Design of Self-Cleaning Solutions for Mitigating Sedimentation at Twin-and Single-Box Culverts

Sedimentation at multi-box culverts is an ongoing maintenance issue for the crossroads located in low-gradient, erosion-prone watersheds such as those located in Iowa landscapes. Sediment deposits diminish the culvert capacity to convey peak flows leading to damages to the culvert structures and potentially create backwater upstream from culvert locations. The proposed research investigates self-cleaning solutions for the single- and twin-box culverts building on the successful experiences garnered through extended research carried out on sedimentation at culverts in Iowa. The previous research has only targeted three-box culverts as they were considered of most immediate concern to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) at the initiation of this research in 2006. The series of previous projects developed self-cleaning designs combining inferences from field observations, hydraulic modeling, and numerical simulations. After closing the research phases, construction and in situ monitoring over several years followed. The research on three-box culverts has recently expanded to include culvert configurations and stream environments at other state DOTs in the nation through a Transportation Pooled Fund. The need for a distinct research for development of self-cleaning designs for single- and twinbox culverts stems from the fact that their hydraulics is different from culverts with odd number of boxes as the latter culvert configuration includes a central box which is used for enhancing the conveyance of the sediment. In the absence of the central box, the self-cleaning solutions for the single- and double-box culverts have to seek for altern1ative flow-deflecting geometries that take up the sediment conveyance role. We are confident that by adopting the same design principles, research strategy, and practical considerations as those utilized for the previous research on threebox culverts, we can develop new self-cleaning designs that will keep the single- and double-box culverts free of sediment without outside intervention.

• Record URL:
  • https://ideas.iowadot.gov/subdomain/ideas-main/end/node/3071?qmzn=iKFrYf#Active

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $349,956.00
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Managing Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Project Managers:

  Goetz, Vanessa

• Performing Organizations:

  Tulane University

  6823 Saint Charles Avenue
  New Orleans, LA  United States  70118

  University of Iowa, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

  3100 Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences
  Iowa City, Iowa  United States  52242
• Principal Investigators:

  Muste, Marian

• Start Date: 20220901
• Expected Completion Date: 20250930
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Box culverts; Cleaning; Sedimentation
• Geographic Terms: Iowa
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01945643
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 12 2025 6:00PM