Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a mid-span axial force-free connecting device for an earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge and a method for mounting same. The mid-span axial force-free connecting device for an earth-anchored cable-stayed bridge includes an externally sleeved large steel box girder and an internally embedded small steel box girder. A plurality of bearing beams are arranged on the inner periphery of the externally sleeved large steel box girder. Transverse spherical bearings or vertical spherical bearings are arranged on the bearing beams. The internally embedded small steel box girder is fixedly supported in the externally sleeved large steel box girder through a plurality of transverse spherical bearings and vertical spherical bearings. In the same section, the transverse spherical bearings are symmetrically arranged, and the vertical spherical bearings are also symmetrically arranged.

Abstract: A vibration absorbing apparatus is disclosed for functioning as a practical mechanical metamaterial for anisotropic vibration control. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus provides a plurality of rail units positioned in a side-by-side arrangement so as to form at least one rail unit layer. Each rail unit provides a first plate and an opposing second plate slidably engaged with the first plate. The first plate provides at least one substantially linear slide rail extending therefrom. The second plate provides a corresponding at least one substantially linear slot sized for slidably receiving the corresponding at least one slide rail. At least one resilient connector extends between the first and second plates so as to maintain slidable engagement between the first and second plates. Additionally, the at least one slot of each rail unit of the at least one rail unit layer is oriented in substantially the same direction.

Abstract: The present application discloses a bearing structural member, a support, a joint assembly and a tube section assembly, wherein the maximum counter force provided by the bearing structural member under an external load is an own designed threshold value, namely when the external load is greater than the designed threshold value of the bearing structural member, the bearing structural member deforms, and provides a counter force equal to the designed threshold value; the support includes at least one bearing structural member; and the joint assembly and the tube section assembly are both equipped with the support. When the external load is not high and is less than the designed threshold value, the bearing structural member may effectively suppress the deformation just like a rigid structural member; when the external load exceeds the designed threshold value, the bearing structural member may deform, and provide a stable counter supporting force less than the external load.

Abstract: A self-centring and energy dissipating seismic isolation device of the elastomeric frictional-type for structures and industrial equipment comprises: first and second metal plates respectively joined, one to the structure or equipment and the other to its foundations, the first metal plate being fixed thereto and the second metal plate being rotatably joined thereto by a column; at least one elastomeric ring between the plates; and a central restrictive bar orthogonally joined to the first plate and extending through the elastomeric ring and through a central through-hole in the second plate, a nut being screwed to the free end of the bar and having a spherical curved-convex bottom in sliding contact and corresponding with a spherical curved-concave inner surface part of the central through-hole. An isolation system can comprise several of these devices and columns or just one pair of devices at the ends of a central column in combination with sliding support pillars.

Abstract: A cover comprises a load bearing panel (12) of generally square or rectangular form and having an upper surface (14a) and an underside surface (14b), at least some of the edges of load bearing panel (12) being provided with ramp members (22) which are molded onto the load bearing panel (12), the ramp members (22) each defining an upper ramped surface (22a) and a lower, ground engaging surface (22b), wherein the ground engaging surface (22b) is spaced beneath the underside surface (14b) of the load bearing panel (12).

Abstract: A bearing arrangement with a first bearing layer comprising a first bearing support element and a second bearing layer comprising a second bearing support element, the first and second bearing layers being glidingly interconnected by at least one intermediate gliding element, wherein at least one first gliding surface is arranged between the first bearing support element and the at least one intermediate gliding element, and wherein at least one second gliding surface is arranged between the second bearing support member and the at least one intermediate gliding element, the at least one intermediate gliding element being elastically attached to the first bearing support element by means of at least one first flexible connector and to the second bearing support element by means of at least one second flexible connector.

