Pressure Distribution around Rigid Culverts Considering Soil–Structure Interaction Effects

Abstract

Heger pressure distributions are considered a fundamental tool in the design of RC culverts, according to the direct-design method. However, some factors known to affect soil–structure interaction are neglected when using Heger pressure distributions. These factors include the effect of the trench geometry, the relative stiffness of the existing soil to the backfill, and the burial depth of the structure. This paper presents a detailed finite-element analysis parametric study that investigates the accuracy and applicability of Heger pressure distributions for culverts in partial trench installations when the aforementioned factors are considered.