How long does a cast-in-place truncated dome cure before foot traffic?

A cast-in-place panel embedded in standard 4,000 psi concrete is safe for foot traffic at 24 hours and full vehicle load at 7 days. In ambient temperatures below 50 degrees F, extend to 36 and 10 days respectively. Always follow the curing compound manufacturer's data sheet and local ODOT or jurisdiction guidance.

What ADA dimensions does the dome panel itself need to meet?

ADA Standards 705.1 require dome base diameter 0.9 to 1.4 inches, top diameter 50 to 65 percent of the base, height 0.2 inches, and center-to-center spacing 1.6 to 2.4 inches with 0.65 inch minimum base-to-base. The dome field must span the full curb-ramp width and a minimum 24 inch depth per 705.3.

Can I install a cast-in-place panel on an existing concrete slab?

No. Cast-in-place embeds during the wet pour. For existing slabs, use a surface-applied panel with epoxy and mechanical anchors. Trying to retrofit a cast-in-place panel by chiseling out a pocket and grouting it in voids the manufacturer warranty and routinely fails ADA 705.5 wear tests within 3 years.

What color should I order for an Oregon sidewalk retrofit?

Safety yellow (RAL 1023) is the most common choice because it produces a reliable 70 percent or higher contrast against gray concrete per ADA 705.2. Brick red is used where the walking surface is a light-colored stamped or stained concrete. Always verify Light Reflectance Value of the adjacent surface before ordering.

Does a cast-in-place install need a permit in Oregon?

Most ADA curb-ramp work in the public right-of-way requires a permit from the city or county public works department. Private commercial sites typically need a building permit if the work is part of a larger ramp or sidewalk reconstruction. Verify with the local jurisdiction before the pour. Cojo handles permit coordination for Salem, Portland, Eugene, Bend, and Medford project sites as part of a turn-key install.

How to Install a Cast-in-Place Truncated Dome (2026 Guide)

A cast-in-place truncated dome panel is the new-construction install method where the panel is set into wet concrete and finished flush with the surrounding walking surface. When done right, it produces a 50-year detectable warning surface that meets ADA Standards 705.1 dimensions (0.9 to 1.4 inch base, 0.2 inch height, 1.6 to 2.4 inch on-center spacing) and resists every failure mode that retrofit surface-applied panels eventually face. This guide walks the full install in 8 steps with the time, tools, and code citations Cojo's crews use on Oregon curb-cut and platform-edge jobs.

For the broader product comparison see our truncated domes guide, and for retrofit method see cast-in-place vs surface-applied.

> Compliance disclaimer: Always verify current detectable warning requirements with your local jurisdiction. This article reflects 2026 federal ADA Standards (28 CFR Part 36, Appendix B) and ADA Accessibility Guidelines 705. State and local supplements may apply.

What Is a Cast-in-Place Truncated Dome?

A cast-in-place dome panel ships as a pre-formed composite or polymer-concrete tile with a textured back face and integral anchor lugs. Crews set the panel into freshly placed concrete during the pour, screed and float around the perimeter, and let the surrounding slab cure with the panel locked in. The result is a one-piece walking surface where the dome field is mechanically embedded rather than glued on top.

Why Choose Cast-in-Place Over Surface-Applied?

Factor	Cast-in-Place	Surface-Applied
Lifespan	30 to 50 years	8 to 15 years
ADA 705 wear performance	Stronger (705.5)	Adequate with maintenance
Adhesive joint failure risk	None	Edge lift, water intrusion
Best application	New construction, full ramp pours	Retrofit, existing curb cuts
Install window	Day of concrete pour	Any cured slab

For retrofit jobs over an existing curb cut, surface-applied is the only practical option. For a new ramp pour, cast-in-place is the durability winner. See the U.S. Access Board's Detectable Warnings on Curb Ramps technical bulletins for the federal source.

Tools and Materials Checklist

Before the concrete truck arrives, stage these on site so the crew is not chasing a missing item once the slab is workable:

ADA-compliant cast-in-place panel sized to the curb-ramp width (typically 24 inch depth panels in 24, 36, 48, or 60 inch widths per ADA 705.3)
Concrete mix per ODOT or local spec (commonly 4,000 psi, 4 to 6 percent air-entrained)
Bull float, magnesium hand float, edger, groover
4-foot level, tape measure, chalk line
Rubber mallet, pry bar, wood shims
Burlap or curing blankets, plastic sheeting
Anti-spalling cure compound (ASTM C309)
Personal protective equipment per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.95

Time and Crew Size

A standard 4-foot-by-2-foot single-panel curb cut runs 35 to 60 minutes of finishing labor on top of the underlying ramp pour. A 2-person crew is the minimum (one screeds, one places and levels the panel). For a 6-panel transit-platform edge, plan a 3-person crew and a 4-hour window from pour start to broom-finish.

Step-by-Step Install Procedure

Step 1 — Verify the Forms and Sub-Base

Before the truck pours, confirm the curb-ramp form geometry matches ADA 406 ramp slope (1:12 maximum) and the panel pocket depth equals the panel thickness plus 1/8 inch tolerance. Most cast-in-place panels run 1 inch thick. Forming a deeper pocket lets the panel float as the concrete settles. ADA Standards 705.3 require the dome field to span the full curb-ramp width and 24 inch minimum depth.

Step 2 — Place the Concrete

Pour concrete into the curb-ramp form in a single continuous lift. Strike off with a screed board to the finish elevation. Bull-float once to bring paste to the surface. Do not over-work — the panel must seat into plastic concrete, not soup.

