Chapter 3 Culvert Design

3-1 Introduction
A culvert is a closed conduit under a roadway or embankment used to maintain flow from a
natural channel or drainage ditch. A culvert shall convey flow without causing damaging
backwater, excessive flow constriction, or excessive outlet velocities.
In addition to determining the design flows and corresponding hydraulic performance of a
particular culvert, other factors can affect the ultimate design of a culvert and shall be taken
into consideration. These factors can include the economy of alternative pipe materials and
sizes, horizontal (H) and vertical (V) alignment, environmental concerns, and necessary
culvert end treatments.

In some situations, the hydraulic capacity may not be the only consideration for determining
the size of a culvert opening. Fish passage requirements often dictate a different type of
crossing from what would normally be used for hydraulic capacity. Wetland preservation
may require upsizing a culvert or replacing a culvert with a bridge. Excessive debris potential
may also require an increase in culvert size. Bridges and fish passage culverts are covered in
more detail in Chapter 7 and require a Stream Team (defined in Chapter 7-1) approved by
the State Hydraulics Office to complete the design.
The design policy in this chapter applies only to culverts with non-fish-bearing channels. For
culverts associated with fish-bearing channels, refer to Chapter 7.
Section 3-2 discusses the data acquisition and documentation required when designing
culverts. Culvert design considerations are discussed in detail in Section 3-3, and various
end treatments are discussed in Section 3-4. Section 3-5 covers other miscellaneous design
considerations that have not been previously discussed.

3-2 Culvert Design Documentation

This section describes culvert design documentation, including hydraulic reports, required
field data, and engineering analysis.

3-2.1 Hydraulic Design Reports

The PEO shall collect field data and perform an engineering analysis as described in Sections
3-2.2 and 3-2.3, respectively. Culverts in this size range shall be referred to on the contract
plan sheets as “Schedule Culv. Pipe in. Diam.” The PEO is responsible for listing all
acceptable pipe alternatives based on site conditions. The decision regarding which type of
pipe material is to be installed at a location will be left to the contractor unless a specific
material type is called out in the plans and justification is provided in the hydraulic report.
See Chapter 8 for a discussion on schedule pipe and acceptable alternatives.

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Culverts larger than 48 inches in diameter or span will be included as part of a specialty
report and are required to be designed by either the State Hydraulics Office or a licensed
engineer approved by the State Hydraulics Office, as outlined in Chapter 1.
In addition to standard culvert design, the State Hydraulics Office can assist in the design of
any unique culvert installation. The requirements for these structures will vary, and the
State Hydraulics Office shall be contacted early in the design phase to determine what
information will be necessary to complete the engineering analysis.

3-2.2 Required Field Data

Information and field data required to complete an engineering analysis for all new culvert
installations or draining an area requiring a culvert shall be part of the hydraulic report and
include the items that follow:
• Topographic map showing the contours and the outline of the drainage area
• Description of drainage area ground cover
• Fish passage requirement, if applicable; see Chapter 7
• Soils investigation per WSDOT’s Design Manual
• Proposed roadway profile and alignment in the vicinity of the culvert
• Proposed roadway cross section at the culvert
• Corrosion zone location, pH, and resistivity of the site
• Investigate a sufficient distance upstream and downstream and any other unique
features that can affect design, such as low-lying structures that could be affected
by excessive headwater debris and anticipated sediment transport
• Other considerations discussed in Section 3-5
If an existing culvert does not have a history of problems and only needs to be extended or
replaced, it is not necessary to gather all the information listed above to determine if it is
adequately sized for the flows it receives. Attaining the history of problems at an existing
culvert site may be sufficient to complete the analysis. Table 3-1 is a general outline
showing the information and field data requirements for a hydraulic report and specialty
report.
For culverts with spans between 4 and 20 feet, use the culvert design in this chapter. If the
crossing requires fish-bearing design criteria and/or the span is greater than 20 feet, refer to
Chapter 7 for further guidance.

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Table 3-1 Field Data Requirements for Hydraulic Reports and Specialty Reports
New Culvert Extending or Specialty
Information and Field Data Site Replacing Report
. Topographic survey R O R
. Ground cover description R O R
. Ground soil investigation R O R
. Proposed roadway profile and alignment R O R
. Proposed roadway cross section R O R
. Corrosion zone, pH, resistivitya Ra Oa Ra
. Unique features R O R
Notes:
O = optional.
R = required.
a. Required only if replacing with dissimilar material.

