Standard Specification for

Plain and Laminated Elastomeric

Bridge Bearings

AASHTO Designation: M 251-06 (2016)

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

444 North Capitol Street N.W., Suite 249
Washington, D.C. 20001
Standard Specification for

Plain and Laminated Elastomeric

Bridge Bearings

AASHTO Designation: M 251-06 (2016)

1. SCOPE
1.1. This specification covers the material requirements for plain and laminated elastomeric bridge
bearings. Elastomeric bearings furnished under this specification shall adequately provide for
thermal expansion and contraction, rotation, camber changes, and creep and shrinkage, where
applicable, of structural members. Elastomeric bearings as herein defined shall include plain pads
(consisting of elastomer only) and laminated bearings with steel or fabric laminates.

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
2.1. AASHTO Publications:
Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges
AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications

2.2. ASTM Standards:

A36/A36M, Standard Specification for Carbon Structural Steel
A1011/A1011M, Standard Specification for Steel, Sheet and Strip, Hot-Rolled, Carbon,
Structural, High-Strength Low-Alloy, High-Strength Low-Alloy with Improved Formability,
and Ultra-High Strength
D412, Standard Test Methods for Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic
ElastomersTension
D746, Standard Test Method for Brittleness Temperature of Plastics and Elastomers by
Impact
D751, Standard Test Methods for Coated Fabrics
D3183, Standard Practice for RubberPreparation of Pieces for Test Purposes from Products
D4014, Standard Specification for Plain and Steel-Laminated Elastomeric Bearings for
Bridges
E4, Standard Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines
E29, Standard Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance
with Specifications

2.3. ANSI Standard:

ANSI B46.1, Surfaces and Surfacing

2.4. The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM):

The Rubber Manufacturers Handbook for Molded, Extruded, Lathe Cut and Cellular
Products, MO-1, Sixth Edition. The Rubber Manufacturers Association, Inc., 1400 K Street,
N.W., Washington, DC, 2005. Website at https://www.arpminc.com/publications/44.
Table 6RMA Drawing Designation for Finish, RMA F2, Satin Finish

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 Table 6RMA Drawing Designation for Finish, RMA F3, Commercial Finish
Table 7RMA Drawing Designation for Flash Extension, RMA T 1.60 mm [T .063],
Normal Tear Trim Tolerance

2.5. The Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) Specification: 1

SSPC-VIS 1-01, Visual Standard for Abrasive Blast Cleaned Steel

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
3.1. All bearings shall be designed in accordance with specifications contained in the latest edition of
AASHTOs Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges or the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design
Specifications.

3.2. The dimensions of the furnished bearings shall be the dimensions required by the design
documents within the tolerances shown in Section 6 of this specification. The bearings shall be
composed of the specified materials, shall be tested at the appropriate level, and shall satisfy any
special requirements of the purchaser.

3.3. The contractor shall provide the purchaser with written notification 30 days prior to the start of
bearing production. This notification shall include the contract number, quantity, and size of
bearings being produced, manufacturers name, location, and the representative who will
coordinate production, inspection, sampling, and testing with the purchaser.

3.4. Testing for the physical properties of the elastomer may require the destruction of one or more
bearings from a lot. In these instances, the cost of providing additional bearings for testing
purposes shall be borne by the supplier.

3.5. At the owners discretion, bearings specified by hardness and designed in accordance with
Method A of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications or AASHTOs Standard
Specifications for Highway Bridges may be tested and accepted in accordance with Appendix X1
in lieu of Section 8.

3.6. In addition to material requirements for the bearings individual components, this specification
provides acceptance criteria for finished bearings.

3.7. Perform calculations using significant digits in accordance with ASTM E29 using the rounding
method for determining compliance to the specification requirements herein, unless otherwise
specified by the purchaser.

4. MATERIALS
4.1. Properties of the ElastomerThe elastomer compound used in the construction of these bearings
shall contain only virgin crystallization resistant polychloroprene (neoprene) or virgin natural
polyisoprene (natural rubber) as the raw polymer. All materials shall be new with no reclaimed
material incorporated in the finished bearing. The elastomer compounds shall be classified as
being of low-temperature Grade 0, 2, 3, 4, or 5 as specified by the minimum grade requirements of
Table 14.7.5.2-2, Low Temperature Zones and Minimum Grade of Elastomer, of the AASHTO
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. Low temperature zones used in this table are as defined in
Figure 14.7.5.2-1, Temperature Zones, of the same publication.

4.1.1. The cured elastomer shall meet the minimum requirements of Table 1. The properties of the cured
elastomeric compound material listed in Table 1 shall be determined using samples taken from
actual bearings.

