Performance of buried corrugated metal culverts in intact and deteriorated states under surface static loading utilizing full-scale laboratory tests

In recent decades, buried flexible corrugated metal culverts (CMCs) and corrugated metal pipes (CMPs) have increasingly contributed to the development of infrastructure networks. The primary design aspect of these structures is the soil-structure interaction under different modes of loading. Surface static loading caused by traffic flow frequently leads to the development of deformations and internal forces in buried structures. Thus, the investigation of the soil-structure interaction mechanism under surface static loading can yield a deeper understanding of the culvert response, to enhance current design approaches. Furthermore, to assure their continued serviceability over time, the regular inspection of in-service culverts is vital to assess their status in terms of potential damage and material deterioration due to aging factors such as corrosion and/or mechanical abrasion. In this study, laboratory tests were used to monitor the performance of buried flexible open-bottom arch corrugated metal culverts under surface static loading. Following the backfilling of soil surrounding each culvert, surface static loading was initiated via a top loading steel plate. Impacts of the soil cover depth and culvert condition (i.e., intact or deteriorated) were investigated via three test configurations: an intact culvert with a cover depth of 600 mm (C-01), an intact culvert with a cover depth of 300 mm (C-02), and a deteriorated culvert with a cover depth of 300 mm (C-03). During each static loading test, the load-settlement curve of the top loading steel plate, the increase in vertical soil stresses, and culvert deformations and internal forces were recorded. Furthermore, 3D finite element models of the three test configurations were developed by simulating the culvert responses to surface static loading, and the numerical modelling results were then validated against the laboratory measurements. In addition, to investigate the impact of culvert deterioration on the performance of the soil-culvert interaction, numerical models were used to simulate different damage scenarios.