MPC
Project Details

Title:	Experimental Wood-Concrete Railroad Bridge
Principal Investigators:	Richard M. Gutkowski
University:	Colorado State University
Status:	Completed
Year:	1999
Project #:	MPC-178

Abstract

Due to increased trainloads in recent decades, a 30% increase in design load requirements for timber trestle railroad bridges is imminent in the AREA design code. Existing bridges are being upgraded to more safely carry increased loads and to avoid potential structural problems leading to costly replacements. Large size solid timbers used in current configurations are increasingly difficult to obtain. Higher design loads will lead to even larger required sizes. The end result of the research is expected to be a prototype two-layer wood-concrete member, with the wood member being half the size of currently used fully solid wood members, thus obviating the industry's concern about lack of available timber sizes.

Project Deliverables

• [Final Report] Load Tests of Large Wood-Concrete Beams — MPC-04-165