ISO 6446-1994 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 6446:1994 — Rubber products — Bridge bearings — Specification for rubber materials. This international standard specifies the material requirements and test methods for vulcanized rubber used in plain-pad and laminated elastomeric bridge bearings; it covers preparation of test pieces taken from finished bearings and the properties the rubber must meet for typical bridge-bearing applications.

Abstract

Specifies requirements for rubber materials used in elastomeric bridge bearings (plain-pad and laminated types), including test methods, preparation of test pieces from finished bearings and material property limits. The standard does not address design dimensions or complete-bearing quality control except where the finished bearing is used as the source of test specimens.

General information

• Status: Published — confirmed (current) following ISO periodic review.
• Publication date: October 1994 (ISO publication date 1994-10; confirmed in ISO review process).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 93.040 (Bridge construction); 83.140.99 (Other rubber and plastics products).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 — ISO 6446:1994.
• Number of pages: 8 pages (original English edition).

Key bibliographic and lifecycle details are recorded on the ISO bibliographic page and in national catalogues.

Scope

Governs the specification of vulcanized rubber materials used in elastomeric bridge bearings (plain-pad and laminated). It defines required material properties, allowable classes for service temperature, resistance to ozone and low temperatures, and the test procedures and sample preparation required to verify compliance. The standard intentionally excludes geometric dimensions and detailed design rules for complete bearings.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of elastomeric bearing types covered (plain-pad and laminated) and terminology.
• Material property requirements: hardness, tensile strength, elongation at break, compression set, density and ageing behavior.
• Durability-related requirements such as ozone resistance and specified low-temperature performance classes.
• Test methods and sample preparation procedures, including extracting test pieces from finished bearings when appropriate.
• Acceptance criteria and classification of rubber types for use in bridge-bearing environments.

Typical use and users

Used by bridge designers and specifiers, bearing and elastomer manufacturers, quality-control and test laboratories, procurement teams for infrastructure projects, and national standards/adoption bodies. The standard is applied to select and verify rubber materials for elastomeric bearings in highway, railway and civil-works bridge projects.

Related standards

Commonly referenced alongside regional and design standards for bridge bearings and structural bearings such as the EN 1337 series (Structural bearings) and various national adoptions/identical adoptions (for example GOST ISO 6446-2016 which reproduces ISO 6446:1994 as an interstate standard). For bearing design, testing and product-level requirements, practitioners also consult EN 1337, AASHTO guidance and relevant national regulations.

Keywords

elastomeric bearing, bridge bearing, rubber materials, vulcanized rubber, plain-pad bearing, laminated bearing, ozone resistance, low-temperature classification, test methods, material specification.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 6446:1994 is an international standard that specifies the material requirements and test methods for rubber used in elastomeric bridge bearings (plain-pad and laminated types).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers definitions, material property requirements (hardness, tensile, elongation, compression set, density, ageing), ozone and low-temperature performance classes, test procedures and preparation of specimens from finished bearings. It does not define bearing dimensions or complete-bearing design rules.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Bridge engineers and designers, bearing manufacturers and suppliers, materials/test laboratories, procurement/specification writers for infrastructure projects, and national standardization/adoption committees.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: As of the latest ISO bibliographic review, ISO 6446:1994 remains the published edition and has been subject to periodic review; the ISO bibliographic entry indicates the publication was confirmed in ISO’s review process, so this edition remains current (ISO review record). Users should check national adoption notices for local status.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: ISO 6446 is a standalone material specification within the broader family of ISO documents for rubber and rubber products; it is also used in the context of other bridge-bearing standards (for example EN 1337 and various national bearing-product standards) that govern design, manufacturing tolerances and product-level testing.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Elastomeric bearing, rubber materials, vulcanized rubber, plain-pad, laminated, ozone resistance, low-temperature class, material tests, bridge bearings.