Evaluation and design guidelines for damaged, degraded and new buried infrastructures

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Buried infrastructure plays a key role supporting the Canadian economy and improving the quality of life for Canadians. Canadian municipalities and the federal, provincial and territorial governments together spend $25 to $28 billion annually on infrastructure development, repairs and maintenance. This is a major Canadian investment that requires changes in how this infrastructure is designed and managed in order to become more efficient and sustainable. The primary focus of the proposed research program is to develop efficient solutions for damaged and degraded as well as new buried infrastructure through better understanding of their complex soil-structure interaction aspects. The proposed research program includes four tasks that deal with various analysis and design issues. The first task constitutes a comprehensive assessment of the potential adverse impact of new piled foundations on existing tunnels, considering actual soil conditions as well as the current condition of the tunnel lining. Based on the research results, a realistic exclusion zone may be established or precautionary measures developed to allow installation of close-by piled foundations. In addition, a comprehensive study quantifying and optimizing rehabilitation methods for steel culverts will be performed. Based on the results of this study, Canadian municipalities can better manage their aged culverts. Furthermore, an innovative new culvert infrastructure using sustainable Tire Derived Aggregates (TDA) will be developed. The developed system will substantially reduce the stresses in positive projection culverts under high embankments. The proposed methodologies will help assess the hazards associated with buried infrastructure with the aim of reducing potential for catastrophic failures in major transportation arteries, which translates into increased safety for Canadian populations and reduced cost for development in urban areas. The research results will be extremely important for geotechnical engineering consultants, municipal engineers, departments of transportation and infrastructure contractors.