TERRAFOAM

Polystyrene for Structural & Earthworks Applications

POLYSTYRENE
INDUSTRIES
LIMITED
POLYSTYRENE FOR STRUCTURAL & EARTHWORKS
APPLICATIONS

Retaining Walls
Parking Structures
Foundations
Berms
Embankments
Landscapes
Green Roofs
Levees
Dikes
Utility Protection
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Compressible Inclusion

The use of polystyrene in earthworks and structural

applications provides the benefit of reducing both
vertical and lateral pressures on below-grade
structures. Soil creates nearly 6.3km/m3 of lateral
pressure. If a structure is below ground level, this
lateral pressure increases by a factor of 10. The use of
polystyrene completely eliminates this lateral
pressure. The use of polystyrene for earthworks and
structural applications is easy to install, does not
require surcharging, pre-loading or staging and is a cost-
effective engineering solution.

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Expanded Polystyrene Foam ( EPS) can be used as lightweight fill
in the construction of roadway embankments in the area
overlying the toe drain. Terrafoam would be located over the
toe drain area to reduce the stresses and associated settlements
induced by embankment loads.
in the event such a spill occurred. Standard construction
techniques are permitted to take place over the installed
Terrafoam EPS subsequent to it being covered by soil
embankment materials of sufficient depth.
The Contractor responsible for the Terrafoam EPS
installation and embankment construction, should installs by
staggering the block layers and using a multi-barbed Gripper
plate or glue to pin the layers together

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Terrafoam EPS is an engineered thermal plastic material that is

factory manufactured to exacting product standards. It has
strength characteristics equal to a well-compacted soil fill, but
with only 1 to 2 % of the weight of soil. Typical compacted soil
fill is often estimated to have a unit weight of 20 Kilonewton
per cubic metre, while the Terrafoam EPS exhibits a density of
only 0.32 Kilonewton per cubic metre. It is manufactured in
large blocks that are easy to handle and install. A major benefit
of Terrafoam EPS is that it can be installed under any weather
conditions. The Terrafoam EPS can be capped by a
geomembrane liner to protect it from hydrocarbon attack;
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Terrafoam for Transportation

Roads
Highways
Railways Terrafoam:
Runways
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Bridge Approaches
Retaining Walls

Terrafoam fill

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YOU’RE IN CONTROL WITH
PIL EPS.
PIL EPS building products are engineered to give you the Good for the environment.
greatest possible control for your project application: from
design and timelines, to materials and costs, and— Cost effective thermal design is among the highest priorities
ultimately—control over your results. The advantages to in construction. PIL EPS insulation products are available in
using PIL EPS products include: a range of densities necessary to provide energy efficiency,
• State-of-the-art insulation and energy efficiency• Variety structural integrity, and cost effectiveness. They’re proven to
of density, thickness, size• UL QA monitored, tested, lower energy costs, saving both money and precious
certified, listed• Unlimited fabrication possibilities• Building resources.
code recognized• Warranted R-value• Perform Guard®
termite protection available• Cost effective• Long-lasting,
w w w . P o l y i n d u s Betthermaster
i eof your
s materials
.co
strong, and stable• Contains no CFC, HCFC, HFC, or . m . n g
formaldehyde• Recyclable PIL PS is a lightweight yet strong PIL EPS, when used as a component in an engineered
material that gives architects, designers and builders the building system, helps to resist some of the toughest
freedom and confidence to turn their visions into reality. conditions nature can deliver, like rain, snow, wind, dust,
This looks like a job for expanded polystyrene. heat and cold.

In the construction industry, PIL EPS is among the most Proven to meet, or exceed, building codes.
versatile, energy efficient, and cost effective PIL EPS is manufactured to Quality Control Program
insulators available, delivering extremely high, stable standards and recognized by national building codes.
R-values. Depend on PIL EPS supply to do the job—
practically any job—from the ground up: perimeter
foundation and underslab insulation, wall sheathing, EIFS
insulation, roof insulation, concrete insulation/void filler,
ICF insulation, Terrafoam and just about any construction
application you can imagine.

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PIL EPS Solves Problems for these Common Applications:
Choosing PIL EPS over
Lightweight Roads Foundations other fill materials.
• Extremely lightweight to reduce lateral or
bearing loads
• Predictable engineered performance

Weight Reduction for Utilities • Various Types available to meet project

Bridge Abutments specific strength requirements

• Can be installed in various weather
conditions
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Side Hills Retaining Walls

Elevation Changes/
Weight Reduction
Stadium Seating
for Structures

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Size and Shape.
Standard sizes:
• (1.2 m) widths
• (2.4 m) up to (3m) lengths
• (15 mm) to (660 mm)
thickness

Custom sizes and fabrication

are available to meet any

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project requirement.

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Polystyrene (EPS) Solutions

Slope Stabilization
Polystyrene engineers recognize the validity of using expanded polystyrene (EPS) Terrafoam as lightweight fill to reduce mass
and associated gravitational driving forces within sloped embankments. The detail below illustrates a typical slope
stabilization application using PIL lightweight fill material. PIL EPS Terrafoam with a density from 15 to 35 kg/m3 is up to 100
times lighter than in-place soil with a typical density of 2,100 kg/m3. This means that replacing in-place soil in an unstable
slope with EPS Terrafoam can achieve a significant net reduction in driving force within the embankment
Landscaping/Soil

EPS TerraFoam Blocks

Terra Texture (if required)

Sand-leveling Course

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Figure 1 – EPS Polystyrene Placement in Slope Stabilization Application

Terra foam EPS is often the best option for lightweight fill material in embankment construction because it is up to 100 times
lighter than soil.

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 CASE STUDY
When side slope failure occurs in road applications, it is often the result of subsurface soil with low load-bearing
capabilities. Often in this type of situation makeshift repairs are implemented by filling and resurfacing the failed road
section.

(Figure 2). This is a performance solution to reconstruct a section of

highway, which had been subject to reoccurring side slope failure.
The normal practice here is that a section of highway has been
repaired unsuccessfully a number of times previously by filling and
resurfacing the failed road section. In this instance, the side slope
had failed resulting in a portion of the road surface dropping.

w w w . P o l y i n d Tocorrective
uprovide
s measure
tan rimproved
ito e s
slope . c
safety o
factor m
against.failure,
n g
the
be taken is to excavate the section of road
down to hardpan. PIL lightweight fill material blocks were supplied
to replace a portion of the failed soil embankment (Figure 3).

The blocks are delivered to the site on flat bed trailers, unloaded
and then placed in their final position on the prepared roadbed by
hand. The road construction crew backfilled over the PIL
lightweight fill material as they were placed.

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 HEAD OFFICE/FACTORY:
ABUJA OFFICE:
PLOT 416 IDU INDUSTRIAL AREA
PHASE 1, ABUJA F.C.T. NIGERIA.
TEL; +234 09- 2916411, 09-2916412
07010612764, 07010612765, 08034040090
E-MAIL: inquiries@polyindustries.com.ng
WEBSITE: www.polyindustries.com.ng
LAGOS CONTACT:
No. 12 Poly Emenike Street
(Behind Bob Arison, Christ Embassy Bus Stop)
Off Ago Palace Way
Okota, Lagos
TEL; +234 08033076518
E-MAIL: inquiries@polyindustries.com.ng
WEBSITE: www.polyindustries.com.ng