Abstract: Disclosed is a friction damper that has a unique load-displacement hysteresis characteristic such that, when the frictional coefficient between members that generate friction is smaller than the slope of an inclined surface, the friction damper is always returned to the original position thereof in a case where an external force is removed or remains at a level that does not exceed a threshold value. The V-groove friction damper includes: a V-groove member including a concave V-shaped groove; a V-shaped frictional contact member including a V-shaped frictional contact portion; a guide member configured to guide a left/right movement of the V-groove member; and an elastic compression unit installed on the guide member, and configured to elastically compress the V-shaped frictional contact member toward the V-groove member.

Abstract: A bridge construction having a bridge support or abutment and a bridge deck supported thereon. The bridge deck includes a composite panel with a top plastic skin, a bottom plastic skin and a core arranged between and attached to the plastic skins. The bridge deck also includes an edge beam extending along at least one edge of the composite panel and resting on the bridge support. The top plastic skin has a protruding part which protrudes laterally relative to the core and the bottom plastic skin. The protruding part of the top plastic skin extends over and is attached to a top side of the edge beam, and both the core and the lower plastic skin extend laterally up to a front side of the edge beam.

Abstract: A sliding groove type friction pendulum high-pier bridge seismic mitigation and an isolation bearing. The bearing includes an upper connecting steel plate, a lower connecting steel plate, and a frictional sliding component clamped between the upper connecting steel plate and the lower connecting steel plate. The frictional sliding component includes an upper bearing plate, a lower bearing plate, and a hyperbolic spheroid. The upper bearing plate and the lower bearing plate are disposed on corresponding connecting steel plates, and are mounted and cooperate by using a plurality of parallel protrusions and grooves. The hyperbolic spheroid is disposed between the upper bearing plate and the lower bearing plate. A plurality of hysteretic damping components, bearing positioning structures, butterfly-shaped spring components, and bearing limiting structures are disposed on opposite surfaces of the upper bearing plate and the lower bearing plate in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A self-resetting friction-damping shock absorption bearing and a shock absorption bridge. The shock absorption bearing includes a first bearing plate, a second bearing plate, a support panel, a friction member, a first shock absorption member, and a second shock absorption member. The first bearing plate is connected to the support panel, both ends of the friction member are respectively connected to the second bearing plate and one end of the support panel away from the first bearing plate, and the friction member can slide relative to the support panel and the second bearing plate. A shock absorption bridge including a self-resetting friction-damping shock absorption bearing is also provided.

Abstract: A friction-damping energy absorber has at least one sliding post, a sliding sleeve, and two supporting boards. The at least one sliding post has two ends. Each one of the at least one sliding post is composed of multiple first material layers and multiple second material layers arranged in an alternate manner mounted. The sliding sleeve is mounted around at least one part of the at least one sliding post and is composed of at least one sliding unit. The supporting boards are respectively mounted on two ends of the at least one sliding post.

Abstract: A yielding fuse for use in a brace assembly includes a first body portion configured to be connected at one end to a side of a brace member of the brace assembly, and a second body portion configured to be connected at one end to another side of the brace member of the brace assembly. The first and second body portions are positioned so as to be disposed on opposite sides of an axis defined by the brace member, with each of the first and second body portions further including a base displaced from the axis, a plurality of yielding arms extending from the base towards the axis and at least a first connecting plate rigidly connecting the first body portion to the second body portion. Preferably, a second connecting plate is also provided.

Abstract: An anti-vibration structure includes an inner elastic body that is a separate body to a multi-layered material and that is disposed in a through-hole piercing through a layering direction of the multi-layered material, and a restricting member that has at least a portion embedded in the inner elastic body, that has one end coupled to an upper plate and another end coupled to a lower plate and that restricts separation of the upper plate and the lower plate.

