AT Bridge and Culvert

Hydraulics Guide

Alberta Transportation, 2011

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 Overview
•Hydraulic Modelling Approach
•Open Channel Flow
•Bridge Constriction
•Culvert Hydraulics
•Fish Passage – Culverts
•Other Factors - Ice, Drift, Scour
•Reference Documents

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Hydraulic Modelling
Approach

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 Hydraulic Modelling Approach
•Recommended Modelling Approach
•Section averaged (1D), based on typical channel section
•Neglect overbank d/s flow component
•Account for GVF, RVF where appropriate
•Roughness, Slope – use HDG approach
•Results – HW EL (freeboard), V (rock sizing)

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 Hydraulic Modelling Approach
•Accuracy
•Don’t Confuse with Precision
•Limited by geometry, hydraulics (n, K), other (drift, ice, sediment)
•+/- 20% acceptable for Y, V (confidence in parameters)
•Consider sensitivity of design
•Round Y to 10% (min 0.1m)
•Round V to 10% (min 0.1m/s, 0.01m/s for fish passage)

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 Hydraulic Modelling Approach
•Why not multi-section (HEC-RAS) or 2D?
•Boundary conditions – only 1D estimate anyway
•Mobile boundary – bedforms, scour, lateral erosion…
•Complex factors – drift, ice, sediment transport
•No ability to calibrate complex models
•Detailed output interpretation – lose impact
•No need for additional detail - accurate or not
•Unnecessary level of effort, resources ($)

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 Hydraulic Modelling Approach

•Why neglect overbank d/s flow component?

•Small percentage (<10%) of channel flow
•Relatively shallow Y
•Low V (high relative roughness)

•Small downstream component in floodplain

•No defined, continuous channel in floodplain
•Natural obstructions – trees, topography variation
•Man-made obstructions – roads, development
•Backwater from channel – cuts across floodplain
•Most flow - lateral interaction with channel

•Consistent with flood observations

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Open Channel Flow

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 Open Channel Flow

•Need Design Y,V,Q for channel

•Natural channel - no structure present
•Will form boundary conditions for structure hydraulics

•Defined by application of HDG

•Channel capacity, Historic HW, Runoff Potential
•Consistent with other sites on channel (HIS)

•Hydraulic Parameters
•Typical Channel (B, h, T, S, roughness?)

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Boundary Conditions – Typ. Channel
•Equivalent Trapezoid shape
•B – Bed Width; h – Bank Height (rapid increase in surface
width for Y > h); T – Top Width

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 Boundary Conditions – Typ. Channel
Typical :
• Evaluate at many sections over nearby channel
• Focus on relatively straight reaches
• Avoid areas influenced by past construction
• B, T – airphotos, survey, DEM
• h – survey, DEM, site measurements, scale from photos
• Many values published in HIS

*Images from Google Earth

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 Open Channel Flow – Slope
•Rise / Run along channel
•Determine from DTM (HIS Tool)
•“Rise” must be clear (larger than bed irregularities)
•Typically requires longer “Run” than is practical to survey
•Channel survey expensive, awkward
•Structure may have influenced profile within survey

•Sites with slope break near crossing:

•Confirm based on channel changes e.g. planform
•HDG – focus on u/s channel (flow delivery)
•Hydraulics – focus on d/s channel (backwater effect)

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 Open Channel Flow – Slope

Stream Profile
Stream for BF73713
Profile For - FISH on Fish Creek
CREEK

1600

Slope Of Line = 0.003

1500

1400
Elevation (m)

73523

1300

73713

6885

1314
1200

1100

1000
10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000
Station (m)
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 Boundary Conditions – Roughness
•B < 10m – Manning ‘n’ (per HDG, built into Channel
Capacity Calculator tool)

B ‘n’ S ‘n’ adj

0 – 3m 0.05 < 0.0005 (B > 8m) - 0.005
4 – 6m 0.045 0.005 – 0.015 + 0.005
7 – 9m 0.04 > 0.015 + 0.010

•B >= 10m – Use AT Equation (see WWW page)

0.67 0.4
V = 14 R S
•Values consistent with observations
•Use results in consistent application across system

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 Open Channel Flow – Type
•No Downstream (D/S) Hydraulic Influence
•Normal Flow (Sf = So)
•Tool – “Channel Capacity Calculator”

