BEARINGS IN BRIDGES

By:
Dr. N VENKATA RAMANA
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UBDTCE, DAVANGERE

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Bearing
It is the interface between two major components of bridge
structure i.e. super structure and sub structure.

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Functions of bearing:
Load transmission
Permit rotary or rocking movement caused by deflection of
super structure.
Allow horizontal movement of super structure due to
expansion or contraction.
Restrict lateral movement of super structure

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The factors causing movement in the
bridge superstructure
Thermal expansion and contraction
Deformation under live load
Longitudinal forces- tractive / breaking
Wind loads
Settlement of supports
Seismic forces
Creep and shrinkage of concrete
Load range & movement in
Bearings
Type of bearing Load (T) Movement
(mm) one
way
Steel sliding plates. 20-133 25

Roller bearing 60-266 100

Elastomeric Bearing 30-220 60

Pot bearing 20-1780 No limit

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EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
GIRDER IF BEARING IS
FROZEN

UP

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Translation can be permitted by the
following modes of action :
◦ By sliding action
◦ By rolling action
◦ By shearing strain

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Rotation can be permitted by the
following modes
◦ By rocking/hinge action
◦ By differential compression (as in elastomeric pads)
◦ By bending/flexure (as in tall piers, portals).

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Classification
Based on Degree of Based on material used
Freedom 1. Steel
1.Fixed 2. Bronze
2.Sliding 3. Synthetic material
• Elastomeric pads
3.Rocker and roller • PTFE-Poly Tetra Fluoro
Ethylene

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SELECTION OF BEARINGS
The selection depends upon a no. of factors
Functional requirement
Expected life –compatible with life of bridge
Maintenance efforts- should be minimum
Cost
Other factors
◦ Height of the bearing
◦ Management of horizontal force transferred to the substructure
◦ Performance under seismic loads.

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Even when bearing has been selected
 Choose the large components
 Specify the highest grade of material
 Insist upon strictest tolerance possible
◦ Because the trouble in bearings cause more problems
for the maintenance engineer and the structure

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Bridge Bearings

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1. PIN BEARING

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2. ROLLER TYPE BEARINGS

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ROLLER BEARING

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MAINTENANCE ASPECTS
 Excess tilting of rollers
◦ Rollers not properly inclined at ambient temperature
 Flattening of rollers
 Cracks in rollers
 Corrosion in rollers
◦ Seizure of rollers
 Problems in holding down bolts and bed plates

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Rollers Broken and Pitted
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OIL BATH BEARING

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3. ROCKER BEARING

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4. SLIDING BEARING

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SLIDING BEARINGS

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DIFF. SLIDING BEARINGS
Common materials being used and their co-efficient of friction
are :

Material 
a) Mild steel over mild steel 0.2 to 0.3
b) Mild steel over phosphor 0.15
bronze
c) PTFE over stainless steel Less than 0.08

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MAINTENANCE – GREASING
Equipment's required for greasing of sliding bearings :
Jacks (appropriate capacity) 2 no's + 1 standby
Hard wooden packing (below and above jack)
Grease graphite grade 3 conforming to IS 508
Kerosene or released black oil for cleaning
6 mm thick steel scrapers
Mortar pan
Cotton waste.

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Greasing – Care to be taken
To be done after duly informing P-Way, OHE
departments
P Way/ OHE departments shall be available
Proper train protection must be ensured
Girder shall not be lifted excessively
Tested equipment/ standby equipment shall be there
Girder shall be handled from nominated locations only

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MAINTENANCE ASPECTS
 Guide strips and Location strips breakage
 Holding down bolts corrosion
 Bed block shaking and cracking
◦ Loose holding down bolts
Sinking of bed plates into bed block
Crack in weld/ flange near the bearing
Corrosion in bearing/ bed plate

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BENDING OF BED PLATE SINKING OF BED PLATE

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 Bearing
Sinking into
Bed Block

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STEEL STOOL

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CORROSION NEAR BEARING

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CORRODED BEARING STIFFENER

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ELASTOMERIC BEARING

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ELASTOMERIC
BEARINGS
Elastomer is a form of rubber, a class of polymeric substance
obtained after vulcanization. (making rubber stronger and more
elastic by treating with sulphur at high temperature)
As a result of vulcanization, rubber molecules are cross linked
with sulphur, making the rubber stronger
It possesses rubber like properties i.e. ability to regain shape
almost completely even after large deformations
These are very flexible in shear but very stiff in bulk
compression
Design as per UIC772-2R 1989 and as per IRC 83 Part II

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 c l
c

laminate b

c
SHEAR/ TRANSLATION
ACTION

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ROTATION/ BENDING ACTION

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 ACTION UNDER VERTICAL
LOAD

Vertical load gets converted to shear in the elastomer/ laminate interface

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SHAPE FACTOR
Compressive strength of the bearing depends upon the ratio of loaded area
to the area of bearing free to bulge. This is known as Shape Factor “S”
which is a dimensionless parameter
Greater compressive stiffness is ,therefore, obtained by dividing elastomer
in to many layers by introducing very thin, usually 1 to 3mm steel
reinforcement plates.