Abstract: An elevator car includes a car-platform device including a car-platform panel, anti-vibration devices, and a car-platform support frame. The car-platform panel includes a panel main body, a frame structure including a panel frame surrounding an outer peripheral portion of the panel main body, and a panel upper plate and a panel lower plate for individually covering upper surfaces and lower surfaces of the panel main body and the panel frame. The anti-vibration devices receive the frame structure by upper surfaces thereof. The car-platform support frame supports the car-platform panel through an intermediation of the anti-vibration devices. The upper surfaces of the anti-vibration devices are arranged at a height position between an upper surface and a lower surface of the car-platform panel in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An adaptive bearing energy absorber has at least one core post, two supporting boards, multiple first material layers, and multiple second material layers. Each one of the at least one core post is composed of at least one sliding unit. At least one of the at least one sliding unit of each one of the at least one core post is a sliding assembly. Each one of the at least one sliding assembly has two ends, at least one sliding block, and at least one sliding cover. The at least one sliding cover is slidable relative to the sliding block, and each one of the at least one sliding cover has at least one limiting flange protruding from the sliding cover to limit the sliding range of the at least one sliding block relative to the sliding cover.

Abstract: A pot bearing is provided for absorbing rotations with little constraint, comprising a pot, an elastomer cushion accommodated therein and a cover projecting at least partially into the pot and supported on said cushion. The elastomer cushion is slidingly sealed off from the pot, around the edge beneath the cover by means of a circumferential inner seal, which consists entirely or at least primarily of acetal with a melt flow index (MFI 190/2.16) of less than 6 g/10 min.

Abstract: An expansion joint bridging device which bridges an expansion joint between two construction work parts of a traversable construction work. The expansion joint is spanned by at least two crossbeams which are supported in a load-bearing manner on both construction work parts, wherein at least one of the load-bearing supports allows a displacement movement. An overload safety device comprises two supporting profiles at a distance from one another and supported on the crossbeams, and a fill profile bridging the gap between the support profiles. If a threshold value for the force that would effect the two support profiles to approach one another is exceeded, a fixing device releases the positional stabilization such that the two support profiles can be moved towards one another by displacing the fill profile upwards out of the gap.

Abstract: There is disclosed a foundation system for supporting equipment on a platform. In an embodiment, the foundation system is capable of harmonic resonation at a natural frequency due to movement of the equipment on the platform, the foundation system comprising one or more vertical pile members, each vertical pile member having a first end adapted to be driven into the ground and a second end adapted to be connected with a bottom portion of the skid platform; and one or more tunable pile members, each tunable pile member having a lower portion adapted to be driven into the ground and an upper portion adapted to be connected directly or indirectly with the skid platform, each tunable pile member adapted to receive an insert member between the upper and lower portions, so that the stiffness of the tunable pile member can be adjusted. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A spherical bearing is disclosed, which is easy to make, can be made small, and does not have a sticking problem of a spherical block. The spherical bearing includes a plastic spherical block made of plastic and including a convex spherical surface, a spherical groove member including a spherical groove with which the convex spherical surface engages and surface-contacts and allowing rotation with respect to the plastic spherical block, and a weight-delivering member installed opposite to the spherical groove member with the plastic spherical block in the middle, and wherein a frictional surface of the plastic spherical block rubbing against the spherical groove member or the weight-delivering member is made of engineering plastic such as PA, POM etc. having a hardness of 75D through 95D.

Abstract: To provide a seismic isolation apparatus which, as well as widening an applicable shaking range, can be easily configured and is low in height, a seismic isolation apparatus is configured of a low friction combination formed by a point contact between a planar hard base plate, which has a surface on which are disposed at least three convexly curved projections of a uniform height, and a glide plate which is a smooth, hard, flat plate.

Abstract: Periodic material-based seismic isolation systems and methods are a new and innovative means to mitigate the potential damage to structures due to earthquakes or the like. The periodic materials are arranged in a periodic way in one, two and three directions, which are defined as one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) periodic materials. With this periodic material, the pattern of the earthquake event energy can be completely obstructed or changed when it reaches the periodic foundation of the structural system. This may result in a total isolation of the foundation from the earthquake wave energy.

Abstract: A waterproof expansion joint comprises a ballast protection plate and at least one locating device configured to retain the ballast protection plate over a deck joint. A flexible sealing member located below the ballast protection plate can include at least one flange portion and at least one expansion feature. Each expansion feature can include a shape preformed into the flexible sealing member extending downward into the deck joint and configured to deflect, enabling variation in the width of the flexible sealing member to match the width of the deck joint.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for bridging an expansion joint (2) in the region of a carriageway, comprising a superstructure (5) and a substructure (6), and the superstructure (5) comprises at least one elastic element (15) and the substructure (6) forms a support for the superstructure (5). At least one holding element (19, 20) is disposed in the superstructure (5), which is at least partially embedded in the elastic element (15).

