Why Some Roads Are Made of Styrofoam

What do you do when soil is too heavy for the job? Use lightweight backfill!

Over the years, engineers have come up with a lot of creative ways to mitigate the settlement of heavy stuff on soft soils, but one of those solutions seems so simple that it’s almost unbelievable: just make embankments less heavy.

Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: https://nebula.tv/videos/practical-en...

Signed copies of my book (plus other cool stuff) are available here: https://store.practical.engineering/

Practical Engineering is a YouTube channel about infrastructure and the human-made world around us. It is hosted, written, and produced by Grady Hillhouse. We have new videos posted regularly, so please subscribe for updates. If you enjoyed the video, hit that ‘like’ button, give us a comment, or watch another of our videos!

CONNECT WITH ME
____________________________________
Website: http://practical.engineering
Twitter:   / hillhousegrady  
Instagram:   / practicalengineering  
Reddit:   / practicalengineering  
Facebook:   / practicalengineergrady​  
Patreon:   / practicalengineering  

SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIES
____________________________________
Please email my agent at [email protected]

DISCLAIMER
____________________________________
This is not engineering advice. Everything here is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Contact an engineer licensed to practice in your area if you need professional advice or services. All non-licensed clips used for fair use commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

SPECIAL THANKS
____________________________________
This video is sponsored by HelloFresh.
Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images, Shutterstock, Pond5, and Videoblocks.
Music by Epidemic Sound: http://epidemicsound.com/creator
Tonic and Energy by Elexive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License
Source:    • Elexive - Tonic and Energy [Creative Commons]  
Producer/Writer/Host: Grady Hillhouse
Editor: Wesley Crump
Production Assistant: Josh Lorenz
Script Editor: Ralph Crewe
Background Painting: Josh Welker
Graphics: Nebula Studios
Cell-Crete Email: [email protected]
Cell-Crete Website: https://www.cell-crete.com/
Gerhart Cole (Geotechnical Engineer) email: [email protected]
Foamed glass aggregate provided by Glavel.