Spherical bearings and pot bearings are two types of high performance structural bearings primarily composed of steel. Through different mechanical configurations, they achieve large tonnage load transfer and multi directional displacement accommodation, making them suitable for engineering locations with demanding requirements for load capacity and deformation performance in long span bridges and large buildings.
Spherical bearings consist of a spherical calotte plate, spherical sliding pairs and guide components, achieving multi directional rotation through spherical contact. They feature flexible rotation and uniform displacement in all directions. The design allows substantial angular deformation, and can be combined with guided or unidirectional sliding devices to achieve fixed, guided sliding or free sliding functional modes. They are widely used at bearing nodes of curved bridges, long span continuous girder bridges and building roof structures.
Pot bearings seal rubber inside a steel pot, utilizing the high elastic modulus generated by rubber under confinement to transfer vertical loads, while achieving horizontal displacement through PTFE sliding surfaces. They offer high load capacity and compact structure, and demonstrate notable advantages in addressing high bearing capacity and compact space needs in long span and large bridge projects.
Both bearing types can be customized with different load capacity grades, displacement ranges and corrosion protection levels according to engineering requirements, to match the specific needs of different structural designs.
