Abstract
Earth pressure on and deformation of drainage pipes buried under high fills with prototype heights up to 100m, measured in a total of 26 centrifuge model tests using five types of model pipes with different flexibihties, were compared well with results computed by FE elastic analysis. The analysis considered the existence of loosened zones inside the trapezoidal dry-sand-backfill area surrounding the model pipes, as well as non-linear deformation behavior of polyethylene model pipes. The analysis explained change in the deformation behavior of the pipes due to pipe flexibility, cover height, fill material, and thickness of fill under the pipe reasonably well. It was concluded, therefore, that this FE method is useful to develop a new design method for drainage pipes buried under high fills.
