Bridge bearings are structural equipment or devices installed between bridge substructure and

superstructure to transfer the applied load including earthquake loads; wind loads; traffic loads;
and superstructure self-weight. Bridge bearings also makes rooms for relative movements
between superstructure and substructure, for instance, rotation movements and translational
movements in horizontal and transverse direction. Bearing used in the construction of bridge
structure is divided into two major categories namely expansion bearings and fixed bearings. The
former permits both translational and rotational movements whereas the latter allow rotational
and limited translational movements. There are several types of bridge bearings which have been
employed in bridge construction which are discussed below.

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Types of Bridge Bearings and their Details

Different types of bearings for bridges include:

 Sliding bearings
 Rocker and pin bearings
 Roller bearings
 Elastomeric bearings
 Curved bearings
  Pot bearings
 Disk bearings

Sliding Bearings for Bridges

Sliding bearing consist of two metal plates, commonly stainless-steel plates, that slide relative to
each other and hence makes room for translational movement and lubricating material between

them as illustrated in Figure-1.

Fig.1: Sliding Bridge Bearing

A friction force is generated in sliding bearing and it is imposed on substructure, superstructure

and sliding bearing itself. So, it may be required to provide lubricant such as
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to decline generated friction. It is specified by ASSHTO that
sliding bearing cannot be used unless the bridge span is smaller than 15m. This is because sliding
bearing cannot be purely used if the bridge experiences rotation movement. However, the span
restriction for sliding bearing utilization can be disregarded when it is used in combination with
other bearing types.

Rocker and Pin Bearings for Bridge Structures

Rocker is an expansion bearing composed of curved surface at the bottom, which accommodate
translational movement and a pin at the top makes room for rotation movement as illustrated

Figure-2 and Figure-3 in detail.

Fig.2: Rocker Bridge Bearing

 Fig.3: Rocker Bridge Bearing

Pin bearing is a fixed bearing that make room for rotation movement through the application of
steel pin. It has similar structure and component like rocker bearing apart from the bottom of pin
bearing which is flat and fixed to the concrete pier, as can be observed in Figure-4.

Fig.4: Pin Bearing for Bridges

Both rocker and pin bearings are mainly employed in steel bridge structure. Rocker and pin
bearing should be considered when the bridge movement is adequately known and described,
since such bearings can make rooms for both translational and rotational movements in one
direction only. These bearings are likely to suffer deterioration and corrosion, so it is necessary
to conduct regular inspection and maintenance.

Roller Bearings for Bridges

Roller bearing can be used in the construction of reinforced concrete and steel bridge structure.
There are two main configurations including single roller bearing which is composed of one
roller placed between two plates and multiple roller bearing that consist of several rollers
installed between two plates. The former as shown in Figure-5 can accommodate both rotation
and translation movement in longitudinal direction and it is cheap to manufacture but its vertical
load capacity is limited. In contrary, the latter as shown in Figure-6 can make room for
translation movement only and rotation movement can be accommodated if rollers are combined
with pin bearing. Multiple roller bearings are expensive and support considerably large vertical
loads. Regular inspection and rehabilitation should be conducted since roller bearing are

susceptible to corrosion and damages.

Fig.5: Single Roller Bridge Bearing

 Fig.6: Multiple Roller Bridge Bearing

Elastomeric Bearings for Bridge Structures

It consists of elastomer manufactured from synthetic or natural rubber and can take both
translation and rotation movements through elastomer deformation. The ability of elastomer to
carry large vertical loads is because of reinforcement provision that prevents lateral bulging of
elastomer. There are number of elastomeric bearing pads classified based on types of
reinforcements used. For example, steel reinforced, plain, fiberglass reinforced and cotton duck
reinforced elastomeric bearing pads. Strength and response of each type is different, steel
reinforced elastomeric bearing is the strongest one and plain elastomeric pad is the weakest.
Elastomeric bearing is neither expensive nor requires considerable maintenance, that is why it
the most desired bearing type. Figure-7 show details of elastomeric bearing and its application in
bridge structure.

Fig.7: Elastomeric Bridge Bearing

Curved Bearings for Bridges

It consists of two curved plate that match each other as shown in Figure 8. If curved bearing is
cylindrical, then it only accommodates rotation movements. However, both rotation and
translational movements can be dealt with if curved bearing is spherical. Due to the fact that both
gravity loads and curved geometry generate lateral resistance against and consequently lateral
movement would be limited, that is why polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) slider is adhered to the
bearings in order to make rooms for lateral movements. Details of curve bearings can be seen in

Figure-8.
 Fig.8: Spherical Bearing for Bridges

Pot Bearings for Bridge Structures

As shown in Figure-9, pot bearing consists of elastomeric disk confined in a pot, steel piston that
is properly tailored into the pot wall and flat sealing rings which keeps elastomeric inside the pot.
Pot bearing can support considerable vertical loads and it is commonly transferred through steel
piston to the elastomeric disc which is almost incompressible. As far as lateral load is concerned,
it is transferred as the steel pistol moves toward pot wall. Translational movement is limited in
pure pot bearing that is why PTFE are introduced to the sliding surface to make rooms for
translation movement.

Fig.9: Pot Bridge Bearing

Disk Bearings for Bridges

Different components of disk bearing are shown in Figure-10 in detail. Rotation movement is
accommodated through the deformation of elastomer whereas the translation movement is
considered through the application of PTFE slider.

Fig.10: Disk Bearing

The utilized elastomer should be adequately hard to support vertical loads without suffering large
deformations and sufficiently flexible to allow rotational movement. Both vertical loads and
lateral loads are supported by elastomeric disk and metal ring in the center of the bearing
respectivel