Prefabricated articulating pier cap

A pier for supporting a transportation passageway on a column, the pier comprising

• a bearing having a post including an anchor side and a fastener side, a bracket face, and a bearing axis of rotation, the anchor side shaped to fix the bearing to the column:
• a bracket having a substantially flat column face and an arcuate face, the column face shaped to rotate about the bearing axis of rotation relative to the bracket face;
• a cap having a top and a bottom, the top including a plurality of beam supports and the bottom including an arcuate bottom portion, each beam support including a curved surface defining a center of rotation, the arcuate bottom portion shaped to accept the arcuate face of the bracket and having a radial center point defining a cap axis of rotation, the arcuate bottom portion shaped to rotate about the radial center point relative to the arcuate face;
• and
• wherein the bearing axis of rotation, the cap axis of rotation, and the center of rotation of the curved surface of the beam supports are perpendicular.

A prefabricated articulating pier for supporting a transportation passageway on a column, the pier comprising:

• a bearing having a seat face, a first axis of rotation, and a post including an anchor side and a fastener side, the anchor side shaped to penetrate the column and fix the bearing to the column:
• a seat having a substantially flat column face and an arcuate face, the column face shaped to rotate about the first axis of rotation relative to the seat face;
• a cap having a top, a width, a length, and a bottom, the top including a plurality of beam supports and the bottom including an arcuate bottom portion, each beam support including a curved surface defining a second axis of rotation, the arcuate bottom portion shaped to accept the arcuate face of the seat and having a radial center point defining a third axis of rotation, the arcuate bottom portion shaped to rotate about the radial center point relative to the arcuate face wherein the length includes a midpoint, the third axis of rotation being substantially aligned with the midpoint of the length of the cap;
• and
• wherein the first axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation, and the third axis of rotation are perpendicular.

A method of constructing a pier for supporting a transportation passageway on a column, the method comprising:

• a. providing a bearing having a first axis of rotation, a bracket having an arcuate face, prefabricated pier cap having a second axis of rotation and beam supports having a third axis of rotation, and beams;
• b. fixing the bearing on the column about the first axis of rotation to align the transportation passageway;
• c. positioning the bracket on the bearing;
• d. positioning the prefabricated pier cap on the bracket;
• e. optionally independently adjusting the bracket about the first axis of rotation to align the transportation passageway;
• f. optionally independently adjusting the prefabricated pier cap about the second axis of rotation to align the transportation passageway;
• g. positioning the beams on the prefabricated pier cap;
• and
• h. optionally independently adjusting the beams about the third axis of rotation to align the transportation passageway.