We supplies premium spherical bridge bearings designed for large loads & rotations. Compliant with EN 1337-7 & AASHTO. Ideal for bridges & complex structures.
Modern structures, from monumental bridges to complex buildings, are designed to be flexible. They must safely accommodate movements and rotations caused by thermal expansion, traffic loads, and wind. Spherical Bearings are engineered to support these structures while safely transferring loads and allowing for controlled movement, ensuring long-term structural integrity and safety.
Why should you choose spherical bearings for your project? Our products are designed to deliver unmatched performance and reliability.
Exceptional Load Capacity: Built to withstand extreme vertical and horizontal loads, making them ideal for heavy-duty infrastructure projects.
Superior Rotation & Movement Accommodation: Perfect for applications requiring multi-directional rotation and sliding movement, such as long-span bridges, curved bridges, and complex structures.
Low Maintenance & Long Service Life: The integrated PTFE sliding surface with permanent lubrication ensures smooth movement and minimal friction, reducing maintenance needs.
Proven Compliance & Quality: Our bearings are designed and manufactured in strict compliance with major international standards, including EN 1337-7 and AASHTO specifications, guaranteeing reliability and global acceptance.
Applicable Standards
· European Standard: EN 1337-7;
· American Standard: AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification and Construction specification;
· British Standard: BS 5400-9.1, BS 5400-9.2;
The high performance of Spherical Bearings stems from their intelligent design. Key components work in harmony to facilitate smooth rotation and translation:
Top Plate: Connects to the superstructure (e.g., the bridge deck) to transfer loads.
Convex Plate (Spherical Core): The heart of the bearing. Its convex bottom surface rotates within the concave base, accommodating structural rotations.
PTFE/Stainless Steel Sliding Interface: This low-friction pair consists of a PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) disk recessed into its holder and a mirror-finished stainless steel plate. This interface allows for horizontal sliding movement.
Concave Base Plate: The foundational component that transfers all loads to the substructure. Its concave surface, lined with PTFE, mates with the convex plate for efficient rotation.
This "ball-and-socket" design effectively decouples load transfer from movement, allowing the bearing to manage high loads, rotations, and translations simultaneously.
The spherical bridge bearings are classified into three types according to different sliding direction.
Fixed type. Provide rotations capacity from any direction only.
Fixed type. Provide rotations capacity from any direction only.
1-top steel plate; 2-stainless steel plate; 3-PTFE or (UHMWPE); 4- convex middle plate; 5-sleeve; 6-anchor bolt; 7-rubber sealing ring; 8-base steel plate.
Guided type (Uni-directional sliding). Rotation plus movement in one direction.
1-top steel plate; 2-stainless steel plate; 3-PTFE or (UHMWPE); 4-convex middle steel; 5-sleeve; 6-anchor bar; 7-base steel plate.
Free sliding (multi-directional sliding). Rotation plus movement in all directions.
1-top steel plate; 2- stainless steel plate; 3-PTFE or (UHMWPE); 4- convex middle plate; 5-guide bar; 6-sleeve; 7-anchor bolt; 8-base steel plate.
Item | Performance Parameters |
Vertical Load Capacity | 1.0MN, 1.5MN, 2.0MN, 2.5MN, 3.0MN, 3.5MN, 4.0MN, 4.5MN, 5.0MN, 5.5MN, 6.0MN, 7.0MN, 8.0MN, 9.0MN, 10.0MN, 12.5MN, 15.0MN, 17.5MN, 20.0MN, 22.5MN, 25.0MN, 27.5MN, 30.0MN, 2.5MN, 35.0MN, 37.5MN, 40.0MN, 45.0MN, 50.0MN, 60.0MN, 65.0MN, 70.0MN , other design values. |
Horizontal Force Capacity | 10% , 15% or 22.5% of the vertical load capacity of the bearing and other design values . |
Design Rotation Angle θ (rad) | Not less than ±0.02 rad |
Design Displacement | Transverse direction: ±50mm, other designs. Longitudinal direction: ±50mm, ±100mm, ±150mm, ±200mm, ±250mm, other designs. |
Suitable Temperature | Normal Type (CR): -25℃~+60℃; Cold-resistance Type (NR):-40℃~+60℃ |
Friction Coefficient μ | Not great than 0.03 |
Strength Grade of Concrete | Not lower than C40 |
1. Steel elements
The Material And Standard Of Steel Elements
Steel parts | Material | Standard |
Base steel plate | Cast steel or S355(Gr. 50) steel | EN, AASHTO |
Convex middle steel | Cast steel or S355(Gr. 50) steel | EN, AASHTO |
Top steel plate | S355(Gr. 50) steel | EN, AASHTO |
Bolts | 41Ce4 ( Grade 100) | EN, AASHTO |
Stainless steel | S304 | EN, AASHTO |
Base steel plate of spherical bearingStainless Steel
The stainless steel conform to ASTM A240/A240M, EN1337-5, or approved equivalent. The roughness of the surface in contact with the PTFE, measured in accordance with CSA B95, does not exceed an arithmetic mean of 0.25 μm.
Convex middle steel with stainless steel plate
Sliding elements
PTFE sheets
The raw material of PTFE sheets are pure polytetrafluoroethylene free sintered without regenerated or filler materials.
