Current　sliding-bearing　designs　do　not　make　full　use　of　the　stiffness　and　potential　ability　of　sliding　piers　in　the　aseismic　design　of　continuous　bridges.　Aiming　at　the　problem　that　the　demand　on　the　only　fixed-pier　force　and　beam-end　longitudinal　displacement　is　too　large　under　longitudinal　direction　earthquakes,　an　aseismic　design　idea　of　a　continuous　bridge　is　proposed　based　on　coloading　of　all　piers　by　installing　locking　balls　between　the　sliding　piers　and　the　continuous　girder.　This　device　can　also　handle　displacement　caused　by　rise　and　drop　in　temperature.　When　a　strong　earthquake　occurs,　the　locking　ball　is　activated,　and　the　locking　connections　between　the　girder　and　the　sliding　piers　were　built　to　let　the　sliding　piers　carry　the　longitudinal　seismic　load　of　the　superstructure　in　conjunction　with　the　fixed　pier.　A　vibration-table　experiment　on　a　three-span　continuous　bridge　with　a　scale　of　1:　25　was　conducted,　and　results　were　compared　with　finite-element　model　(FEM)　simulations.　The　aseismic　effect　and　the　mechanism　of　the　locking　ball　on　the　continuous　bridge　were　analyzed.　The　results　showed　that　the　sliding　piers　can　bear　the　longitudinal　seismic　load　of　the　upper　structure　in　conjunction　with　the　fixed　pier　under　strong　earthquake　conditions　and　can　improve　the　overall　aseismic　performance　of　the　continuous　bridge　significantly.　Meanwhile,　the　seismic　demands　on　the　sliding　piers　increased.　The　number　of　spans　and　the　length　of　the　continuous　girder　had　an　influence　on　the　locking-ball　aseismic　effect.　However,　the　variation　of　temperature　had　little　influence　on　the　aseismic　effect　of　the　locking　ball.　(C)　2017　American　Society　of　Civil　Engineers.