How Do Timber Bridges Stack Up Against Other Options?

When people picture modern bridges, they often focus on structures made of steel and concrete. However, timber bridges serve as alternatives in a variety of scenarios. If you're interested in building a bridge using timber, you probably also want to know how this approach stacks up against other options.

Years of Service

According to the USDA, a timber bridge made of materials pressure-treated with the right preservatives can provide 70 or more years of service life. Timber quality is especially important, as is the treatment process. A contractor needs to verify the quality of the timber treatment because of the threat of insect or water damage. However, when done well, this sort of treatment yields excellent results.

For comparison, steel bridges provide 75 or more years of service life. Especially if you plan to build while the commodities market favors pricing for timber, this can make the expected service life a negligible difference.

Notably, these measures are based on government data that measures the performance of the bridges under three- and four-axle vehicle traffic on highways. Yes, there are timber bridges on U.S. highways. Consequently, you can be confident a well-constructed timber bridge will handle everyday vehicle traffic on personal property or even roadways in many towns and cities.

Spans

The longest main spans for timber bridges are over 100 meters, although all these structures are located in the Eastern Hemisphere. The longest timber bridge span in the Western Hemisphere is the Remseck Neckar River Footbridge in Canada at 80 meters. Bear in mind, a location may allow you to build multiple spans.

Concrete bridges radically outperform timber ones in spans. The longest concrete span is located in Japan and travels 1020 meters.

However, this difference means timber bridges are useful for many typical expanses. You will have no trouble spanning a stream, inlet, or even a small river in many instances.

Appearance

One area where timber bridges significantly punch above their weight is looks. Timber bridges offer many customization options. Likewise, the warm appearance of timber makes it ideal for use in historical preservation projects, country settings, or scenic areas. Covered timber bridges are excellent tourist draws, too.

Bracings for timber bridges also allow you to take structural elements and make them aesthetically pleasing. Especially if you want to span an area where people drive or walk, viewers will enjoy looking at the patterns of the bracings.

With the exception of stone, few alternative materials can compete with timber on looks. Concrete and steel bridges rarely look as impressive.

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