Transportation

Kentucky Transportation Center Research

Report
University of Kentucky Year 1968

Durability of Culvert Pipe

James H. Havens
Kentucky Department of Highways

This paper is posted at UKnowledge.

https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ktc researchreports/1020
 Research Report

DURABILITY OF CULVERT PIPE

by

Jas. H. Havens
Director of Research

Division of Research
DEPART!,IENT OF HIGHWAYS
Commonwealth of Kentucky

August 1968
 INTRODUCTION

Almost t"enty years ago the Department began to develop durability

data on types of culvert materials, In the interim, various stopgap as ,.ell as
very judicious policies have issued~ The present criterion or design practice
applicable to Federal Aid projects «as affirmed by the Bureau of Public Roads,
Hay 24, 1965. Extensive field surveys have been conducted; various design in-
novations have been employed; and a 11 hot 11 test site has, in a demonstrati ve ~·lay,
provided critical life-expecta ncy records. All past history had been documented
previously; however, a brief retrospectiv e. summary w·ill provide some continu::i.ty
between forethought and certain issues notv mat.uri.ng.

1. Performance histories for BCCM culverts at 11 hot" locations 1.-rere

not available at the heginning-·- they had to be developed. It
was, estimated~ perhaps somewhat intuitively , that the coating
might persist for at least 15 years.
2o Early surveys disc.losed instances of severe corrosive damage to
RCP, box culverts, and bridge piers.
3. The test installation s at Hortons Gap was conceived responsivel y
to Items 1 and 2.
4o BCCH pipe were accepted for cross-drain s and other uses in cor-
rosive areas; field performance hi.storles date therefrom.
5~ Terminal data are now forthcoming .

Although the question concerning the adequacy of llCCHP and RCP, in the
long-term sense~ has been held somewhat in abeyance., pending maturity of terminal
statistics) methods of extending the life-ex-pec.t ancy of culverts 1n uhoe' waters
have been explored and expediently employed experimenta lly for yet future evalua"-
tion. Thickened-w all RCP "ere spec.ified on a section of the Western Kentucky
Parkt<ay and were recommended for severe locations on the Pennyrile Park,.ay if
encountered~ The exact context the-n was~ "Inasmuch as no comparable c.ontrivance
or recourse is currently available in behalf of coated--meta l pipe, I recommend
against its further use in hot environment s >lhere .long-time durahility is
desired". An earlier context stated: 11 The spec.ial protect:ion provided in the
three instances.~~reflect a growing conc.ern about the long-time life expectancy
of rei.nforced concrete pipe and coated metal pipe in "hot" locations".

Other contexts pertaining to areal exclusions as •;;ell as site exclu-

sions pervade the records o Blanket exclusions have been invoked as expedietlt
and practical controls where risk of potential or latent acidity precluded site·-
by-site methods of eontroL With respect to site--by·-sit e control, i t was sug-
gested once that "o o. this type of e.ngineering attention might best be reserved
for major projects". Idealistica lly, however, the only method of control that
is not otherwise punitive in its application is a site··,.by-·sit e method o

The question of adequac.y of the t"o major types of pipe in extreme

environment s must nm< be confronted. Failures of BCCH pipe are not mere chance
happenings; they are still at the search-.. and-·discove r stage--but once discovered,
their existence is undeniable. Chronologically, these discoveries correlate
peculiarily with the performance of BCCM pipe at the Hortons Gap Test Site.
BCCH pipe at Hortons Gap may be declared terminal. RC pipe at Hortons Gap may also
be declared terminal. These conclusions are subject to interpretative concepts
and definitions of failure. Photographs are provided herewith.

Summarily, i t has been demonstrated that both RC pipe and BCCH pipe
do not provide life expectancies of 20 years in environments where the pH is in
the range between 3.5 and 2.8. Moreover, 20 years is not commensurate with the
expected term of service of a road--which may be 100 years, more or less. This
means, of course, that types of culvert pipe which are nmq specified as standard
are not adequate in extreme situations. It means also that the innovations
employed earlier were not altogether futile.

It seems reasonable to continue to use current practices in general

application but to adopt and implement a practice whereby critical sites or areas
may be delineated by surveys and explorations concurrently with the location and
design of construction projects. Similar attention should be given to bridge
piers and box culverts. Overriding judgment and caution seems admissable in
regard to latent or potential acidity that might occur from roadway excavations,
mining, and other developments tending to expose offensive materials and ground
l?aters. This would be a site-by-site control.

BCCH PIP!<:

Galvanized, corrugated metal culvert pipe was introduced in 1907.

