Published Resources Details

Conference Paper

Author
Spratt, Peter
Title
The conservation of Australia's oldest masonry bridges
In
19th Australasian engineering heritage conference: putting water to work: steam power, river navigation and water supply
Editors
Engineers Australia and Engineering Heritage Australia
Imprint
Engineering Heritage Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2017, pp. 454-465
ISBN/ISSN
9781922107923
Url
https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.385303970683780
Subject
Chronological Classification 1788-1900 Applied Sciences Engineering and Technology
Abstract

Australia's Oldest Bridges of their type are in the Island State of Tasmania. Built by convict labour for horse and cart, they are still in use carrying cars, trucks and buses.

Each has unique features. Two have received ground breaking engineering works to conserve them whilst keeping them in service. The third is a gem of carved stonework.

The bridges are Richmond Bridge, Campbelltown Bridge and Ross Bridge.

Each has both material and construction defects which have given continuing problems over their life and which require high level engineering expertise now and into the future.

The bridges are well known for their age, their visual appearance and settings and for being constructed by convicts. Their designers, using the arch concept with its great strength and load carrying ability, have given strong lasting structures capable of carrying vehicular traffic unknown at their time of construction. Their maintenance history has highlighted the lack of technical expertise of their constructors and has required heritage engineers to pay attention to the basics of material science and of structural behaviour.

The design and construction history has been a trigger enabling good conservation practices.

Source
cohn 2018

Related Published resources

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  • 19th Australasian engineering heritage conference: putting water to work: steam power, river navigation and water supply edited by Engineers Australia and Engineering Heritage Australia (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Engineers Australia, 2017), 536 pp. Details

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