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Table 1Elastomer Properties
ASTM Polyisoprene Polychloroprene
Material Property Standard Test Requirement (Natural Rubber) (Neoprene) Units
Physical properties See Section 8.8.4
D412 Min shear modulus 0.55 [79.7707] 0.55 [79.7707] MPa [psi]
Min tensile strength 15.5 [2248.085] 15.5 [2248.085] MPa [psi]
Min ultimate elongation 450 400 %
Low-temperature brittleness D746 Grades 0 and 2No test required
Procedure B Grade 3Test at 40C [40F] Passes Passes
Grade 4Test at 48C [54.4F] Passes Passes
Grade 5Test at 57C [70.6F] Passes Passes

4.1.2. All material tests shall be carried out at 23 2C [73.4 3.6F] unless otherwise noted.

4.1.3. For the purpose of determining conformance with this specification, an observed or calculated
value shall be rounded off to the nearest 100 kPa [14.5038 psi] for tensile strength, to the nearest
10 percent for elongation, and to the nearest 0.01 MPa [1.4504 psi] for shear modulus.

4.2. Steel LaminatesSteel laminates used for reinforcement shall be made from rolled mild steel
conforming to ASTM A36/A36M, ASTM A1011/A1011M, or equivalent, unless otherwise
specified by the purchaser. The laminates shall be of the thickness specified by the purchaser or, if
left unspecified, have a minimum nominal thickness of 1.52 mm [0.0598 in.]. Holes in plates for
manufacturing purposes shall not be permitted unless considered in the design of the bearing.

4.3. External Load-Bearing PlatesExternal load-bearing plates shall conform to the requirements of
ASTM A36/A36M, ASTM A1011/A1011M, or equivalent, unless otherwise specified in the
contract documents. Except as noted, all bearings surfaces of external load-bearing plates shall be
finished or machined flat within 0.25 mm [0.0098 in.]. The bottom surfaces of external load-
bearing plates (masonry plates) designed to rest on bearing pads shall not exceed an out-of-flatness
value of 1.59 mm [0.0626 in.]. The external load-bearing plates shall be protected from rust until
all exposed surfaces can be field painted. Any rust inhibitor utilized must be removed from all
surfaces to be welded prior to welding.

4.4. Fabric LaminatesFabric laminates shall be woven from 100 percent glass fibers of E type
yarn with continuous fibers. The minimum thread count in either direction shall be 10 threads
per cm. The fabric shall have either a crowfoot or an eight-harness satin weave. Each ply of fabric
shall have a minimum tensile strength of 140 kN/m [799.4208 lbf/in.] of width in each thread
direction, which shall be determined by ASTM D751.

5. FABRICATION
5.1. Bearings with steel laminates shall be cast as a unit in a mold and bonded and vulcanized under
heat and pressure. The molds shall have standard shop practice mold finish. The internal steel
laminates shall be blast cleaned to a condition matching that of SSPC-VIS 1-01, Pictorial Standard
BSP6 or CSP6, and additionally cleaned of any oil or grease before bonding. Plates shall be free of
sharp edges and burrs, and shall have a minimum edge cover of 6 mm [0.2363 in.]. External load
plates (sole plates) shall be protected from rusting by the manufacturer, and shall be hot bonded to
the bearing during vulcanization. Bearings with steel laminates that are designed to act as a single
unit with a given shape factor must be manufactured as a single unit.

5.2. Fabric-laminated bearings may be molded and vulcanized in large sheets and cut to size. Cutting
shall be performed so as to avoid heating the materials and produce a smooth finish with no
separation of the fabric from the elastomer. Fabric shall be free of folds and ripples and shall be
parallel to the top and bottom surfaces. If external steel plates are required, a cold bonding process

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 that will yield the strengths required in Section 8.8 of this specification may be used in lieu of hot
bonding.

5.3. Plain pads may be molded or extruded and vulcanized in large sheets and cut to size. Cutting shall
not heat the materials, and shall produce a smooth finish to ANSI B46.1, 6.3 m [248 in.]. Plain
pads shall be molded or extruded to the finished thickness. Fabricators will not be allowed to make
pads of finished thickness by plying pads of lesser thickness together. External load plates, when
used, shall be protected from rusting by the manufacturer and shall be hot bonded by vulcanization
during the primary molding process.

5.4. Flash tolerance, finish, and appearance of bearings shall meet the requirements of the latest edition
of the Rubber Handbook as published by the The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers
(ARPM), RMA F3 and T .063 for molded bearings and RMA F2 for extruded bearings.

