Let’s talk about culverts. No, it’s not the name of a secret spy organization or that restaurant down the street with the really good pancakes. Culverts are those unassuming structures that let water flow under roads, trails, or railways. They might seem mundane, but these pipes are the unsung heroes of construction, ensuring that water goes where it’s supposed to without washing away your freshly laid asphalt or gravel. So, if you’re ready to dive into the nitty-gritty of culvert pipes, grab your hard hat and let’s get started.
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What Exactly is a Culvert?
At its core, a culvert is a tunnel-like structure that allows water to pass beneath a road, railroad, trail, or similar obstruction. It’s like a bridge, but for water. Culverts can be made from various materials and come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the project requirements.
Types of Culvert Pipes: A Cornucopia of Choices
When it comes to choosing the right pipe for your culvert, you’ve got options. And just like choosing the right tool for the job, picking the right culvert pipe is crucial.
- Concrete Pipes: The heavyweights of the culvert world. These bad boys are incredibly durable and can withstand a lot of pressure. Perfect for large-scale projects where longevity is key. Just make sure you’ve got the equipment to handle them, as they’re not exactly lightweight.
- Steel Pipes: Strong, durable, and versatile. Steel culvert pipes are great for high-traffic areas and can be coated to resist corrosion. They come in various forms like corrugated steel pipes (CSP) and spiral rib pipes, offering flexibility for different project needs.
- Plastic Pipes: Lightweight and easy to install, plastic culvert pipes (often made from high-density polyethylene, or HDPE) are a popular choice for smaller projects. They’re resistant to corrosion and chemical damage, making them a good fit for various environments.
- Aluminum Pipes: If you’re looking for something that’s both strong and lightweight, aluminum might be your answer. These pipes are resistant to rust and corrosion, making them ideal for wet environments.
Size Matters: How to Determine the Right Size for Your Culvert
Choosing the right size for your culvert is like picking the right size boots – too small and you’ve got a problem, too big and you’re just wasting resources. Here’s a simple guide to get it right:
- Flow Rate: Calculate the flow rate of the water that needs to pass through the culvert. This involves looking at the watershed area and the amount of rainfall. Trust me, you don’t want to guess on this one.
- Culvert Slope: The slope of your culvert affects the water flow speed. A steeper slope increases flow speed, which might mean you need a larger diameter to handle the increased water volume.
- Headwater Depth: This is the depth of water upstream of the culvert. Ensure your culvert can handle the headwater depth without causing flooding or upstream damage.
- Environmental Considerations: Consider the environment where the culvert will be installed. For example, areas prone to heavy sediment might require a larger diameter to prevent clogging.
The Homeowner’s Shorthand: Driveway Culvert Pipes
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For homeowners looking to install a culvert pipe under their driveway, the process can seem daunting. But fear not, here’s a quick rundown to help you choose the right pipe:
- Material: For most residential driveways, plastic pipes (HDPE) are a popular choice due to their durability and ease of installation. They’re resistant to corrosion and can handle the load of typical household traffic.
- Size: A common size for residential driveway culverts is 12 inches in diameter. However, the specific size you need can depend on local regulations and the amount of water flow. It’s always best to check with your local municipality or a professional for guidance.
- Length: The length of the culvert should extend beyond the driveway by at least a few feet on each side to prevent erosion and ensure proper water flow.
Buying the Right Culvert Pipe: Tips and Tricks
So, you’ve measured twice and you’re ready to cut once – but where do you buy your culvert pipe? Here are some tips to make the purchasing process smoother than freshly poured concrete:
- Local Suppliers: Start with local suppliers. Not only can you often get a better deal, but you also save on shipping costs. Plus, local suppliers are familiar with regional regulations and environmental conditions.
- Quality Matters: Don’t skimp on quality. A cheap pipe might save you money now, but it could cost you much more in repairs and replacements down the road.
- Check the Specs: Make sure the pipe meets the necessary specifications for your project. This includes material, size, and load-bearing capacity.
- Installation Support: Some suppliers offer installation support or recommendations. It’s worth asking, especially if you’re tackling a larger project.
- Reviews and Recommendations: Look for reviews or ask for recommendations from fellow construction professionals. Word of mouth is often the best way to find reliable products.
Choosing the right culvert pipe might not be the most glamorous part of your job, but it’s crucial for the success of your project. Whether you’re dealing with a trickling stream or a roaring river, the right culvert pipe ensures that water flows smoothly, roads stay intact, and your project stands the test of time. So, next time you’re standing in the aisle of your local supplier, you’ll know exactly what to look for (or, at least what questions to ask) – and you can walk out with confidence, knowing your culvert is in good hands.
Remember, in the world of construction, it’s often the small details that make the biggest difference.
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If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Corrugated Metal Pipe.
I am in the process of reclaiming some of my property for horse pastures. There is a creek that runs through it and the previous owner had a 4 foot diameter (?) galvanized corrugated pipe put in the creek bed to create a crossing. Problem is he didn't do it right and the creek washed out the dirt around the pipe. I plan to rebuild it this summer and use it for a tractor crossing. However, I'm not so sure that the pipe is long enough for a safe crossing.
- How long should the pipe be for a safe tractor crossing?
- Is it easy to join 2 sections of pipe together?
- Would it be easier to just buy a longer section of pipe?
- Any idea how much corrugated metal pipe costs?
- Where can I get culvert pipe?
