Impact of imperfections in the reinforcing steel plates on elastomeric bridge bearings: A finite element analysis

Elastomeric bridge bearings, consisting of alternating layers of rubber and steel reinforcement, are widely used due to their ability to accommodate movements such as translations and rotations. The performance of elastomeric bearings is closely tied to their structural integrity, which is heavily dependent on the quality of the manufacturing process and proper installation. Imperfections or defects, particularly in the reinforcing steel plates, are frequently observed. Common defects include vertical and horizontal misalignments, bending, and inclination of the steel plates, which have been the subject of previous studies. This work extends the existing research by conducting a numerical analysis of two types of imperfections—corner and center deflections of the steel reinforcing plates—evaluating their effects across five levels of severity. 3D finite element models were developed based on observations of these imperfections in real bridge bearings. Static compression, shear, and rotational analyses were conducted to assess the performance of the devices. The primary goal was to analyze the impact of these imperfections on the overall performance of the devices. Additionally, attention was given to the guidelines provided by international standards for managing elastomeric bearings that exhibit these defects.