Made from Recycled Container Glass

Ultra-Lightweight
Foamed Glass Aggregate

ULFGA® — The sustainable, high-performance construction aggregate revolutionizing infrastructure and commercial building in India.

Highly Frictional Non-Leaching Rot-Resistant Non-Flammable Durable Safe
Explore Applications
85–90%
Lighter than Quarried Aggregates
25+
Years in Use Worldwide
55°
Internal Friction Angle
800°F
Heat Resistance
100 CY
Per Truckload
Why ULFGA®

Key Material Properties

ULFGA® delivers a unique combination of properties that solve today's most demanding civil engineering challenges.

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Ultra-Lightweight

12–15 pcf uncompacted dry bulk density — 85–90% lighter than quarried aggregates. Dramatically reduces loads on structures and foundations.

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High Friction Angle

45° loose, up to 55° at 1200 psf. Slopes up to 1:1 can be built without additional reinforcement.

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Excellent Insulation

Closed-cell structure provides superior thermal insulation, ideal for frost-susceptible soils and cold climate construction.

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Free-Draining

Hydraulic conductivity of 3.0 cm/sec. Functions as a capillary break and drainage layer in foundation and plaza applications.

♻️

Sustainable

Manufactured from 100% recycled container glass. Reduces landfill waste and conserves natural aggregate resources.

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Chemically Stable

Non-leaching (TCLP SW-846), zero clay lumps, organic impurities, and popouts. Rot-resistant, non-flammable, and volume stable.

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Rodent Resistant

Glass-based material is not susceptible to biological degradation or rodent infestation — ideal for long-term infrastructure.

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Accelerated Construction

Larger lift thicknesses possible. Up to 100 cubic yards per truck. Easy placement, even in confined or difficult-access areas.

Where It Works

Applications

ULFGA® has been successfully used in building and infrastructure construction projects for over 25 years. Select a category to explore use cases.

Embankments
Retaining Walls
Roadway Widening
Utilities
Tunnels & Culverts
Commercial
Greenroofs & Plazas
  • Lightweight fill over compressible soils and/or utilities
  • Insulating fills for frost susceptible soils
  • Resiliency projects requiring fill on soft soil
  • Reduced excavation for soil balancing
  • Less soil removal and disposal
  • Potential to stay out of the water table
ULFGA® Embankment cross-section diagram showing road layers with foamed glass aggregate

Embankments

Large embankments can be built with low net surcharge due to the low unit weight and high friction angle of ULFGA®. Ideal for soft soil conditions.

Weight Reduction vs. Soil
85–90%
Max Slope (no reinforcement)
1:1
  • Lightweight fill behind retaining walls and wing walls
  • Greatly reduces lateral load on walls
  • Easily excavated for placement or repair of utilities
  • Pullout testing completed on various reinforcement types
  • Free draining material
  • Reduces settlement of embankments for bridge approaches
Retaining wall with ULFGA backfill

Retaining Walls & Bridge Abutments

Dramatically reduces lateral earth pressure on retaining structures. ULFGA® is the ideal backfill for bridge abutments and wing walls on soft ground.

Lateral Load Reduction
Significant
Drainage
Free-Draining
  • Roadway widening and shoulder repair
  • Slopes up to 1:1 without additional reinforcement
  • Increased slope inclination helps with right-of-way limitations
  • Minimizes disturbance to existing structures
Roadway widening with ULFGA

Roadway Widening

Steeper slopes achievable without reinforcement, making it possible to widen roads even with tight right-of-way constraints.

Max Slope Inclination
1H : 1V
R.O.W. Savings
Maximized
  • Lightweight backfill for sensitive utilities
  • Bedding layer for utilities on soft compressible soils
  • Insulating backfill for frost protection
  • High friction angle creates soil arching to further reduce loads
  • Heat resistant up to 800°F
Utilities protection with ULFGA backfill

Utilities Protection

Protect buried utilities with lightweight, insulating, and highly frictional backfill that creates soil arching and reduces vertical loads.

