Behavioral Study of Steel Laminated Elastomeric Bearings and Solution Spaces for Bearing Design Specifications

Book excerpt: Elastomeric bearings have been used in bridges for more than 60 years. They are economical, durable, require minimal maintenance, and are suitable for larger rotations. The AASHTO LRFD Design Specifications provide two different design approaches for elastomeric bearings: Method A and Method B. Method A is simple and rational whereas Method B is complex but more realistic. Method A was proposed with the goal to make it quick and be consistent with Method B. The study has developed solution spaces for these methods which not only assist the analysts to understand the inter-relationship between these methods but also check their compatibility. The analysis of solution spaces demonstrated the possibilities of the cases where bearings designed using Method A fails to satisfy the provisions of Method B.These cases result in inconsistent design and cause difficulties to the designer. Thus, a profound analysis of the behavior of elastomeric bearings is required. For the purpose, nonlinear finite element models are developed using Abaqus/CAE 2019 and are validated with the experimental tests. The results from validated finite element models are compared with analytical closed-form solutions and current AASHTO design methodologies to check their accuracy and recommend a suitable analytical model for a more realistic design.