Flow Control in Culverts: A Performance Comparison between Inlet and Outlet Control

Rick Jaeger; Katharina Tondera; Selvan Pather; Mark Porter; Carolyn Jacobs; Neil W Tindale

doi:10.3390/w11071408

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Flow Control in Culverts: A Performance Comparison between Inlet and Outlet Control

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Flow Control in Culverts: A Performance Comparison between Inlet and Outlet Control

Rick Jaeger, Katharina Tondera, Selvan Pather, Mark Porter, Carolyn Jacobs and Neil W Tindale

Water, Vol.11(7), 1408

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071408

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Abstract

culvert

culvert hydraulics

culvert design flow control

discharge capacity

climate change

Culverts, as an essential part of drainage networks worldwide, provide an efficient solution for flowing waters to cross man-made barriers including roads. Existing structures can be many years old and changes in rainfall patterns due to global warming might not have been considered in their original design. While correctly designed culverts can effectively drain water during high-intensity rainfall events, poorly designed or outdated structures could cause upstream flooding resulting in costly damage and losses. Hydraulic improvements to prepare existing culverts for greater discharge rates could be a favorable alternative to rebuilding every failing structure. Modern design guidelines calculate the performance for inlet and outlet controlled flows on the basis of established hydraulic theories. After calculating the headwater levels for both flow controls, the inferior one is then chosen, based on the assumption that the culvert will operate in its least efficient state. Flow improvements could be made by enforcing the better performing option. Outlet control can be ensured by raising the tailwater levels as high as the outlet thereby utilizing the entire cross-sectional area of the culvert. It was found that, in some cases, an enforced outlet control enables culverts to perform better than operation under inlet control. However, only smooth and short culverts with high losses at the inlet were identified as benefiting from this approach and many existing structures could be improved by better inlet designs.

Details

Title: Flow Control in Culverts: A Performance Comparison between Inlet and Outlet Control
Authors: Rick Jaeger (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science & Engineering
Katharina Tondera (Author) - IMT Atlantique Bretagne-Pays de Loire, France
Selvan Pather (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science & Engineering
Mark Porter (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science & Engineering
Carolyn Jacobs (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science & Engineering
Neil W Tindale (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science & Engineering
Publication details: Water, Vol.11(7), 1408
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2019
DOI: 10.3390/w11071408
ISSN: 2073-4441
Copyright note: Copyright © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450870402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Water Resources