3w ago

Why wooden bridges still have a place despite upkeep challenges

www.abc.net.au

Timber bridges have undoubted charm, but their upkeep is complex

From quaint beginnings as log crossings to sophisticated structures of modern transportation, timber bridges are interwoven in Australia's history.

And despite a number of government-owned timber bridges in Australia being in disrepair in the past decade, an engineer says there is still a place for clever uses of wood.

5 comments

It was always a shame watching the old timber bridges get replaced with the comparatively soulless concrete designs, nice to see that some are escaping that treatment.

Trouble is, wood has a much shorter design life and needs a lot more maintenance than concrete. Concrete bridges have a design life of 100 years, while timber will likely need significant refurbishment within 20-40, not to mention constant inspections every year with testboring at 2 year intervals (per AustRoads) and they're often more expensive to build nowadays with the price of timber.
So yeah, they can look cool, but there are far better things to spend our money on.
- @TheCriticalMember Did you read the article?
  Where did you obtain the information regarding the lifespan of a wooden bridge?
  To quote the article:
  Built for a century
  Sunshine Coast Council structures and asset management engineer Simon Prytherick says 17 of the region's existing 138 vehicle bridges are constructed from timber.
  "It's a material that, with proper care and maintenance, can last up to 100 years," he says.
  "Timber is a fantastic choice for bridge construction, due to its sustainability."
  "It can be recycled and reused, has a low carbon footprint, and even stores carbon, making it an environmentally friendly option."
  Mr Prytherick says the council accounted for the challenges of termites, rotting and corrosion around bolts and fittings, and had preventative measures for each.
  He says council undertakes annual inspections and maintenance, with more detailed cross-sectional inspections every five years.
  
  IPWEA (Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia) Bridge Guide. I'm a bridge engineer. That "proper care and maintenance" line is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Sure, you can make timber last that long, but it's maintenance-intensive.