NTL Record

Title Bottomless Culvert Scour Study: Phase I Laboratory Report
Record ID 66196
Personal Name
Creator
Kerenyi, Kornel; Jones, J. Sterling; Stein, Stuart
Corporate Creator GKY & Associates
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure Research and Development; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Publication Date 20031101
Language English
Abstract 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 10 meters (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 SHA 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.
Rosap ID dot:39606
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/39606
TRT Terms Culverts; Scour; Hydraulics
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1023844
Contract Number DTFH61-95-C-00066
Report Number FHWA-RD-02-078
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/66000/66100/66196/FHWA-RD-02-078.pdf
Alternative URL https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/hydraulics/02078/
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository