As bridges in the Central and Eastern United States approach their design life, deterioration due to corrosion becomes a significant concern. Steel components such as bearings are susceptible to changes in performance as a result of corrosion, particularly under seismic loads, putting the region's transportation network in jeopardy. To better assess the seismic performance of older highway bridges, an understanding of the behavior of corroded components, such as steel bearings, under seismic loads is needed. This paper examines the level of corrosion observed with a group of salvaged steel bearings, including rocker and bolster bearings, that were in use for over 50 years prior to replacement. Data from the measurement of corrosion-induced mass loss for the rocker bearings is provided to quantify corrosion level. A detailed account of the experimental setup to be used to correlate corrosion level with seismic performance also is provided. Preliminary findings from finite element simulations are briefly summarized with an explanation on modeling contact and friction inherent in the mechanical behavior of steel bearings.
展开▼
