ANALYSIS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WOODEN BRIDGES IN THE INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCATIONS IN THE AMAZON REGION
Bridges. Timber. Regional Development. Timber Structures. Sustainable
Structures
Timber, widely used since the beginning of civil construction, stands out for being an easily
accessible and usable material and for having characteristics such as low density, capacity to
resist structural forces and high durability, which allow its use in various types of construction,
such as bridges. Bridges are types of Special Works of Art that enable the connection between
locations by crossing watercourses and that, if built with accessible materials and aligned with
principles of sustainable construction, such as the use of local raw materials and labor, tend to
promote regional development. They play a social and economic role by integrating isolated
regions and strengthening the sense of belonging among the inhabitants of the connected areas.
The dissertation aims to technically analyze the state of conservation and pathologies of timber
bridges in the State of Rondonia, identifying the species used and the most frequent pathologies
that reflect in maintenance of these structures, allowing the identification of implications
regarding the use of projects developed with outdated standards or with the use of absent or
reduced technological knowledge. The aim is also to demystify the widespread use of timber in
bridges as a non-definitive solution due to its low resistance and durability. A bibliographic
review will be carried out on the sources of obtaining timber, its use as a structural component
in bridges and the characteristics of the use of this material in bridges in the state of Rondonia.
Based on the bibliographic research carried out, it will be possible to prepare an inspection and
survey form, which will make it possible to understand how timmber bridges in the region
behave. Based on the information obtained, the aim is to correlate the data on the state's bridges
with the available literature, identifying common problems with timber bridges that give rise to
the prejudice against the use of this material in special works of art. Demystifying the
association of this material with low quality and reduced durability would contribute to the
widespread use of local raw materials through the use of native forest wood from regularized
areas, integrating and promoting the social and economic development of the region, in
correlation with environmental responsibility.