Load Transmission, Fatigue Strength,Riding Comfort and Traffic Safety

with anchor studs for rigid connec-tion to the adjacent conrete. In thecase of steel bridges the edge con-struction is supported on consoles orsupporting girders parallel to theend cross girder.

Riding Comfort and Traffic Safety

Due to the relatively small expan-sion joint surface exposed to trafficcompared to the movements to beaccommodated, the riding comfortis excellent.

The steel surface of the joint divided into small gaps requires no additional treatment to make it skid-proof.

Tests have shown that no significantincrease of the impact effect by thetyre occurs up to a single gap widthof 80 mm for modular expansionjoints. However, it is particularlyimportant that a flush interface isprovided between the road surfaceand the expansion joint.

MAURER Modular Expansion Joints

Expansion joints have the task ofbridging structural gaps by com–plying with the following require-ments:

1. Accommodation of loads and movements bysafe transmission of traffic loadsrigid and shallow anchorage inthe structural componentslow detriment to carriagewaysurfacecontinuous adaption to defor–mations in the structurelow resistance to deformation

2. Durability of joint system and its adjoining components due toabsolute watertightnesshigh fatigue strengthresilience, i.e. unrestrained anddamped support of all movablecomponentsuse of materials resistant toaging, corrosion and wearmaintenance-free design

3. Low noise emission under traffic due toavoidance of surface irregu–laritiessealing elements, which are notsubjected to traffic loadspreloaded bearing componentsmade of high-grade synthetics.

4. Efficiency

Girder Grid Jointtype D 560

Stress optical investigation into theconnection centre beam – support bar

at the technical university of Innsbruck

Anchorage of the edge beam

MAURER Modular Expansion Joints

MAURER Modular Expansion Jointscomprise of steel centre beams arranged in the longitudinal direc-tion of the joint with interposed strip seals. Due to individual gaps being restricted in width several strip seals must be employed in series to accommodate greater movements.Accordingly one or more centrebeams are required between theedge beams, supported on cross barsmovably arranged at one or bothedges of the structural gap.

MAURER Girder Grid Joints

In the MAURER Girder Grid Jointeach centre beam is rigidly weldedto its assigned support bar, thusresulting in a girder grid which iscapable of moving within itself.Control springs arranged betweenthe support bars control the spacingof the centre beams as a function of the overall width of the structuralgap.

The support bars are aligned in thedirection of movement of the struc-ture. Movements deviating from this arrangement can be accommodated to a limited degree.

This straightforward and, therefore,reliable design is highly economicwhen a certain number of sealingelements (2 to 8) is not exceeded.

In situations where limited space isavailable on one side and the move-ment range is unusually large orwhen movements have to be accom-modated in differing directions or for extending the application rangeof MAURER Modular Joints theMAURER Swivel Joist Joint is thealternative.

More than 1.000km of MAURERModular Expansion Joints are inplace worldwide, this figure makingus one of the leaders in Europe andOverseas in the field.

The basis for the design of thislong-life and practically mainte-nance-free modular system is morethan 30 years of research and development in close liaison withestablished technical universitiesand leading scientific institutes,proving its capability of with-standing extreme loading whilstbeing practically maintenance-free.

MAURER Modular Expansion Jointsare designed for road and railwaybridges, parking decks, buildings,ramps, footway bridges, airportsand many other facilities; amongthem such prestigious structures as

River Rhine Bridge A 42 nearDuisburg/GermanyStorebælt East Bridge andOresund Bridge, DenmarkVasco da Gama Bridge, PortugalJiangyin Yangtze River Bridge,China

Safe Load Transmission

Vehicles travelling over the expan-sion joint transmit vertical and horizontal loads to the centrebeams. The section forces resultingfrom the eccentric wheel loads aretransmitted to the support bars by means of the centre beam. Thisbeam acts as a continuous girder.From there they are diverted intothe edges of the structure via thesupporting elements and controlsprings.

