Truncated Domes FAQ

The use of truncated dome warning tiles has increased the accessibility and safety of public buildings and transportation for the visually impaired. As a property owner, you may have questions about the selection, installation, and maintenance of truncated dome tiles to ensure your property complies with current ADA regulations. What are truncated domes? What is their purpose? Where can you go to learn how to install truncated domes tiles?

Keep reading to learn the answers to some of these and other most frequently asked questions regarding ADA warning tiles and how to implement them safely and effectively on any property.

What Does the Installation Process Entail?

The installation process will depend upon the type of truncated dome warning tile that you choose. No matter which option you select, however, the truncated domes installation process is fairly simple.

Cast-in-place tiles are placed in wet cement. After the cement has been poured and leveled, the tile is carefully set in place, and then tamped down with a rubber mallet until any air that was trapped beneath is released and the tile is flush with the concrete. Once the tile is in place, a cinder block is used to weigh down the tile while the cement sets, which generally takes two to four hours. Once the concrete has dried, you have a slip-resistant, ADA-compliant walking surface that is ready for pedestrian use.

If you are installing a surface-mount tactile warning tile, you will not have to worry about pouring fresh cement. Instead, you simply need to ensure that the area is free of oil, grease, debris, and moisture. Next, an adhesive is applied to the underside of the surface-applied tile, and the tile is set on the installation area. Once the tile is in the correct location, holes are drilled into the cement at the tile’s pre-formed fastener locations, and then the fasteners are hammered into place. The edges of the tile are then sealed with caulk, and the tile will then be ready for pedestrian traffic.

Why Truncated Domes?

ADA specifications require the use of truncated dome warning tiles as a visual and tactile warning system for the visually impaired when navigating public streets, walkways, and other property. The use of ADA-required truncated domes (sometimes called ADA pads) is required for two reasons: first, because of the feel of a truncated dome tile underfoot is unique and discernible even without visual input, and second, because the standardized use of truncated domes allows for the same level of safety and warning throughout the urban landscape, regardless of city or state.

Thus, while other tactile warning systems may also be implemented to improve safety and traction, truncated dome warning tiles that meet federal standards are required by law on public walkways and in public transportation stations.

What Does Visual Contrast Mean?

Truncated dome warning tiles provide detectable warnings of changes in walking surfaces such as sidewalks and parking lots. While the truncated dome design is meant to warn pedestrians without the need for additional visual information, truncated dome warning tiles must also contrast visually with adjoining surfaces to assist pedestrians with full or partial visual acuity. The type of visual contrast required by the ADA regulations is dark-on-light or light-on-dark, meaning the tile must have a coloring opposite its surroundings.

Furthermore, while there is no direct wording in the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding the color of the tile that supports the domes themselves, the Department of Justice, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Federal Access Board have all agreed that the entire field or tile housing the domes, rather than just the domes, should be a single color to contrast visually with the surrounding material.

Do you have questions about meeting the current ADA requirements or truncated domes installation procedures on your property? We produce a wide variety of federally compliant truncated dome warning surfaces, including carbon composite and cast iron tiles. You can learn more about our truncated dome warning systems on our website, or you can check out our blog library for additional tips and news about our cost-effective detectable warning surfaces.

Cast Iron Products: Iron Dome®

For twenty years ADA Solutions, has been the industry leader in manufacturing detectable warning surfaces that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all other applicable government regulations. We have arrived at this position as a direct result of our willingness to innovate and a policy of responding to the needs of our customers and distributors. This guiding principle has led us to develop our latest offering in ADA-compliant tactile warning tiles: Iron Dome®.

Cast Iron Products

Iron Dome® is essentially an upgraded, improved version of our older cast iron ADA warning tiles. How does Iron Dome® differ from this older product? It has been specially designed with relatively lighter materials that can be installed and removed with greater ease, which significantly reduces the overall costs associated with its maintenance. Formerly, our cast iron product came in 12” by 24” pieces that were assembled with 1-2 rails. With Iron Dome®, clients now have their choice of two sizes: 24” by 24” and 24” by 30”. These state-of-the-art warning tiles are installed with an anchor system, which makes these materials more easily replaceable.

