Design of RC Box-culverts

Box-culverts are used for conveyance of water at places where bearing capacity of soil is low.
Box-culverts with square or rectangular openings are used up to span of 4m. The height of the
vent generally does not exceed 3m. Box-culverts are economical due to their rigidity and
monolithic action and separate foundations are not required since the bottom slab resting
directly on the soil, serves as raft foundation slab.

The structural design of RC box-culverts comprises the detailed analysis of rigid closed-frame
for moment, shear-forces & direct tensions due to various types of loading conditions outlined
below.
1. Concentrated load at top slab:-If the top slab forms the deck of the bridge, standard axle
loads given by I.R.C or AASHTO specification may be taken as concentrated load.
2. Uniform distributed load:-The weight of embankment, wearing coat and, self weight of
deck slab and the track load (lane loading given by AASHTO specification) are considered to
be uniformly distributed loads on the top slab.
3. Weight of side-wall:-The self weight of the two side-walls acting as concentrated loads.
4. Water pressure inside culvert:-When the culvert is running full of water, the pressure
distribution on side-walls is assumed to be triangular with maximum pressure intensity of
pw w . h at the base.
5. Earth pressure on vertical side-walls:-The earth pressure on the vertical side walls is
computed according to Rankines & Coloumbs theory.
6. Uniform lateral load on side-walls:-Uniform lateral pressure on vertical side walls has to
be considered due to the effect of live load surcharge. Also, trapezoidal pressure distribution
on side walls due lateral soil pressure caused by embankment can be obtained by combining
case 5 & case 6.

The various loading cases given above are shown in the figures below, and corresponding
end-moments are listed in the table followed.
W w

Wt Wt

q q q
a) Case 1 b) Case 2 c) Case 3

p p

p p
p p
d) Case 4 e) Case 5 f) Case 6

Fig : Cases of Loading considered for design of Box-culverts

1
 L
tw
B
l
A ts

L l tw
H h ts
h H 3
H t
k . s

L tw

D C

Table : End-moment in Box-culverts

Loading Fixed-end moments

case MA = MB MD = MC
1 W . L 2k 4.5 W .L k 6

12 k 3 k 1 24 k 3 k 1
2 w.l 2 w.l 2

12 k 1 12 k 1
3 Wt . L k Wt . L 2k 3

6 k 3 k 1 6 k 3 k 1
4 p . H 2 k 2k 7 p . H 2 k 3k 8

60 k 3 k 1 60 k 3 k 1
5 p . H 2 k 2k 7 p . H 2 k 3k 8

60 k 3 k 1 60 k 3 k 1
6 p . H 2.k p . H 2.k

12 k 1 12 k 1

The box-culverts is analyzed for moment, shear force & direct tension developed due to
various conditions of loading mentioned above using any of the classical methods such as
moment distribution and slope-deflection method or using end-moments of the above table.

Design of Critical Section of Box-culvert:- The maximum design moment used for design of
critical section are determined using the following patterns of loadings.
1. When the top slab and the side walls support the dead & the live loads, and the culvert is
empty of water.
2. When the top slab and the side walls support the dead & the live loads, and the culvert is
running full of water.
3. When the top slab supports the dead & the live loads and the side walls do not carry the
live load, and the culvert is running full of water.
The top & bottom slabs and the side walls may be reinforced on both faces (with fillets at the
inside corners) depending on opposite sign of moments that may be developed in the sections
of culvert due to different possible patterns of loadings.

2
 Design of RC Aqueducts

RC Aqueducts are provided where water is to be carried over gorges or rivers. Aqueducts are
made of two side walls and horizontal slab at bottom supported by piers and abatements like
bridges. Aqueducts are mostly designed and constructed as series of simply supported
structural system.

The vertical walls of the aqueduct are designed as cantilever fixed at bottom by the horizontal
slab subjected to water pressure; and also as beams simply supported between the supports of
the aqueduct and carrying self weight and the loads on the horizontal slab.
The horizontal slab has to carry self weight and the weight of water when the culvert running
full of water. In addition, the horizontal slab is subjected to fixing moment and direct tension
due to the pressure of water on the vertical walls.
Let l be the span length of the horizontal slab and h be the maximum depth of water in
the aqueduct. Fixing moment at the end of the horizontal will be equal to the moment of
w . h3
vertical wall .
6
wd . l 2
- Simply supported moment at the center of the horizontal slab will be .
8
wd . l 2 w . h 3
- Net moment at the center of the horizontal slab: M net .

8 6
Where wd ---- is total load on the horizontal slab.