Paved invert (bituminous, 25 percent of circumference) pipe was in-

troduced in 1925; this was followed by half-coated and paved pipe and then by
full-coated and paved pipe. The buildup of paving was referred to as one-dip
and two-dip (1928) pipe, etc.

Asbestos-bonded, coated pipe was introduced in 1936.

The first BCCH pipe in Kentucky was installed 5.8 miles east of
Jackson, KY 15, near Haddix, in 1928. An existing masonry, box culvert with a
concrete slab roof •·•as failing. An 84-inch diameter, full-coated, paved invert,
one-dip pipe was threaded into the existi.ng box in the fall of 1928. Figure 1
shows the pipe soon after installation. Saunders Threlkeld ;Junior Haterials
Engineer), reporting on a group inspection, July 14-16, J.941, noted some loss
of coating at the outlet. Figure 2 shows the culvert as it was :!.n October 195.1.
The coating was quite shrunken, and some was missing in the lower half, nearest
the ends. The water was found to be altogether inoffensive. KY 15 was re-
constructe.d in 1967.

Another interesting item in Threlkeld's inspection r-eport referr-ed to

a 60-inch, regular-dip pipe, which 1qas field··paved with hot-mix asphaltic con-
crete, installed near Hitchins (Carter County) in 1940 hy th<;> C&O Railroad,

Attachment 1 is a c:opy of a 1945 Special Provision for ll:!.tuminous Coated

Hetal Pipe. There 11as no provision for coated p:!.pe in the 1945 standards, It
is assumed that coated pipe in Kcmtucky really dates from late 19~5 or early
1946. It is noted, therein, that only 3/i~ of t.he circumference was required to
be coated and that the minimum thickness was 0.03 inch. Paving of the invert
wa.s not specific,

2
 Figure 1

Figure 2

3
 Attachment 2 indicates that coated pipe~,.arches on state constructio n
date from 1950.

The 1956 Standards required the coatinf', to be not less than 0.05 inch
thick and the paving to be not less than l/8 inch thick (at the crest of cor<-<
ruga tions) .

BCCN pipe installed at Nortons Gap in April 1951 '"ere identified as:

1. Full-coated and paved, according to Kentucky Special Specific.ati on

1-R (two pieces)
2. Full, double-coat ed only (,.ithout paving) (two pie<ces)
3. Asbes tos"-bonded, co a ted and paved ( t1w pieces)
4. Asbestos--bo nded, 11ith light bituminous seal (two pieces)
5. Half-coated and paved (ttw pieces).

Only two pieces of these pipe remain in test, they are:

1. Half-coated and paved

2. Full-coated and paved (Kentucky Special Specificatio n l'"'R)*,

These two pieces are declared terminal; their companion pieces and all other
types of metal pipe originally installed (1951) were taken out of test previously.

Figures 3 and I, show the half--coated and paved piece, April 1968.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the full'''"coated and paved piece, April 1968,

RECENT FIELD INSPECTIONS ,

Two inspections were made recently on projects brought to our atte,ntion

by Mr. R. J. Reynolds (Highway Drainage Pipe, Inc.). Prior thereto inspection
reports were requested on the J1ortons Ga.p site, the Hadisonvill e By·-pass ~ and
the Western Kentucky Parhmy--th ese were submitted June< 5, 1958. One of the two,
heretofore unreported inspections more or less confirms M-r. Reynolds report
dated June 8, 1968. This inspection ><as made by J. H. Havens and J. W. Scott;
Hr. Scott's memorandum report of June 21 is included here>Iith (Attachment 3),
Corrosive water was found in the Straight Creek Area of Horgan County (KY 650
and KY 589); it wa.s attributed largely to sulphur-wat er springs which seemed to
be prevalent--- rather than to coal mining.

On July 9, R. J. Reynolds and Bill Reynolds arranged a joint inspection

of KY 267 (Rowdy-Harv eyton Road in Perry County) and KY 568 (Cranks Creek Road
in Harlan County). Both of these roads Here constructed under the RS program
and '"ere let to contract in September 1949. A brief account of observation s
follows:

