Minimum width culvert pipe for a small stream crossing

[new jersey mike]

I am going to install an 18" culvert pipe, it comes the standard 20' but I don't want to use the entire piece. My tractor and car are only 6 ft so I thought use 10 ft. I have different guys hay for me and I want to open some fields up for haying and I do not want to make the crossing to narrow. Any thoughts?

Thank you

 

[woodlandfarms]

Depends on depth. How far down is your ditch from your road top. 6 feet down you are going to need to make a crown at least 45degrees on either side so what is that, an additional 12 feet needed beyond the width of your road bed?

I am of the ilk wider is better. Someone somewhere is going to miss your driveway.

 

[bcp]

Balers can be pretty wide, and they don't always trail centered behind the tractor. A length to get about 12 feet of road surface would be minimum, I think.

Bruce

 

[new jersey mike]

This is not off of a road, it will be a straight run used between fields with a wetland area between them.

 

[Stimw]

I don't think you are saving that much money assuming you will make two crossings with the piece. Wider is better.
I put in the plastic culvert when I redid mine. They said with 1' of cover it had a rating over 70,000lb. I have had full concrete trucks across it with no problems.
Lowe's used to custom order the plastic pipe in standard sizes. I haven't payed any attention lately to see if they still handle it. ???

 

[jinman]

I just put in two 12" culverts side-by-side a little over a year ago. they are only down about 2' from the surface, but the 20' width is about perfect for driving my tractors or any vehicle across. I think you will be very disappointed with only 10'. You'll have not much more than a walking trail. If you want to get a professional opinion, why don't you PM user name RDrancher (John). Culverts and roads are what he does for a living. He can tell you a professional's opinion.

 

[new jersey mike]

I am actually going to put 2 side by side for storm water volume, would 13 feet be wide enough? that would leave 2 - 7's for another area.

 

[PILOON]

You also need to think 'frost' as winter cold can pop things out of the ground.
Also think that worst situation like huge downpours that can wash away any ballast that covers your pipe. (and maybe the pipe)
All so often that once in a hundred year situation happens next year.

 

[MossRoad]

I think you are going to regret going 10'. If the pipe sticks out 1' on each side and you cover it with 1' of material with a 45 dgreee slope that eats up 4', leaving you only 6' of roadway on top. That is not only impracticle, it is unsafe and leaves zero margin for error on a narrow vehicle. I'd go 8' minimum road width and 10' to be safe.

10' roadway with 45 degree slope on 1' of cover material with 1' of pipe sticking out on each side equals 14' minimum of pipe.
And don't forget that in a heavy rain, debris will most likely get washed into your pipe, plugging it, which will cause it to overflow your roadway, possibly washing it way in a hurry and also take into account how high a 1' dam will back-flood the area behing your new dam. So design some sort of spillway around the thing with much gentler slopes/runs, etc...

Good luck with your project and post some pics if you get a chance. :thumbsup:

 

[jinman]

Mike, I'll make you a deal. I'll put my Kawasaki Mule right on top of my 20' culverts and take a picture tomorrow and post it back here. That way you can see a small vehicle and decide how much extra room you have to spare. I guarantee you that when those culverts go into the ground something magical happens and they shrink.