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Electric Vault Strengthening

Electric Vault Strengthening

Electric Vault Strengthening

(OP)
Hello,
We have a concrete electrical vault that was built in the early 1960's and currently sits off the shoulder of the road. We need to widen the roadway with the vault now in the travel lane. Is there a way to strengthin a utility vault so that it would handle H20 loading? Relcoating it is not really an option as it services a major run for the site.

Thanks

RE: Electric Vault Strengthening

I think the first thing would be to analyze the vault as-is to see if it can support the truck loading - especially if there is a layer of dirt between the pavement and top of vault.

If the lid is at the same level as the pavement - then a new concrete lid could be considered if the walls are OK. Again - a full analysis would be required.

If the walls don't work - then either rebuild the vault around the interior "stuff" or try to stiffen the walls with added internal steel members.
Alternatively excavate all around the vault and construct new perimeter walls and lid to essentially turn the current walls into interior non-load bearing surfaces.

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RE: Electric Vault Strengthening

How much soil cover do you have? At 3-ft, I believe you can ignore impact. Check AASHTO, as that would be very helpful in your analysis.

"It is imperative Cunth doesn't get his hands on those codes."

RE: Electric Vault Strengthening

Ditto what JAE wrote. If you have 2' or more of fill, AASHTO (Standard Specs) allows you to distribute the concentrated load over a square with sides equal to 1 3/4 times the depth of fill.

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