*This is suspected of being a mistake in identity---t he pipe may be asbestos-

bonded, coated and paved.
Figure 3

Figure 4

5
Figure 5

Figure 6

6
Figure 7

7
KY 267

1. First structure was a corrugated metal arch on concrete

foundation, acid.
2. 1.7 miles; 24-inch drainage BCCM, paved; bottom corroded
out 6 feet from end.
3. 4.0 miles, uncoated pipe-arch with concrete or Gunite paving;
reported to have corroded through the bottom before the
road was completed; pH 4.5.
4. 4.8 miles; at Lost Creek school; multiplate arch, 93 x 6!1
inches, uncoated, Gunite paving (see Figure 8).
5. 5. 25 miles; 36-inch BCCH pipe; partly filled, evidence of
corrosion; pH 5.0.
6. 5.75 miles, 18-inch, BCCH pipe; coating missing at outlet,
metal perforated; abandoned mine site above the road (see
Figure 9).
7. 5.60 miles; 48-inch, BCCH pipe; flm< line corroded m;ay;
drains former mining area; pH 4.0 (see Figure 10).
8. 5.85 miles; 18-inch, BCCH pipe; outlet corroded about an
inch inward; pH 4.5.
9. 5.9 miles; 18-inch, BCCH pipe; bottom corroded for several
feet im<ard; pH 4.5.
10. 6.1 miles; 64-inch multiplate arch; uncoated; rust sho,oring
on sides; bottom silted; pH 5.5 (see Figure 11).
11. 6.7 miles; large pipe-arch; uncoated, Gunite paving; former
mining areas.

KY 568

1. 0.20 mile; large uncoated pipe-arch; partly filled; rusted

at wall; pH 3.5.
2. 0. 85 mile; t"'in BCCH pipe··arches; bottom rusted out at
haunches; one partly filled; pH 3.5 (Photographed in 35 mm
color, Slides 1 thru 6).
3. 1.1 miles; twin 36 x 22--inch BCCH pipe--arches; badly corroded;
one pipe installed upside down; pH 3.5 (Slides 7, 8 and 10).
4. 1.35 miles; twin 77 x 57 -inch pipe-·arches; uncoated; Gunite
paving; one partly filled; pH 3.5.
s. 1.65 miles; 42-lnch BCCN pipe; dry; coating t<eathered away
at end.
6. 2.05 miles; 77 x 57-inch BCCH pipe-arch; corroded at lip;
pH 5.0.
7. 2.55 miles; 66 x 38-inch BCCM pipe-arch; dry; coating
weathered on outside and missing inside at the haunches.
8. 2.65 miles; 107 x 72-inch multiplate arch; uncoated; Gunite
paving; pH 5.5 (Slide No. 12).
9. 2.85 miles; 77 x 57-twin pipe-arches; uncoated; one partly
filled; Gunite paving--slightl y deteriorated at end; pH
5,0 (Slide No. 14).
10. 3. 45 miles; l1Z-inch BCCM pipe; coating missing at lip; slight
corrosion a

11.. 3.65 miles; 66 x 38-inches (inaccessible).

12. 3,95 miles; 123 x 77-inch t<Vin, multiplate arches; uncoated;
Gunite paving (Slide No. 14).

Note: Slides filed in Division of Research

8
Figure 8

Figure 9

9
Figure l0

Figure ll

10
 RC PIPE
No new search-a nd-disco ver effort has been directed specific ally to
reinforc ed concrete pipe.

It is appropr iate perhaps to record here the basis for declarin g RC

pipe at the Mortons Gap test site as being now termina l. Figures 12 and 13 show
the present conditio n of the RC pipe (gravel aggrega te) put into test in April
1951. Figures 14 and 15 show RC pipe manufac tured with limeston e aggrega te and
which was put into test Septemb er 21, 1954.

The pH there has ranged between 3.5 and 2.8.

ll
Figure 12

Figure 13

12
Figure 14

Figure 15

l3
 Attachment 1 Sheet 1 of 2
(SS~l~R)

COH1<10NWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS
SPECIAL SI'ECIFIC/\TION NO, l~R

BITUMINOUS COATED CORRUGATED METAL PIPE

This Special Specification No. 1-R covers the material require-

ments for Bituminous Coated Corrugated Metal Pipe. It shall be
applicable when indicated on plans, proposals, or bidding invita-
tions, All specification references are to the Department"s 1945
Standard Specification s for State and Federal Road and Bridge Con-
struction.

