Effect of Manufacturing Imperfections on the Service-Level Performance of Elastomeric Bridge Bearings
During the vulcanization process of steel-laminated elastomeric bridge bearings, unavoidable flow of elastomer occurs inside the mold under high pressure and nonuniform heating. This may cause the interior steel laminates to misalign or distort in the finished bearing. There has been limited research to understand and quantify the effects of manufacturing imperfections, such as vertically shifted, rotated, and bent steel laminates, on the mechanical behavior of elastomeric bearings. This paper presents a finite element investigation on the effects of manufacturing imperfections on the performance of elastomeric bridge bearings subjected to service-level loads. It is observed that such imperfections have a negligible effect on the maximum shear strain induced in the elastomer. The strain hardening behavior of the elastomer under relatively large shear strains limits the maximum shear strains to values lower than those predicted by the pressure solution. In one cycle of loading, the vertical deflection of bearings is affected slightly by these imperfections. However, manufacturing imperfections can increase the tensile stresses in the steel laminates causing plastic damage. The spread of plastic damage in the steel laminates with repeated cycling may affect the long-term performance of the bearings.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07339445
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Supplemental Notes:
- © 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Authors:
- Ahmadi Soleimani, Saleh
- Konstantinidis, Dimitrios
- Balomenos, Georgios P
- Publication Date: 2022-7
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Web
- Pagination: 04022088
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Serial:
- Journal of Structural Engineering
- Volume: 148
- Issue Number: 7
- Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
- ISSN: 0733-9445
- Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/loi/jsendh
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Bridge bearings; Defects; Elastomers; Mechanics; Performance; Strain hardening; Tension; Vulcanization
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Materials;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01850459
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, ASCE
- Created Date: Jun 28 2022 9:43AM