A culvert is a man-made tunnel installed under a road or railroad to facilitate water flow in both directions or to carry utilities like power or communication lines. It’s surrounded by earth or dirt. Common forms used under roads and railroads are the pipe culvert, box culvert, and arch culvert. Hydraulics, the height of the water’s surface, the height of the road, and other factors all go into the construction of a culvert. These are used to provide for regulated water flow.
Surrounded by the earth, a culvert may be formed from a pipe, reinforced concrete, or other materials.
How to choose an appropriate culvert?
To choose an appropriate culvert, you must consider:
- The toughness of the structure
- Hydraulic efficiency
- Setup, regional building standards
- Durability
- Cost
Most of the time, concrete culverts are what’s recommended. There is the option of using reinforced concrete in culverts or not. Sometimes, culverts are “cast in situ,” or built just where they’re needed. It is also possible to buy precast culverts. Composite culverts are a kind that may be made by combining the aforementioned substances.
The main materials for culvert construction are steel, structural steel plate (SSP), corrugated steel pipe (CSP), aluminium pipes, concrete, high – density polyethylene (HDPE).
Culvert placement should be based on cost-effectiveness and practicality. As a rule, culverts installed beneath a road or train track are a cost-effective solution. To install culverts, no extra embankment or other preparatory work is required. The culverts supplied should be installed at right angles to the road. It ought to have larger dimensions to permit maximum water level and be situated in such a way that flow ought to be easily done. Simply by supplying the necessary gradient, this becomes a possibility.
Diverse culvert designs
1) Drainage channel for pipes (single or multiple)
The most common kind of culvert is the round pipe culvert. There may be just one culvert, or there might be many. When a single pipe culvert is utilised, a culvert with a bigger inside diameter must be put in. If the channel is very wide, we may choose a series of pipe culverts instead of a single one. They perform well when dealing with greater flows. Pipe culverts are typically between one and six metres in diameter. Construction materials like concrete, steel, etc., are used for these.
2) Culvert pipe arch (single or multiple)
A pipe arch culvert is a nonsensical term for a culvert that happens to appear like a half-circle. Pipe arch culverts can handle bigger water flows, but the water volume must remain constant. Because of the channel’s arched design, fish or sewage in the drainage system may be conveyed to the outflow without needing to be stocked at the channel’s entrance or base. These culverts are also available in various quantities to meet any need.
3) Box culvert (single or multiple)
Box culverts are typically made of concrete and have a rectangular form. Box culverts are built with reinforcements as well. Water from rain storms may be disposed of using these. Therefore, they are useless during the drought. When the weather is dry, they may serve as animal crossings across a railroad or a busy street.
4) Arch culvert
Arch culverts resemble pipe arch culverts but have an artificial floor below the arch itself. It is often used in confined spaces. Both the artificial floor and the arch are constructed of concrete. The alternative, steel arch culverts, is available but is prohibitively costly.
5) Bridge culvert
Highway bridges, also known as culverts, are often installed across waterways like canals and rivers. Subterranean support is set up for these culverts. After laying a network of culverts, a paved surface may be installed over them. These culverts, which are typically rectangular, may replace box culverts when an artificial floor is not required.
Culvert: Advantages
- Erosion may be stopped by using culverts.
- Furthermore, it serves as a flood barrier.
- It prevents water from overflowing.
- It reroutes water for industrial and agricultural uses.
Culvert: Disadvantages
If the transition between upstream and downstream habitats is not properly structured, aquatic species may be unable to thrive. Damage from scour and corrosion might be substantial if the system was not properly planned or implemented.
FAQs
What is a culvert?
A culvert is a man-made tunnel installed under a road or railroad to facilitate water flow in both directions or to carry utilities like power or communication lines. It's completely surrounded by earth or dirt.
For what purposes do culverts serve, and what kinds are there?
Culvert refers to a tunnel that encloses a stream or a tiny trickle of water and is often situated under a railroad or a tunnel. Round pipes, pipe arches, and box culverts are all examples of common culvert types; in certain cases, a single site may have a mix of culvert types, sizes, and even altitudes.