BITUMINOUS COATED CORRUGATED HETAL PIPE

L GENERAL. Bituminous coated corrugated metal pipe shall comply
with all the provisions of Article 7.8.4 of the Department's
1945 Standard Specificatio ns, including galvanizing, .and in
addition shall be completely coated inside and out with an
asphalt cement, which will meet the performance. requirements
set forth.herein,
(a} The asphalt cement shall be .. 99 .. 5 per cent soluble in
carbon bisulphide,
[b) Thickness of Coating. The inside of the pipe shall be
coated uniformly for three~fourths (3/4) of the circum·
ference (top of pipe 111hen installed) to a .minimum thick~
ness of .03 inch. The·thicknes s shall be measured.on tho
crests of the corrugations , The bottom.quart er of the
circumference shall be of such.thickne ss as to comply
with the Erosion Test hereinafter described.
2 PERFORMANCE REQUIRE1·!ENTS, The asphalt cement shall adhere to
the metal tenaciously; shall not chip off in .handling; and shall
protect the pipe from deterioratio n, as evidenced by meeting
the following tests successfully :
(a) Stability Test. The asphalt cement shall not lose its
stability when subjected to the highest summer.temp erature,
us indicated by withstanding tho.following test successfully ,
Parallel lines shall be drawn.along the valleys of the
corrugations of a representativ e sample of coated pipe
and the specimen placed on end in a constant temperature
oven, with the parallel lines in a horizontal position.
The temperature of the specimen shall be maintained within 2
 Sheet 2 of Z
(SS loR)

degrees F. of 150 degrees P. for a period of four hours.

At .the end of this time no part of any line shall have
dropped more than one-fourth inch,
(b) Imperviou sness Teste The asphalt cement shall be impervious
to liquids as indicated by the following test.
A 25 percent solution of sulphuric acid, or a 25 per cent
solution of sodium hydroxide , or a saturated salt solution
(such as sodium chloride] shall be held in the valley of a
corrugatio n for a period of 48 hours, during which time no
loosening or separation of the bituminou s material from
the galvanizin g shall have taken place.
(c) Erosion Test. A represent ative srnnple consisting of a two-
foot length of a fully coated pipe (with ends closed by
suitable.b ulkheads) shall be revolved end over end
about its transverse axis at a speed of 3,7 revolution s
per minute and in such a manner that the erosive charge
shall alternatel y roll along the inner surface of opposite
sides of the pipe (inside top and bottom, as when installed
in service), ·At least 7 5 per cent of the samp.le shall be
immersed, as it revolves, in a bath of water maintained at
a temperatu re of 50a-ssa F. The top three-qua rters of the
pipe, shall not show areas of bare metal more than two
inches in length on four of the seven central corrugatio ns
after five hours of continuou s testing (called a test
period), and.the bottom one-quart er shall not show a simi-
lar failure in nine additiona l periods of testing. A new
erosive charge shall be used for each period of test. The
erosive charge shall be 50 pounds of grade MW building
brick, conforming to the requireme nts of the A.S,T"M"
Serial Designatio n C62·44, broken up into pieces two or
three inches in diameter, and three gallons of water"
:>o PATENTED DEVICES 1 MATERIALS AND PROCESSES" The Contracto r and/
or vendor shall hold and save the State harmless from any and
all claims for infringem ent by reason of the use of any patented
device, material or process used in the manufactu re of the pipe.

APPROVED NOVEMBER 24 1 1945

T, H. CUTLER
STATE HIGHWAY ENGINEER

Specifica tion Mimeograp h No, 79

Stencil Re-cut 4 19-50
 Attachment 2 Sheet I of 2
(SS~ 53)

COi'lMONIVEALTJl OF KENTUCKY
DEPAltT'lENT OF HIGHWAYS
SPECIAL SPECIFICATION NO. 53
CORRUGATED METAL PIPE ARCH

This Special Specification No, 53 covers the material requirements for

Corrugated Metal Pipe-Arch, lt shall be applicable when indicated on
plans, proposals, or bidding invitations and, when applicable, shall
supersede and void all conflicting requirements of the Department's
1945 Standard Specifications.

CORRUGATED METAL PIPE-ARCI1

.I. DESCH I PTI ON .

Corrugated Metal Pipe-Arch, as designated herein, shall consist
of corrugated galvanized metal pipe which has been fabricated to the
approximate semi elliptical shape described hereinafter,

The requirements for base metal, rivets, spelter, inspection,

sampling, marking, corrugations, gage, dimensions and weights, end
finish, bands, and workmanship shall be as specified in Article
7,8, 4 of the Department's 1945 Standard Specifications for circular
pipe of equal periphery,
When '"Bituminous Coated Corrugated Heta.l Pipe·Arch"' is called
for on plans, proposals or bidding invitations, the pipe-arch shall
be canted and paved os specified in the current Special Specification
No .. l-rt for "Bituminous Coated Corrugated
~·.·1etal Pipe"', except that
tho paved area shall extend up on the sidewalls of the.pipc-arch for
a vertical distance equal to one~half of Dimension ''B'" as defined
hereinafter ..

