Preliminary Analysis and Instrumentation of Large-Span Three-Sided Reinforced Concrete Culverts
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper investigates the structural performance and soil–culvert interaction of large-span precast concrete three-sided culverts (TSCs). Three TSCs with flat top slabs have been instrumented with 30 pressure cells and 56 strain gauge vibrating wire sensors. The test culverts cover a range of spans from 7.3 to 13.5 m, each under a different installation condition. The instrumentation plans were established based on the results of three-dimensional finite-element analyses. This paper makes a contribution to (1) recommendations on the design of instrumentation plan and sensors selection criteria; (2) details of the instrumentation installation procedure and corresponding modifications to accommodate specific conditions of each culvert; and (3) field measurements and analysis of the data from a culvert covered with 3.2 m of backfill soil. Useful guidelines are provided for instrumenting similar structures. The field data were used to evaluate the current design practice and evaluate the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CSA 2014) provision regarding earth loads on TSCs. The obtained data reveal the nonuniform distribution of the earth pressures on the top slab with an average vertical arching factor of 1.05. Also, the strain gauge measurements indicate the development of bending moment at the base of the sidewall, which was attributed to the rotation of the strip footing predicted from the developed preliminary numerical analysis.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Abaqus. 2013. Version 6.13 documentation. Providence, RI: Dassault Systems Simulia Corp.
ACI (American Concrete Institute). 2014. Building code requirements for structural concrete (ACI 318-14) and commentary (ACI 318R-14). ACI 318R-14. Farmington Hills, MI: ACI.
Balachandran, K., J. Liu, L. Cao, and S. Peaker. 2015. “Statistical correlations between pressuremeter modulus and SPT N-value for glacial tills.” In Proc., 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conf. and 7th Canadian Permafrost Conf. Richmond, BC, Canada: Canadian Geotechnical Society.
Beach, T. J. 1988. Load test report and evaluation of a precast concrete arch culvert. Rep. No. 1191. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Bennett, R. M., S. M. Wood, E. C. Drumm, and N. R. Rainwater. 2005. “Vertical loads on concrete box culverts under high embankments.” J. Bridge Eng. 10 (6): 643–649. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0702(2005)10:6(643).
Chen, B., and L. Sun. 2014. “Performance of a reinforced concrete box culvert installed in trapezoidal trenches.” J. Bridge Eng. 19 (1): 120–130. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0000494.
CSA (Canadian Standard Association). 2014. Canadian highway bridge design code. CAN/CSA-S6-14. Rexdale, ON, Canada: CSA.
CSI (Computers and Structures, Inc.). 2020. SAP2000 integrated software for structural analysis and design. Berkeley, CA: CSI.
Dunnicliff, J. 1988. Geotechnical instrumentation for monitoring field performance. New York: Wiley.
Manzari, M., A. Drevininkas, D. Olshansky, and A. Galaa. 2014. “Behavioral modeling of Toronto glacial soils and implementation in numerical modeling.” In Proc., 67th Canadian Geotechnical Conf. Richmond, BC, Canada: Canadian Geotechnical Society.
Marr, W. A. 1999. “Uses of automated geotechnical instrumentation systems.” In Field instrumentation for soil and rock, edited by G. N. Durham and W. A. Marr, 36–50. ASTM STP 1358. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Marshall, J. D., J. B. Anderson, R. L. Meadows, and T. J. Jensen. 2014. “Full-scale testing of three-sided precast concrete arch sections.” J. Bridge Eng. 19 (12): 04014051. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0000630.
McGrath, T. J., I. D. Moore, E. T. Selig, M. C. Webb, and B. Taleb. 2002. Recommended specifications for large-span culverts. Rep. No. 473. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
McGrath, T. J., and E. T. Selig. 1996. Instrumentation for investigating the behavior of pipe and soil during backfilling. Rep. No. NSF96-442P. Amherst, MA: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts.
