Energy Losses in Storm Drain Access Holes

This article reports on a re-analysis of a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) study from 1986-1992 of energy losses through storm drain access holes (junction holes), using relatively large-scale physical models. The new analysis separated the 1986 - 1992 data into two groups: base runs with the simplest configurations (one inflow and one outflow pipe with the same base elevations); the second group included the more complex configurations used to derive adjustments to the first approximations. The new analyses were undertaken to evaluate the proposed procedure and to characterize the energy level in an access hole with various inflow and outflow pipe configurations. The authors note that characterizing energy in the access hole is highly problematic because the flow is so chaotic, and arbitrary assumptions have to be made to obtain results that fall between intuitive limits. The authors conclude that the proposed new methodology addresses the problem of super-critical flows in outflow pipes. The use of inlet control culvert equations to estimate the initial depth in the access hole for these situations appears to also work well. In addition, the new technology allows use of much smaller scale models while maintaining (or improving) the accuracy of results, and allowing testing of different configurations and junction types.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/06jan/07.cfm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Authors:
  • Kerenyi, Kornel
  • Jones, J Sterling
• Publication Date: 2006-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 50-55
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 69
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Access; Culvert inlets; Culvert outlets; Equations; Flow equations; Scale models; Storm sewers
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Outflow pipes
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; I25: Design of Tunnels; I26: Water Run-off - Freeze-thaw;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01020699
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 27 2006 7:28AM