Iron Dome® includes a variety of valuable features that make it ideal for use as an ADA- and ADAAG-compliance detectable warning surface:

  • Textured, slip-resistant surface that meets coefficient of friction requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).
  • Color contrast that complies with ADA and ADAAG requirements for light-on-dark or dark-on-light detectable warning surfaces. UV-stable materials provide uniform coloring without the need for paint or other surface coating. (Custom colors are available.)
  • Made in the U.S. with recycled, eco-friendly, LEED-compliant materials.
  • Conforms to AASHTO M105-09, Standard Specification for Gray Iron Castings (ASTM A48, Class 45B).
  • Conforms to ASTM A159 regulations for Automotive Grade Gray Iron Castings.
  • Conforms to AASHTO M306-10 regulations for Drainage, Sewer, Utility, and Related Castings.

Iron Dome® is a durable and aesthetically attractive product. As with all of our detectable warning surfaces, it has been engineered and tested to comply with all regulations pertaining to water absorption, compressive strength, wear resistance, weather resistance, chemical resistance, detectability (sound attenuation), and UV stability. In addition to meeting ADA and ADAAG requirements, Iron Dome® conforms to Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, International Standards Organization ISO 23599, Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), as well as Canadian Standards Organization standards (CSA B651-12). Like all ADA Solutions, products, it is approved by all major municipalities across the U.S. for use as a tactile warning surface for the visually impaired.

The installation process is simple. Once installed, the Iron Dome® Tactile Warning System can be safely opened to foot traffic within two to four hours. It can be installed on curb ramps, parking areas, stair landings, pedestrian crossings, transit platforms, escalator approaches, and similar areas.

We are confident that Iron Dome® will fulfill all of your needs and expectations when it comes to detectable warning surfaces. Please feel free to request a quote with our convenient online form. You may also call us at (800) 372-0519 with any questions or concerns you might have about this new product from ADA Solutions

Who Is Seiichi Miyake and Why Did He Make Truncated Domes?

tactile warning surface

In 1965, the inventor Seiichi Miyake created something that would spread to almost every civilized country in the world. Since the creation of truncated domes, a tactile warning surface that is built into sidewalks and pedestrian thoroughfares, they have been installed throughout his native Japan, as well as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.

Seiichi Miyake wanted to help people with visual impairments travel safely through the streets of Tokyo. He was also worried that people who could not see well were in danger when boarding a train. In the 1970s, all Japan Railway platforms were modified to include tactile warning surfaces, which were in two distinct patterns.

The Start of Truncated Domes

To help a close friend who was visually impaired, Miyake spent his own money to develop what were then known as Tenji blocks, the first form of tactile surface. The first pattern was a series of lines that indicated that the person traveling along the path should continue forward. The second pattern consisted of truncated domes, which would indicate the person should stop because of a change in direction or a transition from sidewalk to motorway, or that they were reaching the end of the boarding platform and should wait for the train to stop before proceeding.

Tactile tiles were designed to be felt through a person’s shoes, a cane, or the help of guide dogs. Seiichi Miyake’s tactile blocks were first installed in a public setting in 1967. A street in Okayama City, Japan was the first location where tactile blocks were placed, near the Okayama School for the Blind. A decade later, they became a mandatory requirement for Japanese National Railways.

Since the United States enacted the ADA, truncated domes have become mandatory on all sidewalks, in all train stations, and on public thoroughfares that coincide with motorized traffic areas. While they do not require the lined tiles that mean “go” in Japan, they do require the textured tiles that mean “stop.”

Celebrating Seiichi Miyake and His Work

Seiichi Miyake passed away in 1982, but his invention has not been forgotten. In March 2019, Google revealed a doodle to celebrate the Japanese inventor, which depicted a rendering of the tactile blocks created by Miyake. Circles, representing an impending hazard or landmark (such as a bus stop), were placed on a yellow background representing the mats. The doodle also demarcates the straight line used to point an individual in the right direction.

On the doodle, the letters spelling out Google are denoted via colored circles on the mats, while an animation of a probing cane is featured.

Applications Today

Named for the Japanese system of braille, Tenji blocks have been transformed into the detectable warning surfaces used around the world today. These tactile surfaces have been adapted for a variety of locations, including:

