ROAD INSULATION WITH POLYSTYRENE FOAM

VAGISOLERING MED STYRENCELLPLAST

It is possible to reduce or to completely prevent freezing in the subgrade by insulating the base of a road with polystyrene foam. If the subgrade is frost susceptible damaging frost heavings can, in this way, be avoided. Investigations of the function of polystyrene foam in roads have been going on for several years. The results of the investigations have formed the basis of the present building techincal instructions of the National Swedish Road Adminsitration. In the report it is described how the frost heaving can be influenced by plastic foam insulation. The problem of the bearing capacity is treated only superficially. The risk of autumn slipperiness, that certainly may occur at a heat insulated base, is a function of, above all, the super-structure on the plastic foam, which is exemplified. The quality of the polystyrene foam depends for the most part on its thermal conductivity, which is much dependent on the quantity of water that is absorbed in course of time. The value of the water contents, after the polysyrene foam has been in the road for 10 years, are presented. Finally some practical aspects on the dimensioning of bases insulated with plastic foam are discussed. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

  Linköping,   Sweden  SE-581 95
• Authors:
  • Gandahl, R
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 29 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearing capacity; Electric insulating materials; Freezing; Frost heaving; Frost susceptibility; Insulating materials; Moisture content; Plastic foams; Polystyrene; Slipperiness; Subgrade (Pavements); Thermal conductivity
• Old TRIS Terms: Frost heave
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00168407
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Report No. 126
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 16 1978 12:00AM