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Plasti-Fab compressible fill materials are expanded polystyrene (EPS) products designed to act as a compressible medium reducing potential forces on structures in the event soil expansion occurs after construction is completed. They are designed for use beneath structures that are self-supporting (typically supported on pile foundations).
The products described in this brochure will accommodate design requirements for structures ranging from light structural slabs used in residential applications to most structural slabs or grade beams used in commercial and industrial applications. However, the versatility of EPS allows specific EPS products to be designed to meet design requirements for heavier structures. Plasti-Fab works directly with designers to ensure the right product is selected for each application.
Soil deposits which contain substantial proportions of clay mineral particles can have significant potential for expansion. The magnitude of soil expansion experienced will depend upon factors such as soil moisture loss during construction and new conditions imposed on the soil as a result of construction (e.g., changes in soil stress/temperature induced by the new structure and additional sources of moisture due to landscaping or other factors).
Plasti-Fab compressible fill materials act as a compressible medium between the expansive soil and the structure to reduce long-term stresses transferred to the structure. The structure must be restrained from movement in the direction of soil expansion and designed to withstand long-term compressive stresses transferred through the compressible medium. On the long term, the compressible medium is designed to compress in the event of soil swell without exceeding the design uplift capacity of the structure.
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