6. TOLERANCES
6.1. Plain pads and laminated bearings shall be manufactured to the design dimensions tolerances
listed in Table 2, unless other tolerances are shown on the design drawings. Use the following
equation to define alignment tolerance limits for steel laminate when tolerance #3 (3 mm)
[0.1181 in.] is exceeded: 7.5 + v/hr 0.35 provided 0.02 where (radians) and v (mm) [in.]
are absolute values of steel laminate rotation and vertical displacement. If the specified
elastomeric layer thickness is hr , the bearing length is L, and H1 and H2 are the measured maximum
and minimum thicknesses at the edges of the layer, then v = |hr 0.5 (H1 + H2 )| and = |(H1 H2 )/
2L| for interior layers and = |(H1 H2 ) / L| for top and bottom layers, provided that the minimum
elastomer layer thickness H2 5 mm [0.1968 in.]. Bearings with tolerances that satisfy this
equation must also satisfy the compression test in Section 8.8 or the inclined compression test in
Annex A1.

Table 2Tolerances

mm [in.]
1. Overall vertical dimensions:
Design thickness 32 mm [1.2598 in.] or less 0, +3 [0.1181]
Design thickness over 32 mm [1.2598 in.] 0, +6 [0.2362]
2. Overall horizontal dimensions:
For measurements 914 mm [35.9842 in.] and less 0, +6 [0.2362]
For measurements greater than 914 mm [35.9842 in.] 0, +12 [0.4724]
3. Thickness of individual layers of elastomer (laminated bearings 3 mm [0.1181]
only) at any point within the bearing
4. Variation from a plane parallel to the theoretical surface (as
determined by measurements at the edge of the bearings):
Top Slope relative to the bottom of no more than 0.005 radians
Sides 6 [0.2362]
5. Position of exposed connection members 3 [0.1181]
6. Edge cover of embedded laminates of connection members 0, +3 [0.1181]
7. Size of holes, slots, or inserts 3 [0.1181]
8. Position of holes, slots, or inserts 3 [0.1181]

7. MARKING
7.1. Each elastomeric bearing shall be marked in indelible ink or flexible paint. The marking shall
consist of the order number, lot number, bearing identification number, and elastomer type and

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 grade. Unless otherwise specified in the contract documents, the marking shall be on a face that is
visible after the bridge is erected.

8. BEARING TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

8.1. All test apparatus used to determine conformance with these specifications shall be calibrated
annually in accordance with ASTM E4.

8.2. Sampling, testing, and acceptance consideration will be made on a lot basis. A lot of bearings
shall be considered to be a group of 100 or fewer bearings that are manufactured in a reasonably
continuous manner from the same batch of elastomer, cured under the same conditions, and are
all the same size and type (plain, fabric-laminated, or steel-laminated). A lot may include 100 or
fewer fabric-laminated bearings of different plan size if cut from a large sheet or sheets meeting
these requirements.

8.3. The manufacturer shall designate the bearings in each lot and certify that each of the bearings in
the lot was manufactured in a reasonably continuous manner from the same batch of elastomer,
and cured under the same conditions. In addition, the manufacturer shall certify that each bearing
in the lot satisfies the requirements of the design specification and meets the dimensional
tolerances of Section 6 of this specification.

8.4. The dimensions of each bearing shall be checked. If any dimension is outside the limits listed in
Section 6 of this specification, the lot shall be rejected.

8.5. The purchaser shall select sample bearings from the lot for testing in accordance with this
specification. Sampling rate shall be as follows:
Plain BearingsTwo full-size bearings per lot.
Laminated BearingsOne full-size bearing per every ten per lot, or a minimum of two
bearings.

8.6. Elastomer taken from the sampled bearings shall be tested for conformance with the requirements
of Sections 4.1 through 4.1.3 of this specification. If the sampled elastomer fails to meet any of
these requirements, the lot shall be rejected.

8.7. Tests may be performed by the manufacturer, by the purchasing agency, or by an outside
independent laboratory subject to the approval of the purchaser. If testing is performed by the
manufacturer or an independent laboratory, certified test results shall be provided. Regardless of
the agency designated to test the pads, the purchaser reserves the right to obtain test samples from
the bearings for confirming test results.

8.8. Bearing criteria shall include the following:

8.8.1. Each sampled bearing shall be tested to determine compressive strain at the maximum design dead
load plus live service compressive load in accordance with Section 9.1 of this specification if the
structural designer has specified a maximum value for compressive strain at that load. If the
specified strain is exceeded, the lot shall be rejected.

