Staff Contact: Daniel E. Horning Telephone (703) Item Description Class

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1 Re: Joints or Seals, pavement, including Expansion Joints or Seals Staff Contact: Daniel E. Horning Telephone (703) Proponent: Commodity Classification Standards Board Present Classification Provisions Item Description Class BUILDING MATERIALS, MISCELLANEOUS, GROUP: subject to item Paving Joints, roadway, pulpboard, asphalt saturated, and steel combined, in crates Paving Joints, roadway expansion, cork and binder combined, in packages Paving Joints, roadway expansion; asphalt or asphalt base; or plastic or rubber, other than foam, cellular, expanded or sponge; in packages Paving Joints, roadway, steel and copper combined or steel, copper and asphalt combined, in boxes or crates Proposed Classification Provisions Item Description Class BUILDING MATERIALS, MISCELLANEOUS, GROUP: subject to item Paving Joints, roadway, pulpboard, asphalt saturated, and steel combined, etc... Cancel; see Paving Joints, roadway expansion, cork and binder, etc... Cancel; see Paving Joints, roadway expansion; asphalt or asphalt base; or plastic or rubber, other than foam, cellular, expanded, etc... Cancel; see Paving Joints, roadway, steel and copper combined or steel, copper and asphalt combined, etc... Cancel; see NEW Joints or Seals, pavement, including Expansion Joints or Seals, in packages: Sub 1 Asphalt or asphalt base Sub 2 Cork and binder combined Sub 3 Plastic or rubber Sub 4 Pulpboard, asphalt saturated, and steel combined Sub 5 Steel and copper combined or steel, copper and asphalt combined National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 1 of 5

2 Analysis This proposal is based on information developed in connection with Research Project 1124, pertaining to plastic or rubber pavement expansion joints or seals. The project was initiated by the CCSB in February of 2011 in light of evidence of potential interpretation disputes and to address possible inconsistencies with respect to the transportation characteristics in relation to CCSB guidelines. There are several pavement joint entries in the NMFC encompassing various materials, including pulpboard, cork, steel, copper and asphalt 1 as named in items 35150, 35155, and The research project, though, was specific to joints or seals made of plastic or rubber, as embraced under item 35160, which assigns a class History of Item The current provisions for asphalt or asphalt base paving joints and rubber composition paving joints were adopted from the rails in 1936 as two separate items, both equivalent to a class 55. Action taken on Subject 18 of Docket 98 (March, 1961) added plastic composition, other than foam, cellular, expanded or sponge plastic to the item description for rubber composition paving joints for clarification purposes. The proposal was approved as modified and the changes first appeared in Supplement 12 to NMFC A-5, effective September 1, Action taken on Subject 8 of Docket 883 (May, 1988) combined the provisions for asphalt or asphalt base paving joints and plastic or rubber, other than foam, cellular, expanded or sponge paving joints into item The proposal was approved as docketed and these changes first appeared in Supplement 3 to NMF 100-O, effective June 21, The provisions have remained substantially unchanged to the present. Scope of Project During the course of Research Project 1124, questionnaires regarding these products were sent to 15 associations and 94 potential manufacturers or shippers of pavement joints in March and May of Additional questionnaires were sent in June as the CCSB was made aware of other potential industry contacts. From these mailings, 12 shippers responded stating that they did not manufacture or ship the involved commodities and one company did respond in the affirmative but provided no useful information. There were six responses from the associations stating they did not represent shippers or manufacturers of pavement joints. Consequently, the information of record consists of carrier-submitted shipment observations on preformed neoprene pavement joints or seals. 1 There are several joint or seal products available on the market but some do not stand up to the elements as well as others. For instance, silicone sealants must be installed under very clean and dry conditions and hot pour asphalt systems do not age well and require frequent resealing, significantly increasing costs. (accessed May 31, 2011) 2 While the research was specific to joints or seals of plastic or rubber, NMFC item also covers those articles made of asphalt or with an asphalt base. Subject 11, Page 2 of National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.