  • Sidewalk Paving: Tactile sidewalk paving is often used to provide a sense of direction in crowded areas. Ribbed pavement helps pedestrians know whether to turn left or right, for example, and provides a visual indication of a change in direction. It is usually different in color from the rest of the pavement.
  • Train Stations: Blocks, similar to the original invention, are used at above- and below-ground train stations. Surfaces with raised domes, also known as offset blisters, indicate when people are too close to the platform edge when waiting for a train. They’re usually a bright yellow color to alert everyone to stay clear of danger.
  • Public Transportation Zones: Raised blocks are used on sidewalks near streets where buses, rails, and trams stop. The bumps used here are often slightly larger than what Miyake designed, but this lozenge paving looks similar, although more like a cluster of cough drops, to warn people of oncoming traffic and where trams stop.
  • Stairs: Rounded rods, or “corduroy paving” is positioned horizontally ahead of a drop in pavement. Used at the top and bottom of staircases, these surfaces are often a different color from surrounding concrete and let visually impaired individuals know where a staircase starts and ends, and how high it may be.
  • Bicycle Lanes: In multi-use pedestrian spaces, softer ribbed blocks and bars may be used to demarcate where bikers or pedestrians should use a sidewalk. An example is a sidewalk with a central bar separating ribbed blocks in the bike lane from horizontal blocks on the pedestrian side, which would act as speed bumps if a bicyclist veered onto that side.

To find out more about this amazing invention by Seiichi Miyake and how it can help you protect persons with visual disabilities, please contact ADA Solution by calling 800-372-0519.

What Is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was established in 1990. It was passed to prohibit discrimination for persons with disabilities and to allow them access to specific areas that were previously problematic. These included areas such as employment, medical care, education, and government buildings. It also allowed them to use various forms of transportation and required different agencies to accommodate these disabilities as overseen by the Department of Justice.

One of the major parts of the act was the physical access requirements of all public buildings. This part of the act established ADA detectable warning requirements for all points where pedestrians would encounter traffic or doorways that could inhibit a person with visual disabilities. With there being over 500,000 persons in the United States currently suffering some type of visual disability, this was imperative to allow them to receive use of the public transportation system.

The ADA also prohibited places used by the public to discriminate against persons with disabilities. This included places such as hotels, restaurants, retail merchants, and doctor’s offices. The businesses must make “reasonable accommodations” for these persons, including ensuring their safety with detectable warning systems, including visual, audial, and/or tactile.

It even has provisions requiring close captioning for all federally funded public service announcements, so persons with hearing disabilities can benefit from the announcement. Additionally, it has required telephone companies to provide telecommunications for persons with hearing or speech disabilities.

To find out more about the requirements and regulations of the ADA, and how it relates to your business and tactile warning systems, please call ADA Tile today at 800-372-0519.

Facts About ADA Compliance Tiles

Truncated Domes ADA Requirements

There are several different things you should know about the tactile detection requirements mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

  • Since 2001, all transitional areas require tactilely detectable tiles to help promote safety for all persons.
  • Truncated domes meet all of the ADA tile requirements, as they are easily seen and can be felt through the soles of most shoes or noticed by a person with visual disabilities using a white cane for guidance.
  • You can have them installed when you pour the sidewalk, or they can be applied to the surface with little extra effort.
  • The ADA requires detectable tiles at all intersections where a sidewalk enters or leaves a motorway.
  • Detectable tiles are also required at the edges of boarding platforms for trains and/or subways.
  • Anyone found violating this act can be fined and may have to pay all court costs associated with the lawsuit. So, adding these to your sidewalk and walkways can save you thousands of dollars.
  • The tiles must be non-slip and must have raised areas of specific sizes to make them detectable for everyone, regardless of their visual abilities.
  • They must be contrasting colors to help sighted individuals notice the transition, such as light tiles on dark surfaces and dark tiles on light surfaces.

To find out more about the benefits and ease of adding tactile warning surfaces to your next construction or renovation, please contact ADA Tile at 800-372-0519.

Why We Love Detectable Warning Surfaces (and You Should, Too!)

ADA detectable warning

There are many reasons to love detectable warning surfaces. One of the main reasons is that they are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which can save you thousands of dollars in litigation and fines.  They also provide safety for your customers, your visitors, and your employees.

One of the main advantages of a tactile warning surface is that it is detectable in several different ways. The first is it can be felt through most shoes, allowing people (even if they are staring at their phones) to know they are reaching a point where they need to look up and see if it is safe for them to continue forward. They are also detectible by white canes, so people with visual disabilities will know to stop and proceed with caution.

Protecting people is the responsibility of everyone who builds walkways and roads. Letting people enjoy long walks is good for their health and detectable warning surfaces allow them to enjoy their walk in safety because they will know where the sidewalk ends and the road begins.

With a little imagination, you can even make your warning surface attractive and allow it to stand out as an addition to your construction instead of as a distraction. Combining public safety with visual attractiveness is important to the successful architect and construction team. For more information, please call ADA Tile at 800-372-0519.

