Predicting the remaining life of timber bridges

Abstract

This paper documents the current state of knowledge relating to the deterioration of timber bridges in Australia. The aim of this research, was to comprehend the present state of knowledge regarding maintenance of timber bridges and address any gap in knowledge. This involved: Identifying key defects in timber, investigating the inspection methods utilised to detect these faults and finding the preventive measures used to mitigate bridge deterioration. Enclosed are figures which demonstrate how simple industry practices and procedures implemented by each states’ governing authority can reduce these impacts and concludes with an empirical model for predicting the remaining lifespan of a bridge.