EVALUATION OF PREFABRICATED EDGE DRAINS IN OHIO

An investigation was conducted to evaluate prefabricated edge drain (PED) construction procedures and to assess the condition of PEDs installed in Ohio between 1988 and 1993. The research included a survey of department of transportation engineers in other states and Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) design and construction engineers. The condition of PEDs installed in Ohio was evaluated at six sites throughout Ohio by excavating short sections of PEDs for visual inspections and permittivity testing. A video borescope with a 25-ft (7.6-m) long fiber optic cable was used to investigate the in situ condition of the PED. Permittivity testing of the PED fabric was conducted in the field on PED samples removed from the excavations. Specifications for installing PED vary considerably among the states using PED. ODOT current specifications require placing the PED on the outside of the trench and using a granular backfill. Problems that have been reported include deformation of the PED core, compression of the filter fabric into the core, blinding and clogging of the filter, sedimentation of the core and blockage of drainage outlets. In most cases, the problems were considered minor. The problems cited above were observed at all six sites during the video borescope inspections. In spite of problems with the filter fabric, the permittivity of the filter fabric was not significantly reduced. The problems with PED result in reduced drainage capacity. However, the PEDs are effective in providing drainage provided the drainage outlets are not blocked. Construction specifications should be observed to minimize problems. Maintenance personnel should inspect drainage outlets on a regular basis to ensure that the outlets are not blocked.

• Record URL:
  https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/21000/21500/21537/PB99123838.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Date on title page: November 1998.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Toledo

  Department of Civil Engineering, 2801 West Bancroft Street
  Toledo, OH  United States  43606-3390

  Ohio Department of Transportation

  Office of Materials Management, 1600 West Broad Street
  Columbus, OH  United States  43223-1298

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Heydinger, A G
  • Riley, D G
  • Chou, YJE
• Publication Date: 1998-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 109 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Condition surveys; Construction; Drainage; Edge drains; Filter fabric; Inspection; Installation; Prefabricated structures; Sedimentation; Testing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Blockage; Construction specifications; Drainage capacity; Outlets; Permittivity testing; Video borescopes
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation; I26: Water Run-off - Freeze-thaw; I50: Construction and Supervision of Construction; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00760321
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/OH-98/006,, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: State Job No. 14609(0)
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 24 1999 12:00AM