COMPRESSION JOINT SEAL
PART 1 GENERAL
1.1SECTION INCLUDES
A.Compression joint seal for bridge decks and approach slabs.
B.Replacement of existing joint seal from bridge deck and approach slabs.
1.2RELATED SECTIONS Not Used
1.3REFERENCES
A.ASTM C 307: Tensile Strength of Chemical-Resistant Mortar, Grouts, and
Monolithic Surfacings
B.ASTM C 579: Compressive Strength of Chemical-Resistant Mortars,
Grouts, Monolithic Surfacings, and Polymer Concretes
C.ASTM C 661: Indentation Hardness of Elastomeric – Type Sealants by
Means of a Durometer
D.ASTM C 711: Low-Temperature Flexibility and Tenacity of One-Part,
Elastomeric, Solvent-Release Type Sealants
E.ASTM C 719: Adhesion and Cohesion of Elastomeric Joint Sealants
Under Cyclic Movement (Hockman Cycle)
F.ASTM D 412: Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic Elastomers -
Tension
G.ASTM D 545: Preformed Expansion Joint Fillers for Concrete
Construction (Nonextruding and Resilient Types)
H.ASTM D 3542: Preformed Polychloroprene Elastomeric Joint Seals for
Bridges
I.ASTM D 3574: Flexible Cellular Materials – Slab, Bonded, and Molded
Urethane Foams
Compression Joint Seal
J.ASTM D 4070: Adhesive Lubricant for Installation of Preformed
Elastomeric Bridge Compression Seals in Concrete Structures
K.ASTM D 4285: Indicating Oil or Water in Compressed Air
L.ASTM F 879: Stainless Steel Socket Button, Low and Flat Countersunk
Head Cap Screws
1.4DEFINITIONS Not Used
1.5SUBMITTALS
A.Manufacturer’s product data sheets for review.
1.Include the manufacturer’s installation instructions for information.
B.Qualifications for review
1.Manufacturer’s technical representative information. Include at least
the following:
a.The company name
b.The name, phone number, and documented experience of
the technical representative.
2.Experience of superintendent in charge of compression joint seal
installation.
a.Required when the manufacturer’s technical representative
will not be present during placement. Refer to this Section, Paragraph 1.6 A2.
b.Include at least the following for at least five previous
Department projects completed in the last five years: 1) Project name 2) Project location 3) Compression joint seal product used 4) Year of construction 5) Owner contact information (phone and email)
C.Shop drawings for sidewalk tread plates for review.
D.Removal Plan for review when required.
1.Include method of removal and preparation of existing surface.
2.Equipment to be used.
Compression Joint Seal
E.Fit of the joint seal for information.
1.Include length of joint opening per plan and length of compression
joint seal to be provided
a.Do not include turned ends in the length of the joint opening
or joint seal.
b.Provide joint seal which fits joint opening without any
required joint stretching.
F.Joint system repair procedure for review when required.
1.6MANUFACTURER’S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE
A.Provide a technical representative from the compression joint seal product
manufacturer.
1.The manufacturer’s technical representative must:
a.Be onsite during surface preparation and installation of the
compression joint seal for the first day the compression joint seal is installed on the project.
b.Be available for consultation but not necessarily present at
the job site for the remaining work.
2.The Engineer may waive the requirement for the manufacturer’s
technical representative to be onsite if the Contractor can demonstrate that the superintendent for the work has performed at least five satisfactory compression joint seal installations of the same type on five previous Department projects completed in the last five years.
a.The manufacturer’s technical representative must be
available for consultation throughout the duration of the application.
B.The Department reserves the right to require the manufacturer’s technical
representative to be onsite if at any time the Engineer is concerned with the product installation quality.
PART 2 PRODUCTS
2.1COMPRESSION JOINT SEAL TYPE A
A.General
1.Provide system including foam, surface coating, sealing bands, and
epoxy adhesive from the same supplier.
2.Provide movement rating as shown.
Compression Joint Seal
3.Provide joint seal capable of movements of plus or minus
60 percent of nominal material size.
4.Provide factory fabricated transitions at corners.