3 Nature of Goods The performance of asphalt or concrete pavements depends to a large extent upon the performance of the joints. Most jointed pavement failures are attributable to failures at the joint, as opposed to inadequate structural capacity. On the one hand, distresses that may result from joint failure include faulting, pumping, spalling, corner breaks, blowups and midpanel cracking. Conversely, characteristics that contribute to satisfactory joint performance are cited as adequate load transfer and proper material consolidation. Invariably, though, periodic resealing is needed to ensure satisfactory joint performance throughout the life of the pavement (regardless of the joint sealant material used 3 ). Sealant use dates back to 1906, and since then, those in the trade engineers, manufacturers and contractors have developed and refined various seal materials 4. Today, the industry has evolved to the point where field personnel have two basic choices in applications: liquid sealants which include joint fillers (both hot and cold) or preformed seals. Pavement seals have one purpose and that is to prevent water, debris and incompressible material from entering the joint or lock between two slabs or mats. Also known as joints or joint systems, these products are specifically designed for use in highways, runways, bridges and other structures. The preformed seals (other than liquid) are installed in a compressed state and remain in contact with the joint walls. They are designed to allow the pavement sections or slabs to expand and contract during temperature changes while sealing the joint 5. Pavement joints are vital to control pavement cracking and movement. Product depictions (of the preformed variety) and typical applications are provided below. Interpretation inquiries on the preformed plastic or rubber variety go back over 10 years on the issue of whether or not products are more properly classified as joints (per item 35160) or packing devices (per item ). The CCSB has recently held (in February, 2011) that item is more specific, and therefore, applicable. The fact that the product could be used on surfaces that might not be considered roadway does not, in the CCSB s opinion, alter its basic character as that of a pavement joint or seal. Also, the fact that the product may be of honeycomb construction does not exclude it from item 35160, which restricts foam, cellular, 3 (accessed June 7, 2011) 4 American Concrete Pavement Association ( accessed June 6, 2011) 5 In addition to highway and bridge applications, compression seals have also been used in spillways, dams, parking structures, stadium ramps and pedestrian overpasses National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 3 of 5

4 % of Figures in Range CCSB DOCKET expanded or sponge materials; indeed, the honeycomb commodity recently considered was made out of extruded, not expanded, rubber. TRANSPORTATION CHARACTERISTICS Density The information of record includes 24 figures on plastic or rubber pavement joints or seals, exhibiting a range in density from 7.57 to pcf, for an average density of pcf. The graph below provides the frequency distribution of the overall range. Frequency Distribution 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 29.2% 41.7% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.2% 12.5% 8.3% 4.2% 0.0% Density (pcf) It is noted that while the greatest percentage of figures (41.7%) are in the 15 but less than 22.5 pcf density group, the median density, which provides the midpoint value in a range of variables, is pcf. Given the similarity or relationship of the mean (average) and median density figures of pcf and pcf, respectively, it would appear that the average density is reflective of the overall range. Stowability & Handling Pavement joints or seals are tendered in various forms, including wound on spools in boxes, on pallets with a fibreboard enclosure or on wooden reels. The majority of the sampling appears to be in boxes, which should not present any notable stowing or handling considerations. In some instances, but not all, pallets have been observed with the marking or warning Do Not Stack. Depending on the size and configuration of reels, stowing and handling may not be as favorable. Reels may be stowed resting on the flange; however, reels not on pallets or not resting on the flange may require blocking and bracing. Depiction of the various shipping forms is provided on the following page. Subject 11, Page 4 of National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.

5 Liability Pavement joints or seals are not prone to spontaneous combustion or explosion, susceptible to theft or damage or likely to damage other freight with which stowed. There is no evidence of an unusual claims problem nor has any data been developed regarding value per pound. Relationship to CCSB Policies and Guidelines CCSB updating policy calls for adding commonly used terminology to descriptions and providing uniformity in provisions addressing the same or similar circumstances published in conjunction with different items. As currently published, all existing pavement joint entries are provided for in separate NMFC item listings based on material construction. There have been no substantive changes to the provisions since they were adopted or established. In addition, the present language and structure of the item entries are inconsistent in that the modifiers (paving) are listed first with the noun (joints) second, and the fact that the language adopted from the rails does not reflect today s vernacular. Updating the terminology to provide for Joints or Seals, pavement, including Expansion Joints or Seals and re-establishing the remaining entries as subprovisions under one common descriptive heading would provide uniformity and consistency, and thus be in keeping with CCSB policy and precedent. Also, these revisions would address the interpretation issues, consistent with clarification policy. CCSB policy calls for classification provisions to reflect a commodity s known transportation characteristics. Information of record shows pavement joints or seals of plastic or rubber construction to exhibit a range in density from 7.57 pcf to pcf, for an average density of pcf. Stowability and handling vary depending upon how the products are packaged for shipment, but no significant problems have been reported. There is also no indication of liability problems. Under CCSB guidelines, an average density of pcf is generally associated with a class 77.5, which calls for a minimum average density of 13.5 pcf. Based on the information of record, this proposal is in keeping with CCSB policy and guidelines National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 5 of 5