How does a NUDURA ICF wall compare to that of a concrete block wall in terms of structural capacity?
Without going into the specifics of the engineering, here are the differences in a standard 8’ (2438mm) high foundation wall. With a backfill soil type of sand and gravel, applying a 30 pcf (480kg/m³), and a backfill height of 7’ (2134mm), an 11 ½” or 290mm concrete block is required if it isn’t reinforced. If reinforced, then a block 7 ½” or 190mm is required with a No. 6 (25M) vertical bar at 4’ (1200mm) on centre . For this same wall in NUDURA ICF, you can use a 6″ (152mm) concrete core, with a No. 4 (10M) bar at 16″ (450mm) on centre. Significantly less labour, and a far quicker installation, makes the NUDURA choice, a far better one.