![]() Standard Specification for Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Thermal Insulation, ASTM C578-19, ASTM International.The most urgent sign of foundation damage is one or more large cracks in the foundation itself, particularly horizontal cracks. International Residential Code and International Building Code, International Code Council, Inc.ĭesign and Construction of Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations, SEI/ASCE Standard 32-01, American Society of Civil Engineers. When specified in accordance with these codes and standards, rigid foam plastic insulations have provided reliable long-term performance below ground for a variety of building and infrastructure applications.įor additional information and resources supporting the FPSF technology, please refer to the Foundation Insulation & Frost Protection page at. The ASCE 32 standard also specifies required compressive strengths (or density) for the insulation when used in applications where foundation loads are supported. Where approved for FPSF applications, other standards such as ASTM C1289-19, Standard Specification for Faced Rigid Cellular Polyisocyanurate Thermal Insulation Board, may be used for similar purpose. Consequently, it is used to specify polystyrene insulation materials for the FPSF application in accordance with the IRC and IBC, as well as the ASCE 32 standard. ASTM C 578-19, Standard Specification for Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Thermal Insulation, is the standard covering the types, physical properties, and dimensions of cellular polystyrene intended for use as thermal insulation in the United States. This standard provides for various design and construction strategies, and includes a commentary explaining the history and basis of the technology.Įxtruded polystyrene (XPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid-foam board insulation products have been specified for about 50 years for the FPSF applications discussed above. These codes also allow for foundations to be designed and constructed in accordance with Structural Engineering Institute/American Society of Civil Engineers (SEI/ASCE) Standard 32-01, Design and Construction of Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations (FPSF). ![]() The FPSF technology was first adopted in the 1995 CABO One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code and is now included in the 2000-2021 editions of the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC). Increased resident comfort: ground-level and basement floors feel warmer to residents during winter, making basements more useable and comfortable year-round.Lower homeowner utility bills: insulating the foundation results in warmer floors, particularly at the building perimeter, thereby improving HVAC efficiency and lowering total energy requirements.Lower construction costs: raising the effective frost line reduces excavation depths, requiring less labor and concrete while shortening the work schedule.FPSF BenefitsĬhoosing to build with frost-protected shallow foundation in cold-winter areas can generate several important benefits for builders and homeowners: Unheated building with FPSF “ground” insulation to conserve geothermal heat and prevent soil from freezing beneath the building and its foundation. It has also been used for innovative foundation applications, such as the example in Figure 3, showing a foundation constructed of foam-plastic insulation together with a recycled-plastic lumber stem wall.įigure 6. In addition to residential, commercial, and agricultural building applications, the concept has been used to provide frost-protection for various infrastructure projects including highways, dams, underground utilities, railroads, and earth embankments. ![]() Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) designated FPSF a “top ten” construction technology. Since then FPSF is reported to have been used on as many as one million residential and commercial structures in Europe and, more recently, on thousands in the United States. It was later adopted and improved in Europe (particularly Norway, Finland, and Sweden) during post-World War II reconstruction. The frost-protected shallow foundation concept was first used by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in his Usonian-style affordable homes built after the Great Depression. Figure 2: The FPSF concept conserves heat energy and directs heat flow to prevent ground freezing below footings.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |