Field Test Performance of Buried Flexible Pipes under Live Truck Loads
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 29, Issue 5
Abstract
The objectives of this study are to determine the short-term performance for shallowly buried [2,438 mm (up to 8-ft burial depth)] flexible pipes, evaluate joint performance requirements, and verify AASHTO design assumptions in the light of field test data from in situ measurements. The installation, instrumentation, and field test procedures are presented for high-density polyethylene (HDPE), PVC, and metal pipes under 2D, 1D, and 0.5D burial depths, where D is the pipe diameter. The field test is performed on 914 mm (36 in.) and 1,219 mm (48 in.) pipe diameters. A tandem dump truck is selected for the pipes under 2D burial depth, while the Florida Department of Transportation truck is adopted for the pipes under 0.5D and 1D burial depths. The field test results are presented in terms of the soil pressure distribution around the cross section, as well as the vertical and horizontal pipe diameter changes during construction and under the live load. Special emphasis is given to circumferential wall strains. The validity of the modified Iowa and Meyerhof formulae proposed to predict the horizontal deflection of buried pipes is also investigated.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The field test work was performed in the FDOT Structures Research Center in Tallahassee, Florida. The FDOT technician staff and engineers are gratefully acknowledged for their effective contribution to the various aspects of the laboratory testing. Special thanks are due to Adnan Al-Saad, P.E., former project manager, whose dedication and hard work on the project are gratefully acknowledged. The authors are grateful to T. Limpeteeprakarn, N. Wang, and N. Butrieng, research assistants, for their assistance in data processing and report preparation.
References
AASHTO. (1998a). “Standard method of test for helical lock seam corrugated pipe.” T249-93, Washington, DC.
AASHTO. (1998b). “Standard specifications for corrugated polyethylene pipe, 300- to 1200-mm diameter.” M294-98, Washington, DC.
AASHTO. (2002). LRFD bridge construction specifications, Washington, DC.
Arockiasamy, M., Chaallal, O., and Limpeteeprakarn, T. (2006). “Full-scale field tests on flexible pipes under live load application.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 21–27.
ASTM. (2000a). “Standard specification for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) corrugated sewer pipe with a smooth interior and fittings.” F949-00, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2000b). “Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort.” D698-00, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2011a). “Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (unified soil classification system).” D2487-11, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2011b). “Standard test method for standard penetration test (SPT) and split-barrel sampling of soils.” D1586-11, West Conshohocken, PA.
Chaallal, O., Arockiasamy, M., and Godat, A. (2013). “Laboratory tests to evaluate mechanical properties and performance of flexible pipes for culverts and storm sewers.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil., in press.
Conard, B. E., Lohnes, R. A., Klaiber, F. W., and Wipf, T. J. (1998). “Boundary effects on response of polyethylene pipe under simulated live load.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 196–205.
Faragher, E., Fleming, P. R., and Rogers, C. D. (2000). “Analysis of repeated-load field testing of buried plastic pipes.” J. Transp. Eng., 271–277.
Fleming, P. R., Faragher, E., and Rogers, C. D. F. (1997). “Laboratory and field testing of large-diameter plastic pipe.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 208–216.
Hsuan, Y. G., and McGrath, T. (2005). “Protocol long-term services of corrugated high density polyethylene pipes.” Florida Dept. of Transportation, Tallahassee, FL.
Hsuan, Y. G., Zhang, J. Y., and Wong, W. K. (2006). “Evaluate the long-term stress crack resistance of corrugated HDPE pipes.” Plastics Pipes XIII Conf., Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Jayapalan, J. K., and Boldon, B. A. (1986). “Performance and selection of rigid and flexible pipes.” J. Transp. Eng., 507–524.
Jayawickrama, P. W., Amarasiri, A. L., and Regino, P. E. (2002). “Minimum cover requirements for large diameter HDPE pipe installed with granular backfill.” 81st Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Kang, J., Jung, Y., and Ahn, Y. (2013). “Cover requirements of thermoplastic pipes used under highways.” Composites Part B, 55, 184–192.
Kang, J. S., Han, T. H., Kang, Y. J., and Yoo, C. H. (2009). “Short-term and long-term behaviors of buried corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes.” Composites Part B, 40(5), 404–412.
Klaiber, F. W., Lohnes, R. A., Wipt, T. J., and Phares, B. M. (1996). “Investigation of high density polyethylene pipe for highway applications.”, Engineering Research Institute, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA.
Lohnes, R. A., Wipt, T. J., Klaiber, F. W., Conard, B. E., and Ng, K. W. (1997). “Investigation of high density polyethylene pipe for highway applications.”, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA.
McGrath, T. J., DelloRusso, S. J., and Boynton, J. (2002). “Performance of thermoplastic culvert pipe under highway vehicle loading.” 81st Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 14.
Meyerhof, G. G. (1966). “Composite design of shallow burial steel structure.” Proc. 47th Annual Convention Canada Good Roads Association, Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, Montreal, Canada.
Moser, A. P. (1998). “Structural performance of buried profile-wall high-density polyethylene pipe and influence of pipe wall geometry.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 206–213.
Moser, A. P. (2001). Buried pipe design, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
Phares, B. M., Wipf, T. J., Klaiber, F. W., and Lohnes, R. A. (1998). “Behavior of high-density polyethylene pipe with shallow cover.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 214–224.
Pluimer, M. (2006). “Establishing 100-year service life for corrugated HDPE drainage pipe.” ASCE Pipelines Conf., ASCE, Reston, VA.
Rogers, C. D. F. (1987). “The influence of surrounding soil on flexible pipe performance.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 1–11.
Rogers, C. D. F. (1988). “Some observations on flexible pipe response to load.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 1–11.
Trickey, S. A., and Moore, I. D. (2007). “Three-dimensional response of buried pipes under circular surface loading.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 219–223.
Watkins, R. K., and Anderson, L. R. (2000). Structural mechanics of buried pipes, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Watkins, R. K., and Reeve, R. C. (1982). Effect of heavy loads on buried corrugated polyethylene pipe, Advanced Drainage Systems, Columbus, OH.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 7, 2014
Accepted: May 6, 2014
Published online: Sep 8, 2014
Discussion open until: Feb 8, 2015
Published in print: Oct 1, 2015
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.