NEx Webinar Series (June 10): Thermal and Structural Performance of EPS [...]

NEx Webinar Series (June 10): Thermal and Structural Performance of EPS in Slab-on-Grade Foundation Applications

DATE: June 10, 2026

TIME: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm EDT

Author: Jason Huang and Anand Puppala

Publication Year: 2026

Categories: Foundations, Slab-On-Ground

Formats: Online Learning

Continuing Education Credit: 0.10 CEU (1.0 PDH)

Approved AIA and ICC

Access Period: 30 days

CEU (PDH) REQUIREMENTS:

To earn CEU (PDH) credit, individuals must purchase the webinar and attend the live webinar for the entire duration (or pass the quiz available after the webinar).

This webinar is jointly sponsored by NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials and the American Concrete Institute (ACI).

Insulation of foundations of residential homes is critical to reduce the heat loss, lower the heating cost, and build energy-efficient homes. In this webinar, the thermal and structural performance of a modified concrete slab with partial replacement of coarse aggregates using expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a slab-on-grade foundation for residential homes is presented. The design of such slabs with incorporation of EPS and their effects on concrete design and strength will first be discussed. Thermal performance of the foundations using EPS-modified concrete slab from thermal insulation tests on slab-on-grade foundation systems will then be presented. In addition, the structural integrity of EPS-modified concrete foundation using large-scale plate load test under different load levels will be discussed. The webinar will then conclude with a brief discussion on the future research needs and development of guidelines on using EPS-modified concrete in slab-on-grade foundation applications.

Learning objectives:

1. Discuss the importance of foundation insulations for heat loss reduction and energy saving of residential homes.

2. Design concrete mixes with incorporation of expanded polystyrene (EPS) with improved thermal properties and good structural integrity.

3. Assess the thermal performance of EPS-modified concrete in slab-on-grade foundation applications for residential homes.

4. Evaluate the structural integrity of slab-on-grade foundations of homes using EPS-modified concrete.

Register Here: NEx Webinar Series (June 10): Thermal and Structural Performance of EPS in Slab-on-Grade Foundation Applications