Bridge & Highway Fabricated

Expansion Joint Systems

ARMORED JOINT SYSTEMS

 At Watson Bowman Acme, the development of armored expansion joint systems has
evolved to meet the design challenges of the twenty-first century. Our proven systems
facilitate engineered structural movement capabilities and protect bridges against the
deteriorative effects of climatic conditions.
Precision machine manufacturing of steel shapes combined with extruded Neoprene®
seals satisfy both movement flexibility and waterproofing for protection of bridge
structures.

Our combination of skills in engineering and flexible manufacturing will enable us to

meet your specific expansion joint application and project needs.

2 Bridge & Highway Fabricated Expansion Control Systems

 Bridge & Highway Fabricated Expansion Control Systems

Backed by a World Leader.

The BASF Group comprises more than 160 subsid- Armored TECHNOLOGY
iaries and joint ventures and operates more than
150 production sites in Europe, Asia, North America,
Wabo®Modular ........................................................pg 4
South America and Africa. BASF has customers in
over 200 countries and supplies products to a wide
variety of industries. Wabo®X-Cel Modular ..............................................pg 6

More than just a leader in its industry, BASF is

also a global leader in sustainability and corporate Wabo®StripSeal ......................................................pg 8
social responsibility. The company is included in the
Innovest Global 100 list – among the world’s most
successful companies in the areas of environmental Wabo®Crete StripSeal .............................................pg 9
protection, social affairs and corporate governance.
BASF is also listed on the FTSE4Good Index and
Storebrand SRI Funds. Wabo®FabroSpan ..................................................pg 10

BASF has won awards from the Sustainable Build- Wabo®Crete FabroSpan .........................................pg 10
ings Industry Council and the American Plastics
Council for its Eco-Efficiency Analysis. This indus-
try-leading sustainability measurement tool provides Wabo®PressureSeal ...............................................pg 11
certified and robust quantitative analysis of both the
ecological and economic impact of products over
their lifecycle. Most importantly, the tool provides Wabo®Finger Joint .................................................pg 11
measurement from a customer perspective, allowing
the user to observe the effects of various actions on
different future scenarios.

For additional information about Watson Bowman Acme products, please visit our website at
www.wbacorp.com
WBA can develop a custom product to meet your specific application.

Contact us at 800.677.4922 for more information.

 Wabo®Modular
Ultimate in Sealed Modular Joint Design and Reliability

Watson Bowman Acme designed, built, and installed the first sealed modular
joint system nearly three decades ago. This longevity was built, in part, from
the basic design concept comprised of a multiple steel support bar system,
which combines strength to support traffic loads with the flexibility to accom-
modate continual structural movement. Today, Watson Bowman Acme is the
worldwide leader in the manufacture of large movement modular expansion
joints for challenging long-span bridge structure applications.

FEATURES:
■ Mechanically locked seals ensure watertight performance
■ Dampens repetitive traffic, supports and distributes loads to the bridge structure
■ Counter-force control system maintains spacing throughout movement cycle
■ Rigid interconnection of beams and bars eliminates a potential failure
■ Fatigue Designed per NCHRP 402 and AASHTO

RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Sealing joints on bridges with movements greater than 4 inches
■ New construction or repair and maintenance of existing expansion joint systems
■ High impact conditions

Joint Opening "A" System

Model # Min. Max. Total Depth

in mm in mm in mm in mm

STM or D-600 2.50 64 8.50 216 6.00 152 10.250 260

STM or D-900 5.00 127 14.00 356 9.00 229 10.250 260
STM or D-1200 7.50 191 19.50 495 12.00 305 10.250 260
STM or D-1500 10.00 254 25.00 635 15.00 381 10.250 260
STM or D-1800 12.50 318 30.50 775 18.00 455 10.250 260
STM or D-2100 15.00 381 36.00 914 21.00 533 10.250 260
STM or D-2400 17.50 445 41.50 1054 24.00 610 10.250 260
STM or D-2700 20.00 508 47.00 1194 27.00 686 10.250 260
STM or D-3000 22.50 572 52.50 1334 30.00 762 10.250 260

"A" was calculated using a 2.5 inch (64mm) beam. System depth may vary from the standard shown.
Consult your WBA Representative with your special design requirements.

