Seismic Design and Analysis of Buried Culverts and Structures
Publication: Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 1, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper presents a method to analyze and evaluate buried culverts and cut-and-cover tunnels for seismic loading in addition to standard static loading from dead and live loads. Using CANDE-2007, a plane-strain finite-element program, the soil-structure problem is characterized by a cross-sectional slice through the structure and surrounding soil envelope. First, the static-design loads are applied with a series of incremental load steps. Next, the seismic loading condition is simulated by specifying quasistatic displacements at the peripheral boundaries of the soil envelope to produce a shear-racking distortion equivalent to the maximum free-field seismic shear strain from the design earthquake. The proposed method is based on two recently completed NCHRP projects and is presented here in detail. An initial linear-elastic study investigates two basic culvert shapes, circular and rectangular, wherein moment and thrust distributions from CANDE-2007 are shown to compare favorably with closed-form solutions. A second study investigates a nonlinear reinforced concrete box culvert installation under the combination of static and seismic loadings. Plots of moment, thrust, and shear distributions show how and where the seismic loading alters the response of static loading including the effect on safety factors for steel yielding, concrete crushing, and shear failure. It is concluded that the proposed seismic method is rational, easy to apply, and fulfills an engineering need heretofore unfulfilled. The procedure applies to any culvert shape, size, and material, and the safety of the culvert installation may be assessed either by working stress or load resistance factor design.
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Acknowledgments
Contech Construction Products Incorporated sponsored this research effort for the purpose of providing their engineering team with the capability to design large culverts and cut-and-cover tunnels to withstand design earthquake loads.
References
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. (2007). “AASHTO LRFD bridge design specifications.” 4th Ed. with 2008 Interim Revisions.
Anderson, D. G., Martin, G. R., Lam, I., and Wang, J. N. (2008). “Seismic analysis and design of retaining walls, buried structures, slopes and embankment.” NCHRP Rep. No. 611, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
ATC/MCEER Joint Venture. (2002). “Comprehensive specification for the seismic design of bridges.” NCHRP Rep. No. 472, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Katona, M. G., Mlynarski, M., and McGrath, T. J. (2008). “Modernize and upgrade CANDE for analysis and LRFD design of buried culverts.” NCHRP Rep. No. 619, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Transportation Research Board (TRB). (2009). “CANDE upgrade project.” CANDE-2007, NCHRP 15-28, ⟨http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=408⟩ (Feb. 8, 2010).
United States Geological Survey (USGS). (2010). “Seismic design maps and tools for engineers.” ⟨http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/design/⟩ (Mar. 30, 2010).
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© 2010 ASTM International.
History
Received: Oct 1, 2009
Accepted: Apr 12, 2010
Published online: Apr 22, 2010
Published in print: Aug 2010
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