Sedimentation of Multi-Barrel Culverts
Box culverts are generally designed to handle events with a 50 year return period and, therefore, most of the time they convey considerably lower flows. In many situations, water flow through a typical multi-barrel box culvert is relatively low throughout most of the year and usually concentrates in one barrel. A common adverse consequence for multi-barrel culverts when one barrel ends up carrying most of the flow during low-flow periods is that over several years of relatively low flow, some of the barrels may silt-in so as to become partially filled with sediment. Such sedimentation can reduce the capacity of culverts to handle the larger flow events and pose high-water problems upstream of culverts. This problem and the costs it incurs are compounded because many culverts are small enough in area, yet also rather long, that cleaning sediment from a partially filled culvert can be very difficult and costly. The problem is particularly severe for culverts draining small rural watersheds. There is a need for methods of prevention or reduction of the in-filling of culverts, both for existing culverts and new culverts. Existing manuals, books, and guides do not provide adequate information on sediment control at box culverts, or for multi-barrel culverts generally. The present paper focuses on ways to ensure that multi-barrel culverts do not become silted in. The paper focuses especially on methods whereby culverts may self-cleanse themselves of sediment.
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
Iowa State University, Ames
Institute for Transportation
Ames, IA United States 50010-8664 -
Authors:
- Ho, H-C
- Muste, Marian
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Conference:
- 2009 Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium
- Location: Ames Iowa, United States
- Date: 2009-8-20 to 2009-8-21
- Publication Date: 2009
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Web
- Features: Figures; Photos; References;
- Pagination: 7p
- Monograph Title: Proceedings of the 2009 Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Box culverts; Flowmeters; Sedimentation; Silts; Streamflow; Watersheds
- Uncontrolled Terms: Self-cleaning systems
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01139761
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Sep 18 2009 7:07AM