History of the ADA and Detectable Warning Surfaces

Detectable Warning Surfaces

In 1990, the federal government passed the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) which helped protect the rights of persons with both physical and mental disabilities. It was needed because many public places were not accessible to these persons, and they were unable to access important places, such as hospitals, grocery stores, and government buildings.

In 1991 the ADA was expanded to include detectable warnings for all areas where public walkways intruded on motorways, such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and platforms for trains and subways. The Department of Justice (DOJ) was assigned to oversee the ADA and to make sure that all public areas were compliant with the ruling.

Also in 1991, the DOJ placed a suspension on the detectable warning part of the act to allow different entities to research the viability of various designs for different surfaces. This included grooves, striations, and exposed aggregate at many crosswalks and intersections. The suspension did not include transit platform edges, such as those next to subways, because the danger there is much greater than on a motorway.

In 2001, the DOJ chose to let the suspension expire because research showed that the methods explored were not as effective as truncated domes as most of them could be mistaken for irregularities often found on most walkways.

To help you be compliant with the ADA requirements for sidewalks, please call ADA Tile at 800-372-0519 for more information.

Different Types of Truncated Dome Tiles

Truncated Dome Tiles

There are a few different choices when looking at ADA compliant tiles for your next construction project. There are different types of tiles, each with its own specialized use and color, to help you meet all of the requirements set down by the ADA.

The first is a radius system, which is a truncated dome surface that complies with all ADA requirements. This type of tile comes in three different versions:

  1. The cast in place replaceable.
  2. The cast in place.
  3. The surface applied.

All cast in place tiles are designed for new construction and are installed in wet concrete. Surface applied tiles are designed to be retrofitted onto an existing concrete substrate. There are a couple of different types of tiles that can be combined to make your construction even safer for people with visual impairments.

One of the first is that of guide tiles that allow visually impaired pedestrians to know they are keeping to a straight line when crossing a roadway. These tiles help prevent persons with visual impairments from diverging into traffic, especially in areas with light traffic.

There are also directional bar tiles, which can be used alone or with truncated dome tiles to help guide visually impaired pedestrians on specific paths. In addition, there are a variety of different color options available, so you can ensure your tiles are as visually appealing as the rest of your construction.

For more information or to find out which tiles are right for your next project, please call ADA Solutions at 800-372-0519.

Consequences of Violating ADA Compliance Rules on Walkways

ADA Compliance Rules

Complying with the ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) rules for walkways and sidewalks is imperative if you want to avoid injuries and possible litigation. Each state has its own rules for compliance violations and will impose fines, court costs, and possible legal fees to the owner of any construction that does not comply with the warning system needed to protect visually disabled persons who use your sidewalks.

One example is the state of California, which imposes a fine of $4,000 (minimum) plus all legal fees associated with the lawsuit. It is estimated that ADA violation lawsuits have cost California businesses in excess of $20 million per year since the ADA was enacted in 1992. To avoid this type of litigation, all you have to do is follow the simple rules for safety when installing your sidewalk.

The edging must contain tactile pavers that are detectible by someone using a white cane. They must also be of contracting colors (light colors on dark surfaces and dark colors on light surfaces) so that people with moderate sight impairments will notice the contrasting colors and be warned they are moving from a sidewalk to a vehicle motorway. In addition, they have to be placed a specific distance from the transition and be at least 24 inches wide, to make them easy to see and detect.

To find out more about the different types of tactile pavers and truncated domes, and how they can help you avoid violations, please call ADA Tile at 800-372-0519 for more information.

Complying with Public Rights of Way with Truncated Domes

Truncated Domes

The requirements of the Accessible Public Rights-of-Way (R304 Detectable Warning Surfaces) requires you to have truncated domes wherever there is a meeting of a sidewalk or walkway and a street accessible by motorized vehicles.

The rule states that there must be a detectable warning system for all persons who have a visual disability so they know when the transition from foot traffic to motorized traffic occurs.  They must be detectible both visually (dark on light or light on dark) and tactilely, and must comply with specific measurements. These measurements include:

  • Base diameter of 0.9 inches to 1.4 inches
  • The top diameter must be between 50 and 65 percent of the base diameter
  • The height must be 0.2 inches

There must be tactile paving extending 24 inches in the direction of travel and must include the full width of the curb, landing, or blended transition.  This is to ensure that any visually impaired person using the walkway will have plenty of notice before the end of the curb.  It also provides safety for sighted persons due to the contrasting colors.

If you have any questions or would like more information on using truncated domes to comply with the Public Rights of Way and the Americans with Disabilities Act, please call 800-372-0519 for assistance.