Unraveling the Soil-Structure Interaction: A Comparative Analysis of Box Culvert Structural Behavior Under Rigid and Spring Support Conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58466/gh8vdg82Keywords:
Box Culvert, Soil–Structure Interaction, Subgrade Reaction, Spring Support, Finite Element Analysis (FEA)Abstract
Box culverts are critical infrastructural elements routinely subjected to complex soil-structure interaction phenomena. The conventional approach of assuming rigid foundation supports often leads to an unrealistic distribution of internal forces, potentially resulting in overly conservative or dangerously unconservative designs. This study investigates the structural behavior of a reinforced concrete box culvert by comparing a fully rigid support model against subgrade reaction models utilizing spring placements. Specifically, the analysis evaluates the variations in maximum bending moment (Mmax), axial force (Pmax), maximum shear force (Vmax), and deflection (Δ) across the top slab, vertical walls, and bottom slab. The spring models are further dissected into three configurations: springs without rigid links, springs with 4 rigid links, and springs with 8 rigid links. The findings reveal that the transition from rigid to spring supports fundamentally alters the load distribution, significantly reducing bottom slab axial forces from 135.94 kN to 0.00 kN in extreme cases, while modifying shear and moment profiles across the structure. The inclusion of rigid links demonstrates a stabilizing effect, closely mimicking realistic soil restraint while preventing localized stress concentrations. This research provides critical insights for engineers seeking to optimize box culvert designs by accurately modeling subgrade reaction.
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