Multiple Bar Support System

Modular system shown with box seal

Resilient Support S

4 Bridge & Highway Fabricated Expansion Control Systems - Armored Technology

 Modular detail shown with strip seal
Neoprene Strip Seal

Equidistance Control Mechanism

Support Bar
Support Box

for additional information see product sales drawings

Available in both box and strip seal versions, Wabo®Modular

Support Bar joint systems effectively seal joint openings while preventing
runoff water from passing through to the substructure. The
box seal system provides the ultimate in sealed modular joint
design and reliability. The strip seal system uses an inner-
locking single layer strip gland that is easy to install in the
field.

As a worldwide leader in expansion joint design innovation,

Watson Bowman Acme Corp. now offers high rotation modu-
lar system capabilities through innovative rotational bearing
design.

Wabo®Modular joint systems are comprised of five important

design features. These features make the modular system
tough, long-lasting, watertight and virtually maintenance free.
Field proven under the toughest bridge conditions everywhere
in the world, the Wabo®Modular joint system is designed and
built in accordance with the highest fabrication standards and
can be engineered to meet a variety of conditions and move-
ment requirements.
Seal
Neoprene Box Seal
Contact Watson Bowman Acme for additional design options
to meet the dynamic movement needs and constructability
Locked Seals
Mechanically Locked Seals requirements of your project.

Rigid Interconnection

Counter Force Control Mechanism

Structure

800.677.4922 www.wbacorp.com 5
 Wabo®X-Cel Modular
Advanced Technology in Large Movement Expansion Control

The Wabo®X-Cel Modular is designed to accommodate longitudinal, trans-

verse and rotational movements while also satisfying the day-to-day
thermal requirements with life-cycle fatigue capabilities. The Wabo®X-Cel
system accommodates multi-directional accelerated movements to specifi-
cally designed support boxes and their internally mounted sliding compo-
nents. High rotational support bearings allow the support bar to move. This
arrangement results in low stress being imparted into the expansion joint
as compared to high-resistant, mechanically rotated, or swiveling system
designs. This system is ideal for both seismic and true multi-directional
movement conditions. Similar to the Modular system, the X-Cel system is
FEATURES: also available in both box and strip seal versions.
■ Simultaneously accommodates multi-directional and seismic movement The Wabo®X-Cel Modular is the only commercially available system which
■ Selected transverse and horizontal movement locations limit wear of components has provided performance during an actual seismic occurrence.
■ Resilient rotational support system
■ Positive equidistant control mechanism ensures a smooth, noise-free ride
■ High rotational movement capability

RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Important bridges required to provide secondary life safety
■ Structures designated by a local emergency plan as critical
■ Offshore structures High Rotational Support Bearings

■ Segmental, suspension, and long-span bridges

■ Flexible structures requiring a high level of reliability
■ Seismic movements

Support Bar

for additional information se

X-Cel Modular system shown with strip seal;

system can also accommodate box seal
for additional information see product sales drawings

6 Bridge & Highway Fabricated Expansion Control Systems - Armored Technology

 Kaaterskill Bridge
I-87 Mainline, south of Albany, NY

Wabo®X-Cel System
(12” longitudinal and 4” transverse movement)

Multi-directional modular system experience.

www.wbacorp.com

Elastomeric Joint Seal

The Wabo® X-Cel Modular is the result of a four-year

research-and-development program. During this time,
there were full-scale performance tests run at the Univer-
sity of California at Berkeley PEER Center. This program
isolated critical components and functions essential to
successful long-term multi-movement performance.
A This system is designed to smoothly handle tens of mil-
lions of movements imposed on flexible structures.
Support Box
The Wabo®X-Cel Modular system has undergone very
ee product sales drawings successful multi-movement testing at various speeds,
ranging from 1 to 60 inches per second, as well as nu-
merous seismic simulators - with no observed damage.
Our continuous research and development has resulted
in innovative inspectable and replaceable components
for the X-Cel modular system. These patent-pending de-
sign features are available exclusively through Watson
Bowman Acme.

