Relative Depth Effects on Corrugated Culvert Roughness

Jonathan Scott Toews, Shawn Paul Clark

Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2012.410096                

Abstract

Fish passage is important to the overall health of an ecosystem. Therefore, it is important to be able to accurately predict flow conditions within a stream crossing for high and low flow periods. This paper evaluates the effect of relative water depth on the hydraulic roughness of culverts at low discharge. A 21 m long, 0.8 m diameter corrugated steel pipe with 0.068 × 0.013 m annular corrugations was used. For relative depths below 0.5, Manning’s n was found to increase with decreasing relative depth. An equation was developed to predict relative depths below 0.5 within a corrugated steel pipe based on the corrugation height, slope and culvert diameter. While Manning’s equation does perform reasonably well, the percent difference from the measured to predicted water levels warrants the use of an additional prediction method at low flows.

Keywords

Culverts; Fish Passage; Low Flows; Roughness; Manning’s Equation

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	R. H. Hotchkiss, and C. M. Frei, “Design for Fish Pas- sage at Roadway-Stream Crossings: Synthesis Report,” US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Ad- ministrations, 2007. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/07033/07033.pdf
[2]	Fisheries and Oceans Canada, “Manitoba Stream Cross- ing Guidelines for the Protection of Fish and Fish Habi- tat,” Manitoba Natural Resources, 1996.
[3]	L. G. Straub and H. M. Morris, “Hydraulic Tests on Corrugated Metal Culvert Pipes,” University of Minnesota, 1950. http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/107915/1/tp_005b.pdf
[4]	M. Sterling, “A Study of Boundary Shear Stress, Flow Resistance and the Free Overfall in Open Channels with a Circular Cross-Section,” PhD Thesis, University of Bir- mingham, Birmingham, 1998.
[5]	S. A. Ead, N. Rajaratnam, C. Katopodis, and F. Ade, “Turbulent Open-Channel Flow in Circular Corrugated Culverts,” Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 126, No. 10, 2000, pp. 750-757.
[6]	B. M. McEnroe and T. R. Malone, “Hydraulic Resistance of Small-Diameter Helically Corrugated Metal Pipe,” Kansas Department of Transportation, 2008. http://www.ksdot.org/PublicLib/doccontent.dll?LibraryName=PulicDocs^dt00mx38&SystemType=2&LogonId=6b54f3f0243eb4a610c004fb9e94f3e2&DocId=003768569
[7]	T. J. Abbs, J. A. Kells and C. Katopodis, “A Model Study of the Hydraulics Related to Fish Passage through Back- watered Culverts,” Proceedings of the 18th CSCE Hydro Technical Conference, Winnipeg, 22-24 August 2007.
[8]	S. F. Mangin, “Development of an Equation Independent of Manning’s Coefficient n for Depth Predictions in Partially-Filled Circular Culverts,” MSc Thesis, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, 2010.
[9]	Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute, “Handbook of Steel Drainage & Highway Construction,” 2nd Canadian Edition, American Iron and Steel Institute, 2007.