UNIVERSIDAD SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO

COLEGIO POLITÉCNICO
ICV-0385 INGENIERÍA CIVIL HIDRÁULICA

LABORATORY #4
FLOW THROUGH CULVERTS
OBJECTIVES:
 To determine the flow discharge through culverts of various geometric dimensions.
 To identify water surface profiles for mild-, steep- or critical-sloped channel.
 To identify the type of flow pattern in a culvert: inlet control or outlet control.
 To determine the Headwater and Tailwater depth for the flow through culverts.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
 Hydraulic Channel Flow
 Culverts – Short and Long.
 Ruler or measuring tape
 Collecting tank
 Water Pump

THEORY:
Culverts are structures intended to convey a stream or channel through an obstruction such as a road
or railroad embankment. The culvert essentially is a tube placed in the embankment, allowing water to flow
under the road or railroad with no interference between the two. Headwalls or wingwalls generally are
placed at the upstream and downstream ends to assist grading and hydraulic efficiency.
When flow in a stream (or channel) encounters a culvert, it experiences a constriction that causes a
change in flow depth. Water backs up as it is waiting to get into the culvert; once inside, it speeds up. Because
of the continuity equation, the slow-moving water upstream of the culvert has an increased depth, and the
faster water in the culvert is shallower. The following figure 4.1 shows a typical pattern of flow through a
culvert.

Fig 4.1: Profile of a typical culvert.

The following factors affect the flow through a culvert:

1. The size of the opening (cross-sectional area)
2. Entrance geometry
3. Length of the culvert
4. Roughness of the culvert
5. Slope
6. Downstream depth of flow (tailwater)

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Downstream depth, also called tailwater depth, can be very important in determining the flow
pattern. Tailwater depth depends in general on the characteristics of the stream and is usually independent
of the culvert. Tailwater yout, depth generally is determined by computing normal depth yN, for the stream as
it exists downstream of the culvert. The upstream water depth, called headwater depth yin, that provides
the potential energy to drive the water through the culvert, and we will see that this depth becomes a
measure of the capacity or adequacy of a given culvert. Downstream (tailwater) depth is determined by the
stream, while upstream (headwater) depth is determined by the culvert.

When water flows through a culvert, the headwater depth is greater than the tailwater depth. The
increase in upstream depth is caused by the constriction inherent in the culvert. However, the constriction
can take place at either the entrance (upstream end) of the culvert or the outlet (downstream end)
depending on which of the previously listed factors prevails. If constriction occurs more at the entrance than
the outlet, the culvert is said to be operating under inlet control, whereas if the outlet end creates the greater
constriction, the culvert is operating under outlet control.

DESCRIPTION:
Types of flows:
 Type A flow: the water profile through a culvert varies greatly depending on the conditions
mentioned above. The simplest type of flow occurs when the culvert cross section matches the
upstream and downstream channels and the culvert acts as an open channel. In this case, the
tailwater is below the crown, the water surface profile is unchanged through the culvert, and
tailwater depth equals headwater depth.

Fig 4.2:

 Type B flow: occurs when headwater depth rises above the inlet crown and tailwater depth is
relatively low and the culvert barrel is relatively short. This type of flow, the inlet becomes submerged,
and the culvert acts like an orifice. Culverts with Type B flow usually operate in inlet control.

Fig 4.3:

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 Type C flow: occurs when conditions are similar to Type B flow but the culvert is relatively long or
otherwise restrictive to flow. Type C flow does not submerge the inlet but drops into the culvert just
upstream, thus creating a weir-like effect. Culverts with Type C flow usually operate in outlet control.

Fig 4.4:

 Type D flow: occurs when the tailwater is above the culvert crown and tailwater is relatively high. In
this case, the culvert acts as a pipe flowing full, and control is at the outlet.

Fig 4.5:

The flow in culverts can be complicated by factors such as culvert slope, which can produce supercritical
flow under certain circumstances. The descriptions assumed subcritical flow conditions, which is the case for
the majority of culvert analyses.

FORMULAS USED:

A) INLET CONTROL
 Headwater Depth (yin)
𝑣2
𝑦𝑖𝑛 = 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡 + + ℎ𝐿 − 𝐿𝑠𝑜
2𝑔

B) OUTLET CONTROL
 Headwater Depth (yin)
′ 𝑣2
or 𝑦𝑖𝑛 = 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡 + + ℎ𝐿 − 𝐿𝑠𝑜
2𝑔

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Where, Entrance Losses:

yout = Tailwater depth 𝑣2
ℎ𝑒 = 𝑘𝑒
L = length of the culvert 2𝑔
So = Slope of the culvert
Friction Losses:
′
𝑦𝑐 + 𝑦𝐷 𝐿 𝑣2
𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡 = ℎ𝑓 = 𝑓
2 𝑅 2𝑔

Friction Factor:
Head losses: 64
ℎ𝐿 = ℎ𝑒 + ℎ𝑓 𝑓=
𝑁𝑅

Or use Moody Diagram for Turbulent flows.