800.677.4922 www.wbacorp.com 7
 Wabo®StripSeal
Rugged Design Effectively Accommodates Heavy Loads and Seals Joints

Wabo®StripSeal consists of an elastomeric gland mechanically locked be-

tween two steel members which provides a superior watertight sealing sys-
tem. The rugged design of this system can easily accommodate heavy loads
while providing a watertight seal. Our StripSeal systems are versatile units
that will accommodate a variety of field configurations as well as multi-di-
rectional movements.

Continuous Elastomeric Gland

Features: Steel Edge Member

■ Six standard configurations machined from ASTM A-588 or A-36 grade steel,
precision machined to exacting tolerance
■ Heavy-duty system
■ Multi-directional movement capability
■ Designed and manufactured to meet project requirements
■ Flexible applications A

Anchorage
RECOMMENDED FOR:
for additional information see product sales drawings
■ Sealing joints on bridge and parking decks
■ Skewed joints
■ High impact and repetitive loading conditions
■ Expansion joint applications with a maximum movement of 5 inches
■ New construction or repair and maintenance of existing expansion joint systems

Joint Width "A" Min. Install

Model # Min. Max. Total Width

in mm in mm in mm in mm

SE-300 0.00 0 3.00 76 3.00 76 1.50 38

SE-400 0.00 0 4.00 102 4.00 102 1.50 38
SE-500 0.00 0 5.00 127 5.00 127 2.00 51
EFE-400 0.50 13 4.50 114 4.00 102 2.50 64
Consult your WBA Representative for factory molded horizontal changes, severe skews or
joint intersections.

Type A Type E Type M

The Wabo®StripSeal is available in

six standard, precision-machined
configurations to better suit your
individual project.

Type P Type Q Type R

8 Bridge & Highway Fabricated Expansion Control Systems - Armored Technology

Wabo®Crete StripSeal
Advanced, Unique System for Construction and Rehabilitation

The Wabo®Crete StripSeal is an advanced and unique system fused in the

construction or rehabilitation of expansion joints for bridges and parking
decks. It consists of an elastomeric seal mechanically locked between two
steel members and installed with elastomeric concrete combining to form a
monolithic unit.
Due to its durability and resistance to chemical attack, it is well suited to
withstand high impact conditions.

Continuous Elastomeric Gland

Steel Edge Member
Features:
■ Extremely versatile for flexible applications
■ Sinusoidal anchorage is utilized to transmit and distribute impact forces into the
elastomeric concrete
■ Wabo®Crete pours easily to fill all voids and irregularities within the blockout
■ System has excellent elasticity and bonding capabilities
A ■ Rapid installation and minimal downtime of structure whn utilized in repair of
failed expansion joints
Wabo®CreteII Elastomeric Header ■ Accommodates heavy-duty loads and bridge deflections
■ Continuous sealing element prevents water from leaking through the expansion
for additional information see product sales drawings joint opening

RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Skewed joints
■ High impact and repetitive loading conditions
■ Expansion joint applications with a maximum movement of 5 inches
■ New bridge construction or repair and maintenance of existing expansion joint
systems
■ Overlay projects/low profile applicability

Joint Width "A" Min. Install

Model # Min. Max. Total Width

in mm in mm in mm in mm

SE-300 0.00 0 3.00 76 3.00 76 1.50 38

SE-400 0.00 0 4.00 102 4.00 102 1.50 38
SE-500 0.00 0 5.00 127 5.00 127 2.00 51
EFE-400 0.50 13 4.50 114 4.00 102 2.50 64
Consult your WBA Representative for factory molded horizontal changes, severe skews or joint
intersections.

