Model tests on force and deformation characteristics of corrugated steel pipe culvert

Through laboratory model tests, the middle section of corrugated steel pipe culvert is selected, and the gauges, earth pressure cells and measuring instruments of deformation at feature points are arranged to study the force characteristics, earth pressure around the pipe and deformation law of corrugated steel pipe culvert. The variation laws of strain and stress, earth pressure around the culvert and deformation of the corrugated steel pipe culvert are analyzed. The results show that the deformation laws of circumferential tension or compression at wave crest or wave trough are consistent, no matter the test points are in or outside the corrugated steel pipe culvert. When the largest filling soil is 18.0 m high, the maximum values of circumferential tensile and compressive strains are 1146 με and -930 με, and the maximum values of circumferential stresses are 308 MPa and -243 MPa; the maximum vertical earth pressure on the culvert crown is 551 kPa; and the maximum deformation is 13 mm. The earth pressure on the culvert crown can be defined as the design parameter for the culvert with high filling.