Enhanced UHMW-PE Used as Sliding Material of Bridge Bearings and Its Applications in High Speed Railways

摘要

With ever-increasing loads, a faster displacement velocity caused by high speed traffic, big accumulated sliding paths as well as more extreme climatic conditions, it turned out that PTFE as the standard sliding material couldn't meet the increasing demands any longer. Consequently a new kind of sliding material had to be developed to ensure a long and maintenance free service life of the bridge bearings. In China, where High Speed Railways reach velocities of more than 300 km/h, it is of ultimate importance to design bridge bearings in a way that the bearings will not suffer from wear during the life time of the bridge, which could lead to damages of bridge bearings and ultimately even to the bridge itself.