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Clearing old culverts...

Discussion in 'Civil Engineering M.I.C.' started by gwilialan, Apr 5, 2016.

  1. gwilialan

    gwilialan Well-Known Member

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    :Arewealone:It looks like this area doesn't get much attention bit hopefully someone can help...

    OK Lads and Lassies, a challenge for you. I need to clear a variety of old culverts that have probably not been cleared for forty years or more while the trackbed was unused. Now we are at the point of clearing the trackside before opening our new extension I keep finding more...:confused:

    The problems I have are:-
    1. Usually only one end access as the outfall is often a 3 metre drop straight into a fast flowing river or onto a very steep embankment.
    2. A mix of stone, iron, concrete and plastic round culverts that may or may not be suitable for jettiing
    3. Some 'built in' stone drains across an embankment about 10 inches wide by 15 inches tall and about 9 yards (8 metres) long set at 15 yard (13m) intervals over a 120 yard (110m) stretch
    4. Often working on proper Brunel embankments with at least a 45 degree slope and bedrock often steeper!
    5. Silt build up ranges from very little (streams) to 28 inches in a 30 inch diameter (blocked ditch:()

    Sizes range from 9 inch to 5 and 6 foot diameters, depths range from just over a metre to about 20 metres on the big embankments and the lengths obviously vary with the depths from about 6 metres to well over 45 metres.

    Bearing in mind the stone lined ones were probably built in about 1850 I am a little cautious about using high powered water jets and any access is forbidden until the condition is fully established which means they have to be cleaned first. Apart from sitting at one end all day 'fishing' with a scraper, hose and extra long drain rods, does anyone have any (sensible) suggestions of how these can be cleared? And does anyone know where I can get different sized scrapers (for the different diameters) to fit 'standard' drain rod threads?

    Incidentally, I know professional video inspections can be expensive but it is surprising what results can be obtained using one of the new 'GoPro' waterproof cameras with video functions fitted to a suitably modified toy remote controlled 4WD pickup with battery and lamp on the back! (Can also be floated on a polystyrene block to inspect culverts with flowing streams! (No not the 4WD, the camera. :Facepalm:) Just make sure everything is firmly fixed on and have a handy length of washing line (oops, sorry, good stout cord) attached to aid retrieval - just in case.:)
     
    gwilialan, Apr 5, 2016
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  2. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    flying scotsman123, Apr 5, 2016
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  3. huochemi

    huochemi Part of the furniture

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    huochemi, Apr 5, 2016
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