Experimental Investigation of an RC Slab Culvert Rehabilitated with Grouted CSPs

Abstract

The rehabilitation of an existing culvert with corrugated steel plates (CSPs) has been an emerging technology in recent years, but engineers and researchers are not particularly clear about the working principle of the rehabilitated structure. To investigate the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs rehabilitated with CSPs, laboratory tests were carried out to explore the calculation method and influencing factors of load-carrying capacity of RC slab culverts rehabilitated with grouted CSPs. The results revealed the following: the flexural failure of the prerehabilitated RC slab has little influence on the test-loading capacity of the rehabilitated system; shear failure will occur in the RC slab and grout, and an arch effect will be formed in the CSP and grout after rehabilitation; the higher the shear strength of the concrete of the RC slab and grout, the greater the test-loading capacity of the rehabilitated system: the RC slab and grout greatly contribute to the test-loading capacity of the rehabilitated system; CSP changes the ductility of the rehabilitated system at the failure stage. It was found that the estimation method for the test-loading capacity of the rehabilitated system based on the shear capacities of the RC slab and grout and the flexural capacity of the CSP is reasonable; the maximum difference between the theoretical and experimental results was less than 30%, and the minimum difference between them was 0%.