Bearing pads are used
widely in precast concrete
parking garages. They function
as buffers between the
separate concrete members to
prevent damage and facilitate
movement (much like cartilage
between bones at joints).
Bearing pads should last for the
design life of the structure, but
need to be replaced when they
are not sufficiently durable. The
‘surgery’ to replace the pads
properly is a complex operation,
with few published guidelines.
In typical precast
concrete garage construction, a
bearing pad is installed beneath
the end of each double-tee
beam stem and under other
beams and panels. The pads
accommodate expansion,
contraction, and rotation at the
bearing area, preventing
spalling and cracking of the
supporting concrete members.
Traffic in garages also induces
movement, noise, and vibration
which need to be absorbed or
transferred by the bearing pads.
(Similar bearing pads are used
in bridges and other types of
structures, but they are beyond
the scope of this article.)
When correctly designed
and installed, good-quality
bearing pads are expected to
be permanent components—
that is, their component design
life should be equal to that of
the structure. Unfortunately, the
Bearing Pad Slippage
actual service life of bearing
pads may be shorter than their
design life, requiring
replacement when they
prematurely fail..
Crushed Bearing Pad
TYPES FAILURE MECHANISMS
American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
has standards for bearing pads in
bridge applications, but there are no
industry standards for the common
types of bearing pads used in the
construction industry.
Natural rubber
Natural rubber bearing pads were the
first type used. As the name implies, the
main ingredient is latex extracted from
rubber trees. The rubber used in
today’s bearing pads is typically
vulcanized (a chemical process forming
crosslinks in the polymer chains of the
rubber) to improve tensile strength,
elasticity, and durability. One of the
material’s biggest attributes is its
ability to remain flexible and less stiff in
colder temperatures.
Neoprene
Neoprene (or polychloroprene) bearing
pads are synthetic rubber. They resist
ozone attack better than natural
rubber. Other benefits of neoprene
bearing pads include high tensile
strength, good weatherability, and
resistance to heat and flame. However,
neoprene bearing pads do not have the
ability to remain as flexible as natural
rubber in colder climates.
ROF
Random-oriented fiber (ROF) products
are the most widely used bearing pads
in parking garages. They are
engineered to be strong, with a high
compressive strength. ROF products
are made of rubber elastomer with
synthetic fibers added for strength, and
vulcanized to form the final
composition.
The authors have investigated the following failure
mechanisms of bearing pads that can necessitate early
replacement.
Slippage
'Slippage or ‘walking’ is a phenomenon where a bearing
pad moves out from its original location. Bearing pads
may walk due to incremental one-way movement
because expansion and contraction forces are not
exactly equal, particularly when the bearing substrate
is not parallel to the double-tee stem ends. Bearing
pads may also walk out due to sun camber on the top
level, which reduces loading on them .Other factors
contributing to slippage include excessive shear load
due to expansion or contraction of the concrete
members and rotation of the double-tee beams.
Crushing and tearing
Bearing pads may crush or tear over time due to
excessive loading or inadequate pad size/material.
Bearing pads compress slightly under load, which is to
be expected. However, if the compressive load
significantly exceeds the pad’s capacity, the pad will
first spread (increase surface area) and then tear.
Non-uniform loading of the bearing pad due to camber,
misalignment of the concrete members, or improper
installation of the bearing pad can cause a
concentrated point load that may also cause crushing
of the pad
Cracking
Cracking or crazing of the bearing pads may be caused
by extreme heat, ultraviolet (UV) light, and ozone. Heat
and UV light are not typically significant issues, since
most bearing pads are not directly exposed to them.
However, ozone is a powerful oxidant that occurs
naturally in the atmosphere, and in greater
concentrations in polluted areas (where parking
garages are also found).
Natural rubber and most synthetic bearing pads are
degraded by ozone as it breaks the carbon-carbon
double bonds on their surface. Degradation due to
environmental attack can be mitigated by including
protective additives during the manufacturing process
of the bearing pads..