Culvert design manual (R168)

This publication has now been superseded by our new publication 'Culvert design and operation guide'. However, you may wish to purchase a copy of this R168 publication for reference purposes. Hydraulic design of culverts for the non-specialist engineer. Culverts are covered channels or pipelines used to convey a watercourse under an obstruction. They provide one of the most common forms of drainage structure and have been widely used throughout the world. But determining the hydraulic characteristics of a culvert can be a complex business. Until now, most of the literature on culverts has been aimed at specialist hydraulic engineers, despite the fact that most culverts in the UK are designed by non-specialists.

This publication, however, has been written for use by engineers who do not have specialist knowledge of hydraulics. It contains clear and concise guidelines for the hydraulic design of culverts and describes the hydraulic behaviour of culverts in as simple a form as is consistent with the complexities of their actual behaviour. It provides an overall design process for new culverts and information that can be used to analyse and assess existing culverts. Also includes a section on examples of good design practice.

Key words: urban drainage, water infrastructure, sewerage.

ISBN: 978-0-86017-467-7

Author: D Ramsbotom, R Day and C Rickard

Number of pages: 192 (paperback)

Publisher: CIRIA

Date of Publication: January 1997