3-2.3 Engineering Analysis

Collected field data will be used to perform an engineering analysis. The intent of the
engineering analysis is to ensure that the PEO considers several issues, including flow
capacity requirements, foundation conditions, embankment construction, runoff conditions,
soil characteristics, stream characteristics, potential construction problems, estimated cost,
environmental concerns, and any other factors that may be involved and pertinent to the
design. Additional analysis may be required, if a culvert is installed for flood equalization, to
verify that the difference between the floodwater levels is less than 1 inch on either side of
the culvert. The PEO shall contact the State Hydraulics Office for further guidance on flood
equalization. Other miscellaneous design considerations for culverts are discussed in Section
3-5.
Once the engineering analysis is completed, it will be part of the hydraulic report and shall
include the following information:
1. Culvert hydrology and hydraulic calculations, as described in Section 3-3 and
Table 3-2.
2. Proposed roadway stationing of the culvert location.
3. Culvert length.
4. Culvert diameter. The minimum diameter of culvert pipes under a main roadway shall
be 18 inches. Culvert pipe under roadway approaches (i.e., driveway) shall have a
minimum diameter of 12 inches.
5. Culvert material.
6. Headwater depths, WSELs, and flow rates (Q) for the design flow event (generally the
25-year event and the 100-year flow event).
7. Proposed roadway cross section and roadway profile, demonstrating the maximum
and minimum height of fill over the culvert.

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8. Appropriate end treatment as described in Section 3-4.

9. Hydraulic features of downstream controls, tailwater, or backwater (storage)
conditions.
The information needed for replacement or extension of existing culverts is not the same as
that required for new culverts (see Table 3-2). For a more detailed diagnostic about what is
required for a specialty report for water crossings, see Chapter 7.
Table 3-2 Information for the Hydraulics and Specialty Reports for New Culverts and for
Extending/Replacing Existing Culverts

New Culvert Extending or Specialty

Engineering Analysis Item Site Replacing Report
. Culvert hydraulic and hydrology calculations R O R
. Roadway stationing at culvert R R R
. Culvert and stream profile R O R
. Culvert length and size R R R
. Culvert material R R R
. Hydraulic details R O R
. Proposed roadway details R O R
. End treatment R R R
. Hydraulic features R O R
Additional fill material added R R R
Notes:
O = optional.
R = required.

3-3 Hydraulic Design of Culverts

A complete theoretical analysis of the hydraulics of a particular culvert installation is time-
consuming and complex. Flow conditions vary from culvert to culvert and can also vary over
time for any given culvert. The barrel of the culvert may flow full or partially full depending
upon upstream and downstream conditions, barrel characteristics, and inlet geometry.
However, under most conditions, a simplified procedure is sufficient to determine the type
of flow control and corresponding headwater elevation that exist at a culvert during the
chosen design flow.
This section includes excerpts from FHWA’s Hydraulic Design Series (HDS) 5, Hydraulic
Design of Highway Culverts. The State Hydraulics Office is also available to provide design
guidance.
The general procedure to follow when designing a culvert for a span width of less than 20
feet measured along the centerline of the roadway is summarized in the steps below.
Culvert spans more than 20 feet wide measured along the centerline of the roadway are
considered bridges and any hydraulic design for bridges is the responsibility of the State
Hydraulics Office; see Section 3-3.1.2 for further guidance.
1. Calculate the culvert design flows (Section 3-3.1)
2. Determine the allowable headwater elevation (Section 3-3.2)

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3. Determine the tailwater elevation at the design flow (Section 3-3.3)

4. Determine the type of control that exists at the design flow(s), either inlet control or
outlet control (Section 3-3.4)
5. Calculate outlet velocities (Section 3-3.5)

3-3.1 Culvert Design Considerations

This section presents culvert design considerations.

3-3.1.1 Flow
The first step in designing a culvert is to determine the design flows to be used. The flow
from the basin contributing to the culvert can be calculated using the methods described in
Chapter 2. Generally, culverts will be designed to meet criteria for two flows: the 25-year
event and the 100-year event. If fish passage is a requirement at a culvert location, contact
the State Hydraulics Office (see Chapter 7). Guidelines for temporary culverts are described
further in Section 3-3.1.9. The PEO will be required to analyze each culvert at each of the
design flows, ensuring that the appropriate criteria are met.

3-3.1.2 Additional Requirement for Structures over 20 Feet

Once a structure exceeds 20 feet along the centerline of the roadway, it is defined as a
bridge and all hydraulic analyses on bridges are the responsibility of the State Hydraulics
Office (see Chapter 1). The federal definition of a bridge is a structure, including supports,
erected over a depression or obstruction, such as water, highway, or railway, and having a
track or passageway for carrying traffic or other moving loads with a clear span, as
measured along the centerline of the roadway, equal to or greater than 20 feet. (i.e., a 16-
foot culvert on a 45-degree skew is a bridge, a 10-foot culvert on a 60-degree skew is a
bridge, and three 6-foot pipes 2 feet apart is a bridge).
The two primary types of hydraulic analysis performed on bridges are backwater and scour.
As noted above, all hydraulic analysis of bridges is performed by the State Hydraulics Office
or a hydraulics engineer approved by the State Hydraulics Office; however, it is the
responsibility of the PEO to gather field information for the analysis. Chapter 7 contains
more information about backwater and scour analysis, and the WSDOT Design Manual,
Chapter 800 discusses when the PEO and hydraulics engineer need to coordinate.
3-3.1.3 Alignment and Grade
Culverts shall be placed on the same alignment and grade as the natural channel, especially
on year-round streams. This tends to maintain the natural drainage system and minimize
downstream impacts.
In many instances, it may not be possible or feasible to match the existing grade and
alignment. This is especially true in situations where culverts are conveying only hillside
runoff or streams with intermittent flow. If following the natural drainage course results in
skewed culverts, culverts with horizontal or vertical bends, or excessive and/or solid rock
excavation, it may be more feasible to alter the culvert profile or change the channel
alignment upstream or downstream of the culvert. This is best evaluated on a case-by-case

