Bridge foundations supported by EPS geofoam embankments on soft soil

EPS geofoam can be used to support highway bridge structures without the aid of deep foundations. The development of this technology is important to accelerate construction on soft compressible soil. EPS geofoam allows for the rapid construction of bridge foundations on such soils without the time and cost involved in installing traditional foundations. Because EPS geofoam is an extremely light weight fill, it can be used to avoid settlement impacts at bridge approaches. In Norway, bridges have been directly supported by EPS geofoam. Norwegian Public Roads Administration has pioneered this application for a few bridges underlain by soft, clayey deposit where the bridge structure rest solely on EPS geofoam blocks. Investigating bridge foundations supported by EPS geofoam embankments is a joint effort starting summer 2013 between the University of Utah, University of Memphis and Norwegian Public Roads Administration. This paper will include some tasks and conceptual design that address development of performance goals, design criteria, material testing, prototype analyses, numerical modeling and constructability of this innovative bridge support system

A design approach on the use of lightweight filling materials for construction of an aircraft deicing station at a critical soil site: A case study

Deicing and anti-icing operations are frequently carried out on aircrafts at their current parking stand after completion of ground operations. Use of individual stands can be often challenging as this may also considerably affect operations, especially in highly-trafficked airports at winter-critical areas. Hence, a lack of or an incorrect location of these stations may have tremendous economic and operational impact. This research reports a multi-stage design method for construction of a 29,000 m2 deicing station in a critical soil site. The main aim of the project is to identify sustainable interventions in order to avoid short- A nd long-term economic, environmental, and operational issues. An assessment based on the use of fundamental geotechnical parameters is first implemented to create thematic maps of the identified construction area, followed by a comparative analysis of potential intervention scenarios. A combination of lightweight filling and advanced materials has been proposed to ensure homogeneity and suitable bearing capacity of the laying ground