Laminated elastomeric bearings to EN 1337-3, transferring vertical load while accommodating rotation and translation of bridge superstructures.
Laminated elastomeric bearings consist of alternating layers of rubber bonded to internal steel reinforcing plates. They carry vertical reaction, allow rotation through deformation of the rubber layers, and permit horizontal translation in restrained or guided configurations.
The steel shims confine the rubber layers, giving very high vertical stiffness while keeping low shear stiffness. Vertical load is carried by the confined rubber, and horizontal movement or rotation is absorbed as shear or differential compression of the layers, eliminating the maintenance required by mechanical bearings.