FLOOD09724

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Culvert Inspection Manual Supplement to the Bridge Inspectors Training Manual
• Date: 5/1/1986
• Prepared For: Federal Highway Administration
• Prepared By: Office of Engineering
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

components of a structure which may require rehabilitation or maintenance.
Forms may also be developed for collecting other supplemental information
including traffic safety, durability, hydraulic and hydrologic data. The
information recorded on forms is primarily summary type data and should be
supported by other types of documentation such as narrative descriptions,
photographs, and sketches. Supplemental data is particularly important when
actual maintenance requirements are needed or a hydraulic or structural
analysis is to be performed.

c. Standard Prepared Sketches--Standard prepared sketches are a convenient
method for recording field measurements. Exhibit 34 illustrates standard
sketches for recording basic culvert measurements.

d. Sketches--Additional sketches may need to be prepared in the field to
document deficiencies found during the inspection. An overall sketch should
also be made to show the general layout of the stream, structure, and roadway,
to indicate skew and the direction of flow during low and peak flows, and to
show the location of scour or other stream channel problems. A sample overall
sketch is shown in exhibit 35.

e. Narrative Descriptions--Narrative descriptions supplement the
information recorded on forms, photographs, and sketches. Descriptions of the
condition of each component such as the culvert barrel, headwa11s, wingwalls,
and stream channel should be prepared by the inspector. The descriptions
should be clear and concise, yet completely describe the structure's condition
at the time of inspection. An appraisal of flood hazard conditions, and
comments concerning the characteristics of the drainage area should be
included in the narrative. The narrative should reference appropriate
sketches and photographs, and the narrative descriptions should be written or
recorded on tape at the site.

f. Photographs--Photographs are an excellent method for documenting
problems found during an inspection. It is good practice when taking close-up
photographs to place a scale or rule next to the item being photographed to
clearly indicate the extent of the problem. Lumber crayon (keel) can be used
to point to or highlight defects. Writing the date, structure number, and
other comments on the structure with keel prior to taking the photograph can
also be helpful.

Photographs are of particular value to anyone reviewing the report as well as
for individuals making follow-up inspections. Photographs showing the
structure in side elevation and from the roadway are useful in providing the
reviewer an overall picture of the structure. A few traffic control cones on
the roadway over the culvert may be necessary to indicate the location of the
culvert in roadway photographs. An alternative is to draw a line across the
photograph indicating the culvert centerline, as shown in exhibit 36.
Panoramic photographs of the upstream and downstream flood plan zones are
important to document existing property development. Old outdated photos
should be retained and supplemented with new photos as conditions change.
While photographs are extremely useful they do not eliminate the need for
sketches and narrative descriptions; and, in many cases, a sketch is more
useful than a photograph.

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