The European Influence on Laminated Timber Arch Bridges in Colonial Australia, 1852-90

Title
The European Influence on Laminated Timber Arch Bridges in Colonial Australia, 1852-90
Publication Date
2016
Author(s)
Glencross-Grant, Rex
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7117-8349
Email: rglencro@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rglencro
Berger, Ian
Editor
Editor(s): Josef Eberhardsteiner, Wolfgang Winter, Alireza Fadai, Martina PÓ§ll
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Technische Universitat Wien, Vienna University of Technology
Place of publication
Vienna, Austria
UNE publication id
une:20297
Abstract
This paper investigates the strong European influence on timber bridge design and construction in the early Australian colonies. This investigation found that, whilst laminated timber arch bridges were expedient and cost-effective in the short term in the early Australian colonies, they presented maintenance and durability problems in the longer term. As a result they were progressively replaced by more effectively designed large span timber truss, metal or later concrete bridges. Considerable knowledge and artisan skills were acquired during this period in building such large structures with limited resources, other than natural materials and ingenuity. Nevertheless these bridges very admirably fulfilled their intended purpose until traffic loading and volume increased and alternative material costs decreased sufficiently to warrant eventual replacement.
Link
Citation
WCTE 2016 e-book: containing all full papers submitted to the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE 2016), p. 3066-3075
ISBN
9783903024359
Start page
3066
End page
3075

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