Contained in this paper is a discussion on the procedures for evaluating the ultimate
strength of timber deck bridges. Three structural systems are considered: sawed timber
stringers, nailed laminated decks, and prestressed laminated decks. The load and
resistance are treated as random variables. Their parameters are determined on the basis of
material tests, load surveys, and analysis. The bridge performance is measured in terms of
the reliability index. Various safety analysis methods are discussed. The procedures used in …