Expansion joint seal for surface contact applications

An expansion joint seal for partial imposition in a joint having a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate being substantially co-planar with a first plane, the first substrate being distant the second substrate by a first distance, the first substrate having a first substrate thickness and a first substrate end face substantially perpendicular to the first plane, the second substrate having a second substrate thickness and a second substrate end face substantially perpendicular to the first plane comprising:

• a cover plate having a cover plate length,
• a plurality of ribs, each of the plurality of ribs having a rib top edge, a rib thickness, a rib bottom surface, each rib top edge having a rib length,
• a body of a resilient compressible foam sealant having a foam length, a foam bottom surface, a foam top surface, and an uncompressed foam width, the uncompressed foam width being greater than the first distance, each of the plurality of ribs piercing the body of a resilient compressible foam sealant at the foam top surface, the rib not extending to the foam bottom surface,
• a flexible member attached to the cover plate and to each of the plurality of ribs, wherein each of the plurality of ribs remains rotatable in relation to the cover plate,
• the cover plate length and the foam length being equivalent;
• the sum of the rib lengths of the plurality of ribs being not more than one half the plate length, and
• the body of a resilient compressible foam contacting the first substrate end face when imposed under compression between the first substrate and the second substrate, the body of a resilient compressible foam contacting the second substrate end face when imposed under compression between the first substrate and the second substrate.