A comprehensive taxonomy for structure and material deficiencies, preventions and remedies of timber bridges

Abstract As timber bridges have become archaic, they are no longer able to effectively service their community. It is neither practical, nor possible, to replace all existing timber bridges, hence it is of paramount importance to maintain and extend the service life of those remaining timber bridges. The following discourse intends to provide an extensive and comprehensive review of the various deterioration mechanisms, the preventive actions and possible remedial options for management and maintenance of timber bridges. The classified information has been summarised in a tabular format and presented as a ready-reckoner taxonomy for quick reference. This taxonomy is purely a re-staetment of the information already covered in the paper, but when presented in the summary form, reference becomes highly convenient.