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    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

     

    PennDOT’s Southwestern PA District Takes Lead on EPG Innovation

    May 13, 2020
    Blog Header Image

    ​PennDOT's District 12 in southwestern Pennsylvania looks for ways to deploy Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Geofoam, a rapid embankment construction technique used in Accelerated Bridge Construction. 

    This innovation, championed by the Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC), involves the use of a lightweight, rigid foam plastic in place of traditional embankment or back-fill materials. It is much lighter than traditional materials and can be used to reduce ground settlement, ground instability, or lateral pressures exerted by the fill.

    "We look for opportunities to use it where it's effective, cost beneficial, and makes sense," said Roy Painter, P.E., the district's geotechnical engineer. "It reduces stresses on underlying soils and increases the stability of the embankments against failure."

    The technology was used for a project on Pennsylvania Route 217 to protect the existing bridge and piers against settlement during construction of a new bridge and embankments. It was also used in two locations on U.S. Route 119 in Fayette County, for a gabion wall settled backfill leveling and for cross-pipe settled backfill leveling.

    The benefits include accelerated foundation construction, which reduces project schedules; reduced need for labor in construction; little to no lateral load on retaining structures; and it can be constructed easily in limited rights-of-way.

    "If you have to be in the right of way, it can work better," Painter noted. "Also, it does not take as much time for the bank to settle."

    Read about other recent innovations at PennDOT.gov/STIC.

    ABOUT THIS BLOG

    Did you know PennDOT is directly responsible for nearly 40,000 miles of highway and roughly 25,000 bridges? We oversee programs and policies affecting highways, urban and rural public transportation, airports, railroads, ports and waterways, in addition to administering the state's more than 11 million vehicle registrations and 8.8 million driver's licenses.

    So, how do we do what we do? And how can we help you travel in Pennsylvania — whether it be for business or leisure — in safe and enjoyable manner? Read PennDOT Way to learn more about the department, what we do, and how and why we do it.​

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    50-Year Anniversary, 511PA, Aggressive Driving, Airports, Autonomous Vehicles, Bicycles, Bridges, Child Safety, Community Relations, Construction, COVID-19, Distracted Driving, District 1, District 10, District 11, District 12, District 2, District 3, District 4, District 5, District 6, District 8, District 9, DOTcom, Driver and Vehicle Services, Emergency Responders, Employment, Equity, FAQ Friday, Human Trafficking, Impaired Driving, Innovations, Live Free Ride Alive, Maintenance Monday, Motorcycles, Older Drivers, PA Motorcycle Safety Program, Pedestrians, PennDOT Connects, Ports, Public Transit, Railroads, REAL ID, Road MaP, Roadside Beautification, Rural Roads, Safety, School Buses, Seat Belts, State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC), Sustainability, Teen Drivers, Throwback Thursday, Transportation Funding, Travel in PA, Welcome Centers, Winter, Work Smart, Work Zone, Yellow Dot

     

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