BTN 1999 / 010 – JANUARY 2006
BRIDGE TECHNICAL NOTE
Design Criteria for Large Rectangular
Precast R.C. Culvert Units
1. Scope
This Technical Note defines the design criteria for
the design of large rectangular reinforced concrete
culvert units (from 1500 mm span up to and
including 4200 mm span and 4200 mm height) and
link slabs used as road structures in the State of
Victoria.
Designers should note that culvert units may be
designed for the passage of water, vehicles,
pedestrians or animals, and should be designed with
appropriate clearances, finishes and lighting where
required by VicRoads.
This Technical Note does not cover the design nor
manufacture of smaller “box culverts” which are
covered by AS1597 Part 1 and VicRoads
Specification Section 619, and are accepted on the
basis of proof loading.
2. Material Requirements
2.1. Concrete
2.1.1. General
Concrete shall be in accordance with VicRoads
Standard Specification, Section 610. The minimum
Concrete Grade shall be VR400/40.
2.1.2. Durability
The minimum exposure classification for standard
culvert units shall be B1.
Precast culvert units designed for use in livestock
underpasses shall be designed for exposure
classification C.
2.1.3. Cover
The minimum covers specified in AS 1597.2, Table
2.4 shall be used.
The tolerance on cover shall be as specified in AS
1597.2 (i.e.: –0 +10mm).
2.2. Steel Reinforcement
Steel reinforcement shall be in accordance with
VicRoads Standard Specification, Section 611.
1999/010
Version 1.2
2.3. Soil properties
For design purposes, soil adjacent to culverts shall
be assumed to be free draining granular fill with an
angle of internal friction not greater than 30 degrees
and a gravity force per unit volume of not less than
20 kN/m3.
2.4. Foundation material
Foundation material properties used for the design
of “U” shape and one-piece culverts for a particular
site shall be determined from a suitable geotechnical
investigation.
Where a geotechnical investigation has not been
undertaken or for standard culvert unit design
intended to cover the full range of possible
foundation materials, the foundation material shall
be assumed to be no better than non-reactive soft
clay.
3. Design Requirements
3.1. Designer
Culvert units shall be designed by a qualified
structural engineer having:
• Relevant experience in the design of culvert
units.
• Design and verification procedures complying
with the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 9001
(Design Control).
• Professional indemnity insurance and insurance
of employees in accordance with the
requirements of Clause 1.13 of VicRoads
Consultancy Agreement (July 1997).
Professional indemnity insurance shall be for an
amount of not less than $10,000,000 and shall
be maintained during the currency of the design
and for a period of 6 years after installation of
the culvert units.
3.2. Design life
The basic design life of standard culvert units
approved for use as road structures shall be 100
years, in accordance with AS 5100.1.
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3.3. Design loads
3.3.1. General
Culvert units shall be designed using the
requirements and design loads specified in AS
1597.2, Section 3 except that for traffic loads, the
A160 and M1600 traffic loads including dynamic load
allowance, as described below, shall be used.
3.3.2. Traffic Loads, A160 and M1600 Loads
Culvert units shall be designed for the A160 Axle
Load and M1600 moving traffic load, detailed in AS
5100.2. The dynamic load allowance factor as
specified in AS 5100 with appropriate load factors
shall be used for these loads. The methods
described in AS 1597.2, Clause 3.2.2.6.1 and Clause
3.2.2.7 (c) may be used to determine vertical and
horizontal pressures due to these loads.
3.3.3. Site specific loads
Culvert units shall be designed for site specific loads
such as barrier loading on the end walls, wingwall
loads and/or settlement of foundations.
3.3.4. Handling
Provision shall be made for lifting and handling the
culvert units in accordance with AS 5100 and AS
1597 Part 2, Clause 2.13 and Clause 3.2.5.
Lifting devices and methods of handling precast
units shall in accordance with designer’s
requirements.
3.3.5. Construction Loads
Construction loads on culverts shall be in accordance
with VicRoads Standard Specifications, Clause
626.10, or as specified.
3.4. Strength
The theoretical design strength ФRu shall be
determined in accordance with AS 5100.5. The
critical section for shear shall be taken as shown in
AS 1597 Part 2, Figure 3.2.
3.5. Serviceability
Serviceability parameters shall be calculated in
accordance with AS 5100.5. However the minimum
distribution reinforcement shall be in accordance
with AS 1597 Part 2, Clause 3.5.
