APPENDIX G
Drainage Design Manual - 2002 Culverts, Microcomputer Solutions
APPENDIX G CULVERTS, MICROCOMPUTER SOLUTION
Culvert hydraulic analysis can also be accomplished with the aid of the HYDRAIN software.
The following example has been produced using the HY8 Culvert Analysis Microcomputer
Program Version 3.0 and is the computer solution of the data provided in Section 7.6. The
screens shown may not match HY8 exactly since some editorial changes were made so that
the screens would fit in this text.
DATA INPUT
After creating a file, the user will be prompted for the discharge range, site data and culvert
shape, size, material and inlet type. The discharge range for this example will be from 0 to
14.16 m3/s. The site data is entered by providing culvert invert data. If embankment data
points are input, the program will fit the culvert in the fill and subtract the appropriate length.
CULVERT DATA
As an initial size estimate, try a 1524 mm x 1524 mm concrete box culvert. For the culvert
assume that a conventional inlet with 1: 1 bevels and 45 degree wingwalls will be used. As
each group of data is entered the user is allowed to edit any incorrect entries. The following is
how the screen that summarizes the culvert information will look.
CHANNEL DATA
Next the program will prompt for data pertaining to the channel so that tailwater elevations
can be determined. Referring to the problem statement, the channel is irregularly shaped and
can be described by the 8 coordinates listed. After opening the irregular channel file the user
will be prompted for channel slope (0.05), number of cross-section coordinates (8) and
subchannel option. The subchannel option in this case would be option (2), left and right
overbanks (n =0.08) and main channel (n =0.03).
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The next prompt, for channel boundaries, refers to the number of the coordinate pair defining
the left subchannel boundary and the number of the coordinate pair defining the right
subchannel boundary. The boundaries for this example are the 3rd and 6th coordinates. After
this is input, the program prompts for channel coordinates. Once these are entered, pressing
(P) will cause the computer to display the channel cross-section shown below. The user can
easily identify any input errors by glancing at the plot. To return to the data input screens,
press any key. If data are correct press (return). You can then enter the roughness data for the
main channel and overbanks.
RATING CURVE
The program now has enough information to develop a uniform flow rating curve for the
channel and provide the user with a list of options. Selecting option (T) on the Irregular
Channel Data Menu will make the program compute the rating curve data and display the
following table. Selecting option (I) will permit the user to interpolate data between
calculated points.
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The Tailwater Rating Curve Table consists of tailwater elevation (T.W.E.) at normal depth,
natural channel velocity (Vel.), and the shear stress at the bottom of the channel for various
flow rates. At the design flowrate of 11.33 m3/s, the tailwater elevation will be 53.43m. The
channel velocity will be 5.34 m/s, and the shear will be 297.05 Pa. This information will be
useful in the design of channel linings if they are needed. Entering (P) will cause the
computer to display the rating curve for the channel. This curve is a plot of tailwater
elevation vs. flow rate at the exit of the culvert.
ROADWAY DATA
The next prompts are for the roadway profile, so that an overtopping analysis can be
performed. Referring to the problem statement, the roadway profile is a sag vertical curve,
which will require nine coordinates to define. Once these coordinates are input, the profile
will be displayed when (P) is entered. The other data required for overtopping analysis are
roadway surface or weir coefficient and the embankment top width. For this example, the
roadway is paved with an embankment width of 15.24 m.
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Culverts, Microcomputer Solution Drainage Design Manual - 2002
DATA SUMMARY
All the data has now been entered and the summary table is displayed as shown below. At
this point any of the data can be changed or the user can continue by pressing (Return), which
will bring up the Culvert Program Options Menu.
PERFORMANCE CURVE (1524 X1524)
At this point the data file can be saved or renamed by selecting option (S). The culvert
performance curve table can be obtained by selecting option (N). If (N) is selected before (S)
and an error occurs, the file can be retrieved by loading "current". When option (N) is
selected, the program will compute the performance curve table without considering
overtopping in the analysis. Since this 1524 mm x 1524 mm culvert is a preliminary estimate,
the performance without considering overtopping is calculated and is shown below.
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This table indicates the controlling headwater elevation (HW), the tailwater elevation and the
headwater elevations associated with all the possible control sections of the culvert. It is
apparent from the table that at 11.33 m3/s the headwater (HW) is 60.84 m, which exceeds the
design headwater of 5944m. Consequently, the 1524 mm x 1524 mm box culvert is
inadequate for the site conditions. The plot on the next page of inlet and outlet control
headwaters can be obtained by entering (P). In this example, the culvert is operating in inlet
control (the upper curve) throughout the discharge.