'\ l·/\ll!UCAT!ON ..
Dimensions, tolerances, areas and.gages shall be as follows:
 Sheet 2 of 2
(SS~53)

"'-'= - ~
=='""" ~===-=""'"""""'-"'==

DI AMRTER PlPE~ARC!l
OF
CI RCULAR r---~rnl'S'lr' ARE/\. -
Pll'E GAliE 1:-i 1 ON MlNTNlJNJ · l'n1t~TSSTTlLE
OF (Sq, .Fto) HBU.* RADIUS VAlUATION
EQUAL OF
PETHPHERY CURVATURE SPAN RISE.
15"
~~~ . I = =F-""~-
18" 11"
- L1 -I==;16 "'=· 3 1/2"
"'~ .
~- =~~

2 1/2"
="""""""'

1"
~=="'
1 ~~

18" 22" 13" L6 16 4" 3" 1" 1"

24" 29" 18" 2 8

0 14 5 1/2" 4" 1" lu
30"' 36" 22" 4,4 14 6 1/2" 4 1/2" 1" ln
36" 43" 27" 6,4 12 8" 5 1/2" 2" 2"
42" 50" 31" 8,7 12 9" 6 1/2" 2" 2"
48" 58" 36" 1L4 12 10 1/2" 7 1/2" 2" 2"
54 111 65 11 40" 14,3 12 12" 8 1/2" 2" 2"
60'" 72" 44" 17,6 10 13" 9 1/2" 2" 2"
.. .- ·~ .. -
-- .~.,,,.~- .

*Dimension "Il" is the vertical distance from the lowest portion

of the base to a horizontal line drawn across the widest portion of
the arch, A tolerance of plus one inch will be permissible in di-
mension "B" for the 18" x 11" and the 22" x 13" pipe"·arch, A toler"
tmce of plus or minus one inch will be permissible in dimension "B"
for the remaining pipe-arches tabulated above.
All dimensions are measured to the inside crests of the cor-
rugations,
Longitudinal. laps shall be staggered so as to alternate right and
left of centerline .a distance of approximately 15 per cent of the pe·
riphery,
APPI\OVED DllCEMBER 6, 1949

llo l!, BRAY

STATE IIIGHWAY ENGINB!ll\
Specification Mimeograph No, 124
Attachment 3

MEW) TO; Jas. !!, Havens, Director

Division of Research
FROM; J. W, Scott,
Pr. Research Engineer
DATE: June 21, 1968
SUBJECT~ Inspection of Pipe Culverts in Morgan and
Carter Counties

On June 19, 1968, a number of coated and uncoated metal

cross drains were inspected in Morgan and Carter Counties.
Generally, it was found that after 19 years of service, coated
bituminous pipes in acid streams were still in good condition
except for minor rusting; and· uncoated metal pipes in nonacid
streams were rusted through. Coated and uncoated pipe in
service for four years was still satisfactory ,
Inspection notes are as. follows:

0,5 mL N Ky 172 ~ Bituminous coated pipe, pH 4.5;

Six inches of coating partially missing at inlet;
good condition.
0,9 mL N Ky 172 ~ Uncoated multiplate metal arch~
pll 6, 0; Slight rusting of flowline,
1.2 mi. N Ky 172 - Uncoated multiplate metal pipe-
nonacid, fish observed; At least five feet of
flowline rusted through at inlet; Remainder of
pipe silted.

~!IJ an.Coun ~~ ¥~ 9~ 8Q_LJSL17 2,.,.::2~l'~~~£;

Constructed 1n ~6 ,
=c=~=~-~-=====

1.0 Mi. S Ky 172 - Bituminous coated pipe-

Fifteen feet of coating missing at outlet;
Slight rusting of exposed metal.
Page 2

.J" lL Havens

L 7 mL S Ky 172 ~ Uncoated multiplate metal arch~

pH s.o; Slight rusting of flowline.
L 9 mL S Ky 172 Uncoated mul tip late metal
·o arch~
Moderate rusting of flowline.
2.1 mi. S Ky 172 - Bituminous coated pipe - No
water present; One~half silted,
2.2 mi. S Ky 172 - Bituminous coated pipe-
No water present; Bituminous .coated pipe had
recently been replaced with.a larger diameter
concrete pipe. The replaced pipe .was still at
the site and was full.of silt. Very slight
rusting of the pipe had occurred,
2.3 mi. S Ky 172 - Bituminous coated pipe-
Could not examine because of silt,
NOTE: Indications are that new section of roadway
begins at Jeptha,

3,5 mi. E Ky l - 24 inch bituminous coated pipe-

pH 4.5; Two feet of coating was missing at outlet
and one foot of exposed pipe was rusted through.
Shoulder cave-in at inlet end not related .to pipe.

JWS: j 11