•D/S Hydraulic Influence

•Structure – e.g. weir, bridge, culvert, dam
•Channel change – slope, width
•Gradually Varied Flow (GVF) profile to crossing site
•Tool – “Flow Profile”

•U/S Hydraulic Influence – rare (steep, short impact)

•Tool – “Flow Profile”

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Boundary Conditions – Normal Flow

Blue – User Input Values

Green – Recommend n Value from AT HDGs
Red – Calculated Results
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 Boundary Conditions – Rating Curve
(Channel Capacity Calculator)
3.5

Rating Curve
3.0 Bank Height

Channel Capacity

2.5

2.0
Y (m)

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Q (cms)
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 Open Channel Flow – GVF
(Flow Profile – Backwater Curve from D/S Constriction)
105
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL.
Normal Depth
104
Critical Depth
Top of Bank
Bed
103

102

101

100

99

98
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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Bridge Constriction

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 Bridge Constriction
•Bridge Size Optimization
•Starting Point – match typical channel
•Evaluate range of options – shorter and longer

•Constriction
•Bridge provides less flow area than typ. channel
•Shorter bridge but more protection works
•Will result in higher V (poss. larger rock)
•Will result in increased headloss (freeboard, u/s flooding)

•No constriction
•Bridge matches or exceeds flow area of typ. Channel
•No need for hydraulic modelling – use BC values
•Don’t exceed natural channel – lateral stability issues
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 Bridge Constriction
•Bridge Constriction Hydraulics – 3 sources of headloss
•Flow expansion at d/s side (RVF)
•Higher V through constricted section
•Flow constriction at u/s side (RVF)
2 2 2 2
(V
Headloss = Ke 2 – V1 ) (V
+ SfL + Kc 2 – V1 ) Sf = n2 V2 or Sf = V5/2
;
2g 2g R4/3 733R5/3

Ke = Expansion Loss Coefficient (default = 0.5)

Kc = Contraction Loss Coefficient (default = 0.3)
V2 = Mean Velocity through Constriction (m/s)
V1 = Mean Velocity through Channel (m/s)
Sf = Friction slope (energy gradient) through constriction
L = Length of Constriction
g = acceleration due to gravity (m/s2)
n = Manning Roughness coefficient

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 Bridge Constriction - Calculations
•Calculation process (subcritical flow):
•Start with Boundary Condition D/S
•RVF for flow expansion
•GVF for constricted flow
•RVF for flow constriction
•GVF in U/S Channel

•Supercritical and/or combined profiles possible

•Tool – “Flow Profile”

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Bridge Constriction - Input

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 Bridge Constriction - Input
103.5

103.0

102.5

102.0

101.5

101.0

Channel 100.5
Bridge

100.0

99.5
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20

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Bridge Constriction - Output

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 Bridge Constriction - Profile
105
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL.
104
Normal Depth
Critical Depth
Top of Bank 104
Bed
103

103

102

102

101

101

100

100
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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 Bridge Constriction - Sensitivity
1 1.6

0.9
Depth Increase
1.4
V Ratio
0.8
1.2
0.7
Depth Increase (m)

1
0.6

V Ratio
0.5 0.8

0.4
0.6

0.3
* This plot is specific to
the current scenario
0.4

0.2

0.2
0.1

0 0
0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Bridge Bed Width Ratio

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Culvert Hydraulics

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 Culvert Hydraulics
•Culvert Size Optimization
•Starting Point – Rise = burial + Y + headloss
•Evaluate range of sizes, shapes, barrels, profiles
•“Culvert Sizing Considerations” (AT webpage)
•Practical sizing – drift/ice, future lining (high fills, traffic vols)

•Hydraulics
•Always RVF (inlet, outlet) due to different shape
•Always GVF (burial provides tailwater)
•More profile type possibilities – hydraulic jumps, full flow
•Fish Passage evaluation - roughness
•AT Tools – “Flow Profile” (main), “HydroCulv” (multiple
culverts)
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Culvert Hydraulics – Sizing Criteria
•Upstream Flooding Impacts
•Fish Passage
•Drift
•Icing
•End Protection Works
•Uplift Failure
•Embankment Stability
•Road Overtopping
•Blockage
•Future Rehabilitation
•Others… site specific
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 Culvert Hydraulics - Tool Comparison
HydroCulv Flow Profile

