On thermal conditions of culverts in cold regions
Series: Doctoral thesis / Luleå University of TechnologyPublication details: Luleå : Luleå University of Technology, 2024Description: 136 sISBN:- 9789180486194
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Diss. (sammanfattning) Luleå : Luleå tekniska universitet, 2024
Culverts play a crucial role in road and railway construction projects by facilitating drainage in embankments. However, in cold climates with seasonally frozen ground, frost-related damages around culverts are a common challenge. Culverts alter the thermal conditions of the surrounding embankment by allowing cold air to flow through the structure, leading to deeper frost penetration compared to adjacent areas. Accurately estimating the depth of frost penetration and the resulting heave is challenging due to the complex thermal dynamics within culverts, influenced by factors such as air temperature, wind, solar radiation, construction materials, and the dimensions of both the culvert and the embankment. To better understand these thermal conditions, a field investigation was conducted near Luleå, Northern Sweden, monitoring three culverts with varying dimensions (diameter/length: 0.6/20 m, 0.8/17 m, and 3.4/30 m) from October 2020 to June 2021. Data on temperatures and air velocities inside the culverts, along with outside air temperatures, were collected and analysed.