Structural Analysis of Corrugated Metal Box-Type Culverts

摘要

In the study, field performance of a rib-corrugated aluminum, a rib-corrugatedsteel, a plate-corrugated steel, and a deep corrugated steel box-type culverts, with approximately the same rise and span dimensions and under relatively shallow soil cover, were evaluated. All the culverts were fully instrumented to measure strains and deflections of the pipe structure, stress concentration at bolt holes, movement of backfill soil, and structural settlement. Response of these structures was monitored during similar construction sequences and under applications of vehicular live loads of 16, 32, and 42 kips. Field performance data were compared to theoretical predictions resulted from finite element method (CANDE) simulations. Analysis of the field measured data examined permanent deformation, composite action of the rib-plate system, and stress concentration around bolted holes during backfilling and live load application. It was observed that most of the permanent deformation took place during paving operations.