Comparison of Pipe Reinforcement Arrangements

DESIGN AND BUILD OF BUHIMBA-NALWEYO-BULAMAGI AND BULAMAGI-IGAYAZA-

KAKUMIRO ROADS UPGRADING (93 Km.)

1. COMPARISION OF PRECAST PIPE REINFORCEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

1.1. INTRODUCTION

Generally pipe culverts are not desgined on case by case basis since they are numerous and do not have a
significant impact on the cost of the project. So, a generic design, considering a comfortable margin in
terms of strength and servicebility is followed for all pipe culverts with commonly used diameters of 0.9
and 1.2 m.

Since this project is under the “Design and Build” mode the consultant has carried out the design of pipe
culverts under various ranges of fill heights to find out the exact reinforcement and economise the steel
quantity in pipe culverts.

1.1.1. REINFORCEMENT ARRANGEMENT IN PIPE CULVERTS

In response to the Engineers concern regarding the change in the arrangement of pipe reinforcement for
precast pipes of 0.9 m, 1.2 m and 1.5 m diameter the consultant would like to explain the reason behind
the change and present pertinent arguments validating the proposed arrangement.

Initially, the contractor had proposed a triple cage arrangement as per AASHTO M170M-04, Fig 2. A
representative figure is shown below.

Figure 1-1 Triple Cage Reinforcement as per AASHTO M170M-04

This type of arrangement seeks to reinforce the most critical locations of the pipe wall using an extra
elliptical ring that is placed in such a way that it adds to tensile strength to the inner side of pipe wall at top
and bottom and the outer side of the wall at the sides, in accordance with most widely accepted moment
distribution diagrams for a typical pipe structure. An example of typical pipe loading is shown below.

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 Structural Design Report (45+000 km to 60+000 km)
DESIGN AND BUILD OF BUHIMBA-NALWEYO-BULAMAGI AND BULAMAGI-IGAYAZA-
KAKUMIRO ROADS UPGRADING PROJECT (93 Km.)

Figure 1-2 General force distrbution duagram for pipe culvert

However, this arrangement of reinforcement requires special machinery to execute and construct the
same. As such machinery was not available with the contractor and procurement of the same would cause
critical delay in the construction operations it was decided to go back to the conventional double cage
reinforcement. The consultant thus had to refer to the quadrant reinforcement option given in AASHTO
M170M-04, Fig 1.

Figure 1-3 Quadrant reinf. arrangement as per AASHTO M170M-04

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 Structural Design Report (45+000 km to 60+000 km)
DESIGN AND BUILD OF BUHIMBA-NALWEYO-BULAMAGI AND BULAMAGI-IGAYAZA-
KAKUMIRO ROADS UPGRADING PROJECT (93 Km.)

This type of arrangement divides the pipe reinforcement ring into 4 parts or quadrants which coincide with
the critical force diagram shown above. These quadrants are then reinforced with extra bars in specified
proportions so that they can act in the same manner as the elliptical ring. However, since adding small
pieces of reinforcement at the critical locations would entail giving sufficient bonding length on either side,
it would be efficient and easier to construct if the required steel is given as an additional cage. Hence
quadrant reinforcement was proposed which has in most cases, equivalent or extra steel quantity as
compared to the triple cage proposal.

A brief calculation showing the calculation of steel reinforcement for a single cell pipe culvert of 0.9m
diameter is attached in Appendix-1. The calculation has been done using the triple cage and quadrant
reinforcement options and aims to show that in both options there is no compromise on the structural
strength and integrity of the pipe wall.

Figure 1-4 Typical reinforcement for Single Cell Pipe Culvet as per earlier proposal

Figure 1-5 Typical reinforcement for Single Cell Pipe Culvet as per latest proposal

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 Structural Design Report (45+000 km to 60+000 km)
DESIGN AND BUILD OF BUHIMBA-NALWEYO-BULAMAGI AND BULAMAGI-IGAYAZA-
KAKUMIRO ROADS UPGRADING PROJECT (93 Km.)

1.1.2. COMPARISION OF PIPE REINFORCEMENT

In accordance with the reinforcement calculation presented in Appendix 1, a summary of pipe

reinforcement provided earlier and as per the latest proposal is given below for reference.

DESIGN PIPE REINFORCEMENT - LATEST

TYPICAL REINFORCEMENT DETAIL FOR PRECAST PIPES
Pipe Longitudinal
Intern Circumferential Reinforcement
Design Class Concre Barrel Reinforcement
al
Classifi (AASHTO te Thickn For Outer For Inner Max Fill.
Diame
cation M170M- Grade ess Circular Circular Outer Inner
ter
04) Hoop Hoop
(N/m
- -
m2) d (mm) t (mm) L1 L2 C1 C2 H (m)
TYPE 1 CLASS III 30/20 900 100 8 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y8 @ 75 c/c Y10 @ 100 c/c H≤ 5

TYPE 2 CLASS IV 30/20 900 100 8 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y10 @ 75 c/c Y12 @ 90 c/c 5 < H ≤ 10

TYPE 4 CLASS III 30/20 1200 125 8 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y10 @ 90 c/c Y12 @ 100 c/c H≤ 5
Y12 @ 100 c/c
TYPE 5 CLASS IV 30/20 1200 125 8 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y12 @ 75 c/c + Y10 @ 100 5 < H ≤ 10
c/c*
TYPE 7 CLASS III 30/20 1500 150 8 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y12 @ 90 c/c Y12 @ 75 c/c H≤ 5
Y10 @ 75 c/c + Y12 @ 90 c/c +
TYPE 8 CLASS IV 35/20 1500 150 8 Nos. Y10 8 Nos. Y10 5 < H ≤ 10
Y10 @ 75 c/c* Y12 @ 90 c/c*
* Hoops of specified bar diameters shall be bundled using wires, at given spacing respectively

DESIGN PIPE REINFORCEMENT - SUPERCEDED

TYPICAL REINFORCEMENT DETAIL FOR PRECAST PIPES

Pipe Class Longitudinal reinf. Circumferential reinf.

Design Barrel
(AASHTO Concrete Internal For each For
Classifi Thickn Max Fill.
M170M- Grade Diameter Circular Elliptical Outer Inner Elliptical
cation ess
04) Hoop hoop
- - (N/mm2) d (mm) t (mm) L1 L2 C1 C2 C3 H (m)
Y8 @ 100
TYPE 1 CLASS III 30 900 100 12 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y8 @ 100 c/c Y8 @ 100 c/c H≥5
c/c
Y8 @ 100 Y10 @ 100
TYPE 2 CLASS IV 30 900 100 12 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y8 @ 100 c/c 5 < H ≤ 10
c/c c/c
Y8 @ 100 Y10 @ 100 Y10 @ 100
TYPE 4 CLASS III 30 1200 125 12 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 H≥5
c/c c/c c/c
Y8 @ 75
TYPE 5 CLASS IV 30 1200 125 12 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y12 @ 75 c/c Y10 @ 75 c/c 5 < H ≤ 10
c/c
Y8 @ 100 Y10 @ 100 Y12 @ 100
TYPE 7 CLASS III 30 1500 150 12 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 H≥5
c/c c/c c/c
Y10 @ 75
TYPE 8 CLASS IV 35 1500 150 12 Nos. Y8 8 Nos. Y8 Y12 @ 75 c/c Y12 @ 75 c/c 5 < H ≤ 10
c/c

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