Bridge Bearings in Various Types

Bridge bearings placed between superstructure and bridge piers.

A bridge bearing is a product widely used in bridge construction to provide excellent absorption and transfer of external forces from the superstructure to the foundations. Meanwhile, it allows for stable rotations in any axis and horizontal sliding movements to reduce the forces upon bridges and buildings. Bridge bearings are not only used in bridge construction, but also can be applied to highways, roads, docks, airports, buildings and other applications where large and heavy objects need to operate safely.

Different bridge bearings have different appearances, but all of them are in small size, which means they are smaller than bridge deck sometimes even the piers they sit on. Taking advantages of the small size, all forces converge on a small point and to be transferred to the foundation through a very compact line. In this way, it effectively decreases the shearing force and provide higher security during the transference.

Types of bridge bearing

There are ten main types of bridges bearings are supplied to meet your different needs. Some specific designs are also available as your request.

• Laminated elastomeric bearing is manufactured through the process of vulcanization and moulding to form a homogeneous unit with layers of steel plated embedded in. Comparing with plain elastomeric bearing, this one has higher vertical load capacity, excellent vibration and sound isolation. It is ideal for bridges with short span and flyovers, etc. 
• PTFE top elastomeric bearing, a variation of traditional laminated elastomeric bearing, features a layer of PTFE bonded to top surface of the bearing. In conjunction with lubricant in the dimples of PTFE, the bearing allows for excellent sliding movements with reduced friction coefficient.
• Elastomeric bearing with steel plate is reinforced with outer steel plates vulcanized directly onto the surface of rubber pad. It can be manufactured with holes or pins for easy fastening. They are ideal for in-situ concrete structure, metal structures and anti-life device, etc. To suit your scheme, six types can be provided by our company.
• Plain elastomeric bearing with the simplest structure among all bearing products is exclusively manufactured from natural rubber or neoprene rubber. It is considered to be a low cost choice for short span bridges, prefabricated structures, buildings as well as flyovers, etc.
• Pot bearing, is the widest used type designed for structures using the incremental launching methods, highways and railways, etc. PTFE top elastomeric bearing is fitted in the steel pot plate to ease the sliding movements with the help of a stainless steel panel welded on top steel plate.
• Spherical bridge bearing features its precision-machined steel plates with concave ad convex surfaces. And it can accommodate large movements and rotations in excess of +/- 0.03 radians. Spherical bridge bearings can be applied to structures with large turning angles, wide and curved bridges regardless of low temperatures even under -30℃.
• Lead rubber bearing, as its name implies, has a lead plug in the middle of the bearing that will assist the bearing to absorb earthquake-generated forces, extending the structure vibration period. In this way, lead rubber bearings protect buildings or structures from damages and severe deformations caused by earthquake.
• High damping rubber bearing, manufactured from quality rubber with great damping ability and high durability, is also a seismic isolator similar to lead rubber bearing without the central lead plug.