Time for a new bridge - how to engineer?

[CurlyDave]

If you follow the cover requirements, the material the culvert is made from is not part of the load bearing calculation.

I would recommend corrugated outside, smooth inside plastic culverts which are much lighter than reinforced concrete and very easy to work with. I have both 12" and an 18" culverts crossing my driveway. Dump trucks loaded with 15 tons of gravel cross these many times each year and there has never been any problem.

Cost is not really an issue. A stick of 12" plastic culvert 20' long is about $100 at a number of local supply houses. I can carry 3 sticks on a normal lumber rack on my pickup. 18" is going to be about twice as much.

 

[swines]

Before you go all in on a round culvert, you might investigate whether there is a local structural concrete supplier that has concrete box culverts available. Box culverts are far easier to install and are engineered to support roadway loads.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I read some years ago of using a railroad flat car as a bridge , they can hold tons . What about a steel flatbed off a truck , or a tractor trailer . If thats too narrow , put 2 side by side .

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Before you go all in on a round culvert, you might investigate whether there is a local structural concrete supplier that has concrete box culverts available. Box culverts are far easier to install and are engineered to support roadway loads.

Round culverts support roadway loads.

 

[JeremyL]

Haven't been able to move forward with this project because of the almost non-stop, copious amount of rain we have been having.

Photo of an example, not the driveway that I need to work on!

 

[LD1]

Yep, this rain certainly sucks. I was hoping to have my garage footer and block done now and be working on the walls/roof.

As it is, havent even got all the footer dug. And the parts that I have dug were just to tie the footer trenches in with the drain tile that will be laid in them to help things dry when it does quit raining.

If things go as planned, I will be pouring a footer monday, but may get rained out. Certainly a wetter than normal spring. Farmers havent been able to get anything done yet either. Probably gonna be more beans than corn this year...

 

[vtsnowedin]

Haven't been able to move forward with this project because of the almost non-stop, copious amount of rain we have been having.

Photo of an example, not the driveway that I need to work on!

Well not every creek will fit through a twelve inch pipe.

 

[texas42]

Before you go all in on a round culvert, you might investigate whether there is a local structural concrete supplier that has concrete box culverts available. Box culverts are far easier to install and are engineered to support roadway loads.

I agree, if available locally. Most precast box culvert suppliers will give you a load chart for their products. You may find a precast box will support your loads with little or no cover. Also, with the precast you have many options for a head wall. A 3 x 3 box will handle a lot of water when compared to 30 or 36 inch pipes.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I agree, if available locally. Most precast box culvert suppliers will give you a load chart for their products. You may find a precast box will support your loads with little or no cover. Also, with the precast you have many options for a head wall. A 3 x 3 box will handle a lot of water when compared to 30 or 36 inch pipes.

Precast box culverts are not cheap. One of the last state projects I did we replaced a precast box in the plans with twin 36" RCPs and saved thousands. It also gave the advantage of being able to maintain the stream clean in one pipe while we installing the other in the dry then swapped sides. The environmental people like that kind of stuff.

 

[texas42]

Precast box culverts are not cheap. One of the last state projects I did we replaced a precast box in the plans with twin 36" RCPs and saved thousands. It also gave the advantage of being able to maintain the stream clean in one pipe while we installing the other in the dry then swapped sides. The environmental people like that kind of stuff.

I agree precast box culverts are not cheap, however a few years ago I had a double 24 inch culvert that would not handle the flow. Found a couple sections of 2 x 3 box culverts at local supplier that state wouldn't accept because tongue was damaged. Got them for not much more than transportation costs and then patched the damaged tongue after installation. Served my purpose very well and handled the flow where the double pipes would overtop.