Wood Bridge In Netherlands As Strong as Steel and a Lot Prettier

Have I mentioned that I love wood as a building material? If sustainably harvested it provides a strong, beautiful material that can last for centuries and sequester CO2 the whole time. People have built bridges from it forever, but in such exposed circumstances they don't last forever.

But now there are better wood preservation techniques, and Kris De Decker of No Tech Magazine points us to a lovely new bridge in the Netherlands, purported to be the first wooden bridge in the world that can support the heaviest load class of 60 tons.

treated by acetylation

This is done by reacting the wood with acetic anhydride, which comes from acetic acid (known as vinegar when in its dilute form)

the ability of the wood to adsorb water is greatly reduced, rendering the wood more dimensionally stable and, because it is no longer digestible, extremely durable

enabling locally sourced woods to be used outdoors without toxic treatments