First Year ~ 1991 2009

RVF K * V2/2g ** K * (V2-V1)2/2g

Profile One Slope Multiple

Channel TW Only Full Context

No. Barrels Up to 5 1

Sensitivity Yes – Q,D Manual

Very conservative (punitive) for well sized culvert
**
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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Input

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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Output
Results Summary

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Culvert Hydraulics – Output
Detailed Results

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 Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Output
106.0
Invert + Culvert
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL. 105.0
Top of Bank
Critical Depth
Normal Depth 104.0

103.0

102.0

101.0

100.0

99.0

98.0
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Input

Sensitivity Analysis to Determine Culvert Sizing

-Try round pipe, avoid “Full Flow”

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 Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Output
105.0
Invert + Culvert
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL.
104.0
Top of Bank
Critical Depth
Normal Depth
103.0

102.0

101.0

100.0

99.0

98.0
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Input

Sensitivity Analysis, Continued..

-Try elliptical pipe, avoid “Full Flow”

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 Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Output
105.0
Invert + Culvert
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL.
104.0
Top of Bank
Critical Depth
Normal Depth
103.0

102.0

101.0

100.0

99.0

98.0
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profle: Input
(Multi-sloped Culvert)

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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Output
(Multi-slope)

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Culvert Hydraulics – Flow Profile: Output
(Multi-slope)
106.0
Invert + Culvert
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL. 105.0
Top of Bank
Critical Depth
Normal Depth 104.0

103.0

102.0

101.0

100.0

99.0

98.0
200 150 100 50 0
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Fish Passage - Culverts

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 Fish Passage - Culverts
•Principle
•Make culvert NOT a velocity barrier to fish
•Compare to typical natural channel hydraulics
•Use V (section average) as indicator

•Design Flow Parameters

•Evaluate at Q > normal, Q < flood
•Evaluate over range - sensitivity
•Calc Q in channel at typically Y = 0.5 to 1.0m (less than
bank height)

•Hydraulics
•Burial results in increased flow area, decreased velocity
•GVF in barrel (lose burial TW with length – backwater effect)

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Fish Passage - Culverts

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Fish Passage - Culverts

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Fish Passage - Culverts

Y Vchannel Q Vinlet Voutlet

0.50 0.8 2.3 0.67 0.49
0.75 1.0 4.5 0.97 0.76
1.00 1.2 7.4 1.26 1.04

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 Fish Passage - Culverts
105.0
Invert + Culvert
Energy Gradeline
Water Surface EL.
104.0
Top of Bank
Critical Depth
Normal Depth
103.0

102.0

101.0

100.0

99.0

98.0
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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 Fish Passage - Culverts
•Velocity Reduction Options - Effective
•Increase Pipe Roughness – long culverts, steep grades (normal flow)
•Use Multiple Pipes – wide, shallow channels; consider drift blockage
•Use Wider Shape (Box, Ellipse) – cost vs bridge

•Velocity Reduction Options – NOT Effective

•Increase Pipe Diameter - mostly air space
•Increase Burial – ineffective >1m, ponding, u/s barrier, excavation?

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 Fish Passage - Culverts
104

Increase Roughness with Rocky Substrate

103

102
Elevation (m)

101

100

99

Substrate

98
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

XS Station (m)
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 Fish Passage - Culverts
•Increase Roughness
•Effective – long, steep pipes (Burial TW lost, normal flow)
•Install 0.2m – 0.3m thickness rock (e.g. class 1M, 1)
•Install metal weirs at regular spacing to retain substrate
•Substrate may also act as mitigation measure (DFO)

•Estimate ‘n’
•Based on roughness height of substrate (k ~ 3.5D84)
•Equate Manning and Chezy equations
•Assume roughness applies to entire ‘P’ (low flow)
•Sensitive to flow depth (R), iterative calculations

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 Fish Passage - Culverts
R1 / 6
n=
⎛ 12 R ⎞
2.5 g ln⎜ ⎟
⎝ k ⎠
n = Manning roughness coefficient
R = Hydraulic Radius (A/P)
g = acceleration due to gravity (9.806m/s2)
k = roughness height (m)
D84 – bed particle size (m), 84% smaller

Rock D84(m) k(m)

