Long-term performance of rubber bearing considering solar radiation effect

Abstract

The equivalent shear stiffness of a rubber bridge bearing increases over time due to the deterioration of rubber. It was assumed in the past aging estimation that rubber in the bearing and at the surface had the same temperature as its surrounding ambient temperature because rubber bearings were thought to be usually in the shadow as they are installed between the superstructure and the substructure. However, in the actual environment, there are many bearings that are exposed to solar radiation that causes bearing temperature to increase. To evaluate the effect of solar radiation on the bearing temperature, bearing surface temperatures were measured for a bearing installed on an elevated highway in Nagoya, Japan. In addition, to understand a temperature variation in a bearing, a bearing model was manufactured, and a temperature measurement of internal temperature was carried out. Long-term performance of rubber bearing by considering solar radiation effect on bearing temperature was investigated.