Step 3 — Position the Panel

Carry the panel by the edges (the dome face has the smallest tolerance for damage). Lower it into the pocket dome-side up, square to the curb edge per ADA 705.3 placement (set back no more than 8 inches from the curb edge for diagonal-style ramps; flush to the bottom for perpendicular ramps).

Step 4 — Embed and Level

Tap the panel into the wet concrete with a rubber mallet, working corner-to-center to displace air pockets. The dome field must finish flush with the surrounding walking surface to within 1/8 inch on a 4-foot straightedge. Verify with a 4-foot level laid across the panel onto adjacent concrete. Re-tap any high corner.

Step 5 — Finish the Perimeter

Hand-float the concrete tight to the panel edge. Pull a tooled groove or sawcut joint where the panel meets the larger slab so the joint controls future cracking. Edge the curb-side return at the standard 1/2 inch radius. Avoid working concrete onto the dome surface — masking with painter's tape during the float pass keeps domes clean.

Step 6 — Apply Cure Compound

Once bleed water has dissipated, apply ASTM C309 cure compound at the manufacturer's coverage rate (typically 200 to 250 sq ft per gallon) using a low-pressure sprayer. For freeze-thaw climates like Bend or Hood River, follow with a curing blanket overnight.

Step 7 — Cure and Protect

Barricade the panel area for 72 hours minimum (24 hours for foot traffic, 7 days for vehicle loads). Tape signage warning of fresh concrete. In ambient temperatures below 50 degrees F, extend the cure to 96 hours.

Step 8 — Final Inspection

Pull the barricades and run the final ADA verification:

Dome base diameter 0.9 to 1.4 inches (705.1)
Top diameter 50 to 65 percent of base (705.1)
Dome height 0.2 inches (705.1)
Center-to-center spacing 1.6 to 2.4 inches (705.1)
Color contrast 70 percent minimum vs adjacent surface (705.2)
Field depth 24 inches minimum, full ramp width (705.3)

Any panel out of tolerance must be removed and replaced before the slab cures harder than 1,500 psi or saw-cut removal becomes the only option.

Industry Baseline Range

Item	Range
Panel material (24 in by 48 in composite)	$180 to $320
Panel material (cast-iron embedded)	$400 to $700
Labor per single-panel curb cut	$200 to $450
Single-panel curb cut, installed	$380 to $1,050
Transit platform edge per linear foot	$90 to $180

These figures reflect published industry averages. Current market pricing varies significantly and actual quotes may fall well outside these ranges based on site-specific conditions, material costs, and project complexity.

Current Market Reality

2026 cast-in-place installs run higher than the baseline above for two reasons. First, ADA-rated composite panels saw a 12 to 18 percent material cost lift after 2025 polymer feedstock disruption. Second, Oregon labor for ramp finishing carries a premium during paving season (May to October) because concrete finishers are pulled to highway and parking-lot work. Plan a 10 to 20 percent contingency on top of baseline if the install is on the critical path of a building turnover.

How Does Cast-in-Place Compare to Surface-Applied for Retrofits?

You cannot cast-in-place a retrofit unless you are willing to remove and replace the existing curb-ramp slab. For active sidewalks, transit platforms, or parking lots where the ramp concrete is intact, surface-applied panels with epoxy and mechanical anchors are the standard retrofit. See cast-in-place vs surface-applied for the full retrofit decision tree.

What ADA Standards Apply to Cast-in-Place Truncated Domes?

Three sections of ADA Standards govern every install:

705.1 Dimensions — Base diameter, top diameter, height, and spacing
705.2 Contrast — 70 percent light-on-dark or dark-on-light vs adjacent surface
705.3 Placement — 24 inch depth, full curb-ramp width, set back no more than 8 inches from the curb edge on diagonal ramps

The full text lives at the U.S. Access Board's Chapter 7 Communication Elements and Features and 36 CFR Part 1191. For Oregon-specific wrap-around requirements that affect curb-cut placement at parking-stall paths, see our ADA parking requirements Oregon article.

Common Cast-in-Place Install Failures (and How to Prevent Them)

Panel Sits Proud of the Slab

Cause: pocket depth was set wrong, or the panel was not tapped down before the slab took initial set. Fix: catch it before final set; otherwise the panel must be cut out.

Bleed Water Pools at the Panel Edge

Cause: concrete was over-finished and brought too much paste up. Fix: re-strike the perimeter and groove the joint earlier.

Color Contrast Test Fails

Cause: surrounding concrete was not color-matched to the planned contrast pair. Fix: at panel order, calculate Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of adjacent walking surface. A standard gray sidewalk LRV runs 25 to 35; a yellow dome LRV runs 70 to 80, comfortably exceeding the 70 percent contrast threshold per 705.2. Brick-red domes (LRV 12 to 18) need a light walking surface — a problem for many gray-on-gray spec mistakes.

From Our Crew — Salem Capitol Mall Retrofit

On a 2026 sidewalk reconstruction near the Capitol Mall in Salem, Cojo set 14 cast-in-place yellow composite panels across 12 curb cuts. Two panels failed the 4-foot straightedge test on first set because the sub-grade had compacted unevenly. We removed and re-poured the affected pockets the same morning. Total project window was three days for placement and one week of cure before pedestrian traffic returned. Inspector verified all 14 panels against ADA 705.1, 705.2, and 705.3 — no callbacks.

For a Salem-specific install bid, see Salem truncated dome installation.

Need a Compliant Install in Oregon?

Cojo installs cast-in-place truncated dome panels for parking-lot ramps, sidewalk curb cuts, transit platforms, and ADA path-of-travel retrofits across Oregon. Every install is verified against ADA 705 and documented for compliance audits. Contact Cojo for a site-specific quote.