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basis, with potential environmental and stream stability impacts being balanced with
construction and function ability issues.

3-3.1.4 Allowable Grade

Concrete pipe may be used on any grade up to 10 percent. Corrugated metal pipe and
thermoplastic pipe may be used on up to 20 percent grades. For grades over 20 percent,
consult with the RHE or the State Hydraulics Office for design assistance.
3-3.1.5 Minimum Spacing
The use of multiple culvert openings is not allowed.

3-3.1.6 Culvert Extension

Culvert extensions shall be done in-kind—using the same pipe material and size and follow
the existing slope. All culvert extensions shall follow the guidelines for the culvert sizes
noted in Section 3-2.2 and Chapter 1. The PEO shall follow the manufacturer’s
recommendations for joining pipe. For situations not listed, contact the RHE.
• Culvert pipe connections for dissimilar materials, when approved by the RHE, must
follow Standard Plan B-60.20-02 of WSDOT’s Standard Plans.
• For cast-in-place box culvert connections, contact the Bridge Design Office for rebar
size and embedment.
• Precast box culvert connections must follow American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) C 1433, AASHTO M 259, M 273, and Standard Specification 6-
02.3(28).
3-3.1.7 Minimum Culvert Diameter
The minimum diameter of a culvert under a main roadway must be 18 inches. Culvert pipe
under roadway approaches must have a minimum diameter of 12 inches. If replacing an
existing culvert, the new culvert shall have at least the same or larger diameter as the
existing culvert even if the hydraulic analysis shows that a smaller-diameter culvert would
meet hydraulic design requirements in that location.

3-3.1.8 Culvert Pipe at Walls and Foundations

Culvert pipes in the reinforcement zone of walls or the soil-bearing zone of foundations
shall be coordinated with the geotechnical engineer.

3-3.1.9 Temporary Diversions

Temporary diversions for non-fish-bearing streams or drainages that are a single
construction season shall be sized for the 2-year storm event, unless the PEO can provide
hydrologic justification for a different storm event and receive State Hydraulics Office or
RHE approval. The design storm for multiple-season construction projects shall be a risk-
based decision and shall be determined by the PEO in coordination with the RHE.
For design-build projects, the design and flow rate are determined by the design-builder
based on the requirements of project permits.
For design-bid-build projects on fish-bearing streams, the State Hydraulics Office calculates
the flow rates necessary for temporary diversions and that value is part of the contract

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documents. A conceptual-level plan is required for permits, but no plans for the temporary
diversion system shall be put into the final plan set and shall not be documented in the
specialty report, unless otherwise approved.
Temporary diversions for fish-bearing streams shall be designed for the following storm
events:
• Single season: For a temporary diversion expected to be in place for a single fish
window, the design flow rate shall be, at a minimum, equal to the expected 50
percent exceedance flow rate during the window when the temporary diversion is in
place with a contingency plan that shall be in place within 2 hours or less to bring the
system to meet the expected 10 percent exceedance flow rate during the window
when the temporary diversion is in place. The expected flow rates during the
window when the temporary diversion is in place can be determined through stream
gage data (if available) or through an MGSFlood seasonal flow analysis (western
Washington only). The flows can also be measured in the previous fish window years
to get a base flow followed by an analysis for a 2-year storm based on rainfall for
that fish window. If there are no data to calculate the flows during the construction
window, then the expected 2-year flow rate shall be used for the design flow
(contingency not necessary in this case) unless the PEO can justify a different flow if
approved by the State Hydraulics Office.
• Multiple season: A gravity bypass is required if the stream diversion is expected to
remain in place over the winter; pump bypasses will not be allowed. The culvert shall
be the lesser of the size required to pass the 25-year flow event or that required to
meet the existing culvert capacity. The length of the stream bypass contained within
a culvert shall not be longer than the existing culvert unless otherwise approved by
the State Hydraulics Office. Fish passage shall not be decreased from the existing
conditions as evaluated by the Fish Passage Inventory, Assessment, and Prioritization
Manual.
The design flood for temporary structures over water bodies shall be determined by the
State Hydraulics Office.

3-3.2 Allowable Headwater

This section presents hydraulic design criteria for allowable headwater for circular and box
culverts, pipe arches, and bottomless culverts.

