Performance of Thermoplastic Culvert Pipe Under Highway Vehicle Loading

摘要

DOTs are interested in developing guidelines for use of large diameter corrugated HDPE pipernburied under roadways with shallow fill, but this application has not been studied extensively. Arnpooled fund study consisting of full-scale field tests and computer modeling has been initiated tornaddress this matter. The objectives of the project are to improve understanding of the behaviorrnof large diameter thermoplastic culverts under low fill heights, and develop design andrninstallation procedures for inclusion in DOT and AASHTO specifications.rnThe field tests are being conducted at the MnRoad Research Facility, which maintains a two-lanerntest road traversed only by test vehicles, a truck with a maximum axle load of 107 kN (24,000 lb)rntravels in one lane and a truck with 80 kN (18,000 lb) maximum axle load travels in the other.rnTen 20 m (65 ft) runs of 1,500 mm (60 in.) diameter test pipe were installed. Test pipe consistedrnof eight runs of thermoplastic pipe, and one run each of reinforced concrete and corrugated steelrnpipe. Nominal installation depths were 0.3 m and 0.6 m (1 ft and 2 ft) to the top of pavement.rnBackfill materials were A-1 and A-2 soils per AASHTO M145. Backfill compaction effort wasrnminimal. Pipes were instrumented with strain gages, displacement transducers, soil pressurerncells, and thermocouples. All instruments are connected to dataloggers that are remotelyrnaccessed via an internet connection.rnThis paper reports on the installation of the test pipe and early results on pipe performance.rnDeflections and strains are small. There has been some settlement in the backfill due to the lowrncompaction levels.