Hydraulics of Flow in Culverts

Abstract

With modern tendencies and developments in highway design, construction of culverts for cross drainage of storm runoff represents n ever-increasing item of expense. As wider highways have been built, culvert lengths have been correspondingly increased. In addition to increased lane width requirements, multiple-lane super-highways are becoming more and more prevalent. Furthermore, allowable curvatures and grades have been reduced, both of which tend to increase culvert lengths by increasing fill heights. For every increase of one foot in fill height, culverts are lengthened several feet.