Cellular grout, also called low-density cellular concrete or flowable fill, is a common material option for void fills and wall backfills. There are several benefits to LDCC, including reduced construction time, materials, and labor, and these benefits can all contribute to long-term cost savings for your project.
In this blog post, our team of engineered fill experts explains six ways cellular grout is cost-effective for void fills and wall backfill projects.
#1: Self-Leveling Fill
Cellular grout is made of cement, water, fly ash or sand, and uniformly distributed air bubbles. This unique composition creates a lightweight, flowable concrete that spreads and settles evenly without the need for manual rolling and leveling. This saves man-hours and equipment costs during the installation process.
#2: Self-Compacting
Traditional fill requires tamping or a compaction machine, multiple lifts with compaction between each lift, and, for some applications, a vibrating machine. All of these machines and extra steps can add costs, time, and man-power to your project. Instead, engineered fill self-compacts with no need for dump trucks, backhoes, and additional workers to operate those machines or perform manual compaction.
#3: Quick-Drying
Flowable engineered fill is designed to harden within 90 minutes, it can be and is completely cured and ready to be walked on within 24 hours. This quick drying time saves 30-50% of overall construction time on your project as compared to traditional fill.
#4: Reduced Material Usage
Cellular grout contains uniform air bubbles trapped within the material itself, increasing the overall volume and requiring less overall material to fill the same space. The lower amount of material used, along with the light weight of the engineered fill, offers reduced freight and transportation expenses for your project.
#5: Fewer Crew Members Required
Traditional fill may require a superintendent, dump truck operator, backhoe operator, and several laborers to man the vibrating compactors to successfully complete your project, driving the cost and time spent higher. Flowable fill, on the other hand, is easy to mix and install. For most low-density cellular concrete applications, only a superintendent, CDL driver, and one or two additional workers are needed, streamlining your project and lowering the cost of both equipment and manpower.
#6: Improved Durability and Longevity
Engineered cellular grout is designed to distribute loads evenly while also effectively absorbing stress when in use. This improved durability and longevity for flowable fill extends the lifespan of structures and reduces the lifecycle repair and maintenance costs for your fill project.
#7: Easily Excavatable
If ever the fill needs to be dug into or removed in the future, flowable fill can be dug out by hand and does not require the use of pavement breakers. If you’re backfilling a utility trench, engineered fill will provide future teams with easy access to the utility in the future, if ever repairs are needed.
Want to learn more?
If you have questions, or simply want to learn more about engineered fill from Nettles Construction Solutions, we’re here to help. Contact our team of cellular grout experts to discuss whether flowable fill is the right choice for your project.
