DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-CLEANING BOX CULVERTS - Phase III - TR719

(2020) DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-CLEANING BOX CULVERTS - Phase III - TR719. Transportation, Department of

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Abstract

The overall goal of this research is to find solutions that permanently solve the sedimentation at culvert problem by using the self-cleaning concept. This concept relies entirely on the use of the stream’s hydraulic power for passing downstream the culvert the suspended and bed loads carried by the stream. During more than 10 years of research in this area, our team identified three possible candidates for reducing or completely eliminating the formation of sediment deposits at culverts: a) filled-based (Design A); upstream curtain wall (Design B), and downstream weir (Design C). Funding provided by this study enabled to construct and monitor the performance of Designs A and C following implementation to actual culvert sites. Using a set of innovative research tools for observing and analyzing in-situ the culverts, this study led to useful observations and quantitative correlations between the variables describing the culvert-stream relationship that are difficult to be captured and understood using analytical or laboratory studies. The evidence garnered through this study demonstrates the good performance of the self-cleaning based Designs A and C to mitigate sedimentation initiation and development. Besides mitigating sediment deposition, the tested structures “streamline” the flow through the culvert in a way that secures the safety of the structure at high and normal flows without significant disturbance of the stream behavior.