News
Woodworks California to host two Wood Solutions Fairs in January 2010
Woodworks California is hosting two no-cost Wood Solutions Fairs in January 2010:
- January 19 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA
- January 21 at the South San Francisco Convention Center in San Francisco, CA
Wood Solutions Fairs are designed for architects, engineers, and other professionals seeking practical, immediately applicable information about designing and constructing non-residential wood structures. The fairs combine topical seminars with relevant trade booths to deliver a comprehensive learning experience.
For more information and to register for either fair, visit the January 19 Long Beach or January 21 San Francisco web pages.
FPL's SmallWood conference planned for April 2010
The Forest Products Laboratory will host the SmallWood 2010 conference on April 20-22 at the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
This annual conference provides state-of-the-art information on small-tree utilization and fosters peer-to-peer learning. This year's theme, "Bridges, Business, and Biomass,” will include such topics as multi-partnership development, forest health restoration, timber bridge opportunities, extracting energy from woody biomass, and more.
See the conference web page for more information.
National Center for Wood Transportation Structures
The National Center for Wood Transportation Structures (NCWTS) is a center at the Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University (ISU) and is maintained in partnership with the US Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, the Federal Highway Administration, and the National Park Service.
Objective of the NCWTS
To bring together academia, government, and industry to efficiently complete research, demonstration, and education that result in durable, cost effective wood transportation structures to improve the transportation infrastructure of America and the world.
How the NCWTS works
The NCWTS integrates university and government research programs and supports a national demonstration and technology transfer program. It also serves as an international center of excellence with an emphasis on the improved use, durability, and performance of wood transportation structures on primary and secondary roads and the rural transportation infrastructure.
Research may be accomplished entirely by the NCWTS partners but will more commonly be accomplished through cooperative efforts with universities, government agencies, and private industry.
Technology and information transfer is an important and integral part of the program and this internet site was established to provide readily accessible current information related to wood transportation structures research and demonstration including research needs, current projects, and publications.
Filling an important role
More than 25% of the United States' bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The problem is especially critical on rural road systems where wood bridges offer many advantages due to their ease of construction.
The NCWTS can help agencies efficiently utilize naturally sustainable forest resources in appropriate transportation structures.
This joint national program and the creation of the NCWTS are particularly timely and valuable because wood bridges represent more than 27% of the Nation’s bridges and afford an opportunity to efficiently utilize naturally sustainable forest resources.
Learn more about the evolution of this timber bridge research program and the NCWTS.
More information
For further information regarding the National Center for Wood Transportation Structures and this web site, contact us.
Page last updated: January 8, 2010
