New building near existing culvert

ACtrafficengr · Mar 14, 2022

I'm reviewing a concept site plan for a new retail building. A drainage easement extends over 400 feet into through the site that contains a large CNP culvert conveying a creek. The pipe invert is about 25 ft below the surface.

Concept plans show a proposed building about 20 ft from the culvert. The CMP will eventually need to be replaced, and the building will constrain options.

Would it be acceptable to ask the developer's engineer to inspect the culvert and provide a constructability review as part of the site plan approval? I think it would be prudent, at least.

My glass has a v/c ratio of 0.5

Maybe the tyranny of Murphy is the penalty for hubris. -

http://xkcd.com/319/

hokie66 · Mar 15, 2022

I think the owner of the culvert should hire its own engineer to do the inspection.

That side of the building, at least, should be founded below the culvert invert, so as to provide for future replacement.

ACtrafficengr · Mar 15, 2022

Thanks, Hokie. Considering they are probably planning on a slab on 4' frost walls, 25' pilings will probably be hard to sell. Maybe we could use it to make a structural pipe liner more palatable.

My glass has a v/c ratio of 0.5

Maybe the tyranny of Murphy is the penalty for hubris. -

http://xkcd.com/319/

Pinwards · Mar 15, 2022

Pipelines that deep really should be in a wider easement that allows for replacement when necessary. If you just have a 10' or 15' easement over a pipe that deep, then what was the plan for replacement if it ever fails? It seems they have unfairly encumbered the property if that pipeline is reason to force the building to be further away.

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ACtrafficengr · Mar 16, 2022

Pinwards, it's a culvert, not a pipeline, but that's a good point regardless. Too bad no one thought of that in 1960.

My glass has a v/c ratio of 0.5

Maybe the tyranny of Murphy is the penalty for hubris. -

http://xkcd.com/319/

1503-44 · Mar 16, 2022

There really is no drainage easement? Hard to believe. It may even be by habitual use.
Better to check and double check that with legal. Even if without a written easement, certain cases of habitual use, including a jogging trail or a path to the market, might be enough to prohibit building on top of it, or otherwise restricting it's habitual use.

A black swan to a turkey is a white swan to the butcher ... and to Boeing.

EireChch · Mar 17, 2022

Hokie66 has a good point, the foundations dont need to go below invert but their zone of influence should at least. That means your footings should be 10ft deep maybe, as you will be loading the culvert since you are within a 45 deg line projected upwards from the bottom of culvert.

There will need to be some temporary support of the excavation when the culvert needs replacing.

Ron · Mar 29, 2022

Rarely do I disagree with Hokie66...he's been a hell of a mentor for me over 20 years; however, I think the review should be done by an independent engineer, not associated with the owner.

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