2025 Volume 29 Issue 1 Pages 101-108
Several movable bearings in the Tokaido Shinkansen steel bridges do not follow the statical expansion of main girders due to temperature changes. It may cause stress concentrations at the bearing and results in cracking at end stiffeners to lower flange connections. However, there are difficult cases to find deterioration of movable bearings only by close visual inspections. Therefore, it was investigated to identify the bearing parts with deteriorations that static measurements during three days on lower flange stress in front of sole plates, movable bearing movement, and member temperature. The relationships between stress and temperature changes could evaluate its soundness. In this paper, the investigation method was verified by the measurement of actual two bridges, which have deteriorated movable bearings, before and after the bearing re-installation. As a result, the method could be used to identify deterioration of movable bearings.
