BRIDGE BEARINGS

This is a state-of-the-art report on precedures for design, fabrication, construction, and maintenance of bridge bearings. Performance records for currently used expansion devices are reviewed. The sliding device includes lubricants between surfaces, lead sheets between plates, self lubricated bronze plates, and polytetrafluoroethylene (TFE) sliding on stainless steel. Rolling devices, such as roller nests, larger rollers, single rollers, segmental rockers, and pinned rockers are examined. Linkage devices are used between girder where no movement is to be transmitted. Elastomeric bearing pads are quite successful, they have no moving parts to freeze, nothing to corrode, and have little or no maintenance requirements. Routine maintenance of bridge bearings should be directed towards keeping the bearings clean and free of water, salt, and debris. Recommendations include designing a bridge with a few movable bearings as possible; bearings should be designed to require a minimum of maintenance; provisions should be made so that the bridge may be jacked up and the bearings adjusted or replaced; material quality is important in elastomeric bearings; inspection of bridge bearings should be included as part of the regular bridge inspection program.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_syn_41.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/05475570
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 62 p.
• Serial:
  • NCHRP Synthesis of Highway Practice
  • Issue Number: 41
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0547-5570

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bearings; Bridge bearings; Bridge design; Bridges; Construction; Design; Elastomers; Expansion; Girders; Lubricants; Maintenance; Repairing; Rollers; State of the art studies; Structural design; Structural plates
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge maintenance; Design criteria; Plates
• Old TRIS Terms: Bridge repairs
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00163054
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 13 1977 12:00AM