Method for rejuvenating bridge hinges

• US 5,920,938 A
• Filed: 08/05/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stanley D. Elcock, Stanley E. Elcock
• Original Assignee: Stanley D. Elcock, Stanley E. Elcock
• Inventors: Elcock, Stanley E., Elcock, Stanley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graysay, Tamara
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Sunil
• Application Number:
  US08/906,421
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 14/73, 14/73.1, 14/73.5, 14/74.5, 14/77.1, 52/394, 52/396.04, 52/396.1, 52/741.3
• US Class Current: 14/77.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01D 19/04 Bearings E01D19/005 takes precedence; specially for movable bridges E01D15/005 - E01D15/10; Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E01D 22/00 Methods or apparatus for repairing or strengthening existing bridges electrochemical desalination or re-alkalisation C04B41/00; Methods or apparatus for dismantling bridges

Abstract

A method for rejuvenating bridge hinges and bridge abutments for replacement of worn bridge bearing pads. The method can be applied to the insertion of heavy duty pipes for seismic retrofitting of joints in elevated roadways. Throughbores are drilled in the concrete span or abutment for placement of small hydraulic jacks and bearing plates. More than one jack can be used in one throughbore. A jack can be positioned in a throughbore at an angle ranging from the vertical to 45° on either side of vertical for shifting the bridge hinge. The worn bridge bearing pads can either be replaced or left in place, with new bearing pads being added. The throughbores are either left unfilled or filled with concrete or steel pipes.

Claims

1. A method for rejuvenating bridge hinges having at least one shear key and at least one worn bearing pad comprising:

providing a concrete bridge hinge of at least one first cell having an upright chair edge with a back portion and a seat portion as a lower hinge joint, the upright chair mating with an inverted chair edge with a seat portion as an upper hinge joint of at least another second cell, and the seat portions being separated by the at least one worn bearing pad;

drilling a first horizontal cylindrical throughbore through at least one first cell at a location above the seat portion of the upright chair edge proximate to the worn bearing pad and drilling along the same horizontal axis to form a second cylindrical throughbore through the second cell and the inverted chair edge above its seat portion;

placing at least one small hydraulic jack in said second throughbore in a position ranging from the vertical to 45°

from the vertical;

positioning a pair of conforming bearing plates above and below the at least one hydraulic jack;

lifting the seat portion of the inverted chair edge by extending the at least one hydraulic jack a predetermined distance and laterally shifting the position of the upper hinge when said lifting angle is other than the vertical;

replacing said worn bearing pad with a new bearing pad through the first throughbore; and

lowering the at least one hydraulic jack extension to reseat the bridge hinge and removing the at least one hydraulic jack.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second throughbores are left unfilled after removal of the at least one hydraulic jack.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of refilling the first and second throughbores with a material selected from concrete and steel pipes after removal of the at least one hydraulic jack.

4. The method according to claim 1, including the step of placing the new bearing pad on top of the at least one shear key.

5. The method according to claim 1, including the step of adding a second small hydraulic jack in the second throughbore for increasing the lifting capacity.

6. The method according to claim 1, including the step of placing several flat plates between at least one of the pair of bearing plates and the bottom of the at least one hydraulic jack to provide a decrease in pressure in the throughbore and increasing the lifting capacity during the lifting step.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in aligning misaligned hinge joints, further including the steps of positioning the at least one hydraulic jack in said second throughbore up to 45°

toward the shifted direction of the upper hinge joint, jacking the upper hinge joint up several inches, placing a steel shim plate on the bearing pad, lowering the hydraulic jack, repositioning the at least one jack in a vertical position and lifting the upper hinge joint, and replacing the steel shim plate with a new bearing pad.

8. A method for rejuvenating a bridge hinge at an abutment having at least one shear key and at least one worn bearing pad comprising:

providing a concrete bridge abutment step portion and an end of a concrete bridge cell having a seat of an inverted chair edge separated by a worn bearing pad;

drilling a horizontal cylindrical throughbore through the abutment at a location proximate to the worn bearing pad;

placing at least one small hydraulic jack vertically in said throughbore in a position ranging from the vertical to 45°

from the vertical;

positioning a pair of conforming bearing plates above and below the at least one hydraulic jack;

lifting the seat portion of the inverted chair edge by extending the at least one hydraulic jack a predetermined distance and laterally shifting the position of the concrete bridge cell when said lifting is other than the vertical;

replacing the worn bearing pad with a new bearing pad through said throughbore, and

lowering the at least one hydraulic jack extension to reseat the bridge hinge and removing the hydraulic jack.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said throughbore is left unfilled after removal of the at least one hydraulic jack.

10. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of refilling the throughbore with a material selected from concrete and steel pipes after removal of the at least one hydraulic jack.

11. The method according to claim 8, including the step of placing the new bearing pad on top of the at least one shear key.

12. The method according to claim 8, including the step of adding a second small hydraulic jack in the throughbore for increasing the lifting capacity.

13. The method according to claim 8, including the step of placing several flat plates between at least one of the pair of the conforming bearing plates and the bottom of the at least one hydraulic jack to provide a decrease in pressure in the throughbore and increasing the lifting capacity during the lifting step.

14. A method for rejuvenating elevated roadway hinges having at least one shear key and at least one worn bearing pad comprising:

providing a concrete roadway hinge of at least one first cell with a deck and soffit, and having an upright chair edge with a back portion and a seat portion, the upright chair mating with an inverted chair edge with a seat portion of at least another second cell, and the seat portions being separated by the at least one worn bearing pad;

providing an access hole through either the deck or the soffit;

probing the roadway hinge to locate the at least one worn bearing pad;

drilling a first horizontal cylindrical throughbore through the at least one first cell at a location above the seat portion of the upright chair edge proximate to the worn bearing pad and drilling along the same horizontal axis to form a second cylindrical throughbore through the at least another second cell and the inverted chair edge above its seat portion;

placing at least one small hydraulic jack in said second throughbore in a position ranging from the vertical to 45°

from the vertical;

positioning a pair of conforming bearing plates above and below the at least one hydraulic jack;

lifting the seat portion of the inverted chair edge by extending the at least one hydraulic jack a predetermined distance and laterally shifting the position of the hinge when said lifting is other than the vertical;

inserting a seismic resistant pipe through the first throughbore and placing the pipe between the seat portions; and

lowering the extension of the at least one hydraulic jack to reseat the bridge hinge and removing the at least one hydraulic jack.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said first and second throughbores are left unfilled after removal of the at least one hydraulic jack.

16. The method according to claim 14, further including the step of refilling the first and second throughbores with a material selected from concrete and steel pipes after removal of the at least one hydraulic jack.

17. The method according to claim 14, including the step of placing a new bearing pad on top of the shear key.

18. The method according to claim 14, including the step of adding a second small hydraulic jack in the second throughbore for increasing the lifting capacity.

19. The method according to claim 14, including the step of placing several flat plates between at least one of the pair of the conforming bearing plates and the bottom of the at least one small hydraulic jack to provide a decrease in pressure in the throughbore and increasing the lifting capacity during the lifting step.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the lifting step includes the synchronizing of multiple hydraulic jacks to lift the inverted chair edge of an elevated roadway span.