Culverts

• A culvert is a conduit placed under a fill, such

as highway embankment, to convey
streamflow from the uphill side of the fill to
the downhill side.
• Culvert are designed to pas the design
discharge without overtopping the fill and
without erossion of the fill (at u/s and d/s of
the fill)
• Flow in a culvert is a function of:
– Cross-sectional and shape
– Slope
– Length
– Roughness
– Entrance and exit design
• Headwater (HW) and tailwater (TW) will
dictates: partially full or completely full culvert
flows.
• Headwater

If TW < D , and operating

under inlet control, the inlet
will be unsubmerged.

• Tailwater D = culvert diameter

 Inlet Control
• Inlet control: main part of the culvert
(downstream of inlet) is capable of conveying
more discharge than the inlet will allow.
• The flow passes through critical depth near
the inlet and becomes supercritical
downstream of the inlet.
• Inlet configuration and discharge rate are the
main control the water surface elevation
upstream of the inlet.
Upstream end is open to atmosphere
 flow is like a that over a weir.
Upstream end is completely
submerged  flow is like a that
through an orifice.
 Outlet Control
• Pipe has a mild slope, TW < D, HW < D.
• Computation of flow profile started from
downstream end , proceed towards upstream.
 Culvert Design
• Summarize initial data: Design discharge,
Tailwater elevation, slope of culvert.
• Make initial choice of culvert: cross sectional
shape, size, material and entrance type.
• Ascertain if the flow: inlet control or outlet
control.
– If TW elev’n > inlet top elev’n  outlet control
– If TW < D, steep slope, submerged inlet  inlet
control
 Culvert Design
• From step 3,
– If inlet control flow prevail  calculate HW to pass the
design discharge.
– If outlet control flow prevail  calculate the the
required water surface elevation at the upstream
pool.
• If water surface elevation of the headwater >
allowed, try a larger size of culvert and repeat the
process. If water surface elevation < allowed, try
a smaller size. (economical concideration, smaller
size  lower cost).
 Phenomena should be aware of..
• Piping
• Scour at outlet and possible bank erosion.
• Possible erosion of fill material near inlet.
• Clogging due to debris.
 Example
• A culvert for a new roadway fill is to be
designed for a 25 year flood. Hydrologic
analysis results in a peak discharge of 200 cfs
for this flood. The inlet invert elevation =
+100ft, natural stream bed slope = 0.01,
tailwater depth above outlet invert = 3.5 ft,
culvert length = 200 ft, and roadway shoulder
elevation = 110 ft. Design a concrete pipe
culvert for this site.