8.8.2. Each sampled bearing shall be subjected to a compressive load equal to 1.5 times the maximum
design dead load plus live service compressive load. The load shall be held for 5 min, removed,
and reapplied for a second period of 5 min. The bearing shall be visually examined while under
the second loading. If the bearing exhibits three separate surface cracks that are greater than 2 mm
[0.0787 in.] wide and 2 mm [0.0787 in.] deep or a single crack 3 mm [0.1181 in.] deep or wider
than 6 mm [0.2363 in.], the lot shall be rejected. For laminated bearings, if bulging patterns imply

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 laminate placement that does not satisfy design criteria and manufacturing tolerances, or if bulging
suggests poor laminate bond, the lot shall be rejected.

8.8.3. A minimum of one sampled bearing per lot shall be tested for creep and shear bond strength in
accordance with Annex A2 of this specification. The percent creep at 25 years shall be reported to
the purchaser, when the designer specifies an allowable value. If the allowable value is exceeded,
the lot shall be rejected. If the selected samples for shear bond fail the criteria of Annex A2.6.1,
two additional samples shall be selected for testing in accordance with Annex A2.6.1. If the two
samples fail, the lot shall be rejected.

8.8.4. The shear modulus of the elastomer shall be determined at 23 1C [73.4 1.8F] in accordance
with either Annex A1 or Annex A2 of this specification or ASTM D4014 Annex A1 modified as
follows: the initial cycles shall be taken to a strain of 0.7 and, on the last cycle, the shear modulus
shall be determined at 0.5 strain. Shear modulus may be determined with either Annex A1,
Annex A2, or the modified ASTM D4014 Annex A1 for plain or laminated elastomeric pads
designed according to Method A of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications or the
Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges. Shear modulus shall be determined with Annex A1
of this specification or the modified ASTM D4014 Annex A1 for laminated pads designed
according to Method B. If the shear modulus is not within 15 percent of the value specified, the
lot shall be rejected. If shear modulus does not meet the specified minimum value from Table 1,
the lot shall be rejected.

8.9. Optional test procedures, when required by the purchaser, include:

8.9.1. For elastomer Grades 2 through 5, additional shear modulus testing shall be performed on
elastomer from the sampled bearings in accordance with Section 9.2 of this specification. If the
measured stiffness at the specified temperature exceeds four times the stiffness measured at
23 2C [73.4 3.6F], the lot shall be rejected.

8.9.2. Elastomer from the sampled bearings shall be tested for compression stiffness in accordance with
Annex A3. The elastomer stiffness shall be measured at 23 2C [73.4 3.6F] and at a lower
temperature corresponding to the specified grade of elastomer. The lower test temperatures for the
various grades of elastomer shall be as follows:
Grades 0 and 2Test at 32 2C [25.6 3.6F]
Grade 3Test at 40 2C [40 3.6F]
Grade 4Test at 46 2C [50.8 3.6F]
Grade 5Test at 54 2C [65.2 3.6F]

8.9.2.1. If the stiffness of the elastomer measured at the specified lower temperature is more than four
times the stiffness of the elastomer measured at 23 2C [73.4 3.6F], the lot shall be rejected.

8.9.3. The purchaser may require more severe tests of pads, such as fatigue or test to failure.

9. TESTS
9.1. Determination of Compression Strain at Maximum Design Load:

9.1.1. The bearing to be tested shall be placed in a test machine capable of applying a compressive load
equal to the bearings maximum design dead load plus live service compressive load.

9.1.2. A pair of deflectometers shall be placed on opposite sides of the bearing in the test machine. The
deflectometers shall be located as near as possible to the center of the bearing.

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9.1.3. The bearing shall be loaded at a rate of 520 kPa/min [75.4196 psi/min] to a compression stress
equal to 5 percent of the bearings maximum design dead load plus live service compressive load.
The 5 percent load shall be maintained for 2 min. At the end of the 2 min, the deflectometer
readings shall be recorded.

9.1.4. The compressive load shall be increased at a rate of 520 kPa/min [75.4196 psi/min] to a
compressive stress equal to the bearings maximum design dead load plus live service
compressive load. The load shall be maintained for a period of 2 min, at the end of which the
deflectometer readings shall be recorded.

9.1.5. The total compressive deflection between the two loadings shall be calculated for each
deflectometer. The bearings compressive strain shall be calculated as the average of the
compressive deflections indicated by the two deflectometers divided by the design effective rubber
thickness of the tested bearing.