3-3.2.1 General
The depth of water that exists at the culvert entrance at a given design flow is referred to as
the headwater. Headwater depth is measured from the invert of the culvert to the water
surface, as shown in Figure 3-1. See the Main Glossary of Terms for definitions.

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Figure 3-1 Headwater and Tailwater Diagram

Limiting the amount of headwater during a design flow can be beneficial for several reasons.
The potential for debris clogging reduces as the culvert size is increased. Maintenance is
virtually impossible to perform on a culvert during a flood event if the inlet is submerged
more than a few feet. Also, increasing the allowable headwater can adversely impact
upstream property owners by increasing flood elevations. These factors must be taken into
consideration and balanced with the cost-effectiveness of providing larger or smaller culvert
openings.
If a culvert is to be placed in a stream that has been identified in a FEMA flood hazard area,
the floodway and floodplain requirements for that local jurisdiction may govern the
allowable amount of headwater. In this situation, the PEO shall contact the State Hydraulics
Office for additional guidance. Additional information is included in Section 4-7.
3-3.2.2 Allowable Headwater for Circular and Box Culverts and Pipe Arches
Circular culverts, box culverts, and pipe arches shall be designed such that the ratio of the
headwater (HW) to diameter (D) during the 25-year flow event is less than or equal to 1.25
(HW/D <1.25). HW/D ratios larger than 1.25 are permitted, provided that existing site
conditions dictate or warrant a larger ratio. An example of this might be an area with high
roadway fills, little stream debris, and no impacted upstream property owners. The
justification for exceeding the HW/D ratio of 1.25 must be discussed with the State
Hydraulics Office and, if approved by the RHE, included as a narrative in the hydraulic
report.
The headwater that occurs during the 100-year flow event must also be investigated. Two
sets of criteria exist for the allowable headwater during the 100-year flow event, depending
on the type of roadway over the culvert:
1. If the culvert is under an interstate or major state route that must be kept open
during major flood events, the culvert shall be designed such that the 100-year flow
event can be passed without overtopping the roadway.
2. If the culvert is under a minor state route or other roadway, the culvert shall be
designed such that there is no roadway overtopping during the 100-year flow event.
However, there may be situations where it is more cost-effective to design the
roadway embankment to withstand overtopping rather than provide a structure or

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group of structures capable of passing the design flow. An example of this might be a
low average daily traffic roadway with minimal vertical clearance that, if closed
because of overtopping, would not significantly inconvenience the primary users.
Overtopping of the road will begin to occur when the headwater rises to the elevation of
the road. The flow over the roadway will be similar to flow over a broad-crested weir, as
shown in Figure 3-2. A methodology is available in HDS-5 to calculate the simultaneous
flows through the culvert and over the roadway. The PEO must be mindful that the
downstream embankment slope must be protected from the erosive forces that will occur.
This can generally be accomplished with riprap reinforcement, but the State Hydraulics
Office shall be contacted for further design guidance. Additionally, the PEO shall verify that
the adjacent ditch does not overtop and transport runoff, causing damage to either public or
private infrastructure.
Figure 3-2 Roadway Overtopping

3-3.2.3 Allowable Headwater for Bottomless Culverts

Bottomless culverts with footings shall be designed such that 1 foot of debris clearance
from the water surface to the culvert crown is provided during the 25-year flow event (see
Figure 3-3). In many instances, bottomless culverts function similarly to bridges. They
usually span the main channel and are designed to pass relatively large flows. If a large arch
becomes plugged with debris, the potential for significant damage occurring to either the
roadway embankment or the culvert increases.
Excessive headwater at the inlet can also increase velocities through the culvert and
correspondingly increase the scour potential at the footings. Sizing a bottomless culvert to
meet the 1-foot criterion will alleviate many of these potential problems. Bottomless
culverts shall also be designed such that the 100-year flow event can be passed without the
headwater depth exceeding the height of the culvert. Flow depths greater than the height
can cause potential scour problems near the footings. A scour analysis shall be conducted
for the footing.

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Figure 3-3 Typical Bottomless Culvert

3-3.3 Tailwater Conditions

The depth of water that exists in the channel downstream of a culvert is referred to as the
tailwater and is shown in Figure 3-1 above. Tailwater is important because it can affect the
depth of headwater necessary to pass a given design flow. This is especially true for culverts
that are flowing in outlet control, as explained in HDS-5. Generally, one of three conditions
will exist downstream of the culvert and the tailwater can be determined as described
below:
• If the downstream channel is relatively undefined and depth of flow during the
design event is considerably less than the culvert diameter, the tailwater can be
ignored. An example of this might be a culvert discharging into a wide, flat area. In
this case, the downstream channel will have little or no impact on the culvert
discharge capacity or headwater.
• If the downstream channel is reasonably uniform in cross section, slope, and
roughness, the tailwater may affect the culvert discharge capacity or headwater. In
this case, the tailwater can be approximated by solving for the normal depth in the
channel using Manning’s equation as described in Chapter 4.
• If the tailwater in the downstream channel is established by downstream controls,
other means must be used to determine the tailwater elevation. Downstream
controls can include such things as natural stream constrictions, downstream
obstructions, or backwater from another stream or water body. If it is determined
that a downstream control exists, a method such as a backwater analysis, a study of

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the stage-discharge relationship of another stream into which the stream in question
flows, or the securing of data on reservoir storage elevations or tidal information
may be involved in determining the tailwater elevation during the design flow. If a
field inspection reveals the likelihood of a downstream control, contact the State
Hydraulics Office for additional guidance.

