Soil Deformation and Lateral Pressure Ratcheting in Integral Bridges Absent from IRC Provisions
Abstract
This study presents a comparative assessment of the structural response of integral abutment bridges, with particular emphasis on the effects of lateral earth pressure ratcheting as represented by the K* parameter in PD 6694 1:2011. A 10 m single span integral bridge was modelled using Midas civil software with realistic material properties and boundary conditions. Two analysis cases were considered: (i) a baseline model employing conventional earth pressure assumptions, and (ii) an enhanced model implementing the K* earth pressure coefficient to represent thermal cycle–induced densification of backfill behind the abutments. The results demonstrate significant differences in structural response, with the K* case exhibiting increased bending moments at the deck–abutment junction and elevated shear forces along the abutment height relative to the baseline model. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating pressure ratcheting in design calculations, particularly for the assessment of structural capacity and durability over the bridge service life. The study also identifies a gap in the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) provisions concerning lateral earth pressure development for integral bridges and proposes design considerations to better account for these effects in practice. The methodology and findings provide actionable insights for bridge engineers seeking to optimize integral abutment design for structural efficiency and long-term performance.
Keywords
K*, integral bridge, Thermal Earth pressure, IRC, PD 6694.
Citations
IRE Journals:
Joshi Vaibhav, Singh Nishtha, Shah Hardik, Tewani Om Prakash "Soil Deformation and Lateral Pressure Ratcheting in Integral Bridges Absent from IRC Provisions" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 9 2026 Page 3233-3239 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I9-1715816
IEEE:
Joshi Vaibhav, Singh Nishtha, Shah Hardik, Tewani Om Prakash
"Soil Deformation and Lateral Pressure Ratcheting in Integral Bridges Absent from IRC Provisions" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(9) https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I9-1715816
About IRE Journals
IRE Journals is an open access online journals established with an aim to publish high quality of research work in various diciplines. We have more than 6 years in publications. Over 2500+ papers already published.
Important Links
For Authors
Volume 8:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 7:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 6:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 5:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 4:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 3:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12