The edge beam is rigidly anchoredin the structure. For fatigue reasonsthe traffic loads are transmitted via anchor plates into the adjacent reinforced concrete construction.The support boxes are equipped

Load trans-mission at the centre beam

High Fatigue Strength

Expansion joints are subject to highdynamic stresses due to vehicleloads.

Whilst demonstrating the safe loadcarrying capacity by structural analysis gives a theoretical indica-tion of the suitability of an expan-sion joint. Proving its fatiguestrength is mandatory in estima-ting its lifetime. Expansion jointsare subjected to intensive axle loading.

In field tests the precise load de-formation behaviour was measuredfor various test situations (braking,starting, driving over) and undernormal traffic conditions, fromwhich reliable static systems wereestablished to find out how com-ponents are stressed under wheelloads.

To regulate the various notch categories the fatigue behaviourwas determined on all componentsof the system in the lab using load combinations approximatingto that of actual conditions.

H V

V

M

H

Versatility

Technical approval and independentperiodical inspection acc. to TL/TP-FÜ

8

10

9

113

76

54

21

Continuous in-house and field quali-ty control, the use of high-gradematerials and a quality assurancesystem in keeping with ISO 9001and EN 29001 ensure the highstandard of MAURER Girder GridJoints.

All design elements of MAURERexpansion joints are engineered inhigh-quality materials. All syntheticsused feature excellent resistance toaging, wear and the environment.Relaxation of the control and bearing elements is insignificanteven after decades of service. The sealing elements are insensitive to physical stress.

National regulations are to betaken into account in the choice ofthe corrosion protection system. Werecommend using two-part zinc-richpaint as the primer and epoxy-based micaceous iron as the finish.

Designation Description

Supporting Elements

1 Edge Beam Hot-rolled section of steel grade S 235 JR G2 precision tolerances combining good weldability with notch toughness. Can be both shop and site butt-welded.

2 Centre Beam Hot-rolled section of steel grade S 355 J2 G3 precision tolerances combining good weldability with notch toughness. Can be both shop and site butt-welded by patented system.

3 Support Bar Steel grade S 355 J2 G3, machined for precision tolerances.

Supports

4 Sliding Plate Stainless steel in bridge bearing quality. Sliding surfaces ground and polished. Material no. 1.4401.

5 Sliding Spring Natural rubber steel laminated, vulcanized in place. Sliding surfaces of PTFE.

6 Sliding Bearing Chloroprene rubber with steel spherical inlay vulcanized in place to handle tilt loading. Sliding surfaces of PTFE.

Control Elements

7 Control Spring Cellular polyurethane of high tear strength, insensitive to oil, gasoline, ozone. High resistance to aging, high self-damping.

Sealing Elements

8 Strip Seal 80 Chloroprene rubber or EPDM with high tear strength, resistant to salt water, oil and aging, available in any length. Can be vulcanized in place on site.

Anchorage

9 Carriageway Anchor Steel plate and loop from S 235 JR G2.

10 Anchor Stud St 37K

11 Support Box To accommodate the sliding bearings, sliding springs, control springs and support bars.

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75c

70

e25 40

ab

h

tF f tF

lF

Cross-sectionthru carriageway

at support box

70

a

150 va

r.15

0

t1,Gt1,G flG

150

70

flG

t1,Gt1,G

150

var.

Cross-sectionthru footway

with strip seal80 G withoutfootway cover

plate

f t2,Gt2,G

d

150

var.

Cross-sectionthru footway

guide unit (alternative 1)

Cross-sectionthru carriagewaybetween supportboxes

Cross-section thru footway (alternative 2)

Cross-sectionthru footwaywith cover plate

Cross-sectionthru footwayguide unit (alternative 2)

Cross-sectionthru footway

(alternative 1)

crossgirder

continuousgirder

cantilever

Design and Product DataVersatility

To assist dimensioning, the salientdesign data is listed in the table,whereby departures are possible within certain limits where spaceavailability is restricted. All dimen-sions are nominal and will be deter-mined according to project. Thesedimensions are measured at a rightangle to the axis of the joint and for angles α of 45° to 90° betweenthis axis and the direction of movement. Dimensions for smallerangles or larger movements are available on request.