Heat Resistance
800°F
Load Reduction via Arching
Yes
  • Lightweight backfill over and around tunnels and culverts
  • Reduced weight of embankment fill over load distribution platforms
  • Optimize number of piles required
  • Use where in situ ground improvement is not possible due to underground utilities
Tunnels and culverts with ULFGA

Tunnels & Culverts

Reduces overburden loads on tunnel linings and buried structures. Enables design optimization of pile systems and load platforms.

Compressive Strength (min)
15,000 psf
Pile Optimization
Enabled
  • Support of excavation backfill and retaining walls
  • Under concrete slabs — as a capillary break and insulator
  • Vertical backfill for insulation, drainage, and reduced load
  • Rot-resistant and non-flammable — ideal for buildings
  • Insulation protection against frost heave

Foundation Walls & Slabs

Lightweight backfill against foundation walls and under slabs. Provides insulation, drainage, and reduced structural loads — all in one material.

Structural Cost Reduction
~6%
Steel Reduction (columns)
20–22%
  • Easily contours and shapes due to high friction angle
  • Insulating and draining layer on greenroofs
  • Reduces load on roof structure
  • Insulates substructure or protects against frost heave (plaza decks)
  • Free draining — prevents waterlogging
  • Reduces load on roof structure or soft soils
Greenroof with ULFGA drainage layer
Plaza deck with ULFGA
Real World Projects

Case Studies

ULFGA® has been successfully deployed across infrastructure projects worldwide. Explore our documented case studies below.

Case Study · TN 529
I-564 Intermodal Connector
Norfolk, VA · April 2020
Embankment Infrastructure

2.82-mile four-lane highway connecting I-564 to Naval Station Norfolk. ULFGA® selected as lightweight embankment fill after slope stability failure.

12,000
CY Volume
2.82
Miles
4
Lanes
VDOT / Federal Highway
⬇ Download PDF View Details →
Case Study · TN 503
Route 7 (Wittpenn Bridge) Contract #4
Kearny, NJ · October 2017
Roadway Value Engineering

Value Engineering replacement of Geofoam and Expanded Shale over the Hackensack River. ULFGA® offered cost and time savings with zero pavement movement recorded since installation.

~27,000
CY Volume
1–9 ft
Fill Thickness
0
Movement Recorded
NJDOT
⬇ Download PDF View Details →
Case Study · TN 523
US Route 4 Bridge over Bunker Creek
Durham, NH · September 2019
Bridge & Embankment Tidal Zone

$7.1M design-build bridge replacement over tidal Bunker Creek. ULFGA® used in widened and raised embankments to mitigate settlements in soft tidal marine deposits 40–100 ft deep.

5,200
CY Volume
$7.1M
Contract Value
34 ft
Roadway Width
NHDOT
⬇ Download PDF View Details →
Case Study · TN 530
Route 1 & 9 New Road
Jersey City, NJ · Nov 2019 – Apr 2020
Utilities Protection Settlement Control

$70M NJDOT truck route project in Hudson County. ULFGA® used to protect two 72" steel water mains from settlement — conventional soil would have caused 0.8" pipe settlement.

635
CY Volume
$70M
Project Value
72"
Steel Mains Protected
NJDOT
⬇ Download PDF View Details →
📋
More Case Studies Coming
Retaining Walls · Tunnels · Commercial · Greenroofs
Specifications

Technical Data — UL-FGA G15

Comprehensive material properties tested in accordance with ASTM, AASHTO, and EN standards. Daily quality control ensures consistent performance.

