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SCI P185 Guidance notes on best practice in steel bridge construction 3.03/1
P:\BCR\BCR563-SBG\GNs Update - 2014-15\P185 Issue 6\GN303R4.doc Revision 4
Guidance Note
No. 3.03
PTFE/stainless steel interface, usually arranged Movements and rotations are achieved by de-
as shown in Figure 1. formation of the elastomeric material such that
top plate
moving parts are completely avoided. See Fig-
sliding plate (stainless steel)
ure 3.
piston (with PTFE bonded on top)
elastomer
bottom plate
No. 3.03
Figure 5 Detail of site welding to baseplate It should be noted that some types of high
strength steel exposed to the environment under
When designing a linear rocker, the maximum loading for roller bearings may be susceptible to
eccentricity of the reaction (due to the restrain- cracking problems and for these reasons the
ing torque that the bearing provides) needs to be bearing is normally enclosed within an oil-bath.
considered carefully (there is no tensile restraint
at the line of contact). Roller bearings are now rarely used.
shear key
Guide bearings
Occasionally, where lateral loads at a support
are large in comparison with the vertical loads,
separate guide bearings are used to resist lat-
eral loads only. This situation can arise in long
viaducts where lateral forces are only resisted at
Figure 6 Fabricated roller/rocker bearing
some supports, or in cable supported bridges.
Guides are provided to ensure that the bearings Proprietary sliding plate or pin type guided bear-
remain normal to the direction of movement and ings are available for small loads, but guide
shear keys are provided at each end to transfer bearings are usually purpose-designed.
lateral loads and prevent crabbing.
Specification of bearings
Roller bearings The designer should prepare a bridge bearing
Steel roller bearings usually comprise a single schedule for the bearing manufacturer. A typical
cylindrical roller of high strength or case hard- bearing schedule is given in EN 1993-2 but that
ened steel to increase the load capacity and to format is unsuitable, since it provides only for
minimise friction. This type is used where friction characteristic values of the effects of individual
is to be minimised and is suitable on leaf piers. actions and the bearing designer would need to
SCI P185 Guidance notes on best practice in steel bridge construction 3.03/3
GN303R4 Revision 4
Guidance Note
No. 3.03
know the appropriate partial factors and combi- bearing details to be outstanding after the main
nations of actions, which is outside his responsi- body of the steelwork has been fabricated -
bility. A different schedule is given in EN 1337-1 sometimes even after protective treatment. It is
but even that is not entirely clear about which essential to progress bearing procurement as
effects are coexistent or in which design situa- quickly as possible, and to remember that it is
tion they occur. A better schedule is provided in false economy to save a little on the cost of the
PD 6703 and it is proposed to provide a tem- bearings at the expense of delay to the rest of
plate schedule in a future revision of EN 1990. the job.
No. 3.03
References
1. Lee, DJ, Bridge bearings and expansion
joints, 2nd edition, E & FN Spon, 1994.
2. Matthews, SJ, Bearings and joints, Chapter
28 in the Steel Designers Manual, Blackwell
Science (Sixth Edition), 2003.
3. EN 1337 Structural bearings
Part 1 General design rules
Part 2 Sliding elements
Part 3 Elastomeric bearings
Part 4 Roller bearings
Part 5 Pot bearings
Part 6 Rocker bearings
Part 7 Spherical and cylindrical PTFE bear-
ings
Part 8 Guided bearings and restrained
bearings
Part 9 Protection
Part 10 Inspection and maintenance
Part 11 Transport, storage and installation
4. PD 6703 Structural bearings. Guidance on
the use of structural bearings, 2009.
5. P406 Determining design displacements for
bridge movement bearings, SCI, 2015 (avail-
able on steelbiz.org)
SCI P185 Guidance notes on best practice in steel bridge construction 3.03/5
GN303R4 Revision 4
Guidance Note
No. 3.03