3.6. Reinforcement Detailing
Reinforcement detailing shall be in accordance with
AS 1597 Part 2, Clause 3.5.
3.7. Hydraulic requirements
Where culverts are designed for conveying water,
the culvert walls shall present a smooth continuous
surface to the water flow to prevent entrapment of
debris.
3.8. Settlement
Precast base slabs and one piece culvert units shall
not be used, except where bases are connected by
means of shear keys designed to prevent differential
settlement between adjacent units. For hydraulic
structures, shear keys in the base slab shall be
sealed to prevent leakage.
4. Load Testing for Design
VicRoads does not accept the simple approach of
load testing 1 in 20 culverts to prove the design of
Large Culverts. However, a statistical failure load
test method can be used for empirical assessment of
the design strengths in accordance with AS1597.2
Clause 4.7, provided that VicRoads receives copies
of the drawings of each culvert unit (refer to clause
on Documentation). These drawings will be stamped
as confidential documents and will only be used by
VicRoads in the case of future modifications or re-
use of the culvert units; for example, widening or
attachment of endwalls or services.
The basic test loads specified in Tables J1 and J2 of
AS1597.2, Appendix J for standard sizes shall be
deemed to conform to the design loads in AS 5100.
Where basic test loads other than those in Appendix
J are used, the basic test loads used shall be
supported by design calculations.
5. Documentation
5.1. Information supplied to VicRoads
shall include:
• Two complete sets of final drawings.
• The method of culvert installation inasmuch as it
affects the design of the units.
5.2. Design calculations
A copy of the calculations used for the design of the
culvert units shall be maintained by the designer, in
accordance with AS/NZS 9001, for a period of not
less than 7 years, and shall be made available to
VicRoads if requested. Design records shall include
calculations produced during the design and
verification process.
5.3. Test Load Results
Where Failure Load Testing for design is used the
results of all Load Testing shall be made available to
VicRoads if requested. If basic test loads other than
those in Appendix J are used, the basic test loads
used shall be supported by design calculations,
which also shall be available to VicRoads if
requested.
When designs are based on prior Failure Load
testing, records shall be provided of routine
sampling and testing in accordance with Section 5 of
AS1597.2 to show that the strength enhancement
factors for routine testing comply with factors
obtained in prototype testing.
5.4. Drawings
Information shown on the drawings shall include:
• Complete dimensions including reinforcement
details and tolerances.
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• Installation details for multi-cell culverts. Standard Specification Section 611 - Steel
• Concrete exposure classification. Reinforcement, VicRoads Standard Specification
• Standard and grade of materials used in the Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria, Australia
manufacture of the units. Standard Specification Section 620 - Precast
• Assumed foundation soil type. concrete units, VicRoads Standard Specification
Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria, Australia
• Foundation serviceability and ultimate limit state
design-bearing pressures. Standard Specification Section 626 - Installation of
precast concrete crown unit culverts, VicRoads
• Traffic design loads including Dynamic Load
Standard Specification Sections for Bridgeworks,
Allowance.
Victoria, Australia
• Assumed dead load, live load and soil factors.
• Design fill depth over the culvert units.
• Provisions for lifting of the culvert units.
• Culvert unit volume and mass.

6. Culvert Classes MARY DARCY

It should be noted that the culvert classes specified PRINCIPAL BRIDGE ENGINEER
in AS1597.2 are for a fill height range. The minimum VicRoads
design requirement for culverts for VicRoads use is
Class 2-A. Units shall be marked in accordance with
AS1597.2 Clause 2.16. Contact
For further information please contact:
References
AS 5100 (2004) Bridge Design, Standards Australia, Principal Bridge Engineer
Sydney, Australia Level 3, 60 Denmark Street
AS 1597 Precast reinforced concrete box culverts, Kew Victoria 3101
Standards Australia, Sydney, Australia Telephone: (03) 8391 7137
AS/NZS 4680 (2006) Hot-dip galvanized (zinc) Facsimile: (03) 8391 7199
coatings on fabricated ferrous articles,
Email: mary.darcy@roads.vic.gov.au
Standards Australia, Sydney, Australia
Standard Specification Section 610 - Structural
Bridge Technical Notes are subject to periodic review
concrete, VicRoads Standard Specification
and may be superseded
Sections for Bridgeworks, Victoria, Australia