9.2. Additional Shear Modulus Testing for Elastomer Grades 2 through 5:

9.2.1. Shear modulus testing shall be performed as described in Annex A1 of ASTM D4014 except as
modified below.

9.2.2. The test specimens shall be taken from sampled bearings. After preparing the test specimen, it
shall be conditioned for a period of time at a specified temperature. Conditioning times and
temperatures for the various elastomer grades shall be as follows:
Grade 27 days at 18 2C [0.4 3.6F]
Grade 314 days at 26 2C [14.8 3.6F]
Grade 421 days at 37 2C [34.6 3.6F]
Grade 528 days at 37 2C [34.6 3.6F]

9.2.3. Shear modulus testing shall be performed with the test specimen in an enclosed freezer unit
capable of maintaining the specified conditioning temperature. A 25 percent strain cycle shall be
applied with a period of 100 s. The first three-quarter cycle of strain shall be discarded and the
stiffness shall be determined by the slope of the force deflection curve for the next half cycle
of loading.

ANNEXES
(Mandatory Information)

A1. INCLINED COMPRESSION TEST FOR SHEAR MODULUS

A1.1. Scope:

A1.1.1. This method determines the shear modulus of full-size elastomeric bearings from the compressive
force-displacement curve after three conditioning cycles to 65 percent strain.

A1.2. Apparatus:

A1.2.1. A compression test machine shall be used to apply the load to a pair of test bearings between three
inclined platens as shown in Figure A1.1.

A1.2.2. The inclined platens shall be made out of steel or aluminum. The surface inclination can vary
between 1:10 and 1:20. All platens shall have the same surface inclination. The platen dimensions

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 shall be greater than the dimensions of the bearings tested. The minimum thickness of the
aluminum platens shall be 12 mm [0.4724 in.]. The top and bottom platens shall be attached to the
testing machine.

A1.2.3. The platen surfaces, or facing plates attached to the platens, that are in contact with the bearings
shall be roughened to prevent bearing slip during the test. The roughening can be performed by
impacting with a tool that is used to roughen concrete surfaces, blasting with grit, or other
equivalent means. Milled grooves no deeper than 1 mm [0.0394 in.] can also be used to provide a
no-slip surface.

Figure A1.1Inclined Compression Test Setup

A1.3. Test Specimen:

A1.3.1. The elastomeric bearings shall be of uniform thickness and of rectangular or circular in cross
section. The thickness shall not be less than 6 mm [0.2363 in.]. The length and width of each
bearing shall not be less than four times the thickness.

A1.3.2. Plain elastomeric pads must be bonded to rigid plates on both the top and bottom surfaces. The
bonding system must not require a curing temperature greater than 40C [104F]. The plates shall
be of rectangular section and may be of mild steel. Plate dimensions shall be slightly larger than
bearing dimensions. A thickness 5 mm [0.1968 in.] can be used for the plates.

A1.3.3. Measure the length, width, and total elastomer thickness of the bearings to determine the average
cross-sectional area (A) and average elastomer thickness (T) of a bearing.

A1.3.4. Laminated pads shall be tested with or without any sole plates attached.

A1.3.5. The contact surfaces of bearings that are not bonded to steel plates shall be cleaned to remove any
kind of residue.

A1.4. Test Procedure:

A1.4.1. Allow time for any bonds to achieve adequate strength and condition the specimen at a test
temperature of 23 2C [73.4 3.6F] at least 8 h prior to testing unless another test temperature
is specified.

A1.4.2. Bearings shall be sandwiched between the platens until the surfaces are in contact with each other.

A1.4.3. Two deflectometers shall be attached to monitor the horizontal displacement of the middle platen.
The deflectometers shall be accurate to a least 0.025 mm [0.000984 in.].

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A1.4.4. Carry out four successive loading and unloading cycles to a deformation equal to 65 percent of the
average bearing thickness, and at such a loading rate that the time per cycle is within a range of
4 to 6 min. In all the unloading cycles, the minimum load shall be 5 kN [1124.045 lbf] or 2 percent
of the maximum load, whichever is less.

A1.4.5. If there is any indication of slip of the bearings relative to the rigid plates or of bond failure during
the test, prepare new specimens and repeat the test.

A1.4.6. If the middle platen does not come back to the same approximate position after the last two
successive unloading cycles, a slip may have occurred between the bearing and the platens. This
condition must be remedied for a valid test.

A1.5. Determination of Shear Modulus:

A1.5.1. The shear modulus shall be determined from the fourth cycle of compressive load versus average
displacement curve as shown in Figure A1.2.

A1.5.2. Take an effective origin at force F1, extension X1, where F1 is 5 kN [1124.045 lbf] or 2 percent of
the maximum force on the fourth cycle, whichever is smaller. Determine the force F2 at an
extension X2 given by X1 + 0.5T, where T is the average total elastomer thickness of the pad
(overall pad thickness minus the thicknesses of all the laminates within the bearing).

A1.5.3. The shear modulus is calculated as follows:

2( F2 F1 )
Shear Modulus =
A n

For 1:n sloped platens. The factor n converts the vertical compressive force to a horizontal
shear force.

