Technical Description:
• Aluminum Box Culvert
• Span: 11-ft. 8-in.
• Rise: 5-ft. 9-in.
• Length: 45 ft.
When an existing culvert needed to be replaced because the width of the stream was larger than the opening of the existing 54" x 36" pipe, Barree Township's engineer turned to Contech Engineered Solutions for help. It was imperative that the new structure meet the guidelines supplied by Penn State Dirt and Gravel Center which included sizing a structure to be 125% the size of the bank measurement in order to allow for full unobstructed passage of the stream.
With the project being funded by the Pennsylvania Low Volume Dirt and Gravel Roads program through the Huntingdon County Conservation District, a solution with the ability to lessen the environmental impact, improve the stream habitat and provide fish passage was needed. After researching the options, a 11'-8" x 5'-9" Aluminum Box Culvert, 45' in length, was selected as the best option for its ability to meet all of the project requirements in a cost effective manner.
Since the contractor, Terry Hawn Excavating, had no previous experience installing an Aluminum Box Culvert, Contech provided preconstruction assembly training as well as on-site assistance during the installation. The structure was assembled on-site adjacent to the stream and set in place with two excavator units. In order to meet the strict deadlines for road closure and environmental impacts, an accelerated construction schedule was required, and the project was completed in just one week.
"I was impressed by how quickly the Aluminum Box Culvert was erected with minimal help,” concluded Carey Lightner, Dirt and Gravel Roads Technician of Huntingdon Conservation. "The contractor had set aside 2-3 days for structure building but despite a rain delay had it finished in about 7-8 hours."
Technical Description:
• Aluminum Box Culvert
• Span: 11-ft. 8-in.
• Rise: 5-ft. 9-in.
• Length: 45 ft.