Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of Elastomeric Bearings

🔧 Tools & Technologies:

ABAQUS, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Thermo-Mechanical Simulation, Elastomeric Materials, Bridge Engineering

📄 Overview

This project involved conducting a detailed thermo-mechanical analysis of elastomeric bridge bearings, which are nearly incompressible materials designed to support girders while accommodating thermal and structural movements. The analysis aimed to understand how heat is generated and propagated under real-world bridge conditions.

🎯 Objectives

• Simulate the thermal and mechanical behavior of elastomeric bearings under bridge load conditions

• Study heat generation and its effect on material deformation and durability

• Leverage FEA to optimize bearing performance in variable thermal environments

🧠 What I Did (Role: Project In Charge)

• Modeled the elastomeric bridge bearing using ABAQUS for finite element analysis

• Simulated both mechanical loading and thermal variations to assess real-life conditions

• Analyzed heat propagation and stress distribution within the elastomeric material

• Evaluated material behavior under rotational and translational deformations

• Conducted the project in collaboration with Engineer Materials Inc., combining academic research with practical engineering insight