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Testing modular bridge expansion joint designed with fuse element

Testing modular bridge expansion joint designed with fuse element

When planning and building bridges in earthquake-prone areas, special consideration must be given to how the structure will behave during and immediately after an earthquake.

Not a surprise that expansion joints play a central role in such considerations, as they accommodate movements and rotations of the superstructure. If the joints are unable to allow the seismic ground movements, they may be destroyed, potentially severely damage the connecting bridge structure, and emergency or evacuation traffic will be unable to use the bridge when it is needed most.

Such damage can be avoided by using the design feature “Fuse-Element” in the joint design. In case of an earthquake, the Fuse-Element is forced upwards and out of the joint’s surface to the extent required for the joint to accommodate extreme closing movements. This protects the expansion joint and the main structure and enables the bridge to continue accommodating traffic even after the event.

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