Development and Application of Stress Laminated Timber Bridge Decks in Australia

Since that 1990, a major research and development program has been undertaken at the University of Technology,Sydney (UTS), which has successfully established Stress Laminated Timber (SLT) bridge deck Technology inAustralia, resulting in the construction of some 40 prototype bridges nation wide. This R & D program has linkedlaboratory testing with field application and has lead to development of limit states design procedures, construction andmaintenance specifications and training courses for Engineers and construction personnel.This paper presents an overview of both the R & D programs and applications of stress laminated timber technology inAustralia, with an emphasis on the implications of “built-up” technology for timber bridges with spans exceeding 9m.Work undertaken to date indicates that this new technology is structurally efficient and economically viable and hasresulted in the construction of several prototype bridges which will presented as case studies.