by Rebecca Wallace, Public Affairs Specialist

Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) researchers have a long history of successful partnerships with a vast array of organizations, from industry to academia, non-government to government organizations, and tribes to trade associations. Combining ideas, skills, expertise, lab facilities, and equipment with various partners has expanded its capabilities-and those of its partners-to everyone's benefit. Here is one example of a longstanding, productive partnership between FPL and academia.

A current Iowa State University research project involves a needs assistant for advancing timber utilization in mainline and short-line railroad applications. A cooperative research project with Iowa State University involved remote monitoring of historic covered timber bridges in Madison County to prevent arson and vandalism.

Iowa State University Bridge Engineering Center

The Bridge Engineering Center (BEC) at Iowa State University was established in 1986 and is now a part of the Center for Transportation Research and Education. The mission of the BEC is to conduct research on technologies to help bridge designers and owners design, build, and maintain long-lasting bridges.

According to BEC Director Terry Wipf, the Center's primary research focuses on four areas:

• Field testing and monitoring the structural health of bridges
• Monitoring and evaluating bridge construction and performance
• Designing and evaluating low-volume bridges
• Strengthening and rehabilitating bridges.

For over 20 years, the BEC has had a longstanding partnership with the FPL. One collaborative project focused on evaluating glued laminated bridges. Bridges throughout the United States were tested to establish structural performance characteristics. The test results were used to help in validating and developing a bridge design specification for wood bridges.

A current collaborative effort is focused on developing "smart timber structure" technology, which involves placing sensors in or on newly constructed wood bridges, enabling continuous monitoring and evaluation of the long-term performance of bridge components. A better understanding of typical in-place behavior will lead to improved bridge durability.

Partnership efforts between FPL and the BEC have focused mainly on improving the national bridge infrastructure. "We believe that this partnership has had a positive impact at the national level, particularly with the creation of national design standards and design specifications for wood bridges," said Wipf.