Bridge Engineering

Design of
Elastomeric
Bearing Pads

Presenter:Mumammad Ashraf
2011-MS-CES-35

Instructor:Dr. Azhar Saleem

Department of Civil Engineering
University of Engineering and
Technology
Lahore, Pakistan

Bridge Bearings:
1. Bearings are mechanical systems
2. Transmit loads from superstructure
to the substructure.
1. In addition to vertical loads bearing also
provides movement due to thermal
effects as well as rotational movement
associated with deflection of primary
members.

gs
The failure of bearin
ture
to tie the superstruc
to the sub-structure
of
resulted in the failure
g
several bridges durin
do
the 1971 San Fernan
earthquake

Design Considerations for

Elastomeric Bearings
Many factors are important in the design of
elastomeric bearings and several of the more,
critical parameters are listed below:
Shape factor
Type of reinforcement
Effective Rubber Thickness
Hardness/Shear modulus
Compressive creep

Failure Modes of Elastomeric

Bearings
There are many modes of failure for elastomeric
bridge bearings:
Fatigue
Stability
Delamination or separation of the elastomer
from the reinforcement
Yield or rupture of the reinforcement
Serviceability

Forces for
Bearing Pad

Design Steps
1- Compressive Forces
2- Rotation due to Girder
3- Horizontal Forces due to Temp, Creep,
prestress shortening etc.

1- Thickness, Size & Comp. Stresses Check

6- Bearing Stability

a- Pad th. (h) 2 s

14.7.5.3.4-1)

a- (AASHTO Eq. 14.7.5.3.61)

b- (AASHTO Eq. 14.7.5.3.63)
c- (AASHTO
Eq.Reinf.
14.7.5.3.67- Bearing
Steel
4)
a- (AASHTO Eq. 14.7.5.3.7-

(AASHTO Eq.

AASHTO
Checks for
Design

b- s 1.66GS 11 (AASHTO Eq.

14.7.5.3.2-1)
c- s 0.66GS
(AASHTO
Eq.
3- Instantaneous
Compressive
Deflection
14.7.5.3.2-1)
= i hri

4- Maximum Rotation Check.

5- Combined Bearing Compression and
Rotation
a- Uplift requirement (AASHTO Eq.
14.7.5.3.5-1)
b- Shear deformation requirement
(AASHTO Eq. 14.7.5.3.5-2)

1)
b- (AASHTO Eq. 14.7.5.3.72)

Design Procedure
The design procedure is according to AASHTO-LRFD and is as
follows:
1.

Determine girder temperature movement (Art. 5.4.2.2).

2. Determine girder shortenings due to post-tensioning,

concrete
shrinkage, etc.
3. Select a bearing thickness based on the bearing total
movement requirements (Art. 14.7.5.3.4).
4. Compute the bearing size based on bearing compressive
stress
(Art. 14.7.5.3.2).
5. Compute instantaneous compressive deflection (Art.
14.7.5.3.3).
6.

Combine bearing maximum rotation.

7.

Check bearing compression and rotation (Art. 14.7.5.3.5).

8.

Check bearing stability (Art. 14.7.5.3.6).

9.

Check bearing steel reinforcement (Art. 14.7.5.3.7).

Description

Principle of a Lead Rubber Bearing

Description

Installed LASTOLRB Lead Rubber Bearing

References
1. AASHTO, LRFD Bridge Design Specifications,
2. LRFD Bridge Design Manual (MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION)
3. Structural Bearings and Expansion Joints for Bridges by Gnter
Ramberger
4. Taxes Department of Transportation (Bridge Division)
5. Criteria for design of bearing pads by PCI (Prestressed concrete
institute) James K. Iverson and Donald W. Pfeifer
6. Caltrans Bridge design specifications
7. Bridge Engineering Structural Design by Wai-Fah Chen Lian Duan
8. Bridge Engineering Design, Rehabilitation and Maintenance of
Modern Highway Bridges. By Dementrios E. Tonias. P.E, Jim J.Zhao P.E
9. Bridge Design Manual (Washington State Department of
Transportation)