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MATERIALS USED IN BEARINGS

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 PROPERTIES OF ELASTOMER (915.2)
Property Test method I.S. Value specified
Specification
reference
1. Physical Properties :
1.1 Hardness* IS:3400(Part II) 60 + 5 IRHD

1.2 Mini. tensile strength IS:3400 17 MPa

1.3 Mini. elongation at break (Part I) 400%
2.0 Max comp. set
(comp strain of 25 % given for IS:3400 35 % of initial
duration 24 (+0, -2) hr & temp (Part X)
100o C (+ 1o C)

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PROPERTIES OF ELASTOMER (915.2)
Property Test method Value
I.S. Specification specified
reference
3.0 Accelerated ageing (When it is heated
for a duration of 70 h & at temp 100 ± 1o
C)
3.1 Maximum change in hardness IS:3400 (Part IV) +15 IRHD
3.2 Maximum change in tensile strength -15 %
3.3 Maximum change in elongation -30 %
4.0 Ozone Test There should be no cracking
20% strain, 40o C, 50pphm ozone conc., for
96 hours

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TYPES OF ELASTOMERIC BEARINGS

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Advantages
The elastomeric bearings offer a number of advantages as
listed below:
1. Minimum maintenance- as no moving parts
2. Installation is easy
3. Permits movement in all directions
4. Occupies small space
5. Serves as a shock absorber due to anti-vibrations
properties of elastomer
6. As an aid to better management of longitudinal forces.

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Limitations of Elastomeric
Bearings
 Ordinary elastomeric bearing can’t be used as a fixed bearing
 Translation allowed by elastomeric bearing is restricted by its
thickness – 0.5 to 0.6 of thickness
 Thick elastomeric pads are rather unstable
 Limit of vertical load which can be placed safely on
elastomeric pads
◦ It causes excessive compression & bulging.

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Maintenance Aspects
 Bulging of neoprene
 Tearing of neoprene
 Tilting of bearing
 Disintegration of bearing
 Soft bearings (excess vibrations)

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GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR
INSPECTION
 Shear deformation more than 50% of height of
Elastomeric Pads

 Rotation leading to off loading of an edge

 Compression more than 5% of height of the pads

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Shear deformation more than 50% of height of Elastomeric Pads

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Rotation leading to off loading of an edge

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Compression more than 5% of height of the pads

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POT BEARING

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 Pot bearing - It take beneficial properties of elastomer in
fixed bearings & design of large expansion bearings
 Rotational movement permitted by shear deformation of
an elastomeric pad
 Translational movement restraint by completely encasing
the elastomeric pad in a POT
 No compressive deflection of elastomer as it is encased
 Sliding component can be added at top.
 Friction between PTFE and stainless steel is highly
susceptible to intrusion of dust
 Hence Silicon grease is generally used as lubricant
 Dust seals are also provided around PTFE

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PTFE
 It is a linear chain polymer of high molecular strength
 Chemically inert
 Low coefficient of friction
 Not oxidized easily
 Remains stable at extreme atmospheric temperatures
 Resistant to all common solvent.

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 WEARING STAINLESS
SURFACE STEEL
S PLATE
PTFE

PISTON DUST
ELASTOMER SEAL
BRASS
POT SEAL

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TRANSPORTATION
CLAMP

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Pot Bearings used for the first time for Steel open web Girders of 120m
span of Indian Railways in Mandovi and Zuari Bridges under Konkan
Railway.

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Advantages of POT/PTFE
When limitation of overall height of the bridge
Large vertical force involved
Large movements- in rotational as well as in translation anticipated
More life
Less maintenance efforts

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 Load range & movement in
Bearings
Type of bearing Load (T) Movement
(mm) one
way
Steel sliding plates. 20-133 25
Roller bearing 60-266 100
Elastomeric Bearing 30-220 60
Pot bearing 20-1780 No limit
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Suitability of Bearing for Steel spans
Type of bearing Bridge & Spans (m) Remarks
Both end steel Plate girders 9.15, 12.2, Elastomeric on
plates. 18.3, 24.4, 30.5 local conditions
phosphor bronze Composite 9.15, 12.2, 18.3, For U/S O/W -
24.4, 30.5 30.5 (With one
end fixed)
Rocker & Roller O/W through girders- 30.5, One end fixed
45.7(2 rollers), 61.0, 76.2 (4 & other free
rollers)
Rocker & Roller O/W through girders more -do-
with oil bath than 76.2
POT PTFE bearings are being used for longer spans

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SUITABILITY OF BEARING FOR PSC SPANS
Type of bearing Bridge & Spans Remarks
(m)
Elastomeric I section/ BOX As per Cl. 16.9.13 of Concrete
Bridge Code, Elastomeric
Bearing section girders bearings shall be restricted for
clear spans more than 30.5 m
POT / PTFE All PSC spans ≥
bearing 30.5 M
Earthquake restraint shall be provided for longer
spans
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