Abstract: A bridge assembly is made up of stackable components that are arranged together to span substantially any size and type of geological formation. The bridge assembly is made up of one or more support columns having respective saddle members at their upper ends. Each saddle member has a lower bearing surface that engages the support column and permits variations in their relative positioning. Each saddle member further has an upper bearing surface for receiving at least one cross beam having a lower bearing surface, which bearing surfaces permit movement between a given saddle member and the cross beams it supports. The bridge components can be pre-formed out of concrete, and are typically assembled by stacking the various components.

Abstract: The invention relates to seismic protection (anti-seismic) devices and, in particular, to seismic hysteretic dampers, used to protect the structures against severe earthquakes. These devices are installed at points where large displacements are expected due to earthquake shakings, such as between a bridge deck and bearing points of said bridge (e.g. the pier cap beam).

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetically controlled base isolation system that in a simple, practical, and cost effective way significantly reduces the lateral forces transmitted to buildings, bridges, and other structures during earthquakes. It comprises sliding bearings that are constructed with steel elements, elastomeric O-rings, and permanent magnets; contain a pressurized fluid; and slide over electricity-conducting metallic base plates. It also comprises permanent magnets disposed at the periphery of the metallic base plates. The pressurized fluid carries the bulk of the vertical load supported by each bearing, minimizing thus the magnitude of the frictional forces that resist the bearings' sliding. The motion of the permanent magnets in the sliding bearings over the electricity-conducting base plates generates damping forces that reduce the bearings' relative displacements to practical levels.

Abstract: A bearing is provided for use in connection with expansion joint systems. The bearing may be incorporated into expansion joint systems that are used in roadway constructions, bridge constructions, and architectural structures. The bearing can absorb increased loads that are applied to the expansion joint system. The structure of the bearing also permits improved motion of, and provides improved support for, the components of the expansion joint system that are supported on or engaged with the bearing.

Abstract: A removable frame for detachable mounting onto a trailer flatbed chassis for suspending a carrier beam extending transversely to and beyond the lateral edges of the chassis, the carrier beam having a pair of movable trolley hoists suspended therefrom whereby cargo can be loaded onto and off from both sides of the bed of the trailer chassis.

Abstract: An example method of expanding a highway have a multiple lanes passing under a highway overpass bridge having a center pier is described. The center pier may be between lanes passing in opposite directions. The center pier may be replaced with two replacement central piers having a gap there between. Additional lanes may be added through the gap between the replacement central piers. Various methods of construction and detailed designs for such bridges are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an anti-expansion joint bridge which eliminates an expansion joint structure from an upper structure thereof, and includes a plurality of slidable steel plates to cover a space between girders or floor slabs expanding and contracting on piers and asphalt concrete pavement on the steel plates, so that expansion and contraction of the girders occurring on the piers is prevented from affecting the pavement, thereby ensuring smooth travel of vehicles thereon. The anti-expansion joint bridge includes a pair of expandable/contractible girders separated from each other while constituting an upper structure of the bridge, a plurality of sliding plates overlapping each other on the girders while covering a gap between the girders, and an ascon part covering the pair of girders together with the sliding plates.

