5/20/2016

AN INTRODUCTION TO CELLULAR
CONCRETE AND ADVANCED ENGINEERED LOW -DENSITY CELLULAR CONCRETE IS
FOAM TECHNOLOGY DEFINED BY ACI 523 AS…
Not just products…Solutions
Concrete made with hydraulic
cement, water and preformed foam
to produce a hardened material with
an oven dry density of 50pounds
(22.7 kg) per cubic foot or less.

Preformed foam is created by

diluting a liquid foam concentrate
Nico Sutmoller with water in predetermined
Lightweight Fill Specialist proportions and passing this mixture
through a foam generator.

Revision Last updated 4/2016

CONFORMS TO ACI INDUSTRY STANDARDS CONFORMS TO ACI INDUSTRY STANDARDS

Types of Foam Preformed

Produced by Foam Generator

ACI 523
Preformed Agitated
Produced by Foam Generator Produced by the mixing action of
a concrete mixer

ACI 523 ACI 229

Cellular Concrete CLSM

CELLULAR CONCRETE REPLACES COARSE CELLULAR CONCRETE PORE STRUCTURE

AGGREGATE WITH AIR WHEN CURED

Cementitious materials
encapsulate the air bubbles,
The air cells must then dissipate leaving a
be resilient in order void structure as a
to withstand the replacement to traditional
rigors of mixing aggregate
and pumping in
various
applications Lightweight Cellular
Concrete differs from
conventional aggregate
concrete in the methods of
Foam has the stability to be calculated as a solid but production, the density of
the properties to be placed as a low density fluid the material and the
material extensive range of end
uses.

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THE CELLULAR CONCRETE FULLY REBOUNDED CELLULAR CONCRETE BATCHING PROCESS

TO THE ORIGINAL FILL HEIGHT 1 CY OF SLURRY EXPANDS UP TO 4.6 CY

At 30 psi pressure, the *Note there was no visible

cellular concrete was reduced collapse of the cellular
in height to 9 inches concrete after the test.
*Inform ation provided by
Ardaman & Associates, Inc. Tampa, FL

PRODUCTION OF CELLULAR CONCRETE IS MORE

TYPES OF ON-SITE INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY THAN ALTERNATIVE
INCLUDE METHODS

High production self-contained unit

for larger volume projects

 Less trucking
 Less pieces of equipment
Mobile Mixing units
 Less Fuel
 Less Carbon Emissions
Self-contained trailer
wet batch system  Less congested jobsites

TYPICAL STRENGTH AND DENSITY TYPICAL STRENGTH CURVE OF CELLULAR

PROPERTIES OF CELLULAR CONCRETE MIXES CONCRETE

75% of
the
volume
PSI

is foam

PCF

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CELLULAR CONCRETE FOLLOWS ASTM TEST

METHODS THAT APPLY TO LIGHTWEIGHT INSULATING QUALITY CONTROL IS ALWAYS MEASURED IN
CONCRETE THE FIELD

ASTM C 495 ASTM C 796

“Standard Test Method for: “Standard Test Method for:
Compressive Strength of Foaming Agents for use in
Lightweight Insulating Producing Cellular Concrete
Concrete” using Preformed Foam”

Weighing a sample of
 Cylinder specimens are 3”x6”
Handling and storage material (ASTM C 796)
 50% relative humidity curing
of samples is very
 Air dried for 3 days before testing
important
 28 day compressive strength testing

FOAM TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE HUGE

ADVANCEMENTS WITH STABLE BUBBLE
TECHNOLOGY
 Typical Foams
 3 foot lift thickness
 Pumping distance limited
to 5,000 feet maximum
GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
 Tunnel Backfill and Annular Fills
 Advanced Foam Technology  Subgrade Modification
 4-20 foot lift thickness
 Tremie Applications
 Pumping distance increased to
more than 14,000 feet  Bridge Approach

 Only non-permeable  Permeable is also an option  Retaining Wall Backfills

 Viscosity was almost 1  Thicker material  Fill Underground Tanks & Pipelines
 Fly ash usage limited  Higher fly ash usage and slag  Fill for Abandoned Mines
cement usage
 Fill Around Conduits and Pipes

