11/14/2015

BridgeBearings

HomeAboutBridgeDesign.DesignNotes.Abutments.Bearings.Deck.Drainage.
Foundations.Joints.Parapets.Piers.WingWalls.Calculations.SpreadsheetsTutorials

WorkshopResources
BridgeDesign&Assessment

Go

Menu
HomeAboutBridgeDesign.DesignNotes.Abutments.Bearings.Deck.Drainage.Foundations.
Joints.Parapets.Piers.WingWalls.Calculations.SpreadsheetsTutorialsWorkshopResources
closemenu
Youarehere:HomeBridgeDesignDesignNotesBearings
Scrolltotop
BearingDesignStandards
BearingDesignStandardsEurocodes

BSEN1337:StructuralBearings
PD6703:2009StructuralBearingsGuidanceontheiruse

BritishStandards

BS5400:Part2:SpecificationforLoads
BS5400:Part9:CodeofPracticeforDesignofBridgeBearings

DesignManualforRoadsandBridges

BD37:LoadsforHighwayBridges
BA42:TheDesignofIntegralBridges
BD20:BridgeBearings,UseofBS5400Part9

ChoiceofBearings

Bridgebearingsaredevicesfortransferringloadsandmovementsfromthedecktothesubstructure
andfoundations.
Inhighwaybridgebearingsmovementsareaccommodatedbythebasicmechanismsofinternal
deformation(elastomeric),sliding(PTFE),orrolling.Alargevarietyofbearingshaveevolvedusing
variouscombinationsofthesemechanisms.

http://www.bridgedesign.org.uk/parts/bearing.html

1/3

11/14/2015

BridgeBearings

ElastomericBearing

PlaneSlidingBearing

MultipleRollerBearing

DesignConsiderations
Thefunctionsofeachbearingtypeare:
a. Elastomeric
Theelastomericbearingallowsthedecktotranslateandrotate,butalsoresistsloadsinthe
longitudinal,transverseandverticaldirections.Loadsaredeveloped,andmovementis
accommodatedbydistortingtheelastomericpad.
b. PlaneSliding
Slidingbearingsusuallyconsistofalowfrictionpolymer,polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE),
slidingagainstametalplate.Thisbearingdoesnotaccommodaterotationalmovementinthe
longitudinalortransversedirectionsandonlyresistsloadsintheverticaldirection.Longitudinal
ortransverseloadscanbeaccommodatedbyprovidingmechanicalkeys.Thekeysresist
movement,andloadsinadirectionperpendiculartothekeyway.
c. Roller
Largelongitudinalmovementscanbeaccommodatedbythesebearings,butverticalloadsonly
cangenerallyberesisted.
Thedesignerhastoassessthemaximumandminimumloadsthatthedeckwillexertonthebearing
togetherwiththeanticipatedmovements(translationandrotation).Bearingmanufacturerswillsupply
asuitablebearingtomeetthedesignersrequirements.
Bearingsarearrangedtoallowthedecktoexpand
andcontract,butretainthedeckinitscorrectposition
onthesubstructure.A'Fixed'Bearingdoesnotallow
translationalmovement.'SlidingGuided'Bearingsare
providedtorestrainthedeckinalltranslational
directionsexceptinaradialdirectionfromthefixed
bearing.Thisallowsthedecktoexpandandcontract
freely.'Sliding'Bearingsareprovidedforvertical
supporttothedeckonly.

http://www.bridgedesign.org.uk/parts/bearing.html

2/3

11/14/2015

BridgeBearings

BridgeComponents

Share

DavidChildsB.Sc,C.Eng,MICE
Home
CookieInfo
PrivacyPolicy
TermsofUse
About
Projects
Contact
Welcome
BridgeDesign
DesignNotes
Calculations
Spreadsheets
Tutorials
Workshop
BS5400&DMRB
Eurocodes
Resources
Codes&Books
BridgePictures
Links
SiteMap

http://www.bridgedesign.org.uk/parts/bearing.html

3/3