Open Vertical Channel

Open Vertical Channel

Open U-shaped reinforced concrete structure for passage of fluid, usually storm water, and retaining earth.

Design and Analysis:

  1. Design Criteria

    1. EM 1110-2-2104 Strength Design For Reinforced Concrete Hydraulic Structures
    2. EM 1110-2-2502 Retaining And Flood Walls
    3. ETL 1110-2-256 Sliding Stability For Concrete Structures.

  2. Analysis Methods

    1. Beam Formulas
    2. Reinforced Concrete Analysis

  3. Design Procedure

    1. Assume that the buried channel is empty.
    2. Determine the applied loads on the walls using at-rest pressure conditions for the soil and surcharge loads. Highway and railroad surcharge can be calculated using the AASHTO or AREMA standards for box culverts.
    3. The loads in the bottom slab may be determined by simple static equilibrium using the fixed moments at the edges and a uniform upward load from the soil pressure. The maximum tension in the invert is determined assuming the minimum soil pressure on the walls, usually equal to the active pressure condition.