Class 1M 0.2 0.7
Class 1 0.35 1.2

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 Other Factors
(Ice, Drift, Scour)

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 Ice
•Potential Impacts on Structure
•High Ice (Ice Jams) may govern Min. Btm. Flg.
•Ice Loads on Piers (CAN/CSA-S6-S06, Section 3.12)
•Strength (situation)
•Elevation
•Thickness
•Icing (Aufeis) may affect culvert operation/design

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 Ice – Ice Jams
•High Ice (Ice Jams)
•May govern on some large rivers
•Difficult to calculate analytically
•Consider in developing opening, span configuration
•Rely on observations
•Historic (on file, dwgs)
•Site (ice scars on trees, abrasion on substructure)
•Consider u/s and d/s sites, similar sites in the area
•Look for Potential Ice Jam Triggers
•Change in profile
•Major tributary
•Natural or man-made constriction
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 Ice – Design Pier Loads
•Consider sensitivity of structure to design loading
•Base design on observations
•Review past designs on stream
•Review historic records, site observations
•Ice scars on trees
•pier nose abrasion, broken piles
•U/S winter ice cover
•Timing of annual breakup

•If little data, consider ‘typical’ values (next page)

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 Ice – Design Pier Loads
•Typical values (based on common past practice):

Damage Small Stream Large Stream

History (B < 50m) (B > 50m)
Minor Sit. ‘a’ Sit. ‘b’
EL ~ 0.8 * Y EL ~ 0.6 * Y
t ~ 0.6m t ~ 0.8m
Major Sit. ‘b’ Sit. ‘c’
EL ~ 0.6 * Y EL – observ.
t ~ 0.8m t ~ 1.0m

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 Ice - Icing
•Icing (Aufeis)
•Opening partially blocked by solid ice
•Water freezing in place (u/s spring, culvert - burial)
•Capacity not there during spring runoff
•Prediction – site observations, flood history, MCI

•Mitigation
•Bridge
•Raise gradeline (upsize)
•2nd culvert (higher)
•Maintenance (deicing line -$)

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 Drift
•Potential Impact on Structure
•Opening partially blocked, reduced capacity
•Culvert – overtopping, u/s flooding, uplift failure
•Bridge – damage, pier scour, flow deflection against banks

•Prediction
•Historic observations, MCI – flood conditions
•Tree density adjacent to stream and tributaries
•Low bank stability – provide large trees to stream
•Beaver dams
•Tree size – largest tree can start accumulation

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 Drift - Mitigation
•Culvert:
•Consider Bridge
•Larger Size (likely marginal impact)
•Flared inlet (maintain flow with blockage)
•Flow alignment piles

•Bridge
•Increase minimum centre Span
•Maintenance

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 Scour
•Lowering of streambed
•Types:
•Natural (passing of bed forms)
•Constriction (across channel, increased V)
•Bend (outside, secondary currents)
•Pier (local, obstruction to flow)

•Impact:
•Pier foundation design
•RPW design – headslope protection, launching apron

•Difficult to calculate, use practical design (long piles)

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 Scour – Estimation Difficulties
•Changes in flow alignment (lateral mobility)
•Passing bedforms
•Variable foundation materials
•Weathering of exposed rock
•Formation of natural armour layers
•Infilling during flood recession
•Compounding different scour types
•Time dependency
•Theoretical equations vs practical observations

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 Scour - Mitigation
•Use Deep Piled Foundations (BPG No. 7)
•River Protection Works (BPG No. 9)
•Protect headslopes
•Maintain flow alignment – guidebanks, spurs

•Practical design of launching apron length (~ 5*Dmx)

•Pier Scour Inspection Program (BIM - existing structures)
•Pier Scour Rehabilitation:
•RPW – control flow alignment
•Structural underpinning
•Bed armouring – can exacerbate problem
•Accelerated replacement

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Reference Documents

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 Reference Documents
•Hydrotechnical Design Guidelines for Stream Crossings
•Culvert Sizing Considerations
•Guide to Bridge Planning Tools
•BPG Tool Application Guide
•AT “Flow Profile” Tool documentation
•HIS Tool Overview
•Evaluation of Open Channel Flow Equations
•BPG 7 – Spread Footings
•BPG 9 – Rock Protection for Stream Related Infrastructure
•BPG 13 – Freeboard at Bridges

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/565.htm

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