Bearings

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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

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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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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 Freedom
1. Fixed
2. Sliding
3. Rocker and roller
 Based on material used
1. Steel
2. Bronze
3. Synthetic material
• Elastomeric pads
• 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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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
Equipments required for greasing of sliding
bearings :
 Jacks (appropriate capacity) 2 nos + 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

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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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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 39
OIL BATH BEARING

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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 43 II
 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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 PROPERTIES OF ELASTOMER
(915.2)
Property Test method Value
I.S. 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) 49
 PROPERTIES OF ELASTOMER
(915.2)
Property Test method Value
I.S. specifie
Specification
d
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
20% strain, 40o C, 50pphm ozone conc., for 96 hours
cracking 50
 ELASTOMERIC BEARINGS
 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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Anti slip devices

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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
 Sheardeformation 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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POT BEARING

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 POT BEARINGS
 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.
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 POT BEARINGS

 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
bearings

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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
SURFACES STEEL
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, Elastomeric on
plates. 12.2, 18.3, 24.4, 30.5 local conditions
phosphor bronze Composite 9.15, 12.2, For U/S O/W - 30.5
18.3, 24.4, 30.5 (With one end fixed)
Rocker & Roller O/W through girders- One end fixed &
30.5, 45.7(2 rollers), other free
61.0, 76.2 (4 rollers)
Rocker & Roller O/W through girders -do-
with oil bath more 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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THANKS