On boundary conditions in experimental and numerical models of steel culverts

Full-size tests of steel and polymer culverts have been done at the Road and Bridge Institute, Zmigród, Poland, for a few years now. The experimental results give an insight into the actual behaviour of such structures under working conditions. The experimental evidence so gathered is a basis for putting forward computation models and their verification. The presented paper deals with the effect the structure—wall distances acting as boundary value conditions and the soil cover depth have on the stress distribution within the soil surrounding the object tested. The analysis resolved the question if and when the absolutely stiff retaining walls can be a safe assumption when it comes to accuracy of the computation.