800.677.4922 www.wbacorp.com 9
 Wabo®FabroSpan
Superior System for Construction and Rehabilitation of Bridge Joints

Wabo®FabroSpan consists of an elastomeric seal mechanically locked between

two bolted steel members. The heavy-duty machined clamping bars securely
fasten the continuous seal to the steel edge members. The top removable de-
sign of this system allows for easy seal installation and replacement.

Seal Clamping Bar

Continuous Elastomeric Gland

Features:
■ Specifically developed for Ministry of Transportation in Ontario, MTP Class A system
■ Top removable clamping bar allows for easy access from roadway surface
■ Mulit-directional movement capacity
■ Manufactured to meet project specifics

A
RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Sealing of joints on bridges Anchorage
■ Reconstruction of joints in existing structures
for additional information see product sales drawings
■ High impact conditions
*table pertains to both Wabo®FabroSpan and Wabo®Crete FabroSpan systems.

Joint Width "A" Min. Ontario MTO Rating

Install
Model # Min. Max. Total Width Min. Max. Total
in mm in mm in mm in mm in mm in mm in mm

FR-100D 0.00 0 4.00 102 4.00 102 1.00 25 1.00 25 4.00 102 3.00 76
Consult your WBA Representative for factory molded horizontal changes, severe skews or joint intersections.

Wabo®Crete FabroSpan
Superior System for Construction and Rehabilitation of Bridge Joints

The Wabo®Crete FabroSpan is a unique and superior expansion control system

used in the construction and rehabilitation of expansion joints for bridges. This
system consists of an elastomeric seal which is mechanically locked in place
between two bolted steel members and installed with elastomeric concrete to
form a monolithic unit.
The Wabo®Crete FabroSpan system is well suited to handle high-impact ap-
plications due to its durability and resistance to chemical attack in harsh en-
Features: vironments.
■ Specifically developed for Ministry of Transportation in Ontario, MTP Class A system
■ Sinusoidal anchorage replaces traditional mechanical anchorage Seal Clamping Bar

■ Elastomeric concrete header absorbs traffic impacts and has the flexibility to fill Continuous Elastomeric Gland
any irregularities within the blockout
■ Developed for bridge expansion joint applications
■ Low profile design is ideal in conjunction with wearing surface overlay applications

RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Sealing of joints on bridges A
■ Reconstruction of joints in existing structures
■ High impact conditions Wabo®CreteII Elastomeric Header
■ Overlay projects
for additional information see product sales drawings

10 Bridge & Highway Fabricated Expansion Control Systems - Armored Technology

Wabo®PressureSeal
Heavy-Duty System Capable of Impermeability and Load Support

The Wabo®PressureSeal consists of an elastomeric seal mechanically locked

between two bolted steel members providing a superior watertight sealing
system. This system follows a basic principle which ensures that a positive
mechanical pressure is maintained at all times between the edge member
and sealing element. While effectively sealing expansion joints, the system
can also easily accommodate high loads of vehicular traffic. Features:
■ Specifically developed for Ministry of Transportation in Ontario, MTP Class A system
Seal Clamping Bar
■ Positive mechanical pressure applied betweem edge member and sealing element
Continuous Elastomeric Gland ■ Mulit-directional movement capacity
■ Manufactured to meet project specifics
■ Watertight

RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Sealing of joints on bridges and parking decks
A ■ Reconstruction of joints in existing structures
■ High impact conditions
Anchorage
■ Skewed joints
for additional information see product sales drawings

Joint Width "A" Min. Ontario MTO Rating

Model Install
Min. Max. Total Width Min. Max. Total
#
in mm in mm in mm in mm in mm in mm in mm

PS-100 1.00 25 5.00 127 4.00 102 1.625 41 1.625 41 4.00 102 2.38 60
PS-175 1.00 25 7.88 200 6.88 175 1.625 41
Note: PS-100 seal only available in neoprene rubber. PS-175 seal only available in natural rubber.
Consult your WBA Representative for factory molded horizontal changes, severe skews or joint intersections.

