Metal or plastic pipes will fail if the culvert cover is not done right. If it is done right, plastic will greatly outlast steel. So it has become the material of choice nowadays.
Concrete is a different ball game, as you need larger equipment to handle and position it compared to steel or plastic. It does have its own structural strength, so it's less vulnerable to poor fill. However, it will fail too under insufficient cover. When houses are built around here, the site crew normally drops a concrete pipe in the ditch and back fills with just enough stone to reach the top of the pipe. Then all the construction traffic pounds on that pipe. After a few months, they all develop cracks or have chunks missing. Even seen a cement truck get stuck when a concrete pipe gave way.
So whatever you use, be sure it's bedded and back filled properly, with the correct amount of cover.
I put my culvert in about three years ago, using plastic pipe with proper prep, backfill, and cover. Basically, did it as a permanent job from day one. It handled all our construction traffic with no issues, and has outlived all the other half-a$& concrete culvert installs on the street. I would not hesitate to use plastic again.
