Timber Bridges: State‐of‐the‐art

Abstract

Extensive research conducted during the past several decades has led to significant design advancements related to the use of wood as a highway bridge construction material. Factors which have contributed to the renewed use of wood in the field of bridge construction include the development of new wood composite products and manufacturing techniques, improvements in preservative treatment methods for resisting decay, developments of new wood bridge system concepts, advancements in timber bridge design and analysis techniques and the consequences of the need to conserve natural resources. Woods' high strength to weight ratio, ease of fabrication and installation and natural renewability as a resource make it a highly viable material for consideration in bridge construction. This paper summarizes recent timber bridge research activities and traces the evolution of the modern timber bridge to its current form.