3-3.4 Flow Type

Refer to HDS-5 for in-depth discussions of culvert flow types.

3-3.5 Velocities in Culverts: General

A culvert, because of its hydraulic characteristics, generally increases the velocity of flow
over that in a natural channel. High velocities are most critical just downstream from the
culvert outlet and the erosion potential from the energy in the water must be considered in
culvert design.
Culverts that produce velocities in the range of 3 to 10 feet per second (ft/s) tend to have
fewer operational problems than culverts that produce velocities outside of that range.
Varying the grade of the culvert generally has the most significant effect on changing the
velocity, but because many culverts are placed at the natural grade of the existing channel, it
is often difficult to alter this parameter. Other measures, such as changing the roughness
characteristics of the barrel, increasing or decreasing the culvert size, or changing the
culvert shape, must be investigated when it becomes necessary to modify the outlet
velocity. Velocities less than 3 ft/s shall require a deviation from the State Hydraulics Office,
thus needing approval from the RHE. Velocities more than 10 ft/s must be discussed with
the RHE for potential solutions and final design exception approval by the RHE.
If velocities are less than about 3 ft/s, siltation in the culvert may become a problem. In
those situations, it may be necessary to increase the velocity through the culvert or to
provide oversized culverts. An oversized culvert will increase siltation in the culvert, but the
larger size may prevent complete blocking and will facilitate cleaning. The PEO must consult
with the RHE to determine the appropriate culvert size for this application.
If velocities exceed about 10 ft/s, abrasion due to bed load movement through the culvert
and erosion downstream of the outlet can increase significantly. Abrasion is discussed in
more detail in Chapter 8. Corrugated metal culverts may be designed with extra thickness to
account for possible abrasion. Concrete box culverts and concrete arches may be designed
with sacrificial steel inverts or extra slab thicknesses to resist abrasion. Thermoplastic pipe
exhibits better abrasion characteristics than metal or concrete; see Chapter 8 for further
guidance.
Adequate outlet channel or embankment protection must be designed to ensure that scour
holes or culvert undermining will not occur. Energy dissipators can also be used to protect
the culvert outlet and downstream property, as discussed in Section 3-4.7.

Refer to HDS-5 for procedures used to calculate culvert velocities.

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3-3.6 Culvert Hydraulic Calculations Form

Approval from RHE is required when using HDS-5 for culvert calculation forms, charts, and
nomographs if using hand calculations for culvert design. However, the FHWA culvert
design computer program HY-8 is the preferred WSDOT design method.

3-3.7 Computer Programs

Once familiar with culvert design theory as presented in this chapter, the PEO shall use one
of several commercially available culvert design software programs. FHWA has developed a
culvert design program named HY-8 that uses the same general theory presented in this
chapter. HY-8 is a user-friendly, Windows-based software, and the output from the program
can be printed and incorporated directly into the hydraulic report. HY-8 is free software
distribution. It is available by contacting either the RHE or the State Hydraulics Office at the
following link.
In addition to being user-friendly, HY-8 is advantageous in that the headwater elevations
and outlet velocities calculated by the program tend to be more accurate than the values
calculated using the methods presented in this chapter. HY-8 computes an actual water
surface profile through a culvert using standard step-backwater calculations. The methods in
this chapter approximate this approach but make several assumptions to simplify the design.
HY-8 also analyzes an entire range of flows input by the user. For example, the program will
simultaneously evaluate the headwater created by the Q25 and Q100 flow events,
displaying all the results on one screen. This results in a significantly simplified design
procedure for multiple flow applications. The HY-8 program contains a help guide accessed
internally to aid in the system’s operations. Additional guidance will be provided in future
revisions to the Hydraulics Manual.

3-3.8 Example

Refer to HDS-5 for example culvert calculations.

3-4 Culvert End Treatments

The type of end treatment used on a culvert depends on many interrelated and sometimes
conflicting considerations. The PEO must evaluate safety, aesthetics, debris capacity,
hydraulic efficiency, scouring, and economics. Each end condition may serve to meet some
of these purposes, but none can satisfy all these concerns. The PEO must use good
judgment to arrive at a compromise as to which end treatment is most appropriate for a
specific site. Treatment for safety is discussed in WSDOT’s Design Manual.
Several types of end treatments are discussed in this section. The type of end treatment
chosen for a culvert shall be specified in the hydraulic report and the contract plans for each
installation.

