High-fillculverts placed in valley topography have a complex earth pressure distributionlaw due to their locations around culverts in various valley topographyconditions. In order to investigate the influence of valley topography on theearth pressure around the culvert of high-fill arch culverts

a interactionmodel of "topography-culvert-fill" was established by usingcentrifugal model test and numerical simulation method. Additionally

thedistribution laws of earth pressure around the arch culverts and earth pressureconcentration coefficient at the top of the culvert underdifferent valley widths and valley slopes were analyzed and were compared with the latest Chinese culvert design code.Furthermore

the mechanism of earth pressure formation of high-fill archculverts under valley topography was presented. The research findings are as follows:(1) The influence of the valley width on the earth pressureconcentration coefficient at the top of the culvert issignificant

and the increment of the earth pressure concentration coefficient at the top of the culvert is larger when is 4−6（isthe clear span of arch culvert）. (2) When is lessthan 4

the topography would play the role of load reduction to theculvert. (3) With valley slopes ranging from 45° to 60°

the earth pressure atthe tops and would be affected dramatically. (4) When fillheight is 20 m with >70°

≤1; and when 40 m fill height with >50°

≤1. (5) The recommended by the latest Chineseculvert design code differs to some extent from those by centrifugal model testand numerical simulation. In the case of =45° with a small value

the earth pressure concentration coefficient at thetop of a culvert of the code is more conservative. (6) ofhigh-fill arch culvert in valley is related to the formation of arch topcompaction area and isobaric surface. The arch top compaction area can causethe earth pressure concentration on the top of the arch culvert

and cause thevertical earth pressure of the soil around the compaction area to be arched. Ata certain depth approaching the surface of the fill

the arch distributiongradually transits to the horizontal distribution

thus forming an isobaricsurface. The upper load of the isobaric surface will be dispersed on the valleyslope

so the unloading effect of the valley topography can be exerted.