Mechanical and dynamic response of bridge bearing pads

Abstract

This report discusses the behaviour of steel perforated reinforced elastomeric bridge bearing pads. Although elastomeric bridge bearings have been widely used worldwide for decades, research in reinforced elastomeric bearings continues sporadically. Based on extended experience and research on plain elastomeric bearing pads, reinforced elastomeric bearing pads proved better performance. In practice, the traditional steel reinforced elastomeric bearing pads withstand higher load and controls horizontal movement than plain elastomeric bearing pads. Majority of the researchers focused on the performance enhancement of reinforced elastomeric bearing pads. However, this study aims at reduction in weight and cost of steel reinforced elastomeric bearing pads by reinforcing perforated steel shims (20, 40, 60 and 80% as open area) of various geometrical shapes (circular, hexagon and square) and thermoplastic polymer composite laminate between solid steel shims. Axial compression test, inclined compression test, short term static test, long term static test and dynamic response tests have been conducted on the fabricated bearing pads. The axial compression test was conducted to determine and compare the compressive behaviour of the fabricated steel reinforced elastomeric bearing. The horizontal stiffness and shear modulus of the bearing pads at 50 % shear strain was determined using inclined compression test. The short and long term static responses of the bearing pads with and without thermoplastic polymer composite laminates newline