Sizing of Highway Culverts and Bridges: A Historical Review of Methods and Criteria [Summary]

US Transportation Collection2007PDFBriefMcEnroe, Bruce M.University of Kansas. Dept. of Civil & Environmental EngineeringKansas. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of Materials & ResearchKansas. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of Materials & ResearchKansasUnited StatesBridgesCulvertsDesign methodsEmpirical methodsHighway engineersHydraulicsStatistical analysisK-TRAN: KU-05-4This report examines the methods and criteria that highway engineers have used to size culverts and bridges in Kansas and throughout the U.S. from the start of highway construction to the present. The focus is directed to methods actually employed by highway engineers rather than methods described in the research literature. Hydrologic methods are categorized as early or modern, according to whether a specific recurrence interval is associated with the design. Modern hydrologic methods are based on statistical analyses of systematic records of streamflow or rainfall data; the desired recurrence interval is an input to the design.140