- How much weight can a pipe like that hold if it is surrounded by dirt?
Other areas of the property have a high water table (I don't want to use the term "wetlands"). I was going to try to use field tiles and smaller culverts to make it more usable for me, horses and the tractor. In some areas I may use 18" plastic corrugated pipe.
- Any idea how much weight 18" plastic pipe could hold?
FYI - my tractor weighs 4,000 pounds and I have a backhoe, FEL and ballasted tires. I guessing the whole thing could weigh over 6,000 pounds.
I do a lot of "low cost," meaning whatever we can scrounge up, culvert work for the hunt club where I have a backhoe membership. All seat-of-the-pants, no formal training stuff, so any answers I might offer are strictly caveat emptor, and worth what you paid for them.
"Any idea how much weight 18" plastic pipe could hold?"
None. Same for metal. They're only to keep the dirt out of the hole. Deep enough and they'll carry any load, if they don't have dirt on top they won't stand one crossing. Depending on the fill you're using 12 to 18 inches from the road surface to the top of the pipe will carry anything short of a loaded dump truck.
Four-foot diameter pipe? Needs to be deeper. I'm sure there are engineers who would have a table that shows how much deeper for how much greater diameter. Or a formula that says something like,"One inch of depth for each two inches of diameter." The idea is that the dirt spreads the load around the pipe rather than having the weight press down onto it.
"How long should the pipe be for a safe tractor crossing?"
Well, what really matters is how wide the road bed is. If you can approach straight on, three feet wider than the wheels of your widest trailer would be a decent rule of thumb. If the pipe is to be eighteen inches below the surface it should be at least three feet longer than the road is wide. Here again, that depends. What you want is to be able to have the slope from the road to the top of the pipe gentle enough that the dirt doesn't fall away. If it's sand you need longer pipe, if you're going to build a concrete wall on each end six inches overhang would be plenty. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
"Is it easy to join 2 sections of pipe together?"
No. At least, used metal pipe would be hard to do. If you're going to have much or even frequent flowing water you want a good seal. Any openings the water will find and eat away the dirt. First thing you know you've got sink holes between the sections.
"Would it be easier to just buy a longer section of pipe?"
Yes, but...
"Any idea how much corrugated metal pipe costs?"
Like I said, we mostly scrounge. Have old stuff donated. Best we can do with what we have to work with.
"Where can I get culvert pipe?"
I know the 8 to 24 inch plastic pipe is available from Lowes, etc. Not too pricey.
Like most home projects, there is the prime trade-off. The better you do it, the longer before you have to re-do it.
Good luck, Wm
http://www.wimmark.com/culvert_maintenance.htm
You didn't say how long your 4 ft diamater pipe is. Depending on how far below grade it is and how much height you want to build up on the pipe, will dictate how wide your road across it will be.
To stop it from eroding again, you will need to put something on the upriver side to stop erosion. Rocks work if you have them, concrete sacks stacked on top of each other with rebar through them also work really good.
Once a culvert is packed down on all sides, it will be able to easily handle anything you own. My backhoe weighs 14,000 pounds and crosses my culverts all the time with no problems. I've run a 40,000 pound RV's over them also and just the other day a neighbor crossed a few moving a moble home off his land through mine. I dont' know what that weighs, but it wasn't a problem either.
Joining the culvets requires a sleeve that bolts over the two ends. Sleeves for that large a culvert would be fairly pricey, but I have no idea of how much.
A 12 inch plastic culvert 20 feet long goes for a little over $100 in East Texas. Lowes has them along with most farm supply stores.
Each size you go up just about doubles the amount of water you can handle. I use 12 inch for just about everything. 18 inch would be a waste of money for me, but you may need it. I'd ask around to see what others are using in your area before buying something so big.
I should have said that I plan on putting dirt on top of the pipes. Sounds like if I have at last 24 inches on top I should be fine.
I think the existing pipe is about 5 or 6 feet wide at the top. The downstream side is cut at an angle so that the bottom of the pipe lying in the creek bed is twice as long. So, if my tractor is about 5-1/2 feet wide it sounds like I should have a pipe that is about 12 feet wide on top.
I have heard of using bags of unopened concrete (I think here at TBN) with rebar driven through them. That sounds like an excellent idea. I was also going to use some pieces of chain link fence sandwiched in between rocks or riprap to reinforce the upstream side of the pipe.
I would love to have a bridge over the creek but I am afraid that would be too much money and time.
Can't give specific #s on what a 18 inch plastic pipe will hold, but from personnel experience it's alot. I replaced a 2 ft galvanized pipe in front of my house that was smashed during construction of it from the heavy trucks/equipment. The pipe was to big for the ditch as alot of it was exposed so the ground couldn't help support it. I replaced it with a 18 inch plastic pipe with a smooth inner lining to help with water flow, also think it helps with the pipe strength. Only has about 6 inches of dirt/gravel on top of it and a tri axle dump with full load of rock went over it with no problems. Also the road in front of the house as two 18 inch plastic pipes and they are also shallow at only 6-8 inches of earth and tar/gravel road above them and they handle the semi's, Large tractors, and everything else that uses the road with no problem. The pipe comes in twenty foot lengths which is plenty wide for a crossing and I think I paid around $75 dollars for it. Lowes has them. Got mine from a local hardware farm and country store. Don't even look at the old steel pipes. Even the DOT has switched to plastic.
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