Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

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Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

4WD

Posted 9/11/2015 12:14 (#4783331)
Subject: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Between Omaha and Des Moines, 7 miles South of I80

Say 16" culvert  , and 24" culvert, and 30" culvert?

Is double wall plastic culverts amounts of dirt needed different that 14 ga. steel culvert? (of same size)

Any good websites? (I did run across, a State of Florida, pdf file, that mentioned 12" top cover for concrete, 15" for steel, and 18" for plastic) Does that sound about right?

 

The only heavy items, over these culverts, will be tractor and bushhog, and loader tractor carrying a possible tree truck, from dead tree removal. (only pasture and timber area = little too steep to farm = its always been pasture area, since great granddad)

 

Thanks

Cliff SEIA

Posted 9/11/2015 12:21 (#4783347 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

For single wall plastic tile I was told 2.5x the tile diameter, for dual wall tile or metal I think it would be less. Oliver1

Posted 9/11/2015 12:49 (#4783406 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Alton, Ia

Alton, Ia

I have a field driveway thru a shallow road ditch, county INSISTED there be a culvert there instead of just a gentle valley in the driveway. Have maybe 2" of cover over a corrugated metal pipe, prob 18" dia. Manure tankers, semi's, wagons etc. have not crushed it yet. G man

Posted 9/11/2015 13:07 (#4783435 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Southwestern IL St. Clair Co.

Cover over pipe is to help spread the load before it hits the pipe. I'd say for dual wall you need at least 12" and most publication will say minimum of 24" or more. Some times this isn't achievable. One thing you can always do to help your self if you lack cover over the pipe, is backfill around the culvert with gravel (with fines) or sand. Compact this in layers 6" or less each. The backfill around the pipe is what supports the pipe laterally when it wants to push out from loading on the top. This backfill around the pipe often means more about how the pipe will hold up long term then the material type. Most people overlook this aspect. With the loads you have mentioned, I wouldn't be afraid of using dual wall pipe with 12" of cover, as long as you bed and backfill around the pipe with good packing fill. boutbrok

Posted 9/11/2015 13:21 (#4783456 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

NE Ga

18" corrugated metal pipe carrying small pond runaround. Put few inches of dirt on when installed, but cows use and weather eroded most of that covering several year ago. Cross it with 100 hp tractor, smaller equipment, pick ups several times a year and a D6 Cat occasionally with no damage to pipe. Trint

Posted 9/11/2015 13:24 (#4783458 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

North Central OH

North Central OH

Normal recommendation for plastic is around 2', 1' is permissible if proper stone is used. Had a pipe company give me a copy of ASTM Designation: F449-02 for reference at a farm show. The 16" may not require that much cover and anything over 48" the requirements change. Joe Dirt

Posted 9/11/2015 13:33 (#4783468 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Wisconsin

The town put in a new steel 10 or 12" a couple of years ago to one of my fields. top of that one has been exposed since the first month after they put it in. Been driven over with some heavy loads and hasn't hurt it yet. (yeah, I know...)


I've got a 12" single wall plastic culvert crossing a water runway between 2 fields here that has about 6 inches of rock on top of it and has held up to the same loads as the exposed steel one the town put it. (silage trucks, manure spreaders, loads of round bales) The trick seems to be DON'T drive over it until/unless it's been packed good. Then it will hold alot! rosiesdad

Posted 9/11/2015 14:08 (#4783504 - in reply to #4783468)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Western-Central Lower Michigan

Western-Central Lower Michigan

Joe Dirt - 9/11/2015 13:33

The town put in a new steel 10 or 12" a couple of years ago to one of my fields. top of that one has been exposed since the first month after they put it in. Been driven over with some heavy loads and hasn't hurt it yet. (yeah, I know...)


I've got a 12" single wall plastic culvert crossing a water runway between 2 fields here that has about 6 inches of rock on top of it and has held up to the same loads as the exposed steel one the town put it. (silage trucks, manure spreaders, loads of round bales) The trick seems to be DON'T drive over it until/unless it's been packed good. Then it will hold alot!

Ive a single wall 10" for a field culvert. Sileage trucks and LARGE manure spreader beat on this a LOT. Its only got 6-8" cover and is holding great.
I wouldnt advise driving heavy loads on a plastic culvert unless you pack it well first. slowzuki

Posted 9/11/2015 17:17 (#4783682 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

New Brunswick, Canada

Depends on the fill. Neighbour has a half exposed steel one, I ran a JD120 escavator over it this spring and it held, just a little flatter on top.

4WD - 9/11/2015 12:14

Say 16" culvert  , and 24" culvert, and 30" culvert?

Is double wall plastic culverts amounts of dirt needed different that 14 ga. steel culvert? (of same size)

Any good websites? (I did run across, a State of Florida, pdf file, that mentioned 12" top cover for concrete, 15" for steel, and 18" for plastic) Does that sound about right?

 

The only heavy items, over these culverts, will be tractor and bushhog, and loader tractor carrying a possible tree truck, from dead tree removal. (only pasture and timber area = little too steep to farm = its always been pasture area, since great granddad)

 

Thanks

4WD

Posted 9/11/2015 19:42 (#4783883 - in reply to #4783435)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Between Omaha and Des Moines, 7 miles South of I80

I did watch a few videos, before I posted this thread; and they showed using small gravel with fines to "bed" the culvert.(just as you mentioned)

I guess, I better get some loads of gravel coming.

 

This afternoon, I measured two used culverts(Dad had behind an old building), both 24" x 20 ft. One is really nice, solid thick metal, smooth inside and out; other is typical corrugated metal (It's a little rough).

 

Reason , I'm interesting in doing this quickly, is I have the tile crew coming to add tile, to drain some big sidehill seeps, in feedlot area above this pasture area.(in 7-10 days)

 So I was hoping their good backhoe operator, could drive down and extra 150 yards and shape the dirt, in each ditch a little (25 feet or so), where the two culverts and gravel will go.(it's too steep on both sides, for me to do anything with a 2wd tractor and loader). Plus it is still wet, in the very center, so I can't drive straight up the ditch/gully, either. We've got old concrete chunks, old concrete blocks, and silo staves for both ends, once culverts get set. Pretty sure I can get at least 12"-15" over each culvert.

In hindsight, I should have done this in 2012, it was totally dry, that Summer.

 

Thanks to everyone for your help/suggestions.

JDPlowboy

Posted 9/11/2015 20:32 (#4783990 - in reply to #4783682)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

sw MN

30" over dual wall.

Culvert about15" 

Ben D, N CA

Posted 9/11/2015 21:09 (#4784086 - in reply to #4783331)
Subject: RE: Any good "rule of thumb" for dirt amount over culvert?

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot

Once the ground is packed they will hold more than you'd think. No way is a tractor going to collapse it. The irrigation district here has replaced a lot of open canals with 30-60" dual wall. Miles of it. In many places the top of the culvert is exposed at road crossings or along the edges of fields. I farm right up to a 48" line on a field edge, and usually I turn the tractor around on top of the pipe, with little or no cover. No problems. See loaded trucks driving over it hauling out of fields as well.

Only thing I really dislike about using it for culverts is how easily it burns. I usually burn all of my grain stubble fields, all of the field edges and ditchbanks, and you have to be really careful around it. Don't ask me how I know.