ABSTRACT
Bearings, which accommodate a bridge’s multidirectional loads, movements and rotations, are among the most critical components of modern bridges. These connection devices are subjected to ever increasing challenges and opportunities due to constantly evolving design and material technologies. This is particularly true for pot bearings, have been widely used for decades but which have not always performed well – primarily due to inadequate design and execution of various solutions to the challenge of sealing the internal elastomeric pad, which, in the absence of an effective seal, can be extruded from the pot in which it is located when the piston it supports is loaded. Recently documented reports of premature failures of pot bearings in Australia due to elastomer extrusion have prompted detailed investigations into the root causes of the problem. This paper describes this problem and presents an already tried-and-trusted solution. The possible integration of monitoring system sensors into the bearing’s design and fabrication, before installation, to enable such problems to be automatically identified and addressed before they develop, is also discussed.
