OVERPASS VOID FILL

Problem

Alberta Highways had problems with compacting soils leaving important parts of the structure exposed. Because of the situation and its location, conventional solutions were not an option to fix it. They needed to extend the vertical culvert, but filling it with concrete was not feasible. After working closely with the prime contractor and pitching our lightweight, non-exothermic structural FillFoam™ to fill the voids, they knew they had their solution. 

Why FillFoam™?

The client chose our void-filling FillFoam™ solution offered by ECO FillFoam because:

• With limited access for large vehicles and concrete trucks in this location, our smaller trucks could easily reach the site.
• The client was confident they would achieve the desired result without compromising on product quality, product function or project timelines.
• Using FillFoam™ as a solution solved something that was almost impossible to do in this situation. If they had used the conventional solution, it could have delayed the project for weeks and cost significantly more to redo work that had already been completed.

Our ECO FillFoam experts were able to step in and work with their engineering staff to create a solution where mistakes were not an option while also being significantly under budget in cost and time.

FillFoam Solution

Alberta Highways engineers were very concerned about the long-term stability of the project due to soil compaction at each end of the overpass. ECO FillFoam experts analyzed the situation and provided them with options after reviewing the specs of our FillFoam™ product.

By extending the vertical culvert with light-gauge metal sheeting and creating a tube around the I-beam, we void-filled with FillFoam™ around the structural I-beam to protect it while allowing for flexibility and movement (which was also a requirement). Ridged concrete would not work here.

We then drilled 2–1” access holes at the top of the tube for the hose to inject the FillFoam™, allowing us to completely fill the space, as per the project specs.

Using FillFoam™, the client saved time and money while achieving the quality this project strictly required. If the conventional solution had been attempted, they would have had to deconstruct some of the existing overpasses, causing lengthy delays. On a highway project, time and money are always tight, and FillFoam™ “saved the day” with these needed repairs.

Results

The client was very happy with the timelines, cost, and quality of the work. For this job, a two-man ECO FillFoam crew completed it in 1 day, which, if attempted with conventional methods, would have set the client back by weeks.

Because of the time saved, the durability of the foam structure, and the fact that it will last 490 years, ECO FillFoam was extremely happy with the results achieved for the client. We were very pleased to be able to keep the project on track and on budget for the client.