Behavior Of Flexible Pipe Research Articles

Numerical Finite-Element Investigation of the Parameters Influencing the Behavior of Flexible Pipes for Culverts and Storm Sewers under Truck Load

AbstractThe objectives of this study are to evaluate the parameters that affect the behavior of flexible pipes for culverts and storm sewers and to examine the strength-limit states of such pipes proposed by the AASHTO bridge-design specifications. The flexible pipes investigated in the study are high-density polyethylene (HDPE), PVC, and metal pipes. The pipe diameters considered are 914 mm (36 in.) and 1,219 mm (48 in.). A three-dimensional finite-element (FE) model has been developed to simulate the behavior of buried pipes under truck load. Results from field tests conducted by the authors for large-diameter pipes under 2D, 1D, and 0.5D burial depths, where D is the pipe diameter, were used to evaluate the accuracy of the numerical model. Extensive parametric studies were then carried out to examine the effect of burial depth, backfill soil quality, and compaction level on the buried pipes, and their results are reported in this paper. The effect of these parameters has been evaluated in terms of thru...