Bottomless Culvert Scour Study: Phase I Laboratory Report

Bottomless culverts are three-sided structures that have sides and a top and use the natural channel for the bottom. As such, they are an environmentally attractive alternative to box, pipe, and pipe arch culvert designs. Bottomless culverts range in size from a few feet to more than 35 feet in width. The failure of such a structure could have severe consequences similar to the failure of a bridge. On the other hand, since the cost of the foundation and scour countermeasures represent a significant portion of the cost of the structure, overdesign of these elements can add significantly to the cost of the project. The Maryland State Highway Administration funded a study of scour at bottomless culverts. Several dozen physical modeling configurations were tested and the resulting scour was measured. The results were evaluated and predictive equations for estimating scour depth were developed. These equations will provide guidance for the design of footing depths for bottomless culverts. Additional tests were conducted to determine the riprap sizes needed to prevent the deep scour that was observed near the upstream corners of the culvert when there was substantial approach flow blocked by the roadway embankments. These tests were preliminary and are not an indication that the Federal Highway Administration endorses the concept of using a countermeasure to reduce foundation depth.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/hydraulics/02078/02078.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/39606
• Corporate Authors:

  GKY and Associates, Incorporated

  5411-E Backlick Road
  Springfield, VA  United States  22151

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
  6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101

  Maryland State Highway Administration

  2323 West Joppa Road
  Brooklandville, MD  United States  21022
• Authors:
  • Kerenyi, Kornel
  • Jones, J Sterling
  • Stein, Stuart
• Publication Date: 2003-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Laboratory Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 69p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cost effectiveness; Equations; Laboratory tests; Mathematical prediction; Prototypes; Riprap; Scour
• Uncontrolled Terms: Three-sided culverts
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Data and Information Technology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Marine Transportation; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01023844
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-02-078
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-95-C-00066
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 15 2006 3:13PM