Abstract: A bridge assembly is made up of stackable components that are arranged together to span substantially any size and type of geological formation. At least some of the bridge components can accommodate variations in their positioning relative to one another so that the bridge can still function after limited damage or shifting, or so that it can be readily repaired or rebuilt after being partially toppled. The bridge components can be pre-formed out of concrete, and can typically be assembled using primarily unskilled labor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an anti-expansion joint bridge which eliminates an expansion joint structure from an upper structure thereof, and includes a plurality of slidable steel plates to cover a space between girders or floor slabs expanding and contracting on piers and asphalt concrete pavement on the steel plates, so that expansion and contraction of the girders occurring on the piers is prevented from affecting the pavement, thereby ensuring smooth travel of vehicles thereon. The anti-expansion joint bridge includes a pair of expandable/contractible girders separated from each other while constituting an upper structure of the bridge, a plurality of sliding plates overlapping each other on the girders while covering a gap between the girders, and an ascon part covering the pair of girders together with the sliding plates.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a support structure for a transportation passageway supported by a column. The support structure includes a bearing, a bracket and a cap. The bearing includes an anchor, a bracket base, and a bearing axis of rotation. The anchor is shaped to fix the bearing to the column. The bracket includes a column face and an arcuate face. The column face is shaped to rotate about the bearing axis of rotation relative to the bracket face of the bearing. The cap includes a top and a bottom wherein the top includes at least one beam support and the bottom includes an arcuate bottom portion. The arcuate bottom portion is shaped to accept the arcuate face of the bracket and includes a radial center point that defines a cap axis of rotation. The arcuate bottom portion is shaped to rotate about the radial center point relative to the arcuate face.

Abstract: A flexible control joint for use in plastering and stucco applications. Various embodiments of the flexible control joint may be used to form screed walls for different thicknesses of plaster materials applied to adjoining walls or other structures. The walls or other structures may be of similar or dissimilar constructions. Various embodiments of the control joint may be used to form corner arrangements or T-arrangements to achieve desired design effects.

Abstract: The invention aims at providing a bridge sleeper supporting pad for eliminating necessity of a recess to fit a projection of a rivet of a bridge beam, on a back face of a bridge sleeper or enhancing plate. For this, the invention provides a bridge sleeper supporting pad interposed between a bridge beam and bridge sleeper, including a main bag, first inner bag and second inner bag in the main bag, wherein the first inner bag contains a first reaction solution, the second inner bag contains a second reaction solution, the respective first and second inner bags are designed so that at least a part thereof opens under external pressure, the main bag is provided in communication with a sub bag, and the sub bag includes a plurality of compartments formed therein, the respective compartments partitioned by a sealed portion having a sealed portion with an inside easily peeled.

Abstract: A blast protective barrier system, termed a blast wall, providing a security perimeter or boundary at and above a ground level definable in terms of an x, y, z coordinate system, includes several substantially ground level (xy plane) pile caps, each itself having a y-axis elongate length, a x-axis width, and a z-axis depth, the x-axis substantially defining the width of the barrier system. Each pile cap also includes an upper and lower xy plane surface, each of the upper surfaces including y-axis channels and each of the lower surfaces including several recesses. The system also includes a first, second and further modules having a plurality of opposing pairs of yz plane, the y-axis elongate concrete panels including opposing integral xz end cap elements having a high shock-absorptive structure for isolating each module from the effect of a blast upon an adjacent module.

Abstract: A joint gap eliminator comprises a substantially planar gap covering strip (3) secured to formwork (2) at one side of a joint of settable material (8). The covering strip (3) extends laterally across the joint so as to be supported at the other side of the joint in a manner which allows relative movement between the other side of the joint and the covering strip (3).

Abstract: An earthquake-resistant flat expansion joint using a hinge is provided which includes an expansion joint main body disposed between opposite ends of deck slabs of a bridge or an elevated road, hinged to one side of the deck slab at its one end to enable behavior in X, Y and Z-axis directions, and expanded or shrunk depending on temperature variation and vibrations due to earthquakes to be moved in the X, Y and Z-axis directions, an expansion/shrinkage member connected to one end of the expansion joint main body to accommodate the behavior in X, Y and Z-axis directions due to expansion and shrinkage of the expansion joint main body caused by temperature variation and occurrence of the earthquakes, a hinge shaft support member installed at one end of the deck slab to support a lower part and side parts of a hinge shaft part of the expansion joint main body, an expansion joint support member installed at one end of the other deck slab to support lower parts of an expansion part of the expansion joint main body a

Abstract: An expansion joint system including mechanically fused elements for bridging a gap between spaced-apart adjacent structural members is provided. During an emergency operation that is caused by large movements occurring within the vicinity of the expansion joint gap, one or more mechanically fused elements may break away to improve system predictability, or to limit damage to the expansion joint system, the surrounding underlying structural members, or both.

