Higher densities of EPS geofoam have a greater comprehensive strength than lower densities. It is unique in that it is a closed cell, rigid, polymeric material that is … The simplest recycling involves crumbling the old EPS into small pieces and remolding them into usable shapes. However, many organic solvents such as acetone, chlorinated solvents and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents can attack the foam and cause it to dissolve. For example, the cost of using a higher strength insulation than the specs call for, say a 100 psi XPS product versus a 40 psi EPS product, can almost double your material costs. Expanded Polystyrene Used in Bridge Construction EPS products, including flute fillers, Terraflex Elasticized Polystyrene, and EPS Geofoam are used in road and bridge construction throughout the … High compressive strengths of up to 60 psi make EPS durable and long-lasting and able to stand up to harsh conditions without deterioration. It is among the few insulating materials with a … EPS geofoam is free from dyes, formaldehyde, chloroflure carbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs). For example, the cost of using a higher strength insulation than the specs call for, say a 100 psi XPS product versus a 40 psi EPS product, can almost double your material costs. It uses no harmful greenhouse gases in the manufacturing process — pentane, a hydrocarbon solvent which doesn’t affect the ozone layer — is most often used as the blowing agent. Moisture promotes the growth of many organisms such as mold, mildew, fungi and other bacteria. The drying potential for thermal insulation is critical to maintaining the structure’s thermal resistance. During the storage phase, which may last as little as a few hours to up to three days, the prepuffs are left in the silos until they reach the desired temperature. Cost. EPS geofoam weighs in at only one to two pounds per cubic foot, depending on size. Chemical inertness. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam has for many years been used as a conventional insulation material in construction, and is extremely energy efficient. A closer look at: Expanded Polystyrene Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) has become known for its role in smaller combustible cladding fires over the last 20 years due to its very flammable composition. For manufacturing expanded polystyrene, … It is extraordinarily light and buoyant, and a good insulator against heat and sound. Resistance to moisture absorption is important because water is an excellent conductor of heat. Elasticized Polystyrene Used in Bridge Construction Elasticized polystyrene has been used, and has proven its effectiveness, in bridge construction for over 20 years in the colder areas of the United … EPS geofoam is manufactured using primarily steam, and even the water from the manufacturing process is collected and reused. Plus, EPS foam insulation can be fabricated to size or cut into any configuration to fit a specific project’s needs. The conversion of expandable polystyrene to expanded polystyrene is carried out in three stages: Pre-expansion, Maturing/Stabilization and Molding Polystyrene is produced from the crude oil refinery product styrene. Now, EPS is a powerful design element and an ideal choice for green building design, offering tangible environmental advantages that can maximize energy efficiency, providing improved indoor environmental quality and enhancing durability. Most common foam products, like coolers, wine shippers, molded end caps and corners, box packaging and even cups at the office water cooler are actually polystyrene foam. It’s lightweight, meaning products … The R-value of EPS geofoam insulation remains constant because the closed-cell structure of EPS geofoam contains only stabilized air. Expanded polystyrene is a plastic foam material that has certain desirable properties because of its structure. The higher the R-value, the greater the material’s ability to resist conductive heat transfer and the better the material’s performance as an insulating material. A versatile building material, it works well for a variety of different applications such as road construction, bridge abutments, slope stabilization, building foundations, retaining walls, stadium and theatre seating, fill for underground utilities and landscaping and insulation for both above- and below-grade applications. Steam is injected into the molds through tiny slots, to begin the fusion process. EPS is one of the few rigid foam insulations with a stable thermal resistance throughout its life. It is used for the … Since the 1950s, EPS has been … It has an incredibly long lifespan – up to 50 years. This publication aims to provide balanced information based on the manufacture, use and recovery from waste of EPS in the packaging and construction … Therefore, it is considered to be a fairly chemically inert material. Foamex polystyrene building products make a major contribution to the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of construction as well as contributing to the sustainability of completed projects. EPS is an inert material that does not rot and provides no nutritional benefits to vermin therefore does not attract pests such as rats or termites. EPS geofoam also has the seal of approval from the American Lung Association. In recent years, there has been an explosive growth of interest in the application of expanded polystyrene (EPS) for construction industry. And, far more energy is saved over the lifetime of a building insulated with EPS foam board than is used during the manufacturing process for producing the product. EPS is also used in the construction industr… 1.2 ABOUT EXPANDED POLYSTRENE Expanded Polystyrene … At about $0.31 per square foot for a one-inch thick panel, EPS geofoam costs less per square foot than any other rigid foam board insulation product. EPS geofoam is 98% to 99% air by volume. