Application of modular I-beam framework in repair of corrugated steel pipe culverts

JIN Song; WANG Wei; WU Mingming; ZHOU An

doi:10.11799/ce202512005

Abstract：To address the structural instability of corrugated steel pipe culverts in open-pit mines caused by asymmetric backfilling under heavy-duty transportation,a modular repair technology utilizing an I-beam framework was proposed,Through integrating the numerical simulation and field measurements,a three-dimensional finite element model was established with Midas GTS NX to investigate of progressive deformation behavior in corrugated steel pipe culverts under asymmetric backfill conditions.A modular I-beam reinforcement design was developed based on structural damage characteristics.Rapid repair of the damaged area was achieved through standardized component prefabrication,progressive installation techniques,and a cooperative load-transfer mechanism between the new and old structures.The reinforcement effectiveness was verified via static load testing and model calibration.The results indicate:Firstly,asymmetric backfilling caused lateral displacement of 321.6 mm and a peak arch-foot stress of 359 MPa,leading to local buckling instability;Secondly,after reinforcement with the I-steel frame,the vertical displacement of the arch crown(23.8 mm)and circumferential stress at the arch foot(247 MPa)were restored to the original design levels(24.5 mm,255 MPa),and the maximum displacement under dynamic loads met the L/300 limit requirement;Thirdly,the relative displacement error between numerical simulation and static load tests was 3.5％,verifying the reliability of the model.Therefore,the I-beam frame reinforcement technology can rapidly and effectively restore the load-bearing capacity of damaged culvert structures.