Using foam concrete for road construction offers numerous benefits, including lightness, durability, resistance to freezing, and water resistance. It is also worth noting that this material can significantly reduce the overall cost of the investment. An example of this is one of our recent projects in the Kwilcz municipality, where the cost of constructing a road using traditional technology proved prohibitive for the investor.
Using aggregates as a material for road subbases in our country is a time-honored tradition, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best solution. Its drawbacks are starkly highlighted by almost every significant downpour, which leads to erosion or even the washing away of entire road sections. Similarly, traditional concrete is not only heavy but also prone to freezing and difficult to work with. Foam concrete, on the other hand, is free from these disadvantages. Its structure, with air bubbles trapped in the mass after setting, makes it very light yet durable and resistant to water and freezing. Additionally, it is easy to work with drills and chisels. These aspects contributed to the Kwilcz municipality’s decision to choose foam concrete, although financial considerations played a decisive role in this case.
Road from Kwilcz to Stara Dąbrowa
The Kwilcz municipality received funding of 2.3 million PLN gross from the Polish Order for the construction of the road leading to Stara Dąbrowa. However, this amount proved insufficient to cover the entire 2.2 km section if it were to be built using traditional technology. The estimated cost of the investment in that case would be between 3.5 and even 4 million PLN, far exceeding the planned budget. By using foam concrete technology, we were able to propose a much lower bid price, totaling 2.6 million PLN gross. However, this was not the only benefit of choosing foam concrete.
Cheaper, Faster, Better
The entire project took 5 weeks, or 20 working days, which would not have been possible with traditional technologies. The construction used a layer of PB1200 foam concrete with a minimum thickness of 15 cm and a 4 cm thick mineral-asphalt mass. In total, 2800 m³ of PB1200 foam concrete was used to build the 2.2 km road. Thanks to the excellent parameters of the material used, the newly built road achieved a load-bearing category of KR5.
In addition to the practical aspects of using foam concrete, which is durable, strong, and resistant to compression, it is also important to remember that choosing this material has an eco-friendly dimension. The mix poured on-site contains cement, water, a foaming agent, and fillers (e.g., fine sand, ashes, and fly ash). However, the main filler is… air. This eliminates the need to obtain building materials by extracting aggregates, gravel, sand, or crushed stone, which always harms the environment. Moreover, the use of foam concrete allows for the utilization of ashes and dust considered waste.
