Abstract
PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimal joint positions which can minimize distresses of concrete pavement containing box culvert with horizontally skewed angles. METHODS : The concrete pavement containing the box culvert with different skewed angles and soil cover depths was modeled by 3 dimensional finite element method. The contact boundary condition was used between concrete and soil structures in addition to the nonlinear material property of soil in the finite element model. A dynamic analysis was performed by applying the self weight of pavement, negative temperature gradient of slab, and moving vehicle load simultaneously. RESULTS : In case of zero skewed angle ($0^{\circ}$), the maximum tensile stress of slab was the lowest when the joint was positioned directly over side of box culvert. In case there was a skewed angle, the maximum tensile stress of slab was the lowest when the joint passed the intersection between side of the box culvert and longitudinal centerline of slab. The magnitude of the maximum tensile stress converged to a constant value regardless the joint position from 3m of soil cover depth at all of the horizontally skewed angles. CONCLUSIONS : More reasonable and accurate design of the concrete pavement containing the box culvert can be possible based on the research results.