Figure A1.2Compression Force versus Shear Displacement

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A2. A TEST METHOD FOR CREEP AND SHEAR BOND IN ELASTOMERIC
BEARINGS
A2.1. Scope:

A2.1.1. This document describes a procedure to estimate creep and shear bond of elastomeric bridge
bearings. It also describes a procedure for estimating shear modulus of elastomeric bearings as
allowed in Section 8.8.4.

A2.1.2. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.

A2.1.3. This document does not purport to address the details of the test setup or safety concerns, if any,
associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user to establish appropriate safety and health
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to using the test
summarized in this document.

Equivalent U.S. Customary Units

mm in. mm in.
13 0.5118 89 3.5039
19 0.7480 146 5.7480
44 1.7323 190 7.4803
51 2.0079 216 8.5039

Figure A2.1Test Setup (mm)

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A2.2. Referenced Document:
ASTM D3183, Standard Practice for RubberPreparation of Pieces for Test Purposes from
Products

A2.3. Test Specimen:

A2.3.1. The standard test specimen shall consist of two 51-by-51-mm [2.0079-by-2.0079-in.] square
pieces of rubber bonded to steel plates as shown in Figure A2.1. The aspect ratio, height to width,
should be between 0.75 and 1.25. If the subject bearing is laminated, the test specimens should
have a minimum of at least two to three layers of elastomers.

A2.3.2. The rubber pieces shall be cut from one of the subject bearings per ASTM D3183.

A2.3.3. The adherence of rubber to steel plate can be cold or hot, using an appropriate adhesive system
and surface preparation adequate to keep the bond fully intact for 8 h while the test specimen is
subjected to a sustained shear strain of 50 percent at room temperature.
Note A1When testing fabric-reinforced laminated bearings, which utilizes a bonded external
load plate, the adhesive system for the cold bond between the elastomer and the steel plate shall be
the same as that used in the actual manufactured bearings.

A2.3.4. The total height of the rubber piece shall be greater than 12 mm [0.4724 in.] and less than 45 mm
[1.7717 in.]. If the rubber piece consists of alternate layers of rubber and either metal or fabric
reinforcements cut from actual bearing as shown in Figure A2.1, the total height of each rubber
piece shall be limited to 51 mm [2.0079 in.].

A2.4. Test Procedure:

A2.4.1. Mount the test specimen in a displacement controlled loading system (MTS or equivalent) with
appropriate load cell connected to a data acquisition system (automatic or manual).

A2.4.2. Load the specimen to 50 percent shear strain ten times at 1 percent strain per second. Shear strain
is defined as the ratio of shearing displacement to the total thickness of rubber in the test piece. If
the rubber thickness in one piece is Rthk, then for 50 percent strain, the specimen needs to be
displaced 0.5Rthk.

A2.4.3. Load the specimen to 50 percent shear strain in 1 s and keep the strain constant for a minimum
of 6 h.

A2.4.4. Record the load after 30 min of initial loading with further measurements after every 5 min for
360 min, minimum.

A2.4.5. For each time measurement, use Equation A2.1 to convert the load to shear modulus:

load (t )
G(t) = (A2.1)
51 51 2 0.5

where:
load(t) = the load at time t (min), and
G(t) = the shear modulus (MPa) (psi) at time t.

Note that (51 by 51) is the area of test piece and 0.5 is the shear strain. Because there are two test
pieces in the test specimen, the load is divided by two.

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A2.4.6. A power law of the form shown in Equation A2.2 can be conservatively used to predict G(t) at
times greater than 30 min.

G(t) = atb (A2.2)

Where a and b are constants that are calculated by regression analysis of the data obtained in
Section A2.4.5 as described in Section A2.4.7.

A2.4.7. Plot log(G(t)) versus log(t) and fit a straight line using the least-squares method. The constant b is
the slope of this line and log(a) is the intercept of the straight line on the log(G(t)) axis.

A2.5. Creep Estimate for Full-Size Bearing:

A2.5.1. Let T be the time at which creep deflection needs to be estimated (e.g., 25 years). Calculate
G(t) = 60 min and at t = T using Equation A2.2.

A2.5.2. Calculate percent creep using Equation A2.3.

G (60)
Creep (%) = 1 100 (A2.3)
G (T )

A2.6. Shear Bond:

A2.6.1. After completion of the 6-h stress relaxation test, load the specimen to 150 percent strain at
1 percent strain per second. Hold the specimen at 150 percent strain for 5 min and observe any
failure in the rubber or debonding at the interface of the rubber layers and laminates or steel plate.
Failure will be defined as separation of the elastomer from the laminate or steel plate in any one
interface area, which exceeds either 2 mm [0.0787 in.] deep or 10 mm [0.3937 in.] long. Report
the type of failure. Failures in the cold bond (when used) are not important unless they affect the
ability to reach 150 percent strain, in which case a new specimen must be fabricated.

