Culvert pipe is used in construction to guide drainage water. It also is often used in situations where water overflows need to be handled. By definition, a culvert is a
mechanism that directs water. For instance municipal sewage systems in America use culvert pipe not only to deal with sewage, but to direct overflow water when it is raining. The culvert pipe directs the water to reservoirs that are used to hold the water until it can evaporate, or be further drained into natural water reservoirs like lakes.
Humans have been engineering water channels since the birth of agriculture via irrigation. Water is one of the few staples required for human civilization, so where there are people there is water. In ancient Egypt, water was channeled from the Nile with the use of culvert channels that would supply farmland with water, sediment, and nutrients that the water brought from upstream. The Romans, some of the first great civil engineers built massive aqueducts, which were technically large culverts that redirected water from aquifers to nearby settlements.
In modern times, culverts are built out of pipe, hence culvert pipe. The larger municipal culverts are created out of concrete, which allows for high mass flow, longevity, and are very inexpensive. You have likely seen the segments of concrete culvert pipe in construction areas, they are anywhere from a foot to 10 feet in diameter and are about 6 feet long. The segments are premade in a factory and ships to the construction location. Older culvert pipe, whether it be corroded or not large enough is often replaced, which can be very expensive because you have to shut down the drainage, dig up the old pipe, and bury new pipe. Because of this, new neighborhoods are planned to allow for expansion and built with high quality concrete culvert pipe.
The material the culvert pipe is made out of can differ depending on the application. Ancient culverts were crafted out of earth or stone. The three most common materials that culverts are made out of are: steel, precast concrete, and polymer. Culvert pipes made out of steel are either designed for durability and longevity, or are used for pressurized water. Steel piping can handle excess pressure and high mass flow rates better than concrete, however it is also much more expensive and hard to transport. PVC is also a common choice for culvert piping. It is fairly inexpensive, and has a major advantage of being slightly malleable. This means that as the earth settles, the pipe can give a little “bend” before breaking. Concrete pipe is brittle and will simply break if the surround earth moves too much. PVC is more expensive than concrete, and less than steel. However large diameter PVC pipes are not feasible.
The applications for culvert piping are numerous. Any situation where water impedes construction generally utilize culvert piping. Without them our cities would flood, or roads would was away, and our water supply wouldn’t exist. Culvert piping allows water to pass naturally under buildings, bridges, and roads. These are easily recognizable as storm drains. Culvert pipes are a staple of civil engineering and help humans build magnificent cities by overcoming the obstacles of nature.