Schaeffler: Selecting the right bearings for large buildings and civil engineering projects
Resource from: Schaeffler Likes:237
Mar 02,2015
By using its expertise and experience as early as possible in the design stages of civil engineering projects, a bearing supplier can help the architect to select the most suitable, cost effective bearing solution, says Chris Head, applications engineer at Schaeffler UK.
For large buildings and civil engineering structures such as bridges, dams, floodgates, train station roofs, sports stadiums and airports, the design of the supporting bearings is critical to the performance of the building or structure. The surrounding structure can greatly influence the behaviour of the bearing and so it is important that the selection of the bearing is correct.
The ideal scenario is when the architect, structural engineer or main contractor on a civil engineering project engages with the bearing supplier early in the design process – preferably at the design concept stage. This can make all the difference as trusted advice and guidance as well as engineering support can be provided by experienced application engineers on the most appropriate bearing solution for that particular application. This can save significant time and costs for the contractor in terms of redesign or modification work later on, but should also result in a more cost effective overall design of building or structure.
In the UK, Schaeffler has been involved in a number of prestigious building projects, including The London Eye, Wembley Stadium and Lloyds Bank in London. Another UK sporting icon, Wimbledon Centre Court, relies on more than 300 spherical roller bearings from Schaeffler to support the retractable roof. In all these examples, early involvement from Schaeffler UK was critical in ensuring that the correct bearing solution was selected.
Many architects and main contractors on civil engineering projects will want a “fit-and-forget” bearing solution i.e. one that is maintenance-free and guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the structure. If the bearing supplier recommends a special coating, material or sealing arrangement for the bearing, the architect is also likely to want to know the technical advantages of this proposal and if there are any cost implications. Compromises may then have to be made between the two parties.
Another reason for consulting with a bearing supplier early in the design process is because the building or structure may require the bearing to fulfil ‘special’ duties. For example, the bearing may have to support several hundred tonnes in weight or may need to withstand a harsh operating environment such as freezing temperatures, extreme heat, high humidity, high winds, sandstorms or corrosive saltwater. In certain applications, the bearings may also need to be earthquake-proof.
When sourcing bearings, architects need to consider various bearing design criteria, including load ratings, operational safety, the life rating of the bearing and the lifecycle cost of the bearing (including maintenance and servicing costs). The bearing supplier can use its expertise and experience to help the architect select the most appropriate, cost effective bearing solution.
The bearings themselves – which might be spherical plain bearings, cylindrical bushings, rod ends or combination bearings – should be maintenance-free if possible. A swing bridge, for example, has little time set aside for maintenance work to be carried out, particularly if the bridge is a major traffic route through a city and has to open and close several times a day to enable ships to pass through.
If the architect or main contractor specifies a bearing themselves, they tend to consider only the maximum loads and movements on the bearing, which unfortunately does not provide a full picture of the application and invariably will lead to incorrect bearing selection, over-engineering or under-engineering. An experienced bearing supplier would also consider the minimum loads and movements on the bearing, as well as the type of movement and the available operating envelope. Why? Because if, for example, a bearing is heavily loaded but well within its load carrying capacity (i.e. lightly loaded), that bearing may suffer from ‘stick-slip’ – a spontaneous juddering motion that occurs while two surfaces within the bearing slide over each other, often causing loud grinding noises, which in most civil engineering projects, would be unacceptable. This condition can be avoided by selecting the appropriate type and size of bearing and/or by applying special low friction coatings to bearing components and surfaces.
For more information, or for a copy of the ‘Bearing supports for Buildings and Structures’ brochure (Ref:PBW), please contact Schaeffler UK’s Marketing Department on info.uk@schaeffler.com
(Schaeffler)
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1.The news above mentioned with detailed source are from internet.We are trying our best to assure they are accurate ,timely and safe so as to let bearing users and sellers read more related info.However, it doesn't mean we agree with any point of view referred in above contents and we are not responsible for the authenticity. If you want to publish the news,please note the source and you will be legally responsible for the news published.
2.All news edited and translated by us are specially noted the source"CBCC".
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