SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

LOADING TO BOX-CULVERTS
University of Dar es Salaam
By Dr-Ing. JK Makunza

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

General Aspects
Box culverts are drainage structures which
consist of two horizontal slabs and two or more
vertical walls. The slabs and walls are built
monolithically, and are ideally installed for a road
or a railway bridge crossing with high
embankments crossing a stream with a limited
flow. Reinforced concrete rigid frame box
culverts with square or rectangular openings are
used up to spans of 4.0 m. The height of the
vent (h) with respect to Figure 1, generally does
not exceed 3.0 m.
2

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

ts
f

tw

standard fillet
f = 150 mm

Figure 1: Single cell box culvert.

3

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

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. For small discharges, single celled
box culvert is used and for large discharges,
multi-celled box culverts can be employed. The
barrel of the box culvert should be of sufficient
length to accommodate the carriage way and
the kerbs.

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Figure 2: Double cell box culvert

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Figure 3: Triple cell box culvert

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Analysis Assumptions

Frame
The box culvert shall be analyzed, as a rigid frame
with all corner connections considered rigid.

Sidesway
Sidesway is not considered in the analysis

Section Properties
The centerlines of slab, walls and floor are used for
computing section properties and for dimensional
analysis. Standard fillets which are not required for
moment or shear or both shall not be considered in
computing section properties.
7

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Minimum Thickness
The following minimum thickness shall be used
Top slab:

ts = 200 mm, but taken as 80100mm per 1.00m length

of the span

Floor slab: tf = 250 mm

Wall:

tw = 25 mm per 300 mm of wall

height but not less than 230 mm.
8

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Design Loads
The structural design of a reinforced concrete box culvert
comprises the detailed analysis of rigid frame for moments,
shear forces and thrusts due to various types of loading
conditions outlined below:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Concentrated Loads
Uniform Distributed Loads
Weight of Side Walls
Water Pressure Inside Culvert
Earth Pressure on Vertical Side Walls
Uniform Lateral Load on Side Walls

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

1. Concentrated Loads
In cases where the top slab forms the deck of the bridge,
concentrated loads due to the wheel loads of the BS 5400
HB type loading have to be considered.
If P = wheel load due to HB loading which include the
impact factor of.25%, the dispersal length = 1.75D, and D
= depth of soil fill, then the load intensity on the culvert
slab,
W = (P/(1.75D) kN/m
(1)
The soil reaction of the bottom slab is assumed to be
uniform. The notations used for the box culvert and the
type of loadings to be considered are shown in Figure 4
10

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Concentrated Loads
P 1.80 m

P 1.80 m

Case 1(a)

1.75 D

Case 1(b)

Figure 4: Point load due to vehicles

11

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

2. Uniform Distributed Loads

Fill depth

The weight of embankment, wearing coat and, deck slab and the track
load are considered to be uniformly distributed loads on the top slab
with the uniform soil reaction on the bottom slab. Minimum D = 300 mm

BS 5400 HA Loading
s.D

HA - KEL
w/m 2

w/m 2
Case 2

Figure 5: Uniform distributed loads

HA - Udl

kN/m

12

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

3. Weight of Side Walls

Case 3

The self weights of two side walls

acting as concentrated loads are
assumed to produce uniform soil
Ww reaction on the bottom slab.
Ww = is the weight of one
wall, and is given by:
Ww = twHc kN/m transversal
Where
tw = wall thickness
H = height of wall, and
c = density of concrete = 24kN/m3.

Figure 6: Load from walls

13

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

4. Water Pressure Inside Culvert

p/m 2

p/m 2

Case 4
Figure 7: Water pressure

When the culvert is full

with water, the pressure
distribution on side walls is
assumed to be triangular
with a maximum pressure
intensity of p = wh at the
base

where w = density of
water and h is the depth of
flow.

Intensity of water pressure p = wh

14

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

5. Earth Pressure on Vertical Side Walls

The earth
pressure on the
vertical side walls
of the box culvert
is computed
according to the
Coloumbs Theory.
The distribution of
soil pressure on
the side wall is
shown in Figure 8.

p/m2

Case 5

p/m2

Figure 8: Soil pressure

1 sin

Soil pressure, p s h
1 sin

15

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

6.Uniform Lateral Load on Side Walls

p/m2

p/m 2
Case 6

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
to embankment loading can
be obtained by combining the
cases (5) and (6).

Figure 9: Lateral load due to surcharge loads

Uniform lateral pressure due to the effect of surcharge loads is obtained
from:

1 sin

p Surch arg e Loads

1 sin

16

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Design Moments, Shears and Thrusts

A box culvert is analyzed for moments, shear
forces and axial thrusts developed due to the
various loading conditions by any of the classical
methods such as moment distribution, slope
deflection or column analogy procedures.
Alternatively coefficients for moments, shears
and trusts from various structural analysis books
are very useful in the computation of the various
force components for the different loading
conditions.

17

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Table 1a: Some standard formulae for analyzing box culverts

EI = Constant

q
q
qi

Mk

Mi

Mi

Mk

ql

ql

2
ql

2
ql

0.35 ql

0.15 ql

0.15 ql

qk

0.35qi 0.15qk l

0.35 ql

0.15qi 0.35qk l

2
ql

2
ql

12

20

30

1.5 q i q k 2
l
30

2
ql

2
ql

12

30

20

9q i 1.5 q k 2
l
30

18

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Table 1b: Some standard formulae for analyzing box culverts

EI = Constant
i

Mk

q
q

Mk

3ql

5 ql

2
ql

11
ql
40

9
ql
40

2
7
ql

ql

2ql

2
ql

10

qi

qk

11q i 4q k
40

9q i 16 q k
40

120

15

7 q 8q k 2
i
l
120
19

SPIN PROJECT TRAINING

UDSM July 2012

Conclusion:

Design Of Critical Sections

The maximum design moments resulting from the combination of
the various loading cases are determined. The moments at the
centre of span of top and bottom slabs and the support sections
and at the centre of the vertical walls are determined by suitably
combining, the different loading patterns. The maximum moments
generally develop for the following loading conditions:
1. When the slab supports the dead and live lads and the culvert is
empty.
2. When the top slab supports the dead and live lads and the
culvert is running full.
3. When the sided of the culvert do not carry the live load and the
culvert is running full.
The slab of the box culvert is reinforced on both faces with fillets
at the inside corners.
20