Arch Bridge Abutment - Soil Pressure

[bookowski]

Hello,

I am looking at a shallow arch bridge, this is for pedestrian loading only (no vehicles). It is essentially going to be a tunnel built through soil. Each side will be a vertical retaining wall, a shallow arch will cap the two vertical walls. Soil will come up to the height of each side wall, and then a bit of soil will also cover the arch as a landscaped bridge area (about 8" of soil).

Can anyone recommend a good source for determining soil pressures on the side walls/abutments? I've done some searching online but haven't come up with anything useful.

How is this type of analysis typically performed? It seems to me that I'd need a model with soil springs at the sides to account for the resistance to the thrust.... any suggestions?

 

[bridgebuster]

Can you treat it as a three sided culvert?

 

[bookowski]

bridgebuster - thanks, that put me on the right track. I am structural and typically only do buildings so I had no idea where to start with this. It's just a review, I'm not the EoR.

There will be a bottom slab, it will not be poured monolithically but will be keyed and doweled into the side walls - is this sufficient to treat it as a 'box' culvert? From what I have found for three sided you typically assume a roller for one support.

 

[dicksewerrat]

Why not use box culverts for the whole thing?

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.

http://WWW.amlinereast.com

 

[bridgebuster]

bookowski - You can use a true box culvert and have the bottom slab placed separately. You just have to detail the corners between the walls & slab to transfer the moments.

I was thinking three-sided because there propriatery systems - look at Contech - that might fit your need or give you an idea for a custom design.