The base is composed of E.P.S blocks (high density expanded polystyrene) placed directly on the natural soil.
The price of the raw material is around Usd 500/Ton for what we expect that the base's price, including transportation expenses, custom fees and manufacturing, should be around Usd 60.00/m3 that is equivalent to USD 6.00m2 (€5.00/m2) for each 10 cm thickness.
The base of E.P.S. replaces the conventional base (landfill, compacted selected soils and compressed inert) and conventional sub base (in lean concrete with 100 kg cement per m3) maintaining over time its characteristics.
The base of E.P.S. has dimensions that arise from the pavement dimensioning and its mathematical calculations and vary usually between 5 cm and 30 cm.
The construction of pavements is based on a base (foundation), since the soils are not inert matter, on the contrary is living matter (increase and decrease volume with rain and dry weather).
The first actions consists in cleaning of the site and removing topsoil (unsuitable for construction) in order to open a box.
It is this box that the base or foundation is built.
Our technology of monolithic foundation system (the SPWS - CONCRETE SLAB- FOUNDATION SYSTEM) replaces the classic foundations by
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a layer of E.P.S. (5 cm to 30 cm) (also an inert) or
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a layer of compacted sand (or other inert) wrapped in a geotextile blanket to prevent its displacement;
both assuming immediate concrete pavement constructions over the base.
E.P.S. blocks replace much more effectively all inert stabilization layers, maintaining a durable neutral behaviour and no significant changes in their mechanical behaviour throughout the project life, still being easy and quick to apply.
This technology not only does eliminate the lean concrete layer and the transfer bars (dowel bars) of the middle of the concrete slabs (and all the tension that the bars generate in the slabs) as well as it eliminates the need for construction of the traditional foundations with all the layers necessary to them.
THE SLABS MAY SLIDE FREELY ON THE EPS BASE WITHOUT CAUSING ANY STRESS ARISING FROM EXPANSION, SHRINKAGE OR RETRACTION OF THE SLABS.
Thus the pavement is constructed continuously with only two layers - E.P.S (as a base) and the high resilient concrete immediately spread above.
THE EPS SHOULD BE MANUFACTURED AT THE SITE CONSTRUCTION WITH A PORTABLE MACHINE TO AVOID TRANSPORT (BASICALLY OF AIR).
THE LAYING OF THE EPS BASE, SINCE IT WEIGHTS ONLY 30 KG/M3, CAN BE CARRIED OUT BY A SMALL TEAM OF 2/3 MEN WITH HIGH SPEED.