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3-4.1 Projecting Ends

A projecting end is a treatment where the culvert is allowed to protrude out of the
embankment (see Figure 3-4). The primary advantage of this type of end treatment is that it
is the simplest and most economical of all treatments. Projecting ends also provide excellent
strength characteristics because the pipe consists of a complete ring structure out to the
culvert end.

Projecting ends have several disadvantages. For metal, the thin wall thickness does not
provide flow transition into or out of the culvert, significantly increasing head losses (the
opposite is true for concrete; the thicker wall provides a more efficient transition). From an
aesthetic standpoint, projecting ends may not be desirable in areas exposed to public view.
They shall be used only when the culvert is located in the bottom of a ravine or in rural
areas.

Modern safety considerations require that no projecting ends be allowed in the designated
clear zone. (See WSDOT’s Design Manual for details on the clear zone and for methods that
allow a projecting end to be used close to the traveled roadway.)
Figure 3-4 Projecting End

Metal culverts exceeding 6 feet in diameter but less than 10 feet in diameter, and all
thermoplastic culverts, must be installed with a beveled end and a concrete headwall or
slope collar as described in Sections 3-4.2 and 3-4.4. Concrete pipe will not experience
buoyancy problems and can be projected in any diameter. However, because concrete pipe
is fabricated in relatively short 6- to 12-foot sections, the sections are susceptible to erosion
and corresponding separation at the first joint from the end.

3-4.2 Mitered End Sections

A mitered end treatment consisting of cutting the end of the culvert at an angle to match
the embankment slope surrounding the culvert is referred to as a flush bevel. This type of
bevel is preferred over others because of increased efficiency and reduced impact on the
surrounding environment. For more information about bevels see HDS-5. A typical bevel
schematic is shown on Standard Plan B-70.20-00 and in Figure 3-5. A beveled end provides
a hydraulically more efficient opening than a projecting end, is relatively cost-effective, and
is generally considered to be aesthetically acceptable.

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Cutting the ends of a corrugated metal or plastic culvert structure to an extreme skew or
bevel to conform to the embankment slope destroys the ability of the end portion of the
structure to act as a ring in compression. Headwalls, riprap slopes, slope paving, or stiffening
of the pipe may be required to stabilize these ends. In these cases, special end treatment
shall be provided if needed. The State Hydraulics Office can assist in the design of special
end treatments.
Figure 3-5 Beveled End Section

3-4.3 Flared End Sections

A metal flared end section is a manufactured culvert end that provides a simple transition
from culvert to channel. Flared end sections allow flow to smoothly constrict into a culvert
entrance and then spread out at the culvert exit as flow is discharged into the natural
channel or watercourse. Flared ends are generally considered aesthetically acceptable
because they serve to blend the culvert end into the finished embankment slope.
Flared end sections are used only on circular pipe or pipe arches. The acceptable size ranges
for flared ends and other details are shown on Standard Plan B-70.60-01 for Flared End
Sections. Flared ends are generally constructed out of steel and aluminum and shall match
the existing culvert material, if possible. However, either type of end section can be
attached to concrete or thermoplastic pipe and the contractor should be given the option of
furnishing either steel or aluminum flared end sections for those materials.

A flared end section is usually the most feasible option in smaller pipe sizes and shall be
considered for use on culverts up to 48 inches in diameter. For diameters larger than 48
inches, end treatments such as concrete headwalls tend to become more economically
viable than flared end sections.
The undesirable safety properties of flared end sections generally prohibit their use in the
clear zone for all but the smallest diameters (see WSDOT’s Design Manual for culvert
design). A flared end section is made of light-gage metal and, because of the overall width of
the structure, it is not possible to modify it with safety bars. When the culvert end is within
the clear zone and safety is a consideration, the PEO must use a tapered end section with
safety bars as shown on Standard Plans B-80.20-00 and B-80.40-00. The tapered end
section is designed to match the embankment slope and allow an errant vehicle to negotiate
the culvert opening in a safe manner.

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3-4.4 Headwalls

A headwall is a concrete frame poured around a beveled culvert end. It provides structural
support to the culvert, eliminates the tendency for buoyancy and provides inlet and outlet
protection. A headwall is a required end treatment for all culverts that range in size from 4
to 10 feet. Contact the RHE for direction on headwalls required for culverts smaller than 4
feet. Headwalls shall be used on all thermoplastic culverts, 30 inches in diameter and larger.
A typical headwall is shown on Standard Plans B-75.20-03 or in Figure 3-6. When the
culvert is within the clear zone, the headwall design can be modified by adding safety bars.
Standard Plans B-75.50-01 and B-75.60-00 provide the details for attaching safety bars.
The PEO is cautioned not to use safety bars on a culvert where debris may cause plugging
of the culvert entrance even though the safety bars may have been designed to be removed
for cleaning purposes. When the channel is known to carry debris, the PEO shall provide an
alternative solution to safety bars, such as increasing the culvert size or providing guardrail
protection around the culvert end.
Figure 3-6 Headwall