The form of reinforcement shown ismerely a proposal. For reinforce-ment in the area of the carriage-way and footways we recommend a hoop-shaped reinforcement of weldable 16mm dia. rebar on acentre-spacing of 200mm in conjunction with longitudinal rein-forcement of the joint and a meshreinforcement of the gap beneaththe joist boxes.

Cross-section

Plan view

Salient design features can be seenfrom the following figures:

Support on continuous girder

fixed point

Designing an expansion joint isgoverned by the magnitude anddirection of the main movement ofthe structure in the plane of the carriageway, this being determined in a girder grid joint by the number of expansion gaps and the arrange-ment of the support bars runningparallel to this direction, whereasthe edge and centre beams are located parallel to the edges of thestructure.

In addition to the normal antici-pated movements in the plane ofthe carriageway, a multitude ofsecondary movements can occur.

E.g. rotations ϕz due to irregularincreases in temperature, move-ments uy due to abutment settingsand the resilience of neoprene bearings, movements uz resultingfrom cantilever bridge ends. Also tobe taken into account are move-ments uz resulting from jacking upthe superstructure, for instance,when replacing bridge bearings andfrom the difference between the longitudinal inclination of the carriageway and the horizontal arrangement of the bearings.

The MAURER Girder Grid Joint iscapable of handling all such move-ments safely.

Designing and dimensioning expansion joints in Germany is dic-tated by the TL/TP-FÜ (TechnicalDelivery Instructions and Test Spec-ifications) of the Federal Ministry of Transport. MAURER Girder GridJoints are approved accordinglyand are subjected to independentperiodical inspection.

To determine movements accord to German Standard DIN 1072 consideration has to be given to acombination of the following factors:

thermal effectsprestressshrinkage and creepsuperstructure deformationssubstructure deformations

The following extreme temperatureranges govern the design of expan-sion joints in addition to normalbridge design consideration:

1. For steel and steel/concrete bridges +75°C/-50°C

2. For concrete bridges and bridgeswith rolled beams concreted in place +50°C/-40°C

The expansion joint design can be finalised on the basis of sitetemperature measurements prior

to installation and following finalconnection of the structure with thefixed bearings. The extreme tempera-ture values can then be reduced by

±15°C for bridges according to (1)and±10°C for bridges according to (2)

The functional range of the stripseals is 0 thru 80mm perpendicularto the joint (ux) and – 40 mm thru +40mm parallel to the joint (uy).

All MAURER expansion joints aredesigned to take movements of 80mm per joint gap and thus thetype designation results as a multiple of 80. According to the requirements of ZTV-K (AdditionalTechnical Contract Provisions forEngineering Structures) a movementrange of 5 to 70 mm, thus 65 mm,is allowed in Germany. This limitingvalue applies measured perpendicu-lar to the joint axis.

The total movement “u“ in the main direction of movement can be resolved into the two componentsux and uy perpendicular and parallel to the direction of the joint respectively. Selecting the size ofjoint is governed by the componentux and the maximum permissiblegap width.

Steel BridgeDesign alternatives for connection to steel decks

Concrete Bridgetypical cross-section and plan view foranchorage in reinforced concrete

Support onsingle cantilever

Anchoring in concrete structures is governed by the design data astabulated beside.

For steel structures our engineeringoffices formulate solutions tailoredto individual requirements.

