Culvert Design by Robert Duane Nickols Overview This course presents terms related to culvert design.

Based on certain design conditions, we will design a couple of culverts. We will design a circular concrete pipe culvert and a concrete box culvert. We will use nomographs for the design. We will also design rip rap for erosion control. Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills: Terms related to culvert design Identify the types of flow in a culvert based on inlet or outlet control Design culverts from given design conditions Design rip rap Introduction Culverts are hydraulic structures intended to convey the flow of water from streams or channels through a road or railroad embankment without overflowing the embankment. The main concern in the design of a culvert is the headwater. Headwater is the upstream depth of flow. Tailwater is the downstream depth of flow. When the flow of water from a stream or channel encounters a culvert, it usually causes an increase in the headwater depth because of the restriction. The velocity upstream of the culvert is very slow but the velocity through the culvert is fast. Factors that affect the flow of water through a culvert: The size (area) Entrance geometry Length Roughness Slope Tailwater (downstream depth)

Culverts come in many different sizes, materials and shapes: Circular concrete pipe (RCP) Corrugated metal pipe (CMP) Concrete box Corrugated metal box Oval concrete pipe Corrugated metal pipe-arch Corrugated metal arch We will use circular concrete pipe and concrete box culverts. The minimum diameter may be 18 inches or an area of 2.2 square feet in some jurisdictions. The entrance to the culvert might be: Square edge with headwall Groove end with headwall Groove end projecting Mitered to conform to slope Beveled ring 30-75 wingwall 90 and 15 wingwall Skewed headwalls The length of the culvert affects the friction loss. The longer the culvert, you have more friction loss. The maximum length may be 200 feet for inlet control in some jurisdictions. Roughness is associated with the Manning Coefficient (n) and used to calculate the head loss due to friction. Concrete; n=0.012 Corrugated metal pipe; n=0.024 Slope, is the slope of the culvert and is usually expressed in ft/ft but may be in percent. The slope might be subcritical or supercritical. Subcritical flow is characterize by low velocities, large depths, mild slopes and a Froude number greater than 1.0 .The minimum slope may be 1% for inlet control in some jurisdictions. The maximum slope for concrete pipe may be 10% and 14% for CMP in some jurisdictions. The maximum drop may be 10 feet.

The tailwater depth usually depends on the size, shape, slope and resistance to flow or roughness of the stream. Water is lazy and it will try to maintain a normal depth. Normal depth is the depth of flow in a channel or culvert when the slope of the water surface and channel bottom is the same and the water depth remains constant. The depth might be above or below the downstream crown. The crown is the top inside point or surface of the culvert. The invert is the bottom point or surface of the culvert. The design storm may be the 100 year flood. The (100-year flood) is defined as the flood or storm surge having a 1-percent chance of being exceeded in any given year. The headwater depth may be a depth that will allow at least 18 inch freeboard from the lowest point in the embankment. The maximum velocity may be 15 ft/sec with full flow in the culvert. The minimum velocity may be 3 ft/sec when the culvert is flowing partially full based on the 2 year storm. Erosion control may be required at inlet, outlet and along the channel. Culverts can operate under: Inlet control Outlet control (may not be allowed in some jurisdictions) If the culvert is operating on a steep slope it is likely that the entrance geometry will control the headwater and the culvert will be on inlet control. Inlet control for culverts may occur as unsubmerged or submerged. For the unsubmerged condition, the culvert invert slope is super-critical and the culvert acts like a weir. For the submerged condition, the culvert doesnt flow full and acts like an orifice. If the culvert is operating on a mild slope, the outlet characteristics will probably control the flow and the culvert will be on outlet control. There are three types of outlet control conditions. The headwater is submerged and the outlet is submerged with the culvert flowing full. The headwater is submerged and the outlet is unsubmerged. The headwater is unsubmerged and the outlet is unsubmerged. The culvert slope is sub-critical and the tailwater depth is below the pipe critical depth.

Inlet Control

Outlet Control

Water Depths
TW ' HW HW DC D Ls Ls

2 TW H TW ' H

Use the larger of TW or TW '

HW is headwater TW is tailwater DC is critical depth D is depth or diameter of culvert H is head L is length of culvert S is slope of culvert Head; H = hv + he + hf hv is the velocity head he is the head loss due to the entrance geometry hf is the head loss due to friction in the culvert

H H

hv v2 2g

he

hf Ke v2 2g v2 2g 29 n 2 L R
4 3

v2 2g

1 Ke

29 n 2 L R
4 3

You can use nomographs to determine the head, H.

Design Procedure 1. Assume a culvert velocity of 3-5 ft/sec. Based on the design storm flow, calculate the required area. Area = flow divided by velocity. 2. Determine the shape and size of the culvert from the required area. 3. Based on the entrance condition, use the proper inlet control nomograph to determine HW/D. 4. Calculate the HW for inlet control and check to see if it less than the allowable. If it is not, increase the size of the culvert. 5. Based on the entrance loss coefficient (Ke), the culvert length (L), the size and the discharge (Q), determine the head (H) using the proper outlet control nomograph. The HW for outlet control is computed by the following equations:

HW HW TW '

H H Dc

TW Ls TW ' Ls D

6.

7. 8. 9.

2 Use TW or TW, whichever is greater to calculate the HW. Compare the HW in step 4 to the HW in step 5 and use the larger. If the HW in step 4 is larger, the culvert is operating under inlet control. If the HW in step 5 is larger, the culvert is operating under outlet control which may not be allowed in some jurisdictions. If outlet control is not allowed, change the size and run new trial calculations. Also check to see if the HW is less than the allowable. Estimate the outlet velocity, which will be needed to design any required riprap for erosion control. If the culvert is flowing full, V = Q/A. Estimate the velocity which may be for the 2 year flood and check to see if it meets the minimum velocity. Route the design flood through the culvert to determine if there are any flooding problems. Flood routing is another big topic and is outside the scope of this course.

