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What do bridge bearings do when a bridge expands or contracts?
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bridge
The multiple-span Seto Great Bridge over the Inland Sea, linking Kojima, Honshu, with Sakaide, Shikoku, Japan.
Bridge bearings are essential components in bridge engineering that allow a structure to react to temperature-induced expansion and contraction without sustaining damage. When bridge materials expand or contract due to heat and cold, these bearingsālocated at the abutments and the tops of piersāenable the bridge to move safely. By accommodating this movement, the bearings prevent the buildup of detrimental stress within the bridge's materials, which could otherwise compromise the structural integrity of the bridge.1