Leca® Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate provides numerous alternative types of application for construction projects. Lightness combined with good bearing capacity and thermal insulation properties of the material makes it a material of choice in construction on a soft, poor bearing subgrade. Leca® Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate is made from fired clay and is a mechanically and chemically sustainable material, which remains unchanged throughout the lifetime of a completed structure.

HOWEVER, USING LECA® LIGHTWEIGHT EXPANDED CLAY AGGREGATE CAN ELIMINATE THESE COSTS AND CONSIDERABLY LIGHTEN THE LOAD TO PROVIDE SIMILAR BENEFITS TO THOSE WHEN USED IN WEAK SOIL AREAS.

Leca® Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate was utilised to provide the stable foundations to construct the world famous Kelpies.

When constructing over weak underground voids or soils with low bearing capacity, the load compensation method may be considered using Leca® LWA.

By extracting a volume of existing soil from beneath the new construction, the equivalent volume of Leca® Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate replacing that soil will reduce the load on the sub-formation by up to four times. By using Leca® Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate extraction can be kept to a minimum in order to achieve nil settlement.

Reducing Soil Pressure

Earth pressure of fill soil affects a supporting structure on a boundary surface between the supporting structure and earth. Supporting structures loaded by earth pressure include, among others, retaining walls, sheet pile walls, back fill of bridges, basement walls, and foundations.