Abstract: A support structure, including an excavation and a plurality of irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies at least partially filing the excavation. Each respective irregularly shaped foamed glass body has an aspect ratio of about 1:1.7 and a diameter of about 1 inch. The irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies intersect to define stacking angles of at least about 35 degrees. Under compression, the irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies crush and break up before slip failure occurs such that the roadbed has a crushing failure mode.

Abstract: A method for establishing a runway safety area adjacent a runway, wherein the runway safety area is a cement matrix having a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies suspended therein, including mixing cement and foamed glass aggregate bodies to define a composite material, forming the composite material into a runway safety area defining a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies suspended in a cement matrix, taxiing an aircraft over the runway safety area and crushing at least a portion of the runway safety area with the aircraft to bleed off the aircraft's kinetic energy, wherein the runway safety area has a crushing failure mode.

Abstract: An arrestor bed for slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including an elongated excavation and a plurality of irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies at least partially filing the excavation. Each respective irregularly shaped foamed glass body has an aspect ratio between 1:1.6 to 1:1.7 and a diameter of about 1 inch. The irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies intersect to define stacking angles of about 35 degrees. Under compression, the irregularly shaped foamed glass bodies crush and break up before slip failure occurs such that the roadbed has a crushing failure mode.

Abstract: A method of slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including covering an area adjacent a runway with irregular foamed glass bodies having aspect ratios of about 1:1.9 and diameters of about 10 mm to about 80 mm to define a bed, pouring liquid cement over the foamed glass bodies such that the cement infiltrates at least through the bed, curing the liquid cement to define a composite material of foamed glass bodies in a cementitious matrix, and crushing at least a portion of the composite material with an oncoming aircraft, slowing the aircraft. The composite material is at least 85 volume percent foamed glass bodies. When pouring the cement, the liquid cement flows over and around the foamed glass bodies. The aggregate bodies crush and break up before slip failure occurs when being overrun by an aircraft. The aggregate bodies intersect to define stacking angles of about 35 degrees. The cementitious matrix has a cementitious surface.

Abstract: A method of making a roadbed, including paving an area with foamed glass bodies to define a bed and covering the bed with a layer of cementitious material to define a composite bed. The composite bed is at least 85 percent foamed glass bodies. The composite bed has a cementitious surface.

Abstract: A method of slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including paving an area immediately beyond the end of a runway with foamed glass bodies to define a bed, covering the bed with a layer of cementitious material to define a composite bed, and crushing at least a portion of the composite bed with an oncoming aircraft, wherein crushing the at least a portion of the composite bed removes kinetic energy from the oncoming aircraft to slow the oncoming aircraft. The composite bed is generally resistant to fire.

Abstract: An arrestor bed for slowing an oncoming aircraft, including an elongated excavation, a plurality of foamed glass aggregate bodies positioned within the elongated excavation, and a covering positioned over the elongated excavation to define an arrestor bed. The respective foamed glass aggregate bodies are oblong, irregularly shaped bodies and have characteristic stacking angles of about 35 degrees. The arrestor bed has a rapid brittle crushing failure mode under compression.

Abstract: A method of making a foamed glass body, including preparing an admixture of powdered glass, at least one carbonate based foaming agent, and at least devitrification inhibitor, heating the admixture to a first temperature to soften the glass, heating the admixture to a second, higher temperature to foam the softened glass into a foamed glass body, and cooling the foamed glass body, wherein the temperature of the foamed glass body always remains too cold for silica crystal growth. The crystal silica content of the so-formed foamed glass body is less than 1 weight percent.

Abstract: A method of producing an arrestor bed for slowing an aircraft overrunning a runway, including paving an area immediately beyond the end of a runway with foamed glass aggregate to define a bed, and covering the bed with a layer of cementitious material to define a composite bed.

Abstract: A method of making a foamed glass composite, including crushing a vitreous precursor material, such as waste glass, frit, metallurgical slag or the like, sizing the crushed vitreous precursor to segregate an amount of crushed particles of a predetermined size and pelletizing the crushed particles. The pellets are preheated and passed through a high-temperature flame to foam the pellets. The foamed pellets are air-quenched to a temperature below their dilatometric softening point and then cooling to room temperature. The foamed pellets are then mixed with Portland cement and water to form a composite material. The flame temperature is at least about 1300° C. and the pellets are preheated to within no more than about 25° C. of their dilatometric softening point. The pellets have a volume of between about 0.05 and about 1 cubic centimeter and reside in the flame for between about 0.5 to about 10 seconds.

Abstract: A method of treating a surface to remove unwanted material therefrom, including providing a foamed glass article formed from a starting mixture including glass, a carbonate foaming agent, and a devitrification agent selected from the group potassium phosphate, potassium phosphate tribasic, sodium phosphate and combinations thereof, and contacting the surface with the foamed glass article while providing relative movement between the surface and the article. The crystal silica content of the foamed glass body is less than 1 weight percent. The surface is treated by sanding, rubbing, scraping, degreasing, polishing, cleaning, smoothing, depilling, grooming, stripping, degumming, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method of making a foamed glass body, including preparing an admixture of powdered glass, at least one carbonate based foaming agent, and at least devitrification inhibitor, heating the admixture to a first temperature to soften the glass, heating the admixture to a second, higher temperature to foam the softened glass into a foamed glass body, and cooling the foamed glass body. The crystal silica content of the so-formed foamed glass body is less than 1 weight percent.

Abstract: A method of making a foam glass preparation is provided. The following are mixed together: powdered or ground glass, at least one non-sulfur based foaming agent, and at least one additive that reduces the crystalline silica content in the foam glass derived from the preparation to less than 1% (volume basis).

Abstract: A method of producing a foamed glass composite panel is provided. Glass and 0.1-20.0% by weight of at least one non-sulfur based foaming agent are mixed together, and the mixture is heated to a temperature sufficient to foam it. The foamed mixture is cooled to form at least one foamed glass substrate. During or after the cooling step, material is bonded or attached to at least one side of the foamed glass substrate to form a composite panel.

Abstract: A ground glass surface or object treating agent, a use therefor, and a method of making the same are provided. The agent comprises at least ground foamed glass, and if in dry form can also include disinfectant powder and/or surfactant powder. If in gel form, the agent can also include water as well as binder, thickener and/or surfactant. The ground glass is virgin glass, recycled glass or a mixture thereof, and preferably has a particle size of no greater than 12 mesh.