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Timberbond Glulam
bridges offer an extensive list of advantages - high level of off site
prefabrication, quick site erection time, high strength to weight ratio,
aesthetics which are appealing in any environment, the ability to source
from renewable resources, plus many other effective and economic answers.

Glulam's low weight
to strength ratio means craning and manhandling is dramatically reduced.
Glulam has stability over other construction materials because it resists
thermal movement and distortions. Assembly costs are minimised because
most bridges can be prefabricated off site. The ease of drilling and cutting
glulam means that on-site installations are quick and economical.
Bridge installation
requires abutments or piers to be installed at each end of the bridge
to support the structure. The most common type of bridge consists of girders
or stringers that cover the span. A deck is placed on top of the glulam
girders to support the required load, whether that be pedestrian or vehicle.
Decking is placed perpendicular to the girders and can consist of sawn
lumber planks or glued-laminated timber deck panels. When timber decks
are used, timber-running planks are typically placed over the decking
to serve as a replaceable wearing surface.

Wood is a desirable
bridge construction material for several reasons. It is a renewable resource
that is resistant to the effects of de-icing agents and can sustain substantially
higher loads over a short period of time. It is lightweight and easier
to fabricate and construct, and it can be constructed in any type of weather
without affecting the material. Wood is orthotropic which means that its
material properties vary in different directions. Strength is greatest
in the direction parallel to the grain and is weakest perpendicular to
the grain. The material properties of wood also vary between different
species of wood.
As mentioned, the
most common glulam bridges used today are girder bridges and longitudinal
deck (or slab) bridges, however due to the inherent properties of arches
they can be a very effective means to construct bridges.
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