Chapter Twelve - Bridge Bearings and Substructures

Abstract

Bearing is a component of a bridge which typically locates between bridge substructures and superstructures, playing an important role in the force transmission and in accommodating the deformation caused by temperature variation and the earthquake. A bridge bearing carries the loads or movement in both vertical and horizontal directions from the bridge superstructure and transfers those loads to the bridge piers and abutments. The loads can be live load and dead load in vertical directions, or wind load, earthquake load, etc., in horizontal directions. In bridge engineering, the abutment, piers, and other support structures are called the substructure. Fundamental of bridge bearings and substructures are discussed in this chapter.