Reinforced concrete (RC) culverts under high fill have been widely used in the construction of expressways and railways. Based on the results of a field survey, various types of structural damage to RC culverts occur during construction and service periods. In this study, numerical simulation and field tests were conducted to investigate the impact of soil properties on the structural integrity of RC culverts under high fill. Important factors that influence culvert integrity, such as ground bearing capacity and ground treatment, have been analyzed in detail. Research findings indicate that damage to RC culverts under high fill is not typically caused by failure to the subgrade layer under the culvert foundation, due to the beneficial effects of foundation depth, foundation width and subgrade layer consolidation. Structural damage is probably caused by improper ground treatment strategies. Proper strategies for preventing integrity problems are recommended based on the research. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.