Geofoam Applications in the Design and Construction of Highway Embankments (2004)

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

vi Acknowledgments The research herein was conducted under NCHRP Project 24-11 titled “Guidelines for Geofoam Applications in Embankment Projects.” The research was conducted from 6 July 1999 to 31 August 2002. Dr. Timothy D. Stark and Mr. David Arellano, Professor and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Dr. John S. Horvath, Consulting Engineer and Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Manhattan College, and Dr. Dov Leshchinsky, President of ADAMA Engineering, Inc. and Professor, University of Delaware, were the principal investigators for the project. The project consisted of two phases. The objective of Phase I was to review, document, and synthesize the 25 years of worldwide experience of using EPS-block geofoam in lightweight fill applications and develop an interim design guideline and standard. The first phase consisted primarily of a literature review which formed the basis of Chapters 1, 2, 8, 9, 11, Appendices A, C, and D. Dr. Horvath was the lead investigator for Phase I of this project and the primary author of the interim project report. Mr. Arellano also had significant input to Phase I and the interim report. Phase I covered nine months and utilized 25 percent of the project budget as required by the NCHRP contract. The objective of Phase II was to develop a comprehensive design methodology for geofoam in lightweight fill applications including the development of design charts to optimize both technical performance and cost and update the interim design guideline and standard developed in Phase I. The major results of Phase II are included in Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, Appendices B, E and F. Dr. Stark was the lead investigator for Phase II and Mr. Arellano had significant input to Phase II. Phase II covered twenty-nine months and consumed the remaining 75 percent of the project budget.

vii The main text of the report was prepared at the UIUC but it was reviewed by all the principal investigators. Other research assistants in the CEE at the UIUC contributing to the project and report include Erik J. Newman, Andy Garza, Perry L. Stover, and Timothy Frank. These research assistants assisted with the external and internal stability analyses (Newman and Stover), laboratory testing (Newman and Frank), and figure and report preparation (Newman, Garza, and Frank). The typing and editing was performed by Martha Thompson and is also gratefully acknowleded. The review panel for N.C.H.R.P. Project 24-11 consisted of Mr. David V. Jenkins (Chair, Washington State D.O.T.), Dr. Michael Mathioudakis, P.E. (AASHTO Monitor, New York State D.O.T.), Dr. Richard Berg (Member, Frost Associates), Dr. Manoj B. Chopra, P.E. (Member, University of Central Florida), Mr. Colin A. Franco, P.E. (Member, Rhode Island D.O.T.), Ms. Susan Herrenbruck (Member, Foamed Polystyrene Alliance), Dr. Thomas W. Kennedy, P.E. (Member, University of Texas- Austin), Mr. Thomas E. Polacek, P.E. (Member, Pennsylvania D.O.T.), Mr. James E. Shannon (Member, Hunstman Corporation), Mr. Riyad M. Wahab, P.E. (Member, Illinois D.O.T.), Mr. Jerry A. DiMaggio, P.E. (FHWA Liaison, Federal Highway Administration), Mr. Albert DiMillio (FHWA Liaison, Federal Highway Administration), Mr. Jay Jayaprakash (TRB Liaison, Transportation Research Board), Mr. Timothy G. Hess, P.E. (N.C.H.R.P. Staff, Transportation Research Board), and Mr. Keaven M. Freeman, (N.C.H.R.P. Staff, Transportation Research Board). The assistance of several state departments of transportation, the EPS Molders Association, as well as others in the private sector in providing cost and other relevant information is noted with gratitude. The technical assistance of Mr. Paul E. Arch of NOVA Chemicals, Inc. for providing information relative to EPS manufacturing and Mr. Donald D. Oglesby of Hanson Professional Services Inc. for providing information relative to design was particularly useful and is appreciated. Wisconsin EPS, Inc. of Fond du Lac, WI provided EPS block samples and Seaman Corporation of Cornelius, NC provided geomembrane samples for the