A culvert is a tunnel that runs under a road or railway. A culvert can serve as a bridge for passing traffic.
They are usually located in areas with natural stream flow and act as a bridge or current flow controller. Culverts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including circular, elliptical, flat-bottomed, pear-shaped, and box-like.
Culverts are classified according to their load and water flow capacities, as well as their lifetime and bedding and backfill installation. The category is determined by a variety of variables, including hydraulics, upstream elevation, roadway height, and other factors.
Culverts forms
The following table summarizes the various forms of culverts:
· Culvert pipe (single or multiple)
· Culvert with a pipe-arch design (single or multiple)
· Box Culvert (single or multiple)
· Culvert like an arch
· Culvert under a bridge
· Culvert made of metal
· Culvert Pipe
Thanks to their low cost and ease of construction, pipe culverts are the most common form of culvert. They come in a variety of forms, including oval, elliptical, and pipe arch. Their forms, in general, are determined by the site’s requirements and restrictions. In a small scale, pipe culverts resemble conventional pipes such as steel pipes.
The Benefits of a Pipe Culvert
The below are the primary characteristics of drain culverts: It can be reinforced to achieve any desired strength with the use of the correct blend design, thickness, and reinforcement. They are cost effective. These pipes are capable of withstanding both tensile and compressive stresses. Water is crossed under the structure.
Pipe Culvert Disadvantages
The primary downside of pipe culverts is that they are prone to crown corrosion as a result of bacteria’ organic matter and the leakage of poisonous methane. This is referred to as crown corrosion.
Culvert with a Pipe-Arch (Single or Multiple)
Arch culverts are ideal for opening vast waterways where fish may benefit from a greater hydraulic advantage. Additionally, they have low clearance and are unquestionably more imaginative. Pipe arches are especially advantageous for sites with limited headroom and can have a hydraulic advantage at low flow rates.
The Benefits of a Pipe-Arch
Culvert Tube arch culverts have the following characteristics:
· State with limited headroom
· Enhanced hydraulic power at low flow rates
· Shape and presentation that are aesthetically pleasing
· Weighs less
· Simple to update
Culvert in the Box
Box culverts are constructed of concrete, most notably RCC (Reinforced Concrete). The most difficult aspect of building a box culvert is obtaining a dry floor. However, owing to the consistency of the concrete surface, when a significant volume of water is anticipated, the course of the water may be altered. This characteristic makes box culverts one of the most frequently seen culvert forms.
The Benefits of a Box Culvert
Box Culverts are cost effective for the following reasons: The box culvert is a frame structure with a solid frame that is very easy to build. It is suitable for non-perennial streams with a low scrub depth but a weak soil. The box culvert’s bottom slab relieves pressure on the surface. Thanks to their rigidity and monolithic action, box culverts are cost effective, since they do not need separate foundations. It is used under exceptional circumstances, such as for a shaky base.
Culvert Arch
Arch culverts are constructed of metal, stone masonry, concrete, and RCC, among other materials.
Construction is fast and, unlike a box culvert, no water diversion is needed so it can be constructed without interfering with the water flow.
As a result, it is referred to as a Low Profile Culvert. This kind of culvert preserves the wash bed’s natural integrity.
Arch Culvert Advantages
The below are the benefits of arch culverts over box culverts and pipe culverts:
· Savings on costs
· Construction timeline expedited
· Significantly improved hydraulic efficiency
· Aesthetic appeal
· Advantage in design-build
