Cross-drainage systems: Culverts

Gupta, Chapter 14, pp 722-731

 Purpose
 Design objective
 Design parameters
 Design Procedure
 Regime Classification
 Examples
PURPOSE
 Pass natural stream Crossing below dam at
Douthat State Park, Virginia
flows or runoff under
roadways
 Outlet for detention
basins

Box culverts will protect streams crossed by the new road from Route
50.
Photo courtesy of George Golden, Smithsonian Office of Physical Plant
Culvert Types

Section Views (Looking Downstream)

box culvert circular culvert

(typ. unsubmerged) (typ. submerged)
Design Objective
road culvert
 Design culvert (D,So) to
pass flood of given
return period (10 or 100-
year event).
 Design Q drainage
– Rational method area
– TR-55 method
– USGS Regression
method, pp. 393-394.
Design Parameters (Profile)

headwater/inlet
lw road deck
V1 L, So outlet/tailwater
H
1 2 4
Q D 3
z h4
intlet invert El. datum
outlet invert El.

Ao=area of culvert barrel; A3=area of section of flow at outlet

lW=typ. one stream width
 Design Procedure
1. Estimate Qdesign for drainage area & design return period.
2. Select culvert shape, material and trial size, D and calculate H/D.
3. Design for desired culvert flow type (Table 14.5) & select discharge formula.
Unsubmerged flow conditions (e.g. box culverts supporting roadways)
a) Calculate dc & dn and classify slope as Mild or Steep
b) Compare dn, dc and tailwater depth h4 and classify flow type: dn <dc; h4<dc : S2 profile, inlet control with
dc as control depth, TYPE 1
c) dn >dc; h4 <dc : M2 profile, outlet control with dc as control depth, TYPE 2
d) dn >dc; h4 >dc : M2 profile or M1(h4 > dn), outlet control with h4 as control depth, TYPE 3
Submerged flow conditions (most culverts)
a) If culvert submerged at inlet and outlet: outlet control, TYPE 4
b) If culvert unsubmerged at outlet use Figs. 14.6 & 14.7
c) Compute ratios L/D, r/D or w/D, So (and 29n2H/Ro4/3 for rough pipes), where r is the radius of rounding
and w is the effective bevel.
d) For concrete pipes, use Fig. 14.6
e) For rough pipes, use Fig. 14.7.
f) Plot the point So, L/D.
g) If the point plots to the right of the curve it is outlet control, TYPE 5
h) If the point plots to the left of the curve it is inlet control, TYPE 6
4. Calculate Qtrial and compare with Qdesign. Iterate until they equal.
 Regime Classification: Unsubmerged, 1-3

n 2 LV 2
Table 14.5, p. 724.
ha ,b 
2.22 R 4 3
 Regime Classification: Submerged, 4-6

Table 14.5, p. 725.

 Criteria for Types 5 & 6: Submerged (H/D > 1.2)
Conditions for Smooth (Concrete) Culverts
r = radius of rounding

W = effective bevel

Figure 14.6, p. 727.

Criteria for Types 5 & 6: Submerged (H/D > 1.2)
Conditions for Rough (Corrugated) Culverts

Figure 14.7, p. 728-729.

USDOT Federal Highway Administration Design References &
Culvert Design Model
Hydraulic Design of Highway Culverts
– http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/hds5SI.pdf

Hydraulic Charts for the Selection of Highway Culverts

– http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/hec05.pdf

FHWA HY8 Culvert Analysis Computer Program, v6.1

– http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/hyddescr.htm#hy_8_culvert_a
nalysis