Bridges

The Howe truss was patented in USA initially in 1840 and again in 1850 and went on to become one of the primary timber truss designs used in North America. The adaptation of the Howe truss in NSW into the two distinct forms known as the “Allan” and “Dare” trusses is well documented, though its usage elsewhere in Australia is largely ignored. This paper will briefly describe the extent of this usage and suggest the manner in which some of the bridge engineering knowledge required for their construction was transmitted.