CELLULAR CONCRETE IS AN IDEAL SOLUTION BRIGHTWATER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM

FOR ANNULAR AND TUNNEL BACKFILL W OODINVILLE, WA
Highly flowable material able to  Highly flowable material
completely fill annular space
 Lightweightand
Lightweight and easily pumped long pumpable to fully
distances at low pressures
capsulate the pipes
Will not float pipe or damage liner for
sliplining Cellular Concrete has been pumped over 700
feet vertically and over 15,000 feet
horizontally
Strength and density can be
customized to project requirements
 Strength and density were
Shrinkage of less than 0.3% designed for the specific
project requirements
Quick and Easy Installation Can accommodate any
diameter pipe
Environmentally Safe

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GAS PIPE LINE ABANDONMENT

ATLANTA GAS LIGHT (AGL) GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
 Tunnel Backfill and Annular Fills
• 12 ½ mile abandonment
• 1,000-1,500 ft placement points  Subgrade Modification
• 6,500 yd³ of 40pcf  Tremie Applications
• Non-pervious
 Bridge Approach

 Retaining Wall Backfills

 Fill Underground Tanks & Pipelines

 Fill for Abandoned Mines

USE CELLULAR CONCRETE FOR SUBGRADE CELLULAR CONCRETE USED TO REPLACE

MODIFICATION WHEN EXISTING SOILS ARE UNSTABLE SOILS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
UNDESIRABLE CONNECTICUT

Cellular Concrete Advantages

Reduce Vertical Dead Loads

Increase Strength/Stability with Minimal Weight

Improve Seismic Stability

Reduce Settlement Potential

Increase Bearing Capacity

Insulating  Football stadium constructed on a landfill site with unstable soils

 Lightweight Cellular Concrete sub-base equally distributed the loads
 40,000 yds of 35pcf material placed at 150 cy per hour
Lightweight cellular concrete for unstable
soils at the Newark Airport

120 DAY W ATER ABSORPTION STUDY* GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS

Non-Pervious Cellular Concrete  Tunnel Backfill and Annular Fills
Sample Net Cast Net @ Avg.  Subgrade Modification
ID PCF 120 days Absorption
pcf %  Tremie Applications
30 pcf 30.3 34.6 16.6  Bridge Approach
36 pcf 34.9 38.7 12.5
 Retaining Wall Backfills
42 pcf 41.5 45.4 12.4
 Fill Underground Tanks & Pipelines

 Fill for Abandoned Mines

*Haller Laboratory Report (No. L4538-2-R)

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THE FLUIDITY OF CELLULAR CONCRETE MAKES IT

FAVORABLE FOR TREMIE APPLICATIONS
 Coastal piers compromised
 Placed sheet pile around existing
piers, to isolate wood from water
 70 pcf Cellular Concrete used as
fill between the sheet pile and the
pier
Hudson River in New Jersey
GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
 Tunnel Backfill and Annular Fills
 Subgrade Modification
 Tremie Applications
 Bridge Approach
 Retaining Wall Backfills

 Fill Underground Tanks & Pipelines

 DoD Project Overseas
 Seawall needed to be reinforced  Fill for Abandoned Mines
 Backfill behind seawall with
sand mix
 Cellular Concrete material
moved 35’ in each direction
from tremie location

DoD Project Classified Location

CELLULAR CONCRETE IS IDEAL RETAINING

WALL BACKFILL SEGMENTAL W ALL CONFIGURATION
Cellular Concrete Advantages
Reduce Lateral Load

Ease of Placement

Increased lift heights

Reduces schedule impact

Allows for design flexibility

Engineered Permeability

T-W ALL® BY THE NEEL CO. GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS

 Tunnel Backfill and Annular Fills
 Subgrade Modification
 Tremie Applications
 Bridge Approach

