Rational steel mesh layout influence on plate utilization of large span corrugated steel structure

Corrugated steel structures buried in the surrounding soil are currently used worldwide in road and railway engineering as culverts, pedestrian and animal crossings, tunnels and bridges. The need of large span corrugated steel structures is rapidly growing however their behavior analysis is still understudied. There is also a lack of discussion about the impact of additional strengthening elements for the behavior of corrugated steel structures. This study analyses the influence of rational steel mesh layout on the behavior of a large span deepest corrugation steel structure. The numerical two-dimensional model of two-radius 17.5 m span profile with corrugation of 237 mm depth and 500 mm pitch was developed to replicate the ongoing project in Lithuania. Originally the stiffness of the structure from both sides was increased by six layers of steel meshes as lateral support. Nevertheless, the current study was looking for rational steel mesh layout. Also, the influence of different layouts of steel mesh on corrugated steel plate utilization to buckling failure in the peaking, dead load and in the most unfavorable live load location phase was analyzed. The finite element model results indicated that steel meshes could be used to control structure deformations and internal reactions. Vertical displacement of the crown of the structure could be reduced by 45% in the peaking phase when using proper steel meshes layout. Furthermore, steel meshes could be a decisive factor for the bearing capacity of corrugated steel structure in a positive sense.