INFLUENCE OF WALL STIFFNESS ON CORRUGATED METAL CULVERT DESIGN

RECENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE STRENGTH OF METAL CULVERTS IS SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCED BY THE STIFFNESS OF THE CULVERT WALL. BASED ON THIS RESEARCH, A SIMPLE METHOD FOR DETERMINING MAXIMUM FILL HEIGHTS FOR FLEXIBLE METAL CULVERTS IS DESCRIBED. THIS METHOD IS USED TO COMPARE THE STRUCTURAL EFFICIENCY OF TWO CORRUGATION PROFILES, NAMELY, THE PRESENT STANDARD 1/2-BY 2 2/3-IN. PROFILE AND A PROPOSED 1- BY 3-IN. PROFILE, WHICH HAS CONSIDERABLY GREATER STIFFNESS. A TABLE OF MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE FILL HEIGHTS BASED ON A SAFETY FACTOR OF APPROXIMATELY 2.0 AGAINST STRUCTURAL FAILURE IS GIVEN FOR STEEL CULVERTS WITH THE 1-IN.-DEEP PROFILE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE PRESENT 1/2-IN.-DEEP CORRUGATION BE USED FOR CULVERTS HAVING DIAMETERS OF LESS THAN APPROXIMATELY 36 IN., AND THAT THE 1-IN.-DEEP CORRUGATION BE USED FOR CULVERTS HAVING DIAMETERS OF APPROXIMATELY 36 TO 108 IN. IT IS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT AN ALUMINUM-ALLOY CULVERT, BECAUSE OF ITS LOWER MODULUS OF ELASTICITY, HAS A SMALLER SAFETY FACTOR AGAINST STRUCTURAL FAILURE THAN A STEEL CULVERT HAVING THE SAME METAL THICKNESS, YIELD STRENGTH, AND CORRUGATION PROFILE. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1964/56/56-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Brockenbrough, R L
• Discussers:
  • deCapiteau, T F
• Publication Date: 1964

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 71-82
• Monograph Title: Pipes, drainage structures and cylinder pile retaining wall
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 56
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Corrugated metal culverts; Culverts; Deflection; Fills; Methodology; Safety factors; Steel; Stiffness; Strength of materials; Structural analysis; Structural mechanics; Walls
• Uncontrolled Terms: Structural behavior
• Old TRIS Terms: Determination; Fill heights
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00203927
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 12 1994 12:00AM