Density (Unit Weight)

Uncompacted Dry Bulk12–15 pcf
Compacted (10% comp.)13.3–16.7 pcf
Compacted (20% comp.)15–18.8 pcf
Buoyant Unit Weight−15 pcf
Particle Specific Gravity0.4 typical

Physical Characteristics

Hydraulic Conductivity3.0 cm/sec
Volumetric Moisture0–10% (6% typ.)
Gravimetric Moisture0–60% (25% typ.)
Porosity (Uncompacted)0.5
Porosity (1.25 comp.)0.38

Stability

Friction Angle (Loose)45°
Friction Angle (≤1200 psf)55°
Friction Angle (≤3000 psf)41°
Compressive Str. (min)15,000 psf
Electrical Resistance15,600 ohm-cm

Chemical Characteristics

Ignition Loss0
Sulfates11 ppm
Chlorides<10 ppm
TCLP (SW-846)Non-leaching
Organic Impurities0

Gradation (Uncompacted)

D85 (Maximum)2.5"
D15 (Minimum)0.375"
Soundness (Mg. Sulfate)4.1–14%
Soundness (Na. Sulfate)3.1–6.9%
Clay Lumps0

IIT Madras Test Results (CBR)

CBR Value (Blended)46%
Optimum Moisture Content12%
Max Dry Density0.527 gm/cc
Liquid LimitNon-plastic
Soundness (coarse, Mg)3.5% ✓
Side-by-Side

ULFGA® vs. Conventional Aggregates

Adjust the fill depth to see how ULFGA® compares to conventional quarried aggregates in real-world load scenarios.

ULFGA® (15 pcf avg)
0.72
tonnes/m² surcharge
Conventional Gravel (100 pcf)
4.79
tonnes/m² surcharge
🏆

85% lighter

At 3m depth, ULFGA® saves approximately 4.07 tonnes/m² of load — enabling construction on soft soils without deep foundations.

Project Estimator

Building Cost Benefit Calculator

Based on the G+5 commercial building study comparing ULFGA® concrete mix versus normal concrete. Enter your project parameters to estimate potential savings.

Estimated Project Benefits

Slab Load Reduction—
Column Load Reduction—
Foundation Volume Reduction—
Steel Reinforcement Savings—
Structural Concreting Cost—
Estimated Steel Cost—
~6%
Estimated Total Project Cost Reduction
Approvals & Testing

Certifications & Test Results

ULFGA® has received endorsement from India's Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and has been independently tested by IIT Madras and NABL-accredited laboratories.

Approved

MoRTH Ministerial Endorsement

Minister Nitin Gadkari endorsed the use of ULFGA® as a substitute for sand layers in road construction projects in India, promoting alternative materials for environmental conservation.

📅 Dated: 06 March 2024
IIT Tested

IIT Madras — GSB Application Report

Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras tested ULFGA® for Granular Sub-Base layer suitability. CBR of 46%, non-plastic, soundness passed. Investigated by Dr. Surender Singh.

📅 February 2024
NABL Accredited

Concrete Cube — M40 Grade (28 Days)

60% Natural Aggregate + 40% ULFGA mix achieved average compressive strength of 43.1 N/mm² at 28 days (28-hour early strength: 43.1 N/mm²) — exceeding M40 requirements.

📅 Tested: June 2024 | Velciti CTH, Chennai
Lab Verified

Mix Trials — 70% ULFGA Concrete

30% Natural Aggregate + 70% ULFGA achieved 27.60 N/mm² average at 7 days, demonstrating viability of high ULFGA-content mixes for lightweight structural applications.

📅 June 2024 | Velciti CTH, Chennai
25+ Years

Global Track Record

Full-scale production began in Europe in the 1980s. Successfully used in Scandinavia for frost heave prevention and has expanded to bridges, embankments, greenroofs, and more worldwide.

📅 Production since 1980s
Environmental

Sustainable & Non-Leaching

TCLP (SW-846) non-leaching certified. Zero ignition loss, zero clay lumps, zero organics. Made from 100% recycled container glass — diverts waste from landfills.

📅 Ongoing QC Testing
Get In Touch

Ready to Use ULFGA® on Your Project?

Prosift Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. is the authorized distributor of ULFGA® in India. Our technical team provides in-house support for designers and contractors.

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Company

Prosift Enterprises Private Limited

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Location

No. 7, 2nd Floor, 7th West Cross Street, Shenoy Nagar, Chennai – 600030, Tamil Nadu

✉️

Technical Info

info@prosift.com