Circular Concrete Pipe Culvert Design Design data: Design flood peak discharge (Q) = 50 cu ft/sec Entrance is projecting from fill with no headwall and socket or groove end; Ke=0.20 Pipe slope (s) = 0.005 ft/ft Length of culvert (L) = 67 feet Allowable headwater (AHW) = 5.0 feet Tailwater depth (TW) = 2.7 feet Upstream invert = 100.1 feet Downstream invert = 99.8 feet 1. Assume culvert velocity of 5 ft/sec
a Q v 50 cfs 10 ft 2 5 ft / sec

2.
D

D2 4 4a 4 10 ft 2 3.57 ft 42.8 inchesor 42 inch

3. Based on (D) = 42 inch, (Q) = 50 cfs and scale 3 on chart 1 (page 11). HW/D = 0.94 4. (D) = 42 inches = 3.5 feet so HW = (0.94)(3.5 feet) = 3.3 feet which is less than AHW of 5.0 feet 5. Based on Ke = 0.2, culvert length (L) = 67 feet, culvert diameter (D) = 42 inches or 3.5 feet, Discharge (Q) = 50 cfs and using chart 2 the head (H) = 0.62 feet

The critical depth is 2.21 feet. Tailwater depth (TW) = 2.7 feet

TW '
Use larger 2.86 feet
HW HW

Dc 2

2.21 ft 3.5 ft 2

2.86 ft

H TW ' Ls 0.62 ft 2.86 ft

(67 ft 0.005 ft / ft )

3.2 ft

6. Since HW, (3.3 ft) for inlet control is large than HW, (3.2 ft) for outlet control, the culvert is operating under inlet control. The HW, (3.3 ft) is less than AHW, (5.0 ft) so this pipe should work. 7. Determine the outlet velocity to design any erosion control. 8. Check minimum velocity requirements. 9. Route the design hydrograph through the culvert to determine the discharge and stage behind the culvert. NOTE: ODOT CDSS can be downloaded from Ohio Department of Transportation at: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/se/hy/dloads.htm

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Chart 2

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Concrete Box Culvert Design Design data: Design flood peak discharge (Q) = 36 cu ft/sec Headwall parallel to embankment (no wingwalls) square-edged on three edges; Ke=0.50 Pipe slope (s) = 0.008 ft/ft Length of culvert (L) = 50 feet Allowable headwater (AWH) = 5.0 feet Tailwater depth (TW) = 2.5 feet Upstream invert = 100.0 feet Downstream invert = 99.6 feet 1. Assume culvert velocity of 5 ft/sec
a Q v 36 cfs 5 ft / sec 7.2 ft 2

2. Compute size
size a 7.2 ft 2 2.68 ft

Say 3 x 3 cbc 3. Chart 8; based on (D) of 3, (Q/B) = 36 cfs/3 =12 HW/D = 0.95 4. HW = 0.95 x 3 = 2.85 which is less than AHW of 5.0 feet. 5. Chart 15; based on Ke =0.5, Length of culvert (L) = 50 feet, Size of culvert = 3 x 3, Discharge (Q) = 36 cfs Head (H) =0.5 feet

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The critical depth is 1.65 feet.

TW ' TW HW Dc 2 2.5 ft H TW Ls D 1.65 ft 2 3.0 ft 2.33 ft

Use larger 0.5 ft 3.0 ft (50 ft 0.008 ft / ft ) 2.6 ft

6. Since HW for inlet control is larger (2.85 feet) and the AHW (5.0 feet) is larger, this culvert will work. 7. Determine the outlet velocity to design any erosion control. 8. Check minimum velocity requirements. 9. Route the design hydrograph through the culvert to determine the discharge and stage behind the culvert.

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Now lets determine the outlet velocity. If the tailwater depth (TW) = 2.5 feet and the culvert is 3 x 3, then the area of flow is: 2.5 x 3.0 = 7.5 ft2 Velocity (v) = Q/a = 36 cfs/ 7.5 ft2 = 4.8 ft / sec Erosion Control (rip rap): There are several items to consider in apron design for erosion control: Tailwater depth Apron Length Apron width Apron thickness Bottom grade of apron Side slopes Alignment Material (rip rap) Stone size selection: The median stone diameter, d50, in feet:
d 50 0.02 Q 3 TW Do
4

0.02 2.5'

36 cfs 3'

0.32 ft

3.8 inchesor use 4 inches

Q is the design flow in cfs TW is the tailwater depth in feet Do is the inside culvert width in feet There are many different equations for d50. I like this one: d50=aV2 a=0.0413 if V is in m/s or 0.0126 if V is in ft/s

For our velocity of 4.8 ft/s, d50=0.29=3.48 use 4 The maximum diameter d100 = 1.5 x d50 = 1.5 x 4 = 6. The rip rap should be well graded. Fifty percent by size should be larger than d50 and fifty percent should be smaller than d50.

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The length of the apron, La for culverts flowing up to full

La 1.7Q 3 Do 2 8Do

for culverts flowing at or above full

La 3.0Q 3 Do 2 3.0 36 cfs 3.0 feet
3 2

20.78' or use 21'

The width of the apron, W for TW elevation >= the pipe centerline elevation
W 3Do 0.4 La (3 3' ) (0.4 21' ) 17.4' or use18'

for TW elevation < the pipe centerline elevation

W 3Do La

The thickness of the apron 1.5 x d100 = 1.5 x 6=9 The side slopes should be 2:1 or flatter. The apron should be constructed with no slope (0%) along its length. There should be no bends or curves at the intersection of the culvert and the apron.

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