A2K04: Committee on Subsurface Soil-Structure Interaction

Chairman: Thomas C. Sandford, University of Maine

"The analysis, design, and performance of buried structures associated with transportation facilities, such as buried culverts, grade crossings, and soil-structure systems, requires an understanding of soil-structure interaction. Buried structures usually cannot resist the loads to which they are subjected, including soil, without utilizing the strength of the surrounding soil in a complex interaction. The soil-structure interaction of a buried structure is affected by the structure’s material, size, and stiffness; by the method of construction in the field (e.g., trench, embankment, or tunnel); by the type and placement of the backfill material; and by the external loading."