Load Bearing Pads

Load Bearing Pads maintain dimensional integrity under continuous heavy loads.

These load bearing pads:

• Retain performance and durability at temperatures as low as -40 degrees F.
• Are manufactured with Irathane's proprietary urethane, allowing them to resist abrasion and impact better than other elastomers/rubber.
• Are highly resistant to sliding impact abrasion and bearing loads.
• Are engineered to outperform and outlast conventional polyurethanes, polyethylenes, rubber, neoprene and steel.
• Are not only cost effective, but in most cases competitively priced with conventional rubber and neoprene pads.

Urethane bridge bearings are finding increased use in bridge construction replacing older technology elastomers such as Neoprene and Natural Rubber.  Cast polyurethane bearings provide bridge designers with a bearing having excellent load bearing capabilities with superior physical properties including tensile strength and tear resistance.  Urethane bearings also outperform rubber in terms of abrasion resistance and resistance to ground level ozone. 

One of the problems with rubber materials is their susceptibility to ground level ozone produced by the increasing number of automobiles or by electrical discharges.  Over time rubber gradually cracks and deteriorates due to exposure to ozone.

Polyurethane, however, is far more resistant to ozone attack.  In fact, testing shows that polyurethane can be exposed to at least five times longer to the high levels of ozone specified for rubber in chapter 18 of the AREA manual (ASTM D1149) without deteriorative effects.

Further, because of its processing advantages, urethane bearings can be manufactured to tighter physical property and dimensional tolerances than rubber.

• Exceed AREMA chapter 19 specification (80 & 90 durometer)
• Can be used for load bearing and leveling applications
• Are custom manufactured to any shape or size
• Replace laminated rubber or neoprene pads
• Lower cost
• Inexpensive tooling
• Can be sanded, 1 or two sides for bonding to substrate