PERFORMANCE CURVE (1829X1829)
The user can easily modify the existing program file to analyze a larger barrel. Suppose a
1829mm. x 1829mm. culvert is tried. Hit any key to return to the Culvert Data Summary
Table and enter (B) to modify culvert shape. The prompts will be the same as they were for
the 1524 mm x 1524mm. culvert, and the user will be returned to the Culvert Data Summary
Table directly without going through the tailwater and overtopping menus again. Pressing
<enter > will bring up the Culvert Program Options menu, with which the file can be
renamed and saved. The performance of this culvert can be checked by selecting option (N)
for no overtopping. The following table appears.
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Appendix G
Culverts, Microcomputer Solution Drainage Design Manual - 2002
PERFORMANCE CURVE (2134 X 1829)
Since the design headwater criterion has still not been met, another size must be selected. Try
a 2134mm x 1829mm. culvert, and modify the file accordingly. The resulting performance
table shown below indicates that the design headwater will not be exceeded at 11.33 m 3/s.
However, the headwater elevation of 59.97m at 14.16 m 3/s indicates that some overtopping
will occur due to the 100-year storm.
MINIMIZE CULVERT
This feature, "Minimize Culvert Size" is intended to allow the designer to use HY8 Version
3.0 as a tool to perform culvert design for circular, box, elliptical, and arch shape culverts
based on a user's defined allowable headwater elevation. This feature can be activated by
selecting letter "M". Once this letter is selected it enables the user to input the allowable
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Drainage Design Manual - 2002 Culverts, Microcomputer Solutions
headwater elevation. That elevation will be the basis for adjusting the user's defined culvert
size for the design discharge. The program will adjust the culvert span by increasing or
decreasing by increments. It will compute the headwater elevation for the span, and compare
it with the user's defined allowable headwater. If the computed headwater elevation is lower
than or equal to the defined allowable headwater elevation the minimization routine will stop,
and the adjusted culvert can be used for the remainder of the program. Several hydraulic
parameters are also computed while performing the minimization routine. These hydraulic
parameters which are part of the output of the minimization routine table, as shown below,
must be printed from this screen because they are not printed with the output listing routine.
This feature proves to be a time saver for designers because it avoids the need for repetitively
editing a culvert size to obtain a controlling headwater elevation.
OVERTOPPING PERFORMANCE CURVE ( 2134 X 1829 )
To determine the amount of overtopping and the actual headwater, press (return), and then
select (O) for overtopping. A Summary of Culvert Flows will appear on the screen, as shown
below:
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Appendix G
Culverts, Microcomputer Solution Drainage Design Manual - 2002
This computation table is used when overtopping and/or multiple culvert barrels are used. It
shows the headwater, total flow rate, the flow through each barrel and overtopping flow, and
the number of iterations it took to balance the flows. From this information a total (culvert
and overtopping) performance curve, shown on the next page, can be obtained by selecting
option (1). This curve is a plot of the headwater elevation vs. the total flow rate which
indicates how the culvert or group of culverts will perform over the selected range of
discharges. It is especially useful for comparing the effects of various combinations of
culverts.
REVIEW
From the Summary table, when the total flow is 14.16 m 3/s, 13.33 m3/s passes through the
culvert and 0.71m3/s flows over the road. The headwater elevation will be 59.8 m. Assume
that in this case overtopping at 100-year frequency can be tolerated, and the 2134 mm x 1829
mm culvert will be used. When overtopping occurs, the performance of the culvert will differ
from that without overtopping. By selecting option (2), the culvert performance data can be
obtained. 'Me user also has the option to plot these data.
Referring back to the performance curve data shown below, the outlet velocity at 11.33 m 3/s
is 8.61 m/s. Since the tailwater rating curve generated previously indicates that the natural
channel velocity at 11.33 m3/s is 5.34 m/s, an energy dissipater is warranted.
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APPENDIX G
Drainage Design Manual - 2002 Culverts, Microcomputer Solutions
By pressing <enter> the program returns to the Summary of Culvert Flows menu. Selecting
option (3), a Summary of Iterative Solution Errors is produced. This table, shown below, lists
the amount of error present in the solution . For a flow rate of 14.16 m 3/s the error margin is
0.11 m3/s.
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