FAILURE MECHANISM OF BOX CULVERT SUBJECTED TO FAULT RAPTURE DISPLACEMENT

Abstract

 Recently, significant damage of underground structures due to the fault rapture displacement was reported. Many researchers focus on the force induced by fault rapture displacement based on analytical and experimental studies. However, the study on damage of underground structures subjected to the fault is insufficient. This study clarifies failure mechanism of RC box culvert subjected to the fault rapture displacement based on 2D Finite Element analysis with three parameters of structure depth; 20m, 10m and 5m from the top slab. Based on the analytical results, it is found that shear force acted in side walls due to fault rapture displacement depends on the depth of structures and results in failure mechanism; the side wall in deeper RC box culvert with depth of 20m collapses in diagonal shear due to large soil pressure, while the shallow RC box culvert with depth of 5-10m failed in slip shear at the bottom of a side wall.