VoidForm developed and sold the first paper carton forms in Englewood, Colorado in 1980. Over 40 years later, VoidForm continues innovating and now produces multiple void systems designed to protect structures and utilities from the damaging effects of expansive soil. Traditional carton forms are made from corrugated paper. They are designed to break down when exposed to moisture, deteriorating over time. As with all paper void systems, this tried-and-true method requires the contractor to predict the weather to ensure void boxes are not exposed to moisture caused by inclement weather prior to the placement of concrete or risk scheduling delays and replacement of ruined forms.
In 2013, VoidForm introduced their patented product, StormVoid, to solve this issue. StormVoid utilizes an interior cellular structure made from polypropylene interiors wrapped in a wax-coated paper cover to keep the cells aligned during placement. Once placed in the ground and on a stable base, the contractor can be confident the specified void space will still be achieved, and the forms will not be weakened by a weather event or a high-water table causing construction delays and cost overruns.
Since the StormVoid interior structure doesn’t break down, it utilizes a mechanical break instead. The polypropylene cells are designed to bend at predetermined loads, preventing soil uplift pressures from transferring into the slabs, walls, or grade beams. Therefore, StormVoid must be custom manufactured for each application.
StormVoid’s load capacity is obtained by using various thicknesses and strengths of fluted plastic interior supports in various cell configurations. Through our compression testing, VoidForm can build StormVoid within tight tolerances to be strong enough to support specific weight loads under liquid concrete and steel, yet weak enough to bend or break before uplifting soil pressures can apply damaging stress to the concrete structure above.
