Steel Reinf. Elastomeric Bearing [SIG]

Articulation

Insertion Point: Used for specifying the bearing location and can be selected by using the three dots and the options ‘Pick...’ and ‘Select...’.

Tx/Ty/Tz [Fixed/Free/Stiffness]: Allowing the bearing to displace can be arranged using these parameters. The bearing can be one of the three: Free, Fixed, or or defined by assigning a specific stiffness value.The values that appear in these columns as soon as an insertion point is chosen are calculated based on the 3D geometry of the model. These values can be changed or kept as default. The calculations for these values can be displayed if the section related to ‘Elastomeric Bearing Stiffness’ under the category ‘Reports’ is defined.

Rx/Ry/Rz [Fixed/Free/Stiffness]: The rotation values along the axis can be determined for a bearing. The bearings can be free to rotate, fixed, or defined with a stiffness value.

Bearing Rotation: Curved decks can be guided either radially from a fixed point or tangentially to the radius of curvature. When the deck is guided radially, precise geometry is crucial for the bearings that are farthest from the fixed point. For structures with a constant curvature, it is recommended to align the bearings tangentially to effectively guide the deck around the curve as it expands and contracts.

Transfer Forces to Substructure [Yes/No]: If the user chooses to connect the superstructure to the substructure, a two-node spring is required between the pier cap and the girder, which can be generated by selecting “YES”. Conversely, if there is no substructure or if the abutments are being considered (currently, abutments in OpenBrIM have the "Generate FEM" option set to “NO”), the correct setting for the "Transfer Forces to Substructure" parameter is“NO” and one node springs are needed.

Elastomeric Pad and Plate Inputs-Visual

The Elastomeric Pad and Plate of the bearing can also be further modeled by defining the parameters for the Steel Reinforced Elastomeric Bearing. These definitions related to both the FEA and the 3D model of the structure and can be accessed through the "Elastomeric Pad" and "Plate Inputs-Visual" tabs.