Effect of truck position and multiple truck loading on response of long-span metal culverts

Long-span metal culverts have been used for almost 50 years as an economical alternative to short-span bridges. Current design methods are based on two-dimensional finite element analysis using beam theory to represent the structure, or three-dimensional analysis employing orthotropic shell theory. However, neither analysis has been used to investigate the most critical position for trucks at the surface of long-span metal culverts. This paper shows results of three-dimensional finite element analysis, employing orthotropic shell theory and explicitly modeling the geometry of corrugated plates for a specific box culvert tested using a fully loaded dump truck. The analysis was then extended to study the effect of truck position on the response of long-span box and arch culverts. The finite element models, employing orthotropic shell theory and explicitly modeling the geometry of corrugated plates, successfully produced the behaviour of the culvert under truck loading for different truck positions. Culvert deformations were calculated within 7%–13% of the measured values at different locations. The bending moment at the crown was within 4%–17% of the values calculated using the measured strains. If three-dimensional finite element analysis is used to design these culverts, two design trucks should be considered (current design considers a single design truck). The highest moment or thrust is obtained when the truck tandem axles are located above the crown of the culvert.