FAILURE OF FLEXIBLE LONG-SPAN CULVERTS UNDER EXCEPTIONAL LIVE LOADS

Despite recent advances in the ability of nonlinear finite element analysis methods to model soil-structure interaction phenomena associated with buried flexible culverts, there are currently few published full-scale field data available for evaluation of the accuracy and reliability with which nonlinear finite element methods model the influence of live vehicle loads on culvert stability. Presented in this paper are the results of finite element analyses of three full-scale field cases involving culvert failure under exceptional live (vehicle) loads. Field evidence in all three cases suggests that the live loadings applied only barely exceeded the structural capacities of the culvert systems so that these three case studies provide a good basis for evaluation of the accuracy and reliability of the finite element analysis methods employed in these studies. A new empirical procedure is employed in these studies to develop equivalent line loads used to provide a representative plane strain modeling of actual discrete vehicle wheel loads. The results of these case studies provide good support for the accuracy and reliability of the analytical procedures used in these studies.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1988/1191/1191-003.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=FAILURE+OF+FLEXIBLE+LONG-SPAN+CULVERTS+UNDER+EXCEPTIONAL+LIVE+LOADS&author=R.+Seed&author=J.+Raines&publication_year=1988
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309048028
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1191, Culverts and Tiebacks. 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:
  • Seed, Raymond B
  • Raines, J R
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 22-29
• Monograph Title: Culverts and tiebacks
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1191
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Box culverts; Case studies; Concrete arch culverts; Culverts; Failure analysis; Finite element method; Live loads; Reliability; Soil structure interaction; Stability (Mechanics); Wheel loads
• Old TRIS Terms: Arch culverts
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00490123
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309048028
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 31 1989 12:00AM