Pipe design and durability
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Pipe design and durability

TxDOT pipe information

Title
Bridge standards
Material requirements
Hydraulic Design Manual

Additional design information

  • Bridge vs. culvert Choose structure type based on: construction/maintenance cost, risk of failure, risk of property damage, traffic safety, environmental and aesthetics, and construction expedience
  • Selection of culvert Choose the type of culvert based on roadway profile, channel characteristics, flood damage evaluation, construction/maintenance cost, and service life estimates
  • Commonly used culvert shapes Circular, pipe-arch, elliptical, box, modified box, arch
  • Selection of material Choose type of material based on required structure strength, required hydraulic efficiency, installation, availability of material, durability, and cost
  • Inlets and end treatments Give consideration to projecting culvert barrel, cast-in-place concrete headwalls, pre-cast end sections and mitered culvert ends

Standard Specifications for Construction and Maintenance of Highways, Streets, and Bridges

  • Item 460 - Corrugated metal pipe
  • Item 462 - Concrete box culverts and drains
  • Item 464 - Reinforced concrete pipe
  • Item 481 - Pipes for drains
  • Item 556 - Pipe underdrains
Material Producer List for Reinforced Concrete Pipe and Machine-Made Precast Box Culvert Fabrication Plants

Note: The links provided below are to industry organizations. Individual companies and product links are not provided, nor will be in the future.

Service life of culverts

Title

NCHRP 474: Service life of culverts: studies corrosion of common types of pipes and their causation and prevention

  • Most common culverts: concrete pipes, corrugated galvanized steel, thermoplastic pipe, galvanized structural plates
  • Factors that influence corrosion in metal and concrete pipes: pH, chloride, resistivity, sulfates, abrasion enhances corrosion rate
  • How to stop corrosion: thicker walls, better materials, coatings, liners
  • Service life predictions: case studies, internal research results, default estimated service life values (holistically, categorized by local environment conditions)

Reinforced concrete pipes

Title
American Concrete Pipe Association
American Concrete Pipe Association Fill-Height Tables
Concrete Pipe Design Manual
  • Provides design data and specifications
  • Provides concrete facts
Precast concrete pipe life cycle and durability
  • Reviews the significance of various physical and chemical factors, which determine the durability, design and performance of concrete pipe

Corrugated metal pipe and steel

Title

National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association (NCSPA)

  • CSP LRFD HOC calculator
  • Corrugated Steel Pipe Design Manual
    • Applications of corrugated steel products
    • Design considerations
    • Rehabilitation
    • Maintenance
    • Durability guidelines
    • Service Life Section Guide and calculator
Durability Analysis of Aluminized Type 2 Corrugated Metal Pipe