Bridge Bearings Market By Bearing Type (Elastomeric Bearings, Pot Bearings, Spherical Bearings, Roller Bearings, Sliding Bearings, Other Specialized Bearings); By Material (Steel, Elastomer, PTFE [Polytetrafluoroethylene], Composite Materials, Other Materials); By Application (Highway Bridges, Railway Bridges, Pedestrian Bridges, Other Bridge Types); By Geography, Segment Revenue Estimation, Forecast, 2024–2032.

The bridge bearings market was $1,237 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $2,003 million by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2023 to 2030. This growth is attributed to factors such as rising investments in infrastructure development annually, safety concerns in bridges, and developments in the materials and technologies used in bearings.

 

Bridge bearings are vital connection elements in bridge construction, designed to transfer loads while accommodating movements due to thermal changes, seismic activities, or the weight of the bridge itself. These bearings provide structural support for bridges through restricted movement and restriction of excess forces on bridge parts. Many new construction projects require the use of bridge bearings in the structure due to the dynamic nature of the environment or high traffic flow.

 

Market Dynamics

New Material Innovations: Revolutionizing Bridge Bearing Efficiency and Durability

The Increase in Infrastructure Development Globally: Global infrastructure investment is the major force behind the growth of the bridge bearings market. China invested heavily in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which plans to build thousands of kilometers of roads and bridges to help accelerate demand for bridge bearings. In 2022, China spent $1.1 trillion on infrastructure for the development of transport systems.

 

Rising Demand on Structural Safety and Maintenance of Bridges: Decaying infrastructure across developed countries is forcing government authorities to refurbish or build new bridges. For instance, the American Society of Civil Engineers claims that about 40% of all bridges in the United States are over 50 years old and require repair or replacement. Bridge bearings play considerable roles in retrofit works to increase the service life of these structures.

 

New Age Technologies of Bearing Material: Recent developments in materials like elastomeric rubber, PTFE, and organic and inorganic composites have made bridge bearings stronger and more efficient. For example, corporations like Mageba are working on spherical bearings with integrated lubrication, decreasing maintenance expenses and overall use costs.

 

Innovative Seismic Technologies: Unlocking Growth Potential for Bridge Bearings

The use of Seismic Isolation Bearings: Special bearings useful in regions with earthquakes, including lead-rubber bearings (LRBs) and friction pendulum bearings, have reflected high growth potential. Developed countries such as Japan, the United States, and Italy are installing seismic isolation bearings in newly constructed bridges to improve the structure's ability to withstand earthquakes. Advanced seismic isolation technology, which was unveiled after the 2011 disaster, was brought to the limelight in the reconstruction of Kamishi Bridge in Japan.

 

Increased Market Demand in the Emerging Economies: Developing countries like Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America are experiencing an acceleration of investment in transport systems. The government of India has planned to construct more than one lakh kilometers of new roads by 2030, connecting mainly rural areas, which will increase the use of bridge bearings in these zones.

 

The Complexity of Retrofitting: Addressing Challenges in Upgrading Old Bridges

High Initial Cost and Research linked with Advanced Bearings: New-generation bearings, like seismically isolated bearings, have very high initial costs when incorporated into bridges. For example, friction pendulum bearings can cost as much as 20-30% more than conventional bearings and it hampers their use in competitively priced markets.

 

The complicated procedure of retrofitting: The process of adding new bearings to old bridges is time-consuming and requires a significant amount of skill and resources, which can be challenging for governments with limited budgets. For example, the recent rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York involved the replacement of over 5,000 bearings, highlighting the complexity of these projects.

 

From Highway to Pedestrian Bridges: Applications Driving Bridge Bearing Demand

By Bearing Type

• Elastomeric Bearings

• Pot Bearings

• Spherical Bearings

• Roller Bearings

• Sliding Bearings

• Other Specialized Bearings

 

By Material

• Steel

• Elastomer

• PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene)

• Composite Materials

• Other Materials

 

By Application

• Highway Bridges

• Railway Bridges

• Pedestrian Bridges

• Other Bridge Types

 

By Region

• North America

• Europe

• Asia-Pacific

• Latin America

• Middle East & Africa

 

Steel Bearings Supporting Mega Structures Worldwide

Leading Segment: Elastomeric Bearings

Elastomeric bearings dominate the market due to their advantages, such as relatively low cost and broad usage in highway and railway bridges. They are made from laminated rubber and steel, hence their flexibility and good load-bearing capacity.

 

Material Segment: Steel

Steel is the widely used material in bridge bearings because of its strength and durability. It is used in big bridges that are burdened with traffic loads, such as France’s Millau Viaduct, where pot bearings are used for support.

 

Asia-Pacific’s Infrastructure Surge: The Largest Market for Bridge Bearings

The Asia-Pacific was the largest regional market, with 40% of the market in 2023. The growth of this region is attributed to the large-scale infrastructure spending in countries like China and India. For example, China had been constructing over 26,000 kilometers of highways in 2022, and hundreds of bridge bearings are needed with every structure.

 

North America continues to be a large market because of years of deteriorating infrastructure and an escalation in retrofitting activities. The bearings demand was also fueled by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in the U.S. in 2021, which dedicated $110 billion for bridge construction and repair.

 

The Keyplayers of Bridge Bearings Industry

• Mageba SA

• Freyssinet

• CCL

• VSL International Ltd.

• Gumba GmbH & Co. KG

• RJ Watson Inc.

• Ekspan Ltd.

• DS Brown

• Trelleborg AB

• Maurer SE

 

Bridge Bearings in Focus: Fueling Future Infrastructure Growth

There is consistent growth potential in the bridge bearings market  in future as global investment in infrastructure systems emerges rapidly. Potential growth is anticipated in the demand for premium bearings that solve the problems of seismic adequacy, long-term bearing capacity, and minimum maintenance. Innovative practices are anticipated to be fueled by 3D-printed bearings and smart monitoring systems.

 

Emerging markets in Asia-Pacific and Africa will lead sales growth as governments boost investments in infrastructure and city development. Therefore, the structure of the bridge bearings market will be instrumental in shaping the future of infrastructure worldwide. Businesses that focus on investments in research and development, expansion into regions, and providing cheaper solutions will be poised to benefit from this market in the future.