Using Flowable Fill
This familiar ready mix concrete is delivered by truck and can be poured or pumped. It is a self-leveling material that can be placed with minimal effort and does not require vibration or tamping. Flowable fill concrete fills gaps, protects conduit, and can be an economical backfill.
Over the past decade, research and tech advances with free form mixtures has led to its versatility. It is used for paving substrate, base bridge abutment and retaining wall backfill. It can be engineered for conductivity and insulative properties. Further, flowable fill can be used in all weather conditions. The materials temperature can be altered in the same way as heating concrete, and it will displace water in trenches from rain or snow melt.
Why Use Flowable Fill?
- Flowable fill can simplify your construction
- Allows for design flexibility: strength, set time, and color can all be adjusted per requirements
- Because it flows into place, flowable fill eliminates the difficulty of compaction under and around pipes, completely filling voids
- Flowable fill requires no compaction, saving money on equipment and labor
- Fixes problems from poorly compacted soils and granular fill
- Requires less field inspection
- Allows all weather construction
The Customizability of Flowable Fill
This flowing, smooth concrete mix is used for non-structural jobs. Controlled set times allow the job to be completed faster. Flowable fill can be designed to meet construction needs regardless of environmental conditions. Flowable fill concrete improves worker safety while reducing costs.
Flowable fill allows workers to fill trenches without entering the trench. It allows for narrower trenches as there is no need to widen the trench to accommodate workers and compaction equipment. When used as fill in roadway construction, the narrower trench, fast set time (can be open to traffic in a few hours, much faster than typical paving closures) and reduced equipment costs are all advantages to using flowable fill concrete.
Flowable Fill: The Versatile Liquid Soil
Flowable fill can be formulated to meet engineering specifications for precise subsidence, unit weight, thermal insulation and conductivity. It can be engineered to backfill gas lines or ensure conductivity of electrical lines. Subsidence is typically 1/8” per foot of depth, although additives can affect the final result.