Bridge bearings are key force-transmitting components connecting the bridge superstructure with piers and abutments. They undertake three core functions: load transmission, deformation release and vibration buffering, directly affecting the structural stability, service life and driving safety of bridges.
Installed between bridge girders and piers, bridge bearings bear vertical and horizontal loads such as dead load, vehicle load, wind load and seismic load, and transfer the loads evenly to the foundation. They also adapt to horizontal displacement and rotational deformation caused by temperature change, concrete shrinkage and creep, vehicle braking and earthquakes, avoiding structural cracking and damage from rigid collision.
They are mainly classified into four types by performance and application:Laminated rubber bearings are suitable for small and medium-span simply supported beam bridges;Pot rubber bearings feature large bearing capacity and rotation angle, ideal for long-span continuous beam bridges and steel bridges;Spherical bearings enable multi-directional rotation, applicable to arch bridges, cable-stayed bridges, high-speed railway bridges and other complex bridge types;Special bearings including friction pendulum bearings (FPB) and seismic isolation bearings are designed for high seismic intensity areas and bridges under special loads.
Though small in size, bridge bearings are critical to bridge safety. Proper selection, installation and maintenance can disperse structural stress, offset deformation impact and extend bridge service life. Aging or failed bearings will cause girder deviation, pier cracking and bumpy driving, and may even lead to major safety accidents, making them a key control part in bridge construction and maintenance.