Design Data 7M

Transition Width
In the construction of sewer and culvert facilities The trench and positive projecting embankment
using round pipe, the two most common types of instal- conditions represent the limiting loading conditions with
lations are trench and positive projecting embankment. the trench being the most favorable and the embankment
the most severe. When pipe is installed in a relatively
TRENCH CONDITION narrow trench, the backfill load is a function of the trench
When concrete pipe is installed in a relatively narrow width. As the trench width is increased, for any given size
trench, settlement between the backfill material and the of pipe, type of in situ material and height of backfill,
undisturbed soil in which the trench is excavated gener- a limiting width is reached beyond which the frictional
ates upward frictional forces which effects a load transfer. forces does not help support the weight of the backfill
These frictional forces helps support the backfill material material. The trench width at which this condition occurs
within the trench and results in less load on the pipe than is defined as the TRANSITION WIDTH. At trench widths
the weight of the prism of backfill material over the pipe. greater than the transition width, the installation simulates
a positive projecting embankment condition with the load
POSITIVE PROJECTING EMBANKMENT transfer increasing the weight of the prism of backfill over
CONDITION the pipe. Once the transition width is realized, the backfill
When concrete pipe is installed on the original ground load is a maximum and remains constant regardless of
and fill material is placed around and over the pipe, rela- any further increase in the trench width. To illustrate the
tive settlements between the fill adjacent to the sides transition condition, and the relationship between trench
of the pipe and the fill directly over the pipe generates loads and embankment loads, the frictional forces and
downward frictional forces, also effecting load transfer. resultant load transfer can be depicted as columns of fill
However, this load transfer results in greater fill load on or backfill material.
the pipe than the weight of the prism of fill over the pipe. Figure 1 illustrates a positive projecting embankment
installation with the pipe installed on a firm, unyield-
TRANSITION CONDITION ing foundation. Since concrete pipe is relatively rigid

Figure 1 Positive Projecting Embankment Figure 2 Wide Trench Condition

Imtermediate Column
Imtermediate Column

Column

End Column
End Column

KBc KBc
Center

Before Settlement After Settlement

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compared to the semi-elastic soil surrounding the pipe, the KBc dimension and load on the pipe is the same as
the columns of fill adjacent to the sides of the pipe will the positive projecting embankment condition. The load
compress or settle more than the prism of fill directly over from the intermediate columns will be transmitted to the
the pipe. This relative settlement generates downward trench bottom and, because of compression, horizontal
frictional forces in the soil mass which transfers load forces will develop against the sides of the pipe.
onto the pipe so that the pipe carries a load in excess of Figure 3 is the same as Figure 2, except the trench
the weight of material directly above it. This increased is narrower and of such width that the intermediate col-
load can be represented by a column of fill of width KBc, umns have been eliminated. The two end columns are
where K is a load transfer coefficient and Bc is the outside now being supported by the trench walls and the pipe.
diameter of the pipe. When concrete pipe is installed in With the elimination of the intermediate columns (Figure
this manner, the coefficient K will always be greater than 2), the entire backfill load is being supported by the pipe
1.0 and can be as much as 1.45. In addition to the verti- and the trench walls. This is the TRANSITION WIDTH,
cal load on the pipe, compression of the fill material on with the load carried by the pipe being the same as for
either side of the pipe results in horizontal forces against the “positive projecting embankment installation” and the
the sides of the pipe (lateral support) which increase the “wide trench installation”. This load is constant for any
load carrying capacity of the pipe. trench width from the “transition width” to infinity.
The Figure 2 installation is the same as Figure 1, If the pipe is installed in a trench narrower than the
except the pipe is placed in a wide trench relative to the transition width, as illustrated in Figure 4, the trench walls
size of the pipe. When concrete pipe is installed in a wide support as much of the load as in the previous wide
trench, the backfill material can be considered as five trench and transition installations. However, the width of
separate but interacting columns; two end columns, two the remaining center column to be supported by the pipe
intermediate columns and a center column. The two end has decreased. The load carried by the pipe is no longer
columns adjacent to the trench walls will settle relative to a function of the pipe, but instead is controlled by the
the undisturbed soil in which the trench was excavated. width of the trench. Therefore, the narrower the trench,
This settlement generates upward frictional forces along the less the backfill load will be on the pipe. However the
the trench walls resulting in a load transfer as indicated. trench must be greater than the minimum trench width
This load transfer does not reduce the load on the pipe, based on appropriate specifications.
since the trench is of sufficient width that the intermediate Figures 5, 6, and 7 show the transition widths for
and center columns still simulate the positive projecting ACPA Standard Installations Type 1-4. An explanation of
condition illustrated in Figure 1. The intermediate columns Standard Installations can be found in the ACPA Concrete
of fill on either side of the pipe are not affected by the pipe Pipe Design Manual. For any given size of pipe and height
or trench walls. These columns will settle more than the of backfill, the transition width is dependent on the type
center column and transfer load onto the pipe such that of in situ material. However, variations in the transition

