AS 1597.2 Supp 1:1997 PDF Download

AS 1597.2 Supp 1:1997 is a standard that provides guidelines for the design and construction of precast reinforced concrete box culverts, specifically for large culverts with spans ranging from 1500mm up to and including 4200mm, and with a height of 4200mm. The standard acknowledges that while the primary use of these box culverts is for carrying water, they can also be used for other purposes such as pedestrian or vehicular underpasses, escape or reclaim tunnels, or earth-retaining structures.

The standard sets limits on the dimensions of the culverts as a way to define the scope of the work, but it also allows for the design of culvert units with larger dimensions as long as the designer takes into account the increased load and structural responses. It emphasizes the need for individual design for each special culvert condition and recommends careful consideration of equivalent loadings, especially for culverts larger than the specified dimensions.

The standard also addresses the design of culvert units with large holes or skewed structures. In such cases, the remaining cross-section of the culvert should be designed to resist the total bending moment and shear applied to the culvert. However, the standard does not account for the effect of soil arching in deep fills when determining loads on the culvert. As a result, it limits the maximum height of fill to 10m. This simplification is considered acceptable by the committee for fills up to 10m, although it may be conservative in high fill situations.