A3. COMPRESSION STIFFNESS TEST METHOD

A3.1. Compression Stiffness Test Method:

A3.1.1. This test determines the compressive stiffness of elastomeric bridge bearings over a wide
temperature range by direct measurements of compressive loads and displacements. The test
method is useful for determining the relative changes in stiffness over a wide range of
temperatures as well as determining the compressive stiffness over a wide range of temperatures.

A3.2. Test Setup:

A3.2.1. A compression testing machine shall be used that is capable of exerting a compressive load of
500 kN [1124404.5 lbf] to a pair of bearing specimens as shown in Figure A3.1.

A3.2.2. Four displacement transducers or other devices with an accuracy of 0.005 mm [0.000197 in.] shall
be used to record the displacements. Load shall be monitored with a load cell or other equivalent
device with an accuracy of 1 percent of the test load.

A3.2.3. The specimens and loading plates shall be conditioned and tested in an enclosed unit capable of
controlling temperatures down to 30 2C [22 3.6F]. Depending on the temperature ranges
and conditioning time involved, mechanical refrigeration or a dry ice chest or both will
be advantageous.

TS-4e M 251-12 AASHTO

2016 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
A3.3. Test Specimen:

A3.3.1. The test specimen in Figure A3.1 shall consist of two identical blocks of elastomer sandwiched
between rigid plates. The elastomer blocks shall be of uniform thickness, preferably equal to the
original thickness of the full-size bearing and of square or rectangular cross section, the length and
width each being not less than four times the thickness.

A3.3.2. The steel rigid plates shall be of square or rectangular section, a larger width and length than the
elastomer block. Suitable plate dimensions for use with 40-mm [1.5748-in.] thick elastomeric pads
are a thickness of 25 mm [0.9843 in.] and a plan dimension at least 25 mm [0.9843 in.] larger than
each block dimension.

A3.4. Test Procedure:

A3.4.1. Measure the length, width, and thickness of the blocks and determine the average cross-sectional
area, plan area (A), and the average total elastomer thickness (T), of the specimen.

A3.4.2. Attach four displacement transducers between the top and bottom plate such that the relative
displacement between the top and bottom plate can be measured at four points as shown in
Figure A3.2. The center points of each side of the bottom plate are appropriate locations for the
transducers.

A3.4.3. Place the specimens inside the environmental chamber (or freezer), and bring the freezer to the
desired test temperature. Condition the specimens at the specified test temperature for the
specified period of time.

A3.4.4. Attach the specimens to the compression machine. Carry out three successive loading and release
cycles to a deformation equal to 10 percent of the total elastomer thickness of the two blocks, 2T,
at a rate such that the time per cycle is within the range of 30 to 120 s.

A3.4.5. Measure both the load and the displacement at 0.02T increments only for the third cycle.

Transducer
Displacement Transducer
Fitting Bottom Plate
Rigid Top Plate Elastomer

Rigid Bottom Plate

Fitting for Transducer
Bearing Specimen

Figure A3.1Test Setup Figure A3.2Location of Transducers

A3.5. Determination of Stiffness:

A3.5.1. The compressive modulus Es shall be determined from the load-displacement curve on the third
cycle as shown in Figure A3.3.

TS-4e M 251-13 AASHTO

2016 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
A3.5.2. Draw a best-fit straight line using the least-squares method through the data points between
displacements 0.02T and 0.2T. The line must pass through the 0.02T data point. Determine the
slope, K1, of the best-fit straight line.

A3.5.3. Determine Es from Equation A3.1.

2T
Es = K1 (A3.1)
A

Figure A3.3Load Displacement Curve

APPENDIXES
(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. OPTIONAL TEST AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FOR METHOD A

DESIGN ELASTOMERIC BRIDGE BEARINGS

X1.1. General:

X1.1.1. This Appendix is intended to be an alternative for use in conjunction with M 251 for elastomeric
bridge bearings, which are specified by hardness and designed in accordance with the AASHTO
LRFD Bridge Design Specifications or the Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges. The
optional materials test methods of Appendix X1 may be used in lieu of the materials test methods
of Table 1, when specified by the purchaser.

X1.2. The materials specifications remain as listed in M 251 as noted.