Design of RC Pipes and Circular-Culverts

RC pipes are widely used for carrying drainage & irrigation water and for culverts over high-
way. If the pipes carry water under pressure, hydrostatic pressure acts radially along the
circumference of the pipe. If the pipes are embedded under ground, they are also acted up on
by the vertical loads due to earth and traffic, and by the lateral earth pressure from the sides.
The hydrostatic pressure induces hoop tension in it while the other loads cause bending
moment also.
In analysis of RC pipes under different loadings, it has been assumed that the pipe is properly
supported at its base up to its horizontal diameter, and thus the vertical reaction from the
ground is uniform on the diameter as shown below. Further the thickness of the pipe has been
assumed to be uniform. A
M1
R
P
r

B
uniform
reaction R
M2

3
Case 1:- Pipe under internal hydrostatic pressure only
Let d is inside diameter of the pipe
p is the hydrostatic pressure of water
The hoop tension per unit length of pipe is given as
p. d
TH
2
Some times the pressure inside the pipe increases to a large extent due to the sudden closing
of the valve (due to water hammer effect). To take this in to account, the effective pressure
inside the pipe for purpose of design, is taken as 4 times the normal water pressure.
Case2:- Stresses in pipe under their own weight
-Sagging moment at A & B are:
w . r 2 3 5 w. r 2 5
M1 . , M2 .
2 4 3 2 3 4
-Horizontal force at A is:
w. r
R
6
-and hogging moment at any section P at is given by:
5 3 . w. r 2
M w . r 2 . . sin cos . 1 sin 2
6 8 2
where w ------ weight of pipe per meter run of its circumference.
-the 2 nd term is to be used for points where 90 0
Case 3:- Stresses in pipe due to weight of water
-Sagging moment at A & B are:
. r 3 3 5 w .r3 5
M1 w . , M2 .
4 4 3 4 3 4
-Horizontal force at A is:
7 w . r2
R
12
-and hogging moment at any section P at is given by:

5 3 . w . r 3
M w . r 3 . . cos . sin . 1 sin 2
12 2 16 4
where w -- is unit weight of water.
-the 2 nd term is to be used when only 900
Case 4:- Stresses in pipe due to earth-fill over haunch
The fill over haunch has been sown by shaded area shown below.
M1
R
P A

M2
-Sagging moment at A & B are:
M 1 0.024 s . r 3 , M 2 0.047 s . r 3

4
-Horizontal force at A is:
R 0.018 s . r 2
-and hogging moment at any section P at is given by:

sin 2 sin 2 . cos 1

M s . r 3 . 0.006 0.018 cos s . r 3 . . (1 cos ) . sin
2 6 3 2
---- for 90 0

M s . r 3 . 0.006 0.018 cos s . r 3 . 0.1075sin 2 0.59 ----
for 900
where, s --- unit weight of earth fill
Case 5:- Stresses in pipe due to a uniformly distributed load on top
(may be by the back-fill above the haunch)
-Sagging moment at A & B are:
q. r2 q. r2
M1 , M2
4 4
-Horizontal force at A is:
R = 0.0
-and Sagging moment at any section P at is given by:
q.r2 q.r 2
M . sin 2
4 2
where, q intensity of the uniform load
Case 6:- Stresses in pipe due to a uniform pressure from sides
M1 A R
-Sagging moment at C is:
2
P
T. r
Mc
4 r
-Sagging moment at P is given by: C
T T
T . r2
Mc . (1 2 cos 2 )
4 B
-and the horizontal force R at A is:
R T. r (compression) M2 R

Case 7:- Stresses in pipe due to side pressure varying linearly from zero at top
M1 A R
Let k . x be pressure intensity at depth x from top.
-Hogging moment at A & B are: P
5 k .r3 7 k .r3 r
M1 , M2
24 24
-horizontal force R at A is:
15 k . r 2
R (compressio n) B
24
-and, Sagging moment at P is given by: R
M2
5 k . r3 k . r3
. 1.0 1.5 cos . 1 cos
3
M
12 6

Case 8:- Stresses in pipe due to a point load at crown

5
-Sagging moment at A & B are where W is the point load:
W . r 2 3 W.r 4
M1 . , M2 . 5 8
2 3 8 2
-horizontal force at A is:
W
R
6
-and, Sagging moment at P is given by:
3 1 cos sin
M W . r for
16 2 6 2
90 0
3 1 cos sin W.r
0r M W . r . 1 sin 2
16 2 6 2 4
for 900

Loads due to Back-fill on Pipes (Vertical Loads) : Loads on the back-fill on

the pipes depends on the nature of soil, depth and width of the trench in which the pipe is laid,
manner of back filling and the supports of pipes.
Back
-For B 2 D , total load, W on the pipe is given by: fill
W C . s . B2 H
B
2
where C ( H B) for H B 6
3
C 4 for H B 6 D

-For B 2 D or which are not fully covered with earth, total load, W may be taken as the
full weight of earth above the pipe.

Reinforcement: The reinforcement consists of hoops (either spiral wound at a suitable

pitch or hoops which are welded at ends). Hoop reinforcements are placed according to the
type of internal forces developed in the pipe as shown below.

Apart from the hoop steel, longitudinal reinforcement is also required to check transverse
cracks. The longitudinal steel should be provided for the action on the longitudinal span
between the hoop supports against water pressure and with a minimum of 0.3% of the section
area of the shell.

Thickness of Shell: Thickness of the pipe should be kept such that tensile stress in the
composite section is not more than the permissible tensile strength of concrete.