y

x

y

x

u

uq

u

uy ux

uz

MAURERexpansion admissible concrete concrete

joint movement design data recess dimensions gap dimensions

n type a[°] ux uq uz a b c d h tF t1,G t2,G fmin fmax lF lG

2 D160 90°–45° 160 ±10 ±20 150 217 216 255 340 350 335 335 150 200 850 820

3 D240 90°–60° 240 ±15 ±30 270 297 226 255 350 430 355 355 240 320 1100 95059°–45° 246 370

4 D320 90°–60° 320 ±20 ±40 390 377 246 275 370 520 365 365 350 440 1390 108059°–45° 266 390

5 D400 90°–60° 400 ±20 ±50 510 509 266 275 390 650 375 375 460 560 1760 121059°–45° 525 286 410 680 1820

6 D480 90°–60° 480 ±20 ±60 630 588 286 285 410 745 385 400 570 680 2060 134059°–45° 606 306 430 760 2090

7 D560 90°–50° 560 ±20 ±70 750 682 306 285 430 800 395 450 680 800 2280 147049°-45° 687 326 450 850 2380

8 D640 90°–60° 640 ±20 ±80 870 749 306 285 430 890 405 500 790 920 2570 160059°–45° 767 326 450 940 2670

preliminary gap dimension e = 30 mm (all dimensions in mm)

n… number of sealing elementsu... moving direction at superstructureux...movement rectangular to the

joint axisuy...movement in joint direction

(≤ ± n * 40mm)uz... vertical adjustment of the edge

beams in direction zuq...crosswise movement

rectangular to uα... angle between joint axis y

and moving direction

- all dimensions are rectangular to the joint axis y

- a, f and l apply to an adjustment dimension e = 30mm for every joint gap and must be adjusted by n x ∆e in case of deviating dimension

- recesses for footway joists and pipe passages must be considered individually

- smaller gap dimensions by specific structural design

- the gap recess t can be reduced by installing the joint at one edge asymmetrically to the joint

*) *)

type weight (kg/m)

D 160 200D 240 290D 320 400D 400 530D 480 680D 560 830D 640 1040

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Resilient Control,Resilient and Prestressed Support

Watertight Connection, Installation,High Functional Reliability and Low Noise Emission

Resilient Control

MAURER Girder Grid Joints adaptcontinually to deformations in thestructure. The control springs provided between the support bars ensure a uniform distribution of thetotal movement to the individualjoint gaps. Steel stops are providedat the support bars to prevent anopening of the individual gap ofmore than 80mm.

The springs comprise mainly of closed-cell polyurethane, a materialwhich has a proven record of success for spring elements exposedto dynamic and impact stresses. The high permissible deformation(up to 80% compression defor-mation relative to the original freelength) permits the production of elements with high permissiblespring deflection for a compactdesign. The natural damping effectof the material affords vibrationand impact damping of dynamicallystressed components.

The special arrangement of thestops for securing the controlsprings to the support bars has theeffect that the wider the openingof the joint the more the springsare compressed. The springs arecompressed in any opening condi-tion of the joint, the precompres-sion being at a minimum when thejoint is closed. Advantages of thiscontrol system are as follows:

adaptability to production toleranceshigh reliabilitydurabilityinsensitive to movement constraintsnoise dampingsingle gap increase possibleduring repair

The reaction forces resulting fromthe elastic deformations of the stripseals and the control springs areindependent of how many of theseparts are involved because theyfunction as a series arrangement ofsprings.

Resilient and Prestressed Support

The support bars of the MAURERGirder Grid Joint are supported byresilient bearing elements i.e. precompressed spring and slidingbearings, located above and below the support bars respectively in the support boxes. This arrange-ment provides a resilient and sliding support in the direction ofthe structure movement. Pre-compression of the sliding springsprevents the supports from liftingoff the bearings and also compen-sates for manufacturing tolerances.The support resilience also servesto eliminate edge pressure in thesliding surfaces.

To compensate for unavoidable differences in height between theedges of the structure, the slidingbearings have been designed toaccomodate the resultant incli-nation of the support bars and toreduce the torsional stiffness.

The Control Principle

Opened joint, cross-section

Opened joint, plan view

Closed joint, cross-section

Closed joint, plan view

Control of MAURER Girder Grid Joints

Watertight Connection

To protect the adjacent structuralparts from the penetration of dirtand aggressive surface water MAURER Girder Grid Joints featurewatertight strip seals to close thegap between the individual steelbeams watertight. The MAURER stripseal has become most popular inmodular seals systems.