Wabo®FingerJoint
Heavy Duty Interlocking System for High Impact and Heavy Load Applications

The Wabo®FingerJoint system is a heavy duty expansion control application

that covers openings on new or existing structures. The interlocking fingers
are precision-cut with a CNC burning machine to allow for truly accurate
dimensions. Made completely of steel, these systems are well prepared for
high impact and heavy load conditions. To extend life and protect these joints,
protective coverings are provided in accordance with project specifications.

Features:
■ Finger Joint fabrication at WBA utilizes state-of-the-art manufacturing
■ Fingers cut with precision CNC burning machine
■ Protective coatings provided in accordance with specifications

RECOMMENDED FOR:
■ Sealing of joints on bridges and parking decks
■ Reconstruction of joints in existing structures
■ High impact conditions
■ Skewed joints

800.677.4922 www.wbacorp.com 11
The Expansion Control Company.
Founded in 1950, Watson Bowman Acme (WBA) is the world wide leader and recognized innovator in the development and manufacture of expansion control systems
for the construction industry. WBA has taken great strides in achieving production efficiencies and environmental stewardship through its formal American Institute of
Steel Construction, ISO 9001:2000 and RC 14001 certifications. These certifications enhance the company’s commitment and passion for excellence. WBA uses its
expertise in the design and manufacture of quality expansion control systems to produce products that perform and last. Watson Bowman Acme is “The Expansion
Control Company”.

ARCHITECTURAL BRIDGE & HIGHWAY OPEN AIR STRUCTURES PARKING STRUCTURES

Technical Expertise
Engineers and owners who are charged with the responsibility of
searching out every possible avenue to extend the life of their struc-
tures turn to Watson Bowman Acme with their specific needs. More
than 50 years of practical experience and knowledge in the Expansion
Control industry allows WBA to develop solutions and make recom-
mendations for the right product choice for your application.

Innovation
Recognized as the industry leader in the development of expansion
control systems, WBA has developed and manufactured products and
solutions for some of the worlds’ most unique and complex projects.
Offering the broadest range of products and services in the construc-
tion industry, we are the only company servicing the Bridge and High-
way, Architectural, Parking and Open Air Structures markets. We have
a fully qualified team of professional engineers and designers backed
by strong relationships with national testing labs and universities.
Watson Bowman Acme has long been recognized for its innovation.
We will continue to build on that reputation for years to come.

Custom Solutions
WBA provides more than just technical expertise, we supply solutions
that make good sense. We offer a growing range of high performance
Wabo® products and systems to provide long lasting solutions to dif-
ficult repair problems. We are fully resourced to deliver results and
exceed expectations of our customers, a standard of service they
should expect.

Quality www.wbacorp.com
WBA is dedicated in providing the highest quality products and ser- We are continually improving the Watson Bowman Acme website, enhancing your
vices to our customers with a commitment for continuous improve- ability to easily navigate through our products and services. WBA has evolved over
ment. Increased quality in service and manufacturing will ensure the years, but one priority has remained the same: to provide you with the accurate
positive results for your project. Our professional operations team information you need, when you need it.
employs the principles of lean manufacturing, and enterprise resource
planning tools, all supported by our formal ISO 9001:2000, RC 14001
and AISC quality management systems.

Watson Bowman Acme Corp.

95 Pineview Drive Amherst, New York 14228-2166
Phone 716.691.7566 | Fax 716.691.9239 | www.wbacorp.com © 2007 Watson Bowman Acme Corp.
All rights reserved / Printed in USA
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