Model Tests of Earth Pressure on Buried Rigid Pipes and Flexible Pipes underneath Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)

To obtain the optimal load-reduction scheme and calculation method of earth pressure on the crown of the pipe, the load-reduction efficiency of rigid pipe and flexible pipe with different thicknesses and layers of expanded polystyrene (EPS) is investigated by model tests, and the law of load reduction is obtained by analyzing the earth pressure and the displacements of the filling around the pipe. The test results show that the earth pressure is obviously reduced with EPS laying on the crown of pipe, and the load-reduction efficiency is increased to be constant with increasing of EPS thickness. In the case that the summation thickness of EPS is constant, the load-reduction efficiency of EPS with two layers spread on the pipe is higher than that of one layer only. Compared with the rigid pipe, the load-reducing effect of flexible pipe is more significant. Based on the data obtained from the model tests, the nonlinear earth pressure calculation formula obtained from regression analysis is adopted, and the results from it are compared with the existing formula consequences of the earth pressure on the buried pipe. The results show that the earth pressure calculated by nonlinear earth pressure theory is on the brink of that tested in the field. The research results can provide references for selection of load-reduction measures and calculation of earth pressure on the crown of the pipe.

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