TS-4e M 251-14 AASHTO

2016 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
X1.3. Table 1 in Section 4 is replaced by Table X1.1:

Table X1.1Optional Materials Test Procedures for Elastomeric Bridge Bearing Elastomers
Polyisoprene Polychloroprene
Material ASTM (Natural Rubber) (Neoprene)
Property Standard Test Requirements 50 60 70 50 60 70 Units
Physical D2240 Hardness 50 5 60 5 70 5 50 5 60 5 70 5 Shore A
properties D412 Min tensile strength 15.5 15.5 15.5 15.5 15.5 15.5 points
[2248. [2248. [2248] [2248. [2248] [2248. MPa
085] 085] 085] 085] [psi]
Min ultimate elongation 450 400 300 400 350 300
Percent
Heat D573 at Specific temperature of the test 70 70 70 100 100 100 C [F]
resistance specified [158] [158] [158] [212] [212] [212]
temp Aging time 168 168 168 70 70 70 Hours
Max change in durometer +10 +10 +10 +15 +15 +15 Shore
hardness A
25 25 25 15 15 15 points
Max change in tensile strength 25 25 25 40 40 40 Percent
Max change in ultimate Percent
elongation
Compress D395 Specific temperature of test 70 70 70 100 100 100 C [F]
ion set [158] [158] [158] [212] [212] [212]
Method B Max permissible change 25 25 25 35 35 35 Percent
at (after 22 h)
specified
temp
Low D746 Grades 0 and 2No test required
tempera- Procedure Grade 3test at 40C [40F] Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass
ture B Grade 4test 48C [54.4F] Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass
brittleness Grade 5test at 57C [70.6F] Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

X1.4. Referenced Documents:

X1.4.1. ASTM Standards:

D395, Standard Test Methods for Rubber PropertyCompression Set
D573, Standard Test Method for RubberDeterioration in an Air Oven
D2240, Standard Test Method for Rubber PropertyDurometer Hardness

X2. BEARING TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

X2.1. Bearing Testing and Acceptance CriteriaSections 8.1 through 8.8.2 shall apply.

X2.2. For laminated bearings, a minimum of one sampled bearing per lot shall be tested for bond
strength. Fabric-reinforced pads shall have a minimum bond strength of 5.2 kN/m
[1169.006 lbf/min] and steel-reinforced pads a strength of 6.9 kN/m [1551.182 lbf/min]. If the test
bearing fails to meet the required minimum bond strength, the lot shall be rejected.

X2.2.1. Bond strength shall be determined in accordance with ASTM A429 Method B as modified herein.

TS-4e M 251-15 AASHTO

2016 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
X2.2.2. The bond test shall be performed on sampled bearings by cutting the required strip from an
elastomer layer bonded to an internal laminate. The strip size shall be 25 mm [0.9843 in.] wide,
125 mm [4.9213 in.] long, and at least 6.3 mm [0.2480 in.] thick (see Figure X2.1).

Applied Load

125 mm
25
mm

12.5 25
mm mm

Internal
Laminates

Equivalent U.S. Customary Units

mm in.
12.5 0.4921
25 0.9843
125 4.9212

Figure X2.1Preparation of Bond Strength Specimens (mm)

X2.2.3. Peeling of the elastomer strip from the internal laminate shall be initiated by carefully cutting the
elastomer back to create a tab long enough to install in the grips of the testing machine (see
Figure X2.1).

X2.2.4. Draw lines across the strip 12.5 mm [0.4921 in.] and 37.5 mm [1.4764 in.] from where the peeled
portion of the strip meets the internal laminate (see Figure X2.1). Install the specimen in the grips
so that the angle between the elastomer tab and the surface of the bearing will be approximately
90 degrees for the duration of the test.

X2.2.5. Apply the tensile load at the required rate until the elastomer peels back beyond the 37.5 mm
[1.4764 in.] mark while recording the load as required (see Figure X2.1). If the load reaches 270 N
[60.6984 lbf] without the elastomer starting to peel from the laminate surface, end the test and
record the bond strength as 10.8+ kN/m [61.6696+ lbf/in.]. If the elastomer peels back to the
37.5 mm [1.4764 in.] mark without reaching 270 N [60.6984 lbf] of load, record the bond strength
as the average load in kN/m [lbf/in.] of width required to peel the elastomer between the marks. If
the elastomer tab rips off the bearing before reaching the 37.5 mm [1.4764 in.] mark or reaching
270 N [60.6984 lbf] of load, retest in another area of the bearing.

X2.3. Referenced Documents:

X2.4. ASTM Standard:

A429, Specification for Hot- and Cold-Finished Bars of Stainless and Heat-Resisting
Chromium-Nickel-Manganese Steel (Withdrawn 1976)

1
The Society for Protective Coatings, 40 24th Street, 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4656.

TS-4e M 251-16 AASHTO

2016 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.