Page 14 - May June 2016 Vol 34 No1
P. 14
KINGSPORT By Jason Foster, P.E.
Getting to Know Your Culvert System
–Up Close
When the City of Kingsport was faced Above: A large
with addressing a 100-year-old culvert sewer line like this
system and its many connected drainage one located near
pipes, they hired the LDA Engineering the invert of the
team. In order to identify the condition culvert can inhibit
of the culvert system and areas of specific flow during storm
concern, an evaluation was required. events and decrease
This evaluation looked to identify risks the capacity of the
of current condition and how it had culvert.
been impacted by utility encroachments, Left: Spalling,
debris, sediment, deterioration, and other cracking, and
hydraulic alterations. exposed rebar in top
slab.
LDA’s Confined Space Certified Below: Engineers
Field Inspection team performed completed quality
a comprehensive documentation, assurance checks by
benchmark survey and preliminary performing additional
hydraulic evaluation of the 1.2 mile long measurements during
culvert located between Wexler Street the initial stage of the
and Reedy Creek. The team captured over inspection.
1,000 photos and 300 video clips. The
team reviewed photographs and videos
of the field inspection, performed spot
checks of the inside of the culvert, and
inspected the exposed exterior of the
box culvert. The owner was provided
with a preliminary evaluation and risk
assessment of structural defects within the
culvert. Specific measurements requested
by the City included the size of each utility
encroachment in inches to the outside
diameter and its depth measured from the
invert of the culvert at its location, as well
as the size of the storm sewer connection.
In order to obtain the measurements
via confined space entry, LDA developed
an innovative inspection procedure that
allowed information to be gathered in
the same amount of time or less than
conventional camera inspection. LDA
field inspectors and engineers used
small hand-held cameras and GoPros
to photograph and video each and
every structural defect, encroachment
and storm sewer connection. Field
measurements were called out on video
and photographed for future reference.
Additionally, selected catch basins along
the culvert length were surveyed for use
as benchmarks so that the observations
and measurements could be mapped and
located. The result was a survey of the
14 TPW May/June 2016
Getting to Know Your Culvert System
–Up Close
When the City of Kingsport was faced Above: A large
with addressing a 100-year-old culvert sewer line like this
system and its many connected drainage one located near
pipes, they hired the LDA Engineering the invert of the
team. In order to identify the condition culvert can inhibit
of the culvert system and areas of specific flow during storm
concern, an evaluation was required. events and decrease
This evaluation looked to identify risks the capacity of the
of current condition and how it had culvert.
been impacted by utility encroachments, Left: Spalling,
debris, sediment, deterioration, and other cracking, and
hydraulic alterations. exposed rebar in top
slab.
LDA’s Confined Space Certified Below: Engineers
Field Inspection team performed completed quality
a comprehensive documentation, assurance checks by
benchmark survey and preliminary performing additional
hydraulic evaluation of the 1.2 mile long measurements during
culvert located between Wexler Street the initial stage of the
and Reedy Creek. The team captured over inspection.
1,000 photos and 300 video clips. The
team reviewed photographs and videos
of the field inspection, performed spot
checks of the inside of the culvert, and
inspected the exposed exterior of the
box culvert. The owner was provided
with a preliminary evaluation and risk
assessment of structural defects within the
culvert. Specific measurements requested
by the City included the size of each utility
encroachment in inches to the outside
diameter and its depth measured from the
invert of the culvert at its location, as well
as the size of the storm sewer connection.
In order to obtain the measurements
via confined space entry, LDA developed
an innovative inspection procedure that
allowed information to be gathered in
the same amount of time or less than
conventional camera inspection. LDA
field inspectors and engineers used
small hand-held cameras and GoPros
to photograph and video each and
every structural defect, encroachment
and storm sewer connection. Field
measurements were called out on video
and photographed for future reference.
Additionally, selected catch basins along
the culvert length were surveyed for use
as benchmarks so that the observations
and measurements could be mapped and
located. The result was a survey of the
14 TPW May/June 2016