Abstract: A large resisting distortion combo-type bridge expansion device, comprises fixed comb plate 2 and moveable comb plate 1 which are respectively disposed on the girder 10 where at the two sides of the bridge expansion device, the moveable comb plate 1 has comb teeth 11 interdigitate with the comb teeth 21 of the fixed comb plate, the moved comb plate 1 has a rotating shaft 8 at the bottom of its second end, and the two ends of the rotating shaft 8 pivot in the shaft seat 7 which is directly or indirectly fixed on the girders 10. In the present invention the second end of the moveable comb plate is rotatable, by which the moved comb plate will rotate round the girders when the girders have deflection distortion and the ends of the girders are raising or sinking. Therefore, the moved comb plate can keep flat to avoid damage of the expansion device, and to ensure that the vehicle can pass safely and smoothly.

Abstract: The invention aims at providing a bridge sleeper supporting pad for eliminating necessity of a recess to fit a projection of a rivet of a bridge beam, on a back face of a bridge sleeper or enhancing plate. For this, the invention provides a bridge sleeper supporting pad interposed between a bridge beam and bridge sleeper, including a main bag, first inner bag and second inner bag in the main bag, wherein the first inner bag contains a first reaction solution, the second inner bag contains a second reaction solution, the respective first and second inner bags are designed so that at least a part thereof opens under external pressure, the main bag is provided in communication with a sub bag, and the sub bag includes a plurality of compartments formed therein, the respective compartments partitioned by a sealed portion having a sealed portion with an inside easily peeled.

Abstract: A girder bridge protection device. The girder protection device includes a sacrifice member having girders installed on an upper surface of a bridge seat of an abutment or pier to support a bridge floor, a symmetrical main support member connecting two of the girders and having an elongated tubular configuration, and an auxiliary support member projecting from one surface of a center portion of the main support member in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the main support member; and a restraining member secured to the bridge seat of the abutment or pier and having an accommodating section accommodating the auxiliary support member such that the auxiliary support member is separated from the accommodating section in a forward and rearward direction and in a leftward and rightward direction, thereby controlling the behavior of the auxiliary support member.

Abstract: A multi-seal waterproof expansion joint for roadways includes an L-shaped load-bearing member mounted to each end of adjacent roadway sections. The lower surface of the horizontal leg of each load-bearing member has a shaped end to receive an insert to provide a retention cavity accessible by an elongated groove. A primary seal has opposite sides captured in the cavities. Vertical leg of a support member is mounted to each of the load-bearing members. Horizontal legs of the support members are spaced from the horizontal leg of its respective load-bearing member to provide a pair of spaced chambers. A secondary seal has opposite sides captured in the chambers. Movement of the roadway sections due to temperature changes compresses and stretches the primary seal while the sides of the secondary seal slide in their respective chamber. The primary seal can be inserted and/or removed from above or below the roadway.

Abstract: There is disclosed a prop-type damping device which effectively consumes energy of up-and-down vibration on a main girder of a bridge caused by earthquakes, winds, passing vehicles or the like to prolong a life of the bridge and improve comfort for bridge users with a simple constitution. The prop-type damping device comprises: an inclined prop member having a higher end thereof connected to a lower part of a main girder of a bridge to be horizontally movable relative to the same, and a lower end thereof connected to a position below a main girder supporting point of a pier or abutment for supporting the main girder to permit up-and-down movement of the higher end; and a damper connected to the higher end of the prop member and the main girder lower part to brake relative horizontal movements therebetween.

