Use of Extruded Polystyrene Sheets (XPS) in the construction of the Zoila Approach Road has been especially effective as XPS is the most suitable, convenient, and cheaper solution for mitigating frost action on pavements, increasing the life of pavements, and safeguarding their structural integrity.
Extruded Polystyrene sheet is a thermoplastic polymer which is formed from General purpose polystyrene by the process of extrusion. XPS has a closed cell structure and virtually no air voids and is often stronger, with a higher mechanical performance. Polystyrene is generally a synthetic polymer made from the monomer styrene, which is derived from benzene and ethylene, both of which are petroleum product Polystyrene foams are 95-98% air. XPS has been widely used for thermal insulation. for the last 40 years; it is commonly used for building insulation material, such as insulating concrete forms and structural insulated panel building systems. Finished yards of XPS can be used for insulation in temperature range of -150°C to 70°C.
Properties of XPS In general, thermal insulation is primarily based on very low thermal conductivity of gases. Gases possess poor thermal conductivity compared to liquid and solid, and thus makes a good insulation material if they can be trapped (for example in foam-like structures). Air is good insulator and the man is the absence of convection. Therefore many insulating materials like XPS function simply by having a large number of gas-filled pockets which prevent large scale convection.