PRECAUTIONS:

 Check that air is not trapped in the hose or pump before turning it on.
 Read water level reading just above the inlet and just below the outlet of the culvert.
 Use 2 decimal digits for measurements values.

PROCEDURE (LAB INSTRUCTIONS):

Experiment steps:
1. Turn on the pump and allow water flow through the culvert.
2. Using a ruler measure the width, length and depths of flows.
3. Water level reading should be taken just above the inlet and just below the outlet of the culvert.
4. Flow velocity can be estimated either by:
a. Taking the length of the culvert divided by the travel time. (Note that this estimation will
most probably give you the max. velocity rather than the average flow velocity); or
b. Calculate the actual Flow with the Volumetric Method and divide it by the flow area.
5. Calculate the Energy Losses for the Entrance and Friction Energy Losses for the culvert flow.
6. Calculate the headwater depths Yin.

After entering the readings in the Tabulation 4.1, compute the necessary values.

PROCEDURE (Write down your own procedure report format)

POST-EXPERIMENT ACTIVITIES:

 The apparatus should be drained and cleaned after use.

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OBSERVATION AND COMPUTATIONS – I

Slope So = _____________. Manning Coefficient for Acrylic n = 0.009 Fecha: ___________________
Ke = 0.25 for the large culvert; Ke = 0.36 for the medium culvert; Ke = 0.47 for the small culvert.
Nombre: _____________________________
Tabulation 4.1: Determination of headwater depths.
No.
Measured Data Calculated Data Yin

𝟑 𝑸𝟐 𝑳 𝒗𝟐 𝒗𝟐 Yin = Yout + v2/2g +

B L Yin Yout Area v Q 𝒀𝒄 = √ 𝟐 𝝆𝑹𝒗 f = 64 / NR 𝒉𝒇 = 𝒇 𝒉 𝒆 = 𝒌𝒆
𝑩 𝒈 𝑵𝑹 = 𝑹 𝟐𝒈 𝟐𝒈 hL - LSo
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm2) (cm/s) (L/s) 𝜼 or D.M.
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm)

1
CANAL

2
TIPO A

3
TIPO B

4
TIPO C

5
TIPO D

Viscosity of Water w = 0.00105 Pa s. Open Channel Flow approximation: D = R for Reynold Number equation.
Hydraulic Radius R = Area / Wet Perimeter D.M. – Moody Diagram, Fundamental Hydrodynamics (Pg. 55, Gribbin).

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RESULTS AND ANALYSIS:

 For Non-Circular pipes the Diameter can be approximated as the Hydraulic Radius. This approximation
can be used to replace the diameter in the Reynolds number equation, as well as in Darcy’s equation for
energy losses due to friction.
 The friction factor can be either estimated with Moody’s Diagram or by dividing 64 by the Reynolds
number if we assume laminar flow conditions.
 Determine the %-Error between Yin-measured vs. Yin-calculated. Discuss the factors causing
discrepancy between Yin measured vs. Yin calculated.
 Analyze and explain the results and calculations obtained from your lab experiment.
 Examine and justify any extreme values (min. & max) in your runs. Explain causes and consequences.

GRAPH:

Use readings observed during the experiment to graph the following:

 Plot Q/B vs. Yin-measured/YD, and Q/B vs. Yin-calculated/YD.

 Plot Q vs. Yin-measured/YD, and Q/B vs. Yin-calculated/YD.
 Plot Yin-measured vs. Yin-calculated, and explain the R2 error.

DISCUSSION:

 Discuss assumptions of the theory applied in this lab practice.

 Discuss the accuracy of each result, numerically. Explain possible experimental errors.
 Analyze probable sources of error. Explain causes of the error and how much on consequence.

 QUESTIONS:
1) Why do we need to understand and analyze the behavior of culvert hydraulics? What are the
purposes of culverts and where do you use them in the practical life?

′
2) Explain why do we need to account for 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡 instead of using yout.

3) When analyzing a culvert flow, we usually do not know if it operates in Inlet or Outlet control. Explain
how we can determine the Headwater depth (Yin) without knowing the flow pattern control.

4) If you determine the velocity by taking the length of the culvert divided by the travel time, explain
why this estimation will give you the max. velocity rather than the average flow velocity.

5) For the resistance coefficients ke used in this practice, determine their Equivalent Length Leq, for
which similar friction losses would be generated. Explain how the use of Headwalls & Wingwalls,
affect the Equivalent Length in culvert design.

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