InTrans / Aug 14, 2018
Development of limit states design procedures for timber bridges
Recent work in North America, Europe, and Australia has resulted in the development of Limit States or Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) procedures for timber
bridges. This new approach makes significant departures from the current allowable (working) stress design procedures, which have often been based on the design of
domestic building structures. This paper discusses the development of limit states design procedures for timber bridges in Australia and the United States, with a
particular focus on the design of stress-laminated timber bridge decks and girder bridges. Issues such as characterisation of material properties, reliability, strength, and serviceability are also presented.