).

Sumber: Properti.biz Nov 2009 [ PDF ]