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The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a computational method for assessing the allowable depth of fill of a buried thermoplastic profile wall (corrugated) plastic pipe and compare the results to the recently adopted AASHTO design method. The computational method is demonstrated for a 1500 mm (60 in.) diameter HDPE profile wall pipe, but is applicable to all profile wall thermoplastic pipe that exhibit local buckling limit states. The computational model compares strain demands predicted from a two-dimensional plane strain finite element model of buried pipe in the embankment condition with strain capacity predicted from a three-dimensional finite element model of a pipe-soil segment undergoing thrust and/or positive and negative bending. The strain demands indicate the dominance of thrust strains, as opposed to bending strains, in the overall behavior, particularly for intermediate to larger fill depths. In the profile, the ultimate strain capacity is limited by local buckling for thrust strains and/or positive bending (crest in compression), and inward radial movement of the crest for negative bending (liner in compression). Depth of fill predictions between the new AASHTO design method for thermoplastic pipe and the computational method agree within 10 % of one another when uniform soil distribution is considered, and withi