EPS-Block Geofoam Usage Questionnaire

National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)

Contract No. HR 24-11(02)

"Guidelines for Geofoam Applications in Slope Stability Projects"

Background

The University of Memphis, under AASHTO-sponsored National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), is conducting Project 24-11 (02), “Guidelines for Geofoam Applications in Slope Stability Projects.” The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive document that provides state-of-practice design guidance to engineers for the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS)-block geofoam for the function of lightweight fill in slope stability applications. The document will facilitate the use of geofoam in highway projects by providing engineers with the five primary research products required to ensure successful technology transfer, i.e., summary of relevant engineering properties, a comprehensive design guideline, a material and construction standard, economic data, and a detailed numerical example.

This project is a continuation of NCHRP Project 24-11(01), “Guidelines for Geofoam Applications in Embankment Projects,” results of which are presented in the two reports shown below.

Stark, T.D., Arellano, D., Horvath, J.S., and Leshchinsky, D., "NCHRP Report 529: Guideline and Recommended Standard for Geofoam Applications in Highway Embankments," Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., (2004), 71 pp. Available at http://trb.org/publications/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_529.pdf.

Stark, T.D., Arellano, D., Horvath, J.S., and Leshchinsky, D., "NCHRP Web Document 65 (Project 24-11): Geofoam Applications in the Design and Construction of Highway Embankments," Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., (2004), 792 pp. Available at http://trb.org/publications/nchrp/nchrp_w65.pdf.

In keeping with the practice-oriented nature of this project, comprehensive outside input is being solicited from the following groups that have a major influence on projects involving the use of EPS-block geofoam for road construction:

design engineers acting for or on behalf of an agency having jurisdiction over roads,

raw-material suppliers, block molders (manufacturers) and distributors of EPS-block geofoam, and

construction contractors who build roads.

An important part of this outreach is a survey on EPS-block geofoam usage to obtain input from members in each of these groups. The attached four-part questionnaire is the primary component of this survey. Thus your completion of this questionnaire is crucial to helping us produce deliverables that are as responsive as possible to the needs of all concerned. The questionnaire will also provide the research team with feedback about the current implementation of the Project 24-11 (01) recommended design guideline and material and construction standard.

This survey questionnaire is open to any organization or company that is involved with the use of EPS-block geofoam in the U.S. road-construction market regardless of the geographical location of that organization. Please complete only one questionnaire per organization or company and submit your completed questionnaire no later than May 25, 2007 so your input can be included in the final report.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance in completing this questionnaire. All replies will be held in confidence to the maximum extent allowed by law. Only anonymous summarized results will appear in project reports.

For further information related to this questionnaire, please contact David Arellano at darellan@memphis.edu or 901-678-3026. Thank you for your assistance.

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Learn more about NCHRP Project 24-11(02)