COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF SINGLE CELL CIRCULAR CULVERT IN EUROCODE USING STAADPRO AND MANUAL APPROACH

Abstract

The paper made a comparison between single cell circular culvert designed based on Eurocode 2 using manual design approach and software design approach using StaadPro. Standard and appropriate load assumptions were made and structural analysis carried out using moment distribution method for manual approach. The percentile differences between bending moments obtained from the manual approach and software approach range from 16.93 to 59.96 % while that obtained for the shear forces range from 9.78 to 31.9 %. The differences were attributed to the fact that manual approach analyses and designs the culvert as 2D structure while the software approach analysis and designs the culvert as a 3D structure which the structure truly represents. Hence, numerous assumptions are usually made in the 2D analysis. It is adjudged that the software gives more conservative and economical analysis and design output and should be adopted in subsequent designs for economy and time savings.

 

KEYWORDS: culvert, single cell, circular culvert, Eurocode, Staadpro, Analysis and Design