Figure 3 Transition Condition Figure 4 Trench Condition

Column

Center Column

End Column
End Column
End Column
End Column

KBc
Center

Before Settlement After Settlement

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 Figure 5 Transition Widths for Type 1 Installations Using Sand and Gravel Backfill Material

40

144
132
35

120
108

138
114

126
102
96
72
30

84
27

90
54

66

78
60
33

48
24
21
Heigth of Backfill, H, Top of Pipe (Feet)

36
42
18
15
30

12
25 es
D in Inch

20
r
Diamete

15

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Transition Width, Bd (Feet)

Figure 6 Transition Widths for Type 2 and 3 Installations Using Sand and Gravel Backfill Material

40

138
132
35

144
108

126
120
102

114
66
60

96
24
30

90
27
21

84
54
33

78
42
48

72
Heigth of Backfill, H, Top of Pipe (Feet)

15

36
18
12

30

25
hes
r D in Inc

20
Diamete

15

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Transition Width, Bd (Feet)

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 Figure 7 Transition Widths for Type 4 Installations Using Sand and Gravel Backfill Material

40

138
144
126
132
35

120
114
108
102
78

96
84
27

90
30

60
66
72
21

54
48
24

33

42
36
18
Heigth of Backfill, H, Top of Pipe (Feet)

15
30

12
es
25
D in Inch

20
r
Diamete

15

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Transition Width, Bd (Feet)

Figure 8 Transition Loads on Circular Pipe (Type 1)

40

Diameter D in Inches
35
15 21 27 33
Heigth of Backfill, H, Above Top of Pipe (Feet)

12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120 126 132 138 144

30

25

20

15

Loads based on positive projection embankment

10
installations with 100 pounds per cubic foot backfill.
For fill weighing 110 pounds per cubic foot, increase
loads 10%; for 120 pounds, increase loads 20%; etc.
5

0
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000 55000 60000 65000
Backfill Load, W(Pounds Per Linear Foot)

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 Figure 9 Transition Loads on Circular Pipe (Type 2 & 3)

40

Diameter D in Inches
35
15 21 27 33
Heigth of Backfill, H, Above Top of Pipe (Feet)

12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120 126 132 138 144

30

25

20

15

Loads based on positive projection embankment

10
installations with 100 pounds per cubic foot backfill.
For fill weighing 110 pounds per cubic foot, increase
loads 10%; for 120 pounds, increase loads 20%; etc.
5

0
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000 55000 60000 65000
Backfill Load, W(Pounds Per Linear Foot)

Figure 10 Transition Loads on Circular Pipe (Type 4)

40

35 Diameter D in Inches
Heigth of Backfill, H, Above Top of Pipe (Feet)

12 15 18 2124 27 3033 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120 126 132 138 144
30

25

20

15

Loads based on positive projection embankment

10
installations with 100 pounds per cubic foot backfill.
For fill weighing 110 pounds per cubic foot, increase
loads 10%; for 120 pounds, increase loads 20%; etc.
5

0
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000 55000 60000 65000
Backfill Load, W(Pounds Per Linear Foot)

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width for different types of backfill material is such that
in normal design work, it is sufficiently accurate to use
sand and gravel backfill material for the evaluation of
transition widths.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 present maximum backfill loads
for pipe installed in a trench where the trench width is
equal to or greater than the transition width loads based
on positive projection embankment installations with
15.7 kN per cubic meter backfill density. The maximum
backfill loads are based on the embankment loading
condition. For embankment installations the load transfer
coefficient, K, varies between 1.35 and 1.45 for Standard
Installation Types 1, 2, 3, and 4. The value of this coef-
ficient and resultant load increase is dependent on:
a. The type of foundation on which the pipe is
placed.
b. Compaction of the fill material adjacent to the
sides of the pipe.
c. The vertical height of the pipe projecting above
the original ground.

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Technical data herein is considered reliable, but no guarantee is made or liability assumed.