3-4.5 Wing Walls and Aprons

Buried structures greater than 10 feet long require wing walls. Wing walls and aprons are
required with reinforced concrete box culverts and other types of buried structures. Wing
walls shall be designed in accordance with Section 8 of the Bridge Design Manual. In lieu of
using wing walls, box culvert extensions may be acceptable if site conditions are suitable
and the State Hydraulics Office approves. Wing walls may also be modified for use on
circular culverts in areas of severe scour problems (Figure 3-7). When a modified wing wall
is used for circular pipe, the PEO must address the structural details involved in the joining
of the circular pipe to the square portion of the wing wall. The State Hydraulics Office can
assist in this design.

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Figure 3-7 Modified Wing Wall for Circular Pipe

3-4.6 Improved Inlets

When the head losses in a culvert are critical, the PEO may consider the use of a
hydraulically improved inlet. Contact the RHE for guidance when considering using a
hydraulically improved inlet. These inlets provide side transitions as well as top and bottom
transitions that have been carefully designed to maximize the culvert capacity with the
minimum amount of headwater; however, the design and form construction costs can
become quite high for hydraulically improved inlets. For this reason, their use is not
encouraged in routine culvert design. It is usually less expensive to simply increase the
culvert diameter by one or two sizes to achieve the same or greater benefit.

Certain circumstances may justify the use of an improved inlet. When complete replacement
of the culvert is too costly, an existing inlet-controlled culvert may have its capacity
increased by an improved inlet. Improved inlets may also be justified in new construction
when the length of the new culvert is long (more than 500 feet) and the headwater is
controlled by inlet conditions. Improved inlets may have some slight advantage for barrel- or
outlet-controlled culverts, but usually not enough to justify the additional construction
costs. If the PEO believes that a site might be suitable for an improved inlet, the RHE shall
be contacted. Also, HDS-5 contains a significant amount of information related to the
design of improved inlets.

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3-4.7 Energy Dissipators

The PEO shall use an energy dissipator for all outlets . Energy dissipators can be quite simple
or very complex, depending on site conditions. Debris and maintenance problems shall be
considered when designing energy dissipators.

Energy dissipators include:

• Rock-protected outlets
Rock is frequently placed around the outlet end of culverts to protect against the erosive
action of the water (Figure 3-8). The material size at the outlet is dependent on the outlet
velocity as determined using a full flow analysis as noted in Table 3-3. The limits of this
protection would cover an area that would be vulnerable to scour holes. As an alternative to
using Figure 3-8 and Table 3-3, the Hydraulic Toolbox calculator, which can be downloaded
from FHWA’s website, can be used to determine the area of the scour protection and the
size of the rock. A granular filter or geotextile must be placed between rock and ground (see
Figure 3-8). Section 4-6.2.2 provides guidance for selection of filter type and required
calculations. The calculation results need to be included in the hydraulic report. (See Section
3-4.5 for details on wing walls and aprons.)
Figure 3-8 Rock-Protected Outlet

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Table 3-3 Outlet Protection Material Size

Outlet Velocity
(ft/s) Material
Up to 7 Quarry spalls
7–10 Rock for erosion and scour protection (RESP) Class A
10–15 RESP Class B
>15 RESP Class C
Note:
The outlet velocities are based on full flow calculations. The PEO shall provide a filter such as geotextile
or a granular filter between the rock protection and the existing ground. The gradation of the existing
ground or base soil should be known to size the filter. See Section 4-6.2 for guidance on selection of
filter type and required calculations.

• Other energy-dissipating structures

Other structures include impact basins and stilling basins/wells designed according to the
FHWA’s HEC-14, “Hydraulic Design of Energy Dissipators for Culverts and Channels.”
These structures may consist of baffles, posts, or other means of creating roughness to
dissipate excessive velocity. The State Hydraulics Office shall be consulted to assist in the
design of these types of structures.

Energy dissipators have a reputation for collecting debris on the baffles, so the PEO shall
consider this possibility when choosing a dissipator design. In areas of high debris, the
dissipator should be kept open and easily accessible to maintenance crews. Provisions
should be made to allow water to overtop without causing excessive damage.

3-4.8 Culvert Debris

Debris problems can cause even an adequately designed culvert to experience hydraulic
capacity problems. Debris may consist of anything from limbs and sticks to logs and trees.
Silt, sand, gravel, and boulders can also be classified as debris. The culvert site is a natural
place for these materials to settle and accumulate. No method is available for accurately
predicting debris problems. Examining the maintenance history of each site is the most
reliable way of determining potential problems. Sometimes, upsizing a culvert is necessary
to enable it to more effectively pass debris. Upsizing may also allow a culvert to be more
easily cleaned. The PEO must consult with the RHE for guidance on potential culvert debris
issues.

