PROTOTYPE PRESTRESSED WOOD BRIDGE

The transverse prestressing of wood was conceived of in 1976 as a method for rehabilitating nailed laminated wood decks. Using high-strength prestressing steel, a permanent pressure is introduced normal to the direction of the laminations to provide high interlaminate shear strength and improved load distribution. The success of this new concept in rehabilitation resulted in its becoming the subject of a major research and development program conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MTC). The extensive work performed by MTC over the past 7 years has led to the formulation of a set of comprehensive design specifications for prestressed wood. The objective of this paper is to outline the design, construction, and load testing of the world's first new prestressed wood bridge. The bridge was designed by MTC and constructed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) over the West River, on a logging access road, near Espanola, Ontario, in 1981. The design process with reference to the new design specifications, which have since been adopted by the Ontario Highway Bridge Design Code, is discussed. The field construction is outlined highlighting the prefabrication and assembly of the prestressed wood superstructure. The load testing of the bridge in 1982 and the subsequent evaluation of the test results are described. The MNR determined that the West River bridge cost only two-thirds of the steel structure originally proposed for that site. The load testing and subsequent evaluation indicated that this prestressed wood bridge is an extremely rigid structure with considerable reserve strength.

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; Photos; References;
  • Pagination: pp 110-122
  • Monograph Title: Second bridge engineering conference. volumes 1 and 2
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00390854
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 03090036593
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM