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American Concrete Pipe Association Pond culvert calculation procedure 3

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Andy J

Civil/Environmental
Dec 3, 2016
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Does anyone know of a culvert calculation procedure from the American Concrete Pipe Association on how to correctly calculate flows through a culvert discharging from a pond?

I have a regulator insisting that I use the manning's formula which doesn't take into consideration inlet losses, outlet/inlet controls, low to no velocity of water entering the pipe at the inlet due to ponding??

The culvert will be partially full and I been using a modified orifice equation and heard that it came from the ACPA?

Or if someone can point me in the correct direction to some research papers. Manning is giving me flows 4 times higher than FHWA or the orifice equation which both give me similar values.
 
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I think you'll be interested in this presentations - "Comparison of Pipe Flow Equations and Head Losses in Fittings", Link

Another seminar notes - "Spreadsheet Use for Partially Full Pipe Flow Calculations", Link
 
you have to consider inlet/outlet control and losses. you cant just assume a full pipe. in fact for a fully submerged inlet as in a pond, you almost certainly will have inlet control (orifice) with only partially full pipe for most water depths.

suggest
FHWA –NHI- 01-020, HDS No. 5 Hydraulic Design of Highway Culverts

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How do convince a hard headed regulator? All he uses is a manning's formula. So he gets flows way higher than I get and I don't think it is right for me to put a stamp on something that is wrong.

Is there some research out there that says using just the plain mannings formula is wrong?
 
I find it very disturbing that someone who doesn't even have a PE can force me to do something wrong. Guess I can always just say no, but I don't want to leave the client hanging either.
 
I'll calm down and look at the references you have given me. Thanks, I'm just at the end of my rope with this field right now.
 
If the manning's method produces the worst situation, I'll advise my client, let him decide if he/she wants to go along with that decision or not. It's not your fault.
 
Andy J...

"How do convince a hard headed regulator?" Gently. :) You may want to hand him a copy of the FHWA publication and let him know that you are following an established and well-vetted procedure that covers more operating scenarios than Manning's can handle.

"All he uses is a manning's formula...Is there some research out there that says using just the plain mannings formula is wrong?" You might explain the applicability limits of Manning's:
[ul]
[li]Manning's can be used for full pipe flow, which requires both inlet and outlet to be submerged.[/li]
[/ul]
[ul]
[li]Manning's can also be used for UNIFORM open channel flow, which requires both inlet and outlet to be unsubmerged at the same depth.[/li]
[/ul]
[ul]
[li]Regardless, there are still entrance and exit losses to contend with and that's not something Manning's does.[/li]
[/ul]
[ul]
[li]Manning's cannot handle NONUNIFORM flow in the culvert, which is very likely the most common condition for your culvert.[/li]
[/ul]

If he won't budge, is there a supervisor you can talk to?

============
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill
 
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