WoodWorks hosts Second International Timber Bridges Conference

LAS VEGAS — The Wood Products Council’s WoodWorks program, in partnership with the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, the National Center for Wood Transportation Structures, and the Federal Highway Administration, will host the second International Timber Bridges Conference, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2013, in Las Vegas. Following the success of the 2010 Timber Bridges Conference in Norway, this year’s conference offers global outlooks on topics such as timber bridge design, inspection, field testing, performance monitoring, and management.

At the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to network with an international community of experts on timber bridge design, construction, and management. The conference features three keynote speakers and includes 12 technical sessions and 22 poster sessions.

Keynote presentations include:
• Timber Bridges in the U.S. – Past, Present and Future, presented by Michael Ritter, USDA Forest Products Laboratory;
• Development of Timber Bridges in Brazil: Current Emphasis Areas, presented by Dr. Carlito Calil Junior, Sao Paulo University (Brazil); and
• Norwedgian Timber Bridges: Current Trends and Future Directions, presented by Erik Aasheim, Norwegian Institute of Wood Technology (Norway).

Technical sessions include:
• Bridge Inspection I: Monday, September 30, 2:40 to 4:20 p.m.
• Wood/Concrete Bridges: Monday, September 30, 2:40 to 4:20 p.m.

• Bridge Case Studies I: Tuesday, October 1, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• CLT and Glulam: Tuesday, October 1, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Covered Bridges I: Tuesday, October 1, 1:00 to 2:20 p.m.
• Bridge Inspection II: Tuesday, October 1, 1:00 to 2:20 p.m.
• Covered Bridges: Tuesday, October 1, 2:40 to 4:00 p.m.
• Load Testing: Tuesday, October 1, 2:40 to 4:00 p.m.

• Case Studies II: Wednesday, October 2, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Bridge Durability: Wednesday, October 2, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Field Monitoring: Wednesday, October 2, 1:00 to 2:20 p.m.
• Wood Composites: Wednesday, October 2, 1:00 to 2:20 p.m.

The conference is designed for engineers, architects, contractors, manufacturers, designers, and others with an interest in technical issues related to commercial timber bridge design and construction. To learn more about the WoodWorks program and for information about additional education and training, visit www.woodworks.org.

To register for the conference online visit www.woodworks.org/education-event/ictb-201.