3-5 Miscellaneous Culvert Design Considerations

This section presents miscellaneous culvert design considerations, including multiple culvert
openings, camber, horizontal and vertical angle points, upstream ponding, and siphons.

3-5.1 Multiple Culvert Openings

The use of multiple culvert openings is not allowed for a single water crossing.

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3-5.2 Camber

When a culvert is installed under moderate to high fills 30 to 60 feet or higher, greater
settlement of the fill may occur under the center of the roadway than at the sides. This
occurs because at the culvert ends there is little fill while the centerline of the roadway
contains the maximum fill. The difference in surcharge pressure at the elevation of the
culvert may cause differential settlement of the fill and can create a low point in the culvert
profile. To correct for the differential settlement, a culvert can be constructed with a slight
upward curve in the profile, or camber, as shown in Figure 3-9. This is determined by the
HQ geotech.
The camber is built into the culvert during installation by laying the upstream half of the
culvert on a flat grade and the downstream half on a steeper grade to obtain the design
grade after settlement. The amount of expected camber can be determined by the HQ
Materials Laboratory and must be shown on the appropriate profile sheet in the contract
plans.
Figure 3-9 Camber under High Fills

3-5.3 Horizontal and Vertical Angle Points

The slope of a culvert shall remain constant throughout the entire length of the culvert. This
is generally easy to accomplish in new embankments. However, in situations where existing
roadways are to be widened, it may be necessary to extend an existing culvert at a different
slope. The location where the slope changes is referred to as the angle point.
If the new culvert is to be placed at a flatter grade than the existing culvert, a manhole shall
be incorporated into the design at the angle point, as shown in Figure 3-10. The PEO shall
contact the RHE regarding the incorporation of a manhole. The change in slope tends to
create a location in the culvert that will catch debris and sediment. Providing access with a
manhole will facilitate culvert maintenance.
If the new culvert is to be placed at a steeper slope than the existing culvert, the manhole
can be eliminated at the angle point if debris and sedimentation have not historically been a
concern at the existing culvert.

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Figure 3-10 Culvert Angle Point

3-5.4 Upstream Ponding

The culvert design methodology presented in Section 3-3 assumes that the headwater
required to pass a given flow through a culvert will be allowed to fully develop upstream of
the culvert inlet. Any peak flow attenuation provided by ponding upstream of the culvert
inlet is ignored. If a large enough area upstream of the inlet is available for ponding, the
design headwater will not occur, and the culvert will not pass the full design flow. However,
by ignoring any ponding effects, the culvert design is simplified, and the final results are
conservative. Most culverts should be designed using these assumptions.
If it is determined that the ponding characteristics of the area upstream of the inlet need to
be taken into consideration, the calculation of flow becomes a flood routing problem, which
entails a more detailed study. Essentially, the area upstream of the inlet acts as a detention
pond and the culvert acts as an outlet structure. The culvert can be designed using flood-
routing concepts similar to designing a stormwater detention pond, but that methodology is
beyond the scope of the Hydraulics Manual. Because the need for this type of culvert design
is rare, the RHE shall be contacted for further assistance.

3-5.5 Miscellaneous Design Considerations: Siphons

Siphon designs require review and concurrence by the State Hydraulics Office per Table
1-1. Also, the siphon design may need to be reviewed and approved by the owner of the
features being crossed. A siphon carries the flow under an obstruction such as a depressed
railroad, roadway, stream, sanitary sewer, water main, or any other structure or utility line
that is in the path of the storm drain line. The storm drain invert is lowered at the obstacle
and is raised again after the crossing. The siphon will remain full when there is no flow.
AASHTO recommends a minimum of two barrels with 3 ft/s velocity. One of the barrels is
designed to have a weir-type obstruction placed at the inlet and outlet structures to keep
the normal flow in one barrel to provide the required minimum velocity for self-cleaning and
servicing. The elevation of the weir crests is based on the depth of normal flows in the
upstream storm drain. Maintenance access is to be provided at both the inlet and outlet
chambers. Figure 3-11 illustrates a typical twin-barrel inverted siphon.
The following considerations from HEC-22, Chapter 6 (1) are important to the efficient
design of siphons:

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• Self-flushing velocities shall be provided under a wide range of flows

• Hydraulic losses shall be minimized
• Provisions for cleaning shall be provided
• Sharp bends shall be avoided
• The rising portion of the siphon shall not be so steep as to make it difficult to flush
deposits (some agencies limit the rising slope to 15 percent)
• There shall be no change in pipe diameter along the length of the siphon
• Provisions for drainage shall be considered

Additional information related to the design of siphons is provided in HEC-22 (1) and United
States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Design of Small Canal Structures (6), which includes a
design example.
Figure 3-11 Typical Twin-Barrel Inverted Siphon

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