B.Materials
1.Polyurethane open cell foam
a.Use 100 percent acrylic, water based, impregnation
b.Meet the requirements of Table 1.
Table 1 Physical Properties Requirement Test Method Temperature Service Range -40⁰F to 185⁰F ASTM C 711 Density 6 lb/ft3 min. ASTM D 545 Elongation 150% min. ASTM D 3574
2.Surface Coating and Sealant Bands
a.Use highway-grade, UV resistant, and fuel resistant silicone.
b.Meet the requirements of Table 2.
Table 2 Physical Requirement Test Method Properties Tensile Strength 175 psi min. ASTM D 412 Elongation at >600% min. ASTM D 412 break Movement ±50% ASTM C 719 Capability Hardness
20-30ASTM C 661
(Shore A)
2.2COMPRESSION JOINT SEAL TYPE B
A.Provide movement rating shown.
B.Materials
1.Preformed Elastomeric Joint Seal
a.Provide seal height at least 90 percent of the nominal width.
b.Meet the physical properties of ASTM D 3542.
2.Adhesive lubricant according to ASTM D 4070.
a.Capable of bonding to concrete or steel surfaces
2.3EPOXY GROUT
A.Use a non-shrink epoxy grout patching material.
Compression Joint Seal
B.Provide a minimum compressive strength of 3,000 psi in 1 day and
5,000 psi in 28 days according to ASTM C 579.
C.Provide a minimum tensile strength of 2,000 psi according to ASTM
C 307.
2.4SIDEWALK TREAD PLATES
A.Provide stainless steel plate with diamond tread pattern
B.Use flat countersunk head cap screws according to ASTM F 879.
2.5EQUIPMENT
A.Abrasive Blaster/Air Compressor
1.Verify air is free of water and oil according to ASTM D 4285.
B.Cover Plate Recess Concrete Removal
1.Walk-behind concrete planer or grinder
a.Intended for removing controlled widths and depths of
concrete without damaging the substrate
b.Equipped with depth control mechanism
2.Small handheld concrete grinder
PART 3 EXECUTION
3.1GENERAL
A.Size the joint opening as shown.
1.Use an installation temperature determined by averaging the actual
air temperature over the 24 hours immediately preceding the joint sizing event.
B.Follow manufacturer’s recommendations and installation instructions.
C.Store Compression Joint Seal Type A indoors at room temperature until
needed at time of installation.
3.2REMOVAL AND SAW CUTS FOR EXPANSION JOINT MODIFICATION
A.Remove existing joint system according to the authorized Removal Plan
when performing a joint replacement.
1.Avoid damaging existing concrete.
Compression Joint Seal
B.Concrete Saw Cuts
1.Saw cut the full depth of the roadway panels, sidewalk, curb, and
barrier adjacent to the approach slab where shown.
a.Do not saw cut into approach slab or sleeper slab unless
shown.
b.Provide joint openings that are smooth, true and vertical.
2.Allow 72 hours for joint to relax after saw cutting operation.
a.Repeat saw cut if measured joint width is smaller than the
width shown by ¼ inch or more.
3.Grind existing concrete after saw cutting as necessary to create
tooled radius or ½ inch chamfered corner.
3.3PREPARATION
A.Concrete contact surfaces
1.Compression Joint Seal Type A
a.Remove loose particles and weak concrete.
b.Prepare concrete joint surfaces by abrasive blasting.
1) Remove unsound materials, adhesive, and contaminants.
2.Compression Joint Seal Type B
a.Provide joint openings that are smooth, true and vertical.
1) Provide a blockout width for the joint within 1/8 inch for joints less than or equal to 2½ inch and ¼ inch for joints greater than 2½ inch of the width shown.
a.The blockout width corresponds to the
appropriate ambient temperature at the time of concrete placement. 2) Saw cut the vertical joint opening in concrete surfaces as required, to achieve the appropriate width and depth as shown. 3) Verify joint opening faces are parallel and the width does not vary by more than 1/8 inch over 10 ft along the length of the joint. 4) Repair vertical surface imperfections, including saw blade gouges, greater than 1/16 inch with epoxy grout.
b.Prepare finished concrete joint surfaces by abrasive blasting.