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, EPS foam board provides up to two times more thermal resistance than most other insulating materials of the same thickness. Home | News & Announcements | Contact Us | Related Links | Privacy Policy, Production, Technology & Operations Conference. Therefore, it is considered to be a fairly chemically inert material. Ability to inhibit growth of biological air contaminants. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) can also be made out of recycled polystyrene. During this phase, recycled EPS material is mixed with the prepuffs and is also fused into the material. However, expanded polystyrene is being used for new tasks on the construction … Dimensional stability. It also has the highest average R-value per dollar compared to other rigid foam insulation materials. EPS geofoam comes in a wide variety of densities, with the most common ones ranging from .75 pounds per cubic foot (PCF) to 3 PCF. The perm rating for EPS insulation is 5.0, making it a Class III permeable vapor retarder. EPS geofoam’s strength is even more amazing considering it is so lightweight. The compressive resistance of EPS geofoam at 1% deformation ranges from 2.2 psi to 18.6 psi. Since EPS geofoam is a thermoplastic material, it will not rot or decompose over time. With a wide range of compressive resistance strengths to choose from, it’s easy to find a solution for most every project. A permeance or “perm” rating is a standard measure of the water vapor permeability of a material. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid and tough, closed-cell foam with a normal density range of 11 to 32 kg/m 3. Compressive strength. EPS foam offers exceptional dimensional stability. EPS geofoam is resistant to most acids, bases and aqueous solutions of salts and alkalis. Polystyrene foams are used for a variety of applications because of its excellent set of properties including good thermal insulation, good damping properties and being extremely light … When used in construction as thermal insulation, it gives significant savings on heating and cooling buildings, therefore greatly reducing CO2 and SO2 emissions. EPS geofoam qualifies for Energy Star status, a symbol backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that signifies the product not only helps businesses/people save money but its energy-efficient properties helps protect the climate. Sustainability. EPS exhibits a higher R-value over moist-dry cycles, most often seen in below-grade applications, outperforming XPS insulation and providing a long-term R-value to the project. And since EPS geofoam is a manufactured product, every time you use it in a project instead of a natural product, you are helping to sustain the environment. Because of that, it offers more R-value per dollar than other similar products. Firstly, expanded polystyrene has qualities essential to engineering and construction … High compressive strengths of up to 60 psi make EPS durable and long-lasting and able to stand up to harsh conditions without deterioration. Copyright 2012 © EPS Industry Alliance. Size and density. Since the 1950s, EPS has been recognized as a mainstream insulation material, however over the past decade, new applications have rapidly developed. By controlling the amounts of heat and pressure applied, EPS geofoam can be created in a variety of densities. EPS is a well‐established insulation material … Plus, the product itself doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases. Because a molding process is used to produce EPS foam, there are more sizes available to select from, compared to XPS foam board which comes in limited sheet sizes. Getting the maximum performance for the dollar is paramount in the competitive arena of the construction industry. Light Weight Comprised of about 98 percent air, expanded polystyrene … Expanded polystyrene, or EPS geofoam, is a cost-efficient insulation material used in the construction industry. EPS (expanded polystyrene) is an excellent material for packaging and for construction as it is a light yet rigid foam with good thermal insulation and high impact resistance. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid and light weight insulation material with various properties such as shock absorption, resistance to humidity, resistance to compression, retention to vitamin C, hygienic, … It has an incredibly long lifespan – up to 50 years. In the second phase, the expanded beads, called prepuffs, are dried in the open air for several hours and then, in the third phase, they are transferred to large storage silos. Its Health House Indoor Air Quality guidelines recognize EPS geofoam as a safe material for insulation and structural support in construction projects. Energy efficiency. The manufacturing process for EPS conventionally begins with the creation of small polystyrene … Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid and tough, closed-cell foam. This stage determines the final density of the material by controlling the length of time the beads remain in the expander and/or the pressure in the expander. Expanded polystyrene is a versatile material with numerous applications within the construction and engineering industries. Expanded Polystyrene is Growing in the Construction Industry with the Rise of Pre-Fabricated Housing. 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