 Retaining Wall Backfills

 Underground Utility Protection

 Fill Underground Tanks & Pipelines

 Fill for Abandoned Mines

 Fill Around Conduits and Pipes

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GEOTHERMAL MODEL – UTILITY PROTECTION
**Illustration provided by Cematrix
FULLY EXCAVATABLE & VERSATILE
PERVIOUS VS. NON-PERVIOUS
 Bubble Chemistry is
different
 In non-pervious we need
to maintain the bubble
structure
 With Pervious we need
to coalesce the bubble
structure
5/20/2016
IDENTIFY BURIED UTILITIES WITH A DYE
 clear indicator for
future operators
 Different colors can be
used
 Red - fiber optics or
high voltage lines
 Blue – water lines
 Yellow – sewer lines
Photo Courtesy of Throop Cellular Concrete
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND ENGINEERED
FOAM SOLUTIONS
Open Cell Technology
Pervious Cellular Concrete Permeability Drainage of 30” -1000”/hr
Density of 25pcf – 35pcf
MTSU testing shows that 97% of oil
and 79% of heavy metals were
retained in the sample
TYPICAL USES AND APPLICATIONS FOR
PERVIOUS CELLULAR CONCRETE
 Sports Complex – Field Drainage
 Retaining Wall Backfill
 Pervious Pavement – sub-base filtration
 Foundation Drainage
 Pipeline Bedding / Culvert Fill
 Landscaping
 Pool Backfill
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PERVIOUS CELLULAR CONCRETE USED AS A SUB-

BASE AT THE NEW YORK METS BALLPARK SAVING
PERVIOUS CELLULAR CONCRETE USED AS A SUB-BASE
THE OWNER OVER $500,000 DOLLARS

The original design called

for 4’ of lightweight
The site of the new ball park was on poor aggregate. Cellular
soils. Pervious Cellular Concrete was used as Concrete was proposed
a sub-base under the playing field area to as a value engineering
allow for drainage. alternative.

The site of the new ball park was on

Picture courtesy of
organic clay
Civil Magazine
2009 Article

PERVIOUS CELLULAR CONCRETE USED ON BRIDGE 2,600 CUBIC YARDS OF 25PCF PERVIOUS
APPROACH TO ALLOW FLOOD WATERS TO DRAIN CELLULAR CONCRETE

Standing water from flooding

of Red River in Fargo, ND Pervious Cellular Concrete Advantages
had deteriorated the bridge
approach.  Reduced Settlement

 Increase Bearing Capacity

 Improve Seismic Stability

 Permeability of 1x10-2 cm/sec

Using pervious cellular concrete on
the bridge approach allowed the
flood waters to drain alleviating
pooling and potential deterioration

PERVIOUS CELLULAR CONCRETE USED FOR

RETAINING WALL BACKFILL TO PROVIDE DRAINAGE LOUIS ARMSTRONG AIRPORT
AT TOE OF LANDSLIDE NEW ORLEANS, LA

I-70
Pervious fill
behind lower
bin wall

US 6

Due to the close proximity of the

retaining wall to the concrete block
anchors installed to tie back the
landslide, the lightweight pervious
backfill reduced the lateral earth
pressure on the new block wall
while still allowing for proper
draining, which is key to reducing
the potential for future slope failure

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LOUIS ARMSTRONG AIRPORT

NEW ORLEANS, LA INCORPORATION OF HELICAL ANCHORS

STUDY AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE

UNIVERSITY PERVIOUS DENSITY VS. PERMEABILITY
Density of specimen, pcf
27.4
27.2
27
26.8
26.6
26.4
26.2
26
25.8
25.6
25.4
1 2 3 4

60.5

60

59.5

59

58.5

58
Void Content, %

APPLICATIONS FOR OTHER INDUSTRIES UNIQUE APPLICATIONS

Housing Sound Walls

ROOFING MINING  Popular in Asia, Latin  Lightweight
America, and Europe  Sound absorption
 Fast Construction  Less bounce or
 Vermin proof sound rebound
 Roofing  Backfill  Fire Resistance
 Re-roofing  Annular fill
 Tailling material transport

LWIC Top Coat

Engineered Material
EPS Application
Arresting System (EAS)
Slurry Coat  FAA mandated longer runways –
Application landing over runs
 Airports that do not have room for
Metal Deck extended runways can use an
EAS
 System will prevent a jet from
running off the runway but still
allow emergency vehicles to drive
on the EAS without sinking in.

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W HAT CONCLUSIONS CAN WE DRAW ABOUT

CELLULAR CONCRETE?

 Broad Range of Densities

 Economical
 Versatile
 Easily Placed

 Rapid Installation
 Durable

 Permanent and Stable

 Environmentally Friendly

No One Foam Does it All

Questions?
We can customize our products to meet
your project needs