McGrath, T. J., E. T. Selig, and T. J. Beach. 1996. Structural behavior of three-sided arch span bridge. Rep. No. 1541. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
McGrath, T. J., Selig, E. T., and Webb, M. C. 1999. “Instrumentation for monitoring buried pipe behavior during backfilling.” In Field instrumentation for soil and rock, edited by G. Durham and W. Marr, 101–118. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario). 2010. Frost penetration depths for Southern Ontario. Ontario Provincial Standard Drawing OPSD 3090. Toronto: MTO.
Perkins, S. W., and J. A. Lapeyre. 1997. Instrumentation of a geosynthetic-reinforced flexible pavement system. Rep. No. 1596. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Ramadan, S. H., and M. H. El Naggar. 2021a. “Field monitoring and numerical analysis of a large-span three-sided reinforced concrete culvert.” J. Geotech. Eng. 147 (4): 04021008. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002489.
Ramadan, S. H., and M. H. El Naggar. 2021b. “Structural performance of a medium-span RC three-sided culvert based on field measurements and numerical analyses.” Can. Geotech. J. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2020-0574.
Sama, M., D. W. Sykora, and A. Vytiniotis. 2015. “Vertical pressures produced by controlled low strength material (CLSM) poured into pipe trenches.” In IsnowEE, 429–441. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Seed, R. B., J. M. Duncan, and C. Y. Ou. 1991. “Finite element analysis of compaction problems.” In Vol. 4 of Advanced geotechnical analysis-development in soil mechanics and foundation engineering, edited by P. K. Banerjee and R. Butterfield, 1–30. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
Sousa, H. 2020. “Advanced FE modeling supported by monitoring toward management of large civil infrastructures: The case study of Lezíria Bridge.” Struct. Concr. 21: 1309–1320. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.201900382.
Tadros, M. K., J. V. Benak, A. M. Abdel-Karim, and K. A. Bexten. 1989. Field testing of a concrete box culvert. Rep. No. 1231. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Vaslestad, J., T. H. Johansen, and W. Holm. 1993. Load reduction on rigid culverts beneath high fills: Long-term behavior. Rep. No. 1415. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Webb, M. C., E. T. Selig, and T. J. McGrath. 1999. “Instrumentation for monitoring large-span culverts.” In Field instrumentation for soil and rock, edited by G. Durham and W. Marr, 66–86. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Wood, S. M. 2000. “Internal forces in a reinforced concrete box culvert.” Master’s thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering. Univ. of Tennessee.
Yang, M. Z. 2000. “Evaluation of factors affecting earth pressures on buried box culverts.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering. Univ. of Tennessee.
Yang, M. Z., E. C. Drumm, R. M. Bennett, and M. Mauldon. 1999. “Measurement of earth pressures on concrete box culverts under highway embankments.” In Field instrumentation for soil and rock, edited by G. Durham and W. Marr, 87–100. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Zoghi, M., and D. N. Farhey. 2006. “Performance assessment of a precast concrete, buried, small arch bridge.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil. 20 (3): 244–252. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3828(2006)20:3(244).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 2 • February 2022
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 24, 2021
Accepted: Aug 17, 2021
Published online: Nov 26, 2021
Published in print: Feb 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Apr 26, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Shuhong Liu, Jiajun Duan, Jinlu Fan, Yongquan Zhu, Stress and Displacement of Deep-Buried Composite Lining Tunnel under Different Contact Conditions, Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 10.1155/2023/7467290, 2023, (1-11), (2023).
- Safwat H. Ramadan, M. Hesham El Naggar, Structural performance of a medium-span RC three-sided culvert based on field measurements and numerical analyses, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 10.1139/cgj-2020-0574, 59, 2, (177-190), (2022).
- Safwat H. Ramadan, M. Hesham El Naggar, Effect of large-span three-sided culvert configuration on its performance at service and ultimate loading conditions, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 10.1016/j.tust.2021.104346, 122, (104346), (2022).