Standard Specification for

Glass Beads Used in

Pavement Markings
AASHTO Designation: M 247-1 3
1. SCOPE
1 .1 . This specification covers glass beads to be dropped or sprayed upon pavement markings so as to
produce a reflectorized pavement marking.

1 .2. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.

1 .3. This standard may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment. This standard does
not purport to address all of the safety concerns associated with its use. It is the responsibility of
the user of this standard to consult and establish appropriate safety and health practices and
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
2.1 . AASHTO Standards :
 T 346, Glass Beads Used in Pavement Markings
 TP 1 06, Determination of Heavy Metal Content of Glass Beads Using X-Ray
Fluorescence (XRF)

2.2. Environmental Protection Agency Standards:

 Method 3052, Microwave Assisted Acid Digestion of Siliceous and Organically
Based Matrices
 Method 601 0B, Inorganics by ICP—Atomic Emission Spectroscopy
 Method 601 0C, Inorganics by ICP—Atomic Emission Spectroscopy

2.3. Federal Standard:

 Federal Standard No. 40, CFR 261 .24, Table 1 , Maximum Concentration of Contaminants for
the Toxicity Characteristic

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
3.1 . Types :
3.1 .1 . Type 0—shall be known as a uniform gradation.
3.1 .2. Type 1 —shall be known as a standard gradation.
3.1 .3. Types 2, 3, 4, and 5—shall be known as modified gradations.

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3.2. Coatings :

3.2.1 . Flotation —Any of the above gradation types may be obtained with oleophobic properties at the
request of the purchaser (Note 1 ).

3.2.2. Moisture Resistance —Any of the above types may be obtained with hydrophobic properties if so
specified by the purchaser.

3.2.3. Adherence —Any of the above types may be obtained with an adhesion coating if so specified by
the purchaser.
Note 1 —Any of the above types of beads may be specified with a combination of two of the
above coatings. Dual coated beads must test positive for the presence of both specified properties.

3.3. The beads shall be transparent, clean, colorless glass, smooth and spherically shaped, free from
milkiness, pits, or excessive air bubbles and conform to the following specific requirements.

3.4. The glass beads shall contain no more than 200 ppm (mg/kg) total concentration of lead or arsenic
when tested in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency testing methods 3052, 601 0B,
or 601 0C.
Note 2 —End user may consider the use of alternate methods such as TP 1 06 if not a Federal
Aid Job.

4. SPECIFIC PROPERTIES
4.1 . Gradation
Get —The standards
more FREE beads shall meet
fromtheStandard
gradation requirements
Sharing Groupfor type
andasour
given in Table 1 .
chats

Table 1 —Gradation of Glass Beads

Sieve Designation Mass Percent Passing
Standard, mm Alternate No. Type 0 Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Type 5
2.35 8 1 00
2.00 10 1 00 95–100
1 .70 12 1 00 95–100 80–95
1 .40 14 95–1 00 80–95 1 0–40
1 .1 8 16 1 00 1 00 80–95 1 0–40 0–5
1 .00 18 1 0–40 0–5 0–2
0.850 20 95–1 00 90–100 0–5 0–2
0.71 0 25 0–2
0.600 30 1 00 75–95 50–75
0.425 40 90–100 1 5–45
0.300 50 50–75 1 5–35 0–1 5
0.1 80 80 0–5 0–5
0.1 50 1 00 0–5

4.2. Roundness —The glass beads shall have a minimum of 70 percent true spheres.

4.3. Refractive Index —The glass beads shall have a refractive index of 1 .50–1 .55.

4.4. Coatings: Flotation, Flow, Moisture Resistance, and Adherence —When tested in accordance with
Sections 8 through 1 4 of T 346, the presence of the purchaser-specified coatings shall be
unambiguous. Beads shall flow properly when tested in accordance with the procedure in

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 Section 8 of T 346 unless specified to be moisture resistant, in which case the beads shall flow
properly when tested in accordance with the procedure in Section 9 of T 346.

4.5. The beads shall be dry and free of lumps and clusters.

5. PACKAGING AND MARKING

5.1 . Glass beads shall be furnished in kilogram (pound) lots as specified by the purchaser and
packaged in moisture-proofed bags. Containers are to be guaranteed to furnish dry and undamaged
beads. Each package shall contain the following information: name and address of manufacturer,
shipping point, trademark or name, the wording “glass beads,” the specification number, number
of kilograms (pounds), the lot or batch number and the month and year of manufacture.

6. TEST METHODS
6.1 . The material shall be tested in accordance with T 346.

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