The strip seal is made of EPDM rubber with a bulbous-shaped edge. This is installed in a claw in the edgebeam and centre beams without theneed for additional clamping bars.The connection is watertight andsecure, with the peeling element setbelow the road surface level. It isprotected against direct wheel orsnowplough contact.

With its preformed articulated section it is possible to move thestrip seal in direction x without anyappreciable build-up in reaction forces. Movement in direction z causes deformation of the sealingelement.

Sealing elements can be replacedeven when the individual gaps are ≥25mm. The gap width can be enlarged by moving the centrebeams. This operation is carried outusing special hydraulic equipment.

The bulbous edge section of the sealing element locks it in the steelclaw and is capable of withstandingwheel pressure on any impurities(e.g. stones, grit, snow etc.).

The sealing element adapts to different kinds of joint design andbridge cross sections.

For the protection of the structuralconcrete and the substructures theinterface of the edge beams to thewaterproofing layer(s) of the bridgemust also be watertight. For this purpose the edge beams of MAURERGirder Grid Joints feature an 80 mmwide horizontal steel flange.

Installation

Installation is usually realized by ourspecial fitters and according to thevalid work instructions.

High Functional Reliability

Within their anticipated lifetime nomalfunction of MAURER expansionjoints is expected, but despite this,all synthetic components can be replaced with minimum effort.Touching up the corrosion protec-tion system is required during maintenance as is normal for steel structures.

Low Noise Emission

Carriageway expansion joints alsoadd to this noise, the causes ofwhich have been investigated inextensive research by Maurer Söhneto enable MAURER Girder GridJoints to be optimized in this respect.

Residents in the vicinity of suchexpansion joints find the suddenchange in the noise pattern particu-

Insertion of strip seal into the edge beam

Detail Features

40mm gap width, mid position

Deformation features of the

strip seal

80mm gap width, max. position

150mm gap width, over-expanded position

larly disturbing, the criteria for whichis not so much the noise level asmeasured but the magnitude of thefleeting change in frequency and thepulsed element of the noise pattern,whereby a basic distinction is madebetween noise emitted upwards from the carriageway and the noiseprojected downwards through the gap between the two structural components.

All supporting elements of MAURERGirder Grid Joints which are exposedto traffic loads are supported byhigh-quality resilient synthetics which distinguish such designs from thosehaving rigid support. The structuralgap can be dammed downwards.Maurer Söhne offers tailored solu-tions for each and every application.

Noise control to the top is effectedby optimizing the road surfacingconnection and supporting thewheel when crossing the joint.Angular joint design, finger-type bridging and joint sealing afford relief.

Watertight designof parapet

Horizontal bend and kerb units

Connection of amodular joint to

a single seal joint

Intersection withrail of tram

Special kerb unit

control spring

control spring

stop

Trägerr. Dehnf. Satz 08.08.2002 14:13 Uhr Seite 9

Storebælt East Bridge,Denmark

TGV Viaduct,Avignon

Vasco da GamaBridge, Portugal

Bridge over theRiver Main,

Nantenbach

Yang Pu Bridge, China Oberbaum Bridge, Berlin

Maurer Söhne Head OfficeFrankfurter Ring 193, D-80807 MünchenP.O. Box 44 0145, 80750 München/GermanyPhone ++49/89/3 23 94-0Fax ++49/89/3 23 94-306e-mail ba@maurer-soehne.de Internet www.maurer-soehne.de

Maurer Söhne Main Branch OfficeWestfalendamm 87, D-44141 DortmundP.O. Box 30 04 54, 44234 Dortmund/GermanyPhone ++49/2 31/4 34 01-0Fax ++49/2 31/4 34 01-11

Maurer Söhne Subsidiary PlantKamenzer Str. 4–6, D-02994 BernsdorfP.O. Box 55, 02992 Bernsdorf/GermanyPhone ++49/3 5723/2 37-0Fax ++49/3 5723/2 37-20

BA07

GB·

5000

·12.

98

MAURERGirder Grid Joints

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