Use of EPS as a Lightweight Fill Material on the Port Mann / Highway 1 Improvement Project, Vancouver to Langley, BC

As part of the design-build Port Mann / Highway 1 (PMH1) Improvement Project, 25 lightweight bridge embankments were designed and constructed using expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. EPS embankments are typically used as an alternative to mineral fill embankments where the ground is soft and would require lengthy preloading to control post-construction settlements. This has made EPS embankments particularly attractive for design-build projects, where construction schedules are typically compressed and traditional methods of ground improvement are much less attractive. This paper provides three case studies that highlight the design features developed to address the unique characteristics of these sites. In the Burnaby Lake area in Burnaby, pile-supported EPS embankments replaced multiple bridge spans. At King Edward Street in Coquitlam, the rapid constructability of EPS embankments enabled a long curved bridge to be replaced by a much shorter straight bridge. At the 202nd Street Overpasses in Langley, ground liquefaction and slope stability challenges were overcome by using EPS embankments. In addition, several other applications of EPS used on the PMH1 Project are discussed.