Abstract: A seismic isolation bearing comprises a lower plate, an upper plate, and a cylindrical roller in rolling contact with an upwardly facing, bearing surface of the lower plate and a downwardly facing surface of the upper plate. The lower plate is fixable to a base, while the upper plate is fixable to a superstructure. One or both bearing surfaces are sloped to form a central trough at which the cylindrical roller resides under normal weight of the superstructure, and toward which the roller is biased when displacement between the plates occurs. A pair of sidewall members are fixed to the lower plate to withstand strong forces directed laterally with respect to the isolation axis along which rolling displacement occurs, and a pair of sliding guides carried one at each end of the roller provide dry frictional damping as they engage an inner wall surface of a corresponding sidewall member.

Abstract: The structural or bridge element is constructed from a sheath (1) made of textile fabric, preferably of low extensibility, which is covered in an airtight manner with a flexible plastic. Secured longitudinally within the sheath 1 are a plurality of textile webs of low extensibility in an assembly of mutually parallel planes. The thread profile of first layers 4 of the fabric of the webs 3 is turned through approximately 45° in relation to the longitudinal axis of the bridge element. Second layers 5, each arranged within the same web 3 as the first layer 4, have a thread profile which is selected to be parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bridge element. Bars 6 are arranged on the outside of the sheath 1, respectively in each plane of the webs 3, and are secured within shackles on the sheath 1. The sheath 1 is supplied with compressed air within the range of a few 100 mB.

Abstract: In order to design an infrastructure of an elevated bridge, first a target ductility factor &mgr;d and target natural period Td for the infrastructure are set in connection with an assumed earthquake motion. Subsequently, a yield seismic coefficient for the target ductility factor &mgr;d and target natural period Td is obtained from a yield seismic coefficient spectrum for the assumed earthquake motion as a design seismic coefficient Kh. On the other hand, a target yield rigidity Kd corresponding to the target natural period Td is obtained. Subsequently, the design seismic coefficient Kh is used to obtain a design horizontal load bearing capacity Hd and a displacement corresponding to the design horizontal load bearing capacity Hd is obtained as a design yield displacement &dgr;d from the target yield rigidity Kd. Subsequently, the design horizontal load bearing capacity Hd is distributed into a horizontal force Hf to be borne by the RC rigid frame and a horizontal force Hb to be borne by the damper-brace.

Abstract: An expansion joint system which is provided to accommodate forces applied to highway construction during normal changes in ambient conditions, and which is also designed to withstand seismic forces and vehicular forces, which may be applied in transverse and longitudinal directions. The system includes spaced-apart transverse vehicle load bearing members which are placed in a gap defined between adjacent sections of highway construction, longitudinally extending support members positioned beneath the load bearing members, means embedded within the adjacent roadway sections that control longitudinal, transverse and vertical movement, and a mechanism for controlling the spacing between the transverse load bearing beams. Preferably, this mechanism maintains a substantially equal distance between the transverse load bearing beam members.

Abstract: A bridge expansion joint assembly includes at least a first expansion module and a second expansion module on opposing bridge structures. The first expansion module includes a first hinge pivotally mounted to a first bridge structure so the first hinge can rotate about a first axis, and a first group of fingers pivotally mounted to the first hinge so the first group of fingers can rotate about a second axis. The second expansion module includes a second hinge pivotally mounted to a second bridge structure so the second hinge can rotate about a third axis, and a second group of fingers mounted, either fixedly or pivotally, to the second hinge. The first group of fingers and the second group of fingers are interdigitated and rest upon a sliding support.

Abstract: Disclosed is a seismic load transmitting system based on impact mechanism for a multi-span continuous bridge. There are impact assemblies connected to a superstructure of the bridge for colliding with movable support piers according to a longitudinal displacement of the superstructure of the bridge caused by a seismic load. The seismic load is transmitted from the superstructure of the bridge to the movable support piers. These are impact receiving assemblies installed in the movable support piers for receiving an impact force generated when the movable support piers become collided with the impact assemblies and transmitting the seismic load transferred from the superstructure of the bridge through the impact assemblies to the movable support piers. The seismic load generated in the superstructure of the bridge is transmitted not only to the fixed support piers but also to the moving support piers due to the collision between the impact assemblies and the impact receiving assemblies.