Mechanical and physical properties of PTFE
Item | requirement |
Hardness(shore) | 55~70 |
Mass density(kg/m3) | 2140 ~ 2200 |
Tensile strength(MPa) | 29~40 |
Elongation at break(%) | ≥300 |
Ball hardness(MPa) | 23 ~ 33 |
Specific weight | 2.14～2.20 |
Friction coefficient with SS plate (23℃ +/-5) | <0.01 |
Thickness(mm) | 7~8 |
Modifies ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)
Modifies ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) have increased wear-resistance and load capacity, it is also suitable for use in sliding bearings for bridge and buildings. With grease dimples and high performance grease, a durable, low-friction sliding surface is ensure. Due to its high durability, the use of UHMWPE greatly reduced maintenance and replacement costs.
UHMWPE used in spherical bearing
UHMWPE used in spherical bearing
Lubricant ( Silicon grease)
Physical and chemical properties of lubricant
Properties | Requirements |
Appearance | White, half transparent |
Worked penetration | 26.5 to 29.5mm |
Dropping point | ≥180 ℃ |
Oil separation after 24 h at 100℃ | ≤3 %（mass） |
Oxidation resistance pressure drop after 100h at 160℃ | ≤0.1 MPa |
Pour –point of base oil | Below-60 ℃ |
Spherical bridge bearings are engineered to meet the most demanding structural requirements. They are the ideal solution for applications involving exceptionally high vertical, horizontal, and lateral loads, while simultaneously accommodating significant rotational displacements and movements.
These bearings are particularly well-suited for a wide range of complex bridge designs, including but not limited to:
Curved Bridges
Skewed Bridges
Straight (Right) Bridges
Large-Span Highway and Railway Bridges
And
Seismic Isolation Systems in Buildings
Heavy Industrial Structures
Their robust design ensures reliable performance in critical infrastructure, safely transferring forces and allowing for natural structural movements. The image below illustrates a professional installation team precisely positioning spherical bearings at a construction site, a critical step in ensuring long-term structural integrity.
Regular inspection and maintenance are critical to ensuring the long-term performance, safety, and durability of spherical bearings in any structure. Implementing a consistent maintenance schedule helps identify potential issues early and preserves the bearing's functionality. The following checklist outlines the key procedures.
1. Anchor System and Seals Inspection
Check all anchor bolts for any signs of shearing, deformation, or damage.
Inspect the rubber sealing rings for cracking, hardening, or general aging.
Periodically loosen, clean, and apply anti-corrosive oil to the anchor nuts before re-tightening them to the specified torque.
2. Movement and Displacement Monitoring
Verify that the relative displacement of the bearing is uniform and within design expectations.
Keep detailed records of displacement measurements during each inspection for trend analysis.
3. Cleaning and Corrosion Protection
Regularly clear away dirt, debris, and dust accumulated around the bearing assembly.
Gently clean the stainless steel sliding surface with a soft cloth to maintain its smoothness.
Apply a fresh coat of paint to exposed steel components (excluding stainless steel surfaces) to protect against rust.
4. PTFE Sliding Surface Wear Assessment
Monitor the overall height of the bearing to indirectly assess the wear condition of the PTFE slide.
Important: If a height reduction of more than 3 mm is detected, the rubber seal should be removed for a direct visual inspection of the PTFE material.
Plan for replacement if the wear exceeds acceptable limits defined by the design standards.
Laminated Elastomeric Bearings, also known as steel reinforced elastomeric bearing pads, are fundamental structural elements engineered to support and protect bridges and other structures. These high-performance bearings are manufactured through a process of vulcanization, which bonds alternating layers of high-quality elastomer (such as natural rubber) and internal steel plates (shims) into a single, integral unit. This robust construction combines high vertical stiffness with beneficial horizontal flexibility, making them a superior and versatile solution for a wide range of applications.
Our High Damping Rubber Bearings (HDRB) provide reliable seismic protection for bridges and buildings. Laminated high-damping rubber with steel shims transforms earthquake vibrations into slow, controlled movements, reducing structural damage. HDRBs combine strong vertical support, horizontal flexibility, and self-centering ability for long-term stability.
A Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB), also known as a lead-core rubber bearing, is a premium base isolation device engineered to protect bridges and buildings from earthquakes. Its robust construction features a central, cylindrical lead core press-fitted within a laminated stack of elastomeric rubber layers and reinforcing steel plates, all vulcanized into a single, high-performance unit. The lead core delivers exceptional energy dissipation through hysteretic damping, achieving an equivalent viscous damping ratio of up to 30%, while the rubber and steel layers provide flexible support, lengthening the structure's natural period to reduce seismic force impact. This synergy offers superior vertical load capacity, horizontal flexibility, and outstanding corrosion resistance. Available in round and rectangular shapes with single or multiple lead core options, our LRBs are custom-engineered to meet specific project demands for ultimate resilience and safety.
Pot bearings are critical load-bearing and shock-absorption devices widely used in highway bridges, railway bridges, municipal viaducts, and large-scale building structures. They transfer the load from the superstructure by confining an elastomeric pad within a steel pot, while utilizing the low-friction characteristics of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) plates sliding against stainless steel surfaces to accommodate smooth translational movements. Renowned for their high load capacity, significant horizontal displacement capability, and flexible rotation, pot bearings are indispensable key components in modern long-span bridge engineering.
Westcoast New Area, Qingdao City ,Shandong Province ,China
