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    Culvert size

    With all the rain we have gotten this fall and winter, I got stuck pretty good this weekend trying to cross a wash-out that cuts across our lease access road. The soil is pretty sandy clay with some small amounts of mixed iron-ore gravel. Ive crossed the last high spot several times this fall with no problem, but this it just turned into soup when the back tires got in it. Decided it was time for a culvert. Was looking on TSC website and the difference between an 18"x10' and a 24"x10' is $70. Just wondering if it would be worth the extra money to go with the big one, or if the amount of flow between the two sizes would be negligible.

    The wash is probably big enough to drop either one in there, and for the most part, I think the 18" would suffice. But, I dont want it to come another flood and wash out around the culvert. Anyone have any advice?

    FWIW, money and terrain will not allow for any rock or paving materials, so I will have to cover with soils taken from surrounding area.

    #2
    My advice is always go bigger and longer. Personally, I wouldn't put a 10' in anywhere I was gonna cross with a pickup. The more fill you put over it, the narrower the driving surface gets. Give yourself a little more room. Have you checked Heath Hardware in J-Ville ? They seem to have lots of culverts on their yard. Don't be afraid of the plastic ones either, if you set and cover them correctly, they're pretty strong and they'll last forever. Galvanized, in some soils, will rust out on the bottom in a few years. Good luck !

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      #3
      Go big! $70 is cheap insurance.

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        #4
        I would definitely go with a 20 footer and make the diameter at least as deep as the crossing. If it's a spot that you can normally cross then 18" should be fine, but the extra 10 feet in length will make a huge difference (especially in the dark)

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          #5
          Good advise above. You will kick yourself for years to come if you undersize it. Go big indeed.

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            #6
            The amount of flow is definitely not negligible. Looking at the cross-sectional area, you get about 78% more area with the 24”. Definitely go bigger.

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              #7
              oh and the plastic corrugated ones are awesome. You dont need equipment to move them around and they are much easier on your treadwall if/when you accidentally drop a trailer tire off of it

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                #8
                The 24" will carry a little over double the amount of water that the 18" will.

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                  #9
                  Go with the bigger one.

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                    #10
                    how much area do you have on the upstream side

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                      #11
                      Regardless of size put some riprap in there to hold the culvert. Put in one in sandy soil and back filled and lost it in a week. Put one back in with larger crushed concrete and been there 10 years.

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                        #12
                        Here is what Im working with. the red represents the flow of water through the wash. The blue would be where I am wanting to put the culvert. Problem is, I dont think there is a 20' area between the point where the washes converge on the left, and where the ground expands into a pool on the right. Where the culvert is marked is the original road, but we had to divert to the left to get around the wash, which started where the pool is.
                        Attached Files
                        Last edited by Bucksaw; 01-14-2019, 11:05 AM.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by Wayno View Post
                          The amount of flow is definitely not negligible. Looking at the cross-sectional area, you get about 78% more area with the 24”. Definitely go bigger.
                          Yep. When looking at pipe capacity it is about surface area so the 24" will carry a lot more flow.

                          I also agree it would be better to get something better than sand around it. If you can't get rock rip rap, maybe bring in several bags of quickcrete for around it. Leave it in the bag and let it form "rock"....

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                            #14
                            Godr rule of thumb is if you double the size you will quadruple the flow. ( 24" will flow 4 times as much as a 12") go bigger, go longer.

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                              #15
                              Go bigger, go longer...you will think me later. Personally, I’d go way bigger and spend several hundred more than the one that’s 70 bucks more.

                              Backfill with sand and pack the heck out of it. On each end, put riff raff and solidify it with a concrete slurry.

                              Is it overkill? Probably, but I hate doing the work over and over to constantly fix it. One thing I’ve learned is that when dealing with culverts, overkill saves money in the long run.

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