1) Remove unsound materials, adhesive, and contaminants.
B.Metal contact surfaces
1.Prepare metal contact surfaces by abrasive blasting to rough white
metal.
2.Solvent-wipe immediately before applying epoxy adhesive primer.
Compression Joint Seal
3.4SEAL INSTALLATION
A.Verify the joint seal size based on the prepared surface and installation
temperature.
B.Compression Joint Seal Type A
1.Install the joint seal according to manufacturer’s specifications.
2.Apply epoxy adhesive to the substrate.
a.Prepare the joint again according to this Section, Article 3.3
and manufacturer’s recommendations if the epoxy cures before placement of seal.
3.Install joint seal at least ¾ inch below the traffic surface, as shown,
or according to manufacturer’s installation instructions, whichever is larger.
4.Clean silicone coating at joint edges and apply sealant bands
according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
5.Coat exposed foam ends with a light coating of silicone.
C.Compression Joint Seal Type B
1.Supply the longest continuous length of compression seal possible.
a.Field splices are allowed, when required by phasing.
b.Field splice according to manufacturer’s requirements.
2.Install compression joint seal according to the manufacturer’s
installation instructions.
a.Cut the compression joint seal length to the exact width of
the pavement.
b.Cut upturn and downturn bends according to manufacturer’s
installation instructions.
3.Install compression joint seal so the top of the seal is 1/4 inch ± 1/16
inch below the traffic surface, as shown, or according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, whichever is larger.
D.Insert compression joint seal into the joint blockout with tools that will not
damage the seal.
E.Install the compression seal without stretching, match the length described
in the “fit of the joint seal” submittal.
Compression Joint Seal
3.5WATERTIGHT INTEGRITY TEST
A.Perform a watertight integrity test on the joint system at least five calendar
days after the joint has been installed.
1.Use fingers to manipulate the edges of the installed joint across the
full width to verify that adhesive and sealing bands are fully adhered to the concrete surfaces.
2.Use ponding to test the joint within the full downslope shoulder
width, but not less than 6 ft.
a.Perform a full width instead of a shoulder test when shown.
3.Perform the watertight integrity test in the presence of the Engineer.
B Joints over steel or concrete surfaces that can be inspected below the joint.
1.Pond at least 2 inch of water over the joint for at least 15 minutes.
2.Inspect the steel and concrete surfaces for evidence of dripping
water or moisture while water is ponded over the joint and for 45 minutes after the ponded water has been released.
C.Joints over steel or concrete surfaces that cannot be inspected below the
joint.
1.Pond at least 2 inch of water over the joint.
2.Measure and record the initial depth of the ponded water.
3.Measure and record the depth of the ponded water after
15 minutes.
4.The test can be stopped if depth of ponded water has not changed
/8 inch or more.
5.Continue the test for an additional 15 minutes if depth of water has
changed more than 1/8 inch.
a.Measure and record the depth of the ponded water.
b.The test is considered a failure if the water level has
changed by an additional 1/8 inch or more.
D.Locate the places in the joint system where leakage is occurring and take
measures necessary to stop the leakage.
1.Submit a repair procedure recommended by the manufacturer.
2.Repair joint system according to the authorized manufacturer’s
recommended repair procedure.
3.Repeat watertight integrity test.
Compression Joint Seal
3.6SIDEWALK TREAD PLATES
A.Install sidewalk tread plates as shown.
1.Cast recess into new concrete.
2.Grind recess into existing concrete.
a.Use walk-behind concrete planer or grinder.
b.Provide uniform surfaces on each side of joint opening so
the cover plate is in contact with the concrete on each side of the joint for the full length of the plate.
c.Use small handheld concrete grinders for tooled or rounded
edges, areas inaccessible to the walk-behind equipment and to make small adjustments to the surface so plates bear fully on the concrete.
3.Install plates in contact with the concrete surface on both sides of
the joint.
3.7PROTECTION
A.Prevent abrasive blasting material and debris from falling into waterways,
pedestrian areas, traffic areas, or onto railroad tracks.
END OF SECTION
Compression Joint Seal
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Source: Utah Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 1156–1162 of 1,331.
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