WESTMINSTER, Colo., Oct. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exploring new ground is essential in the architecture and engineering industry. Fortunately, designers are able to draw from the expertise of general contractors, material suppliers, and molded polystyrene manufacturers like ACH Foam Technologies. The design team for an annex building to Sheridan Elementary School in Chicago faced a first-for-them challenge when a geofoam was incorporated to resolve soil stability problems. ACH Foam Technologies’ Foam-Control® geofoam was a vital resource in building preconstruction confidence in the proposed solution.
“Unstable soils, providing space for utilities, and the potential to negatively impact other adjacent buildings led to the geofoam solution,” says Jim Nugent of ACH Foam Technologies. Nugent is a Regional Sales Manager serving the greater Chicago area. Nugent works with designers, builders, and owners to develop geofoam and rigid foam insulation solutions to a wide range of situations. At Sheridan Elementary, 20” of geofoam blocks and 6” of sand were used to support a 16-inch concrete foundation while providing space for utilities. A 24” layer of geofoam was used to support the final 6” of finished concrete floor to create a uniform surface that supports a 6-inch concrete slab. “The designers had never used geofoam in this way and had a lot of questions about compressive strength, the size of pieces, and logistics,” continues Nugent. “We hosted a lunch-n-learn presentation to explain densities, layering strategies, and the material’s predictable performance in subsurface conditions.”
ACH Foam Technologies’ Foam-Control geofoam products range in compressive strength from 2.2 pounds per square inch (psi) at one percent deformation all the way up to 18.6 psi, the highest density geofoam blocks. The high-quality, non-degrading geofoam blocks have been used as lightweight geo-fill under buildings, roadways, bridge embankments, levees, and even runways because of their capacity to support live and dead loads of incredible proportions. When used architecturally, as in the case of the Sheridan Elementary concrete slab, geofoam also provides a thermal insulation barrier, significantly adding to the building envelope’s overall R-value. ACH Foam Technologies’ Molded Polystyrene products have been proven to resist water absorption as well, or better than, other ridged foam insulations and come with a 50-year R-value warranty.
“We enjoy working with designers and builders to solved complex challenges, with what often turn out to be simple solutions thanks to geofoam,” finishes Nugent.
Contact Information:
Mary Burk - mburk@achfoam.com / 303.645.4114
Sean O’Keefe - sean@sokpr.com / 303.668.0717
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/53c7eefd-807c-4658-83bd-df542ca51a62