culvert question

ccsial · Mar 1, 2018

I have a 12" culvert, HDPE Dual wall H25 rating. I need to get more gravel over it. Right now there is only about 1/2 inch of gravel over the top. I am wondering if my RAM diesel and 12' x 6' gravel trailer could go over it to spread more. I don't have a way to turn around and I am not going to back up that far. My next alternative is to shovel it into the end loader and take it one bucket at a time.

I'd appreciate any advice from you construction experts.

Peter 315 · Mar 1, 2018

You could put some wood down to drive over it . 2x12 or something else

Birdhunter1 · Mar 1, 2018

I have a 12" double wall with may be an inch to two inches over it. It's been there for 7 1/2 years and hasn't crushed yet with multiple tandem dump truck loads of gravel or dirt, pickup trucks and trailers up to, tractors and heavy equipment as well as combines over it and it hasn't crushed yet.

mddorange · Mar 1, 2018

I have a 15" with 2" over it and it accepts anything I run over it with. What really maters is that you pack it well on the sides before putting a top layer on.

bdhsfz6 · Mar 1, 2018

ccsial said:
I have a 12" culvert, HDPE Dual wall H25 rating. I need to get more gravel over it. Right now there is only about 1/2 inch of gravel over the top. I am wondering if my RAM diesel and 12' x 6' gravel trailer could go over it to spread more. I don't have a way to turn around and I am not going to back up that far. My next alternative is to shovel it into the end loader and take it one bucket at a time.

I'd appreciate any advice from you construction experts.

It depends on the soil surrounding the culvert. If it's soft, the pipe will crush fairly easily. If it is in frozen ground or hard packed material, you should be able to drive over it safely. If you aren't sure, plank it or build it up with some material first using your FEL.

ccsial · Mar 1, 2018

I think I'll bring in a few bucket loads and get a little gravel over it and then run the trailer over it.

ovrszd · Mar 1, 2018

You didn't say how long it's been there???

If it's a fresh install, I'd probably try to get more cover before crossing with a heavy load.

If it's been in the ground thru a couple weather seasons I wouldn't worry about it at all. I've got some on public roads that have eroded with no more than a couple inches of cover. They get crossed by 80K lb semis full of grain.

ccsial · Mar 1, 2018

I just installed it today. There is still a bit of frost in the ground too. I put the gravel I dug out around it. I'm going to pack it down best I can.

ovrszd · Mar 1, 2018

Gravel is not good packing material. This is very debatable, but I don't like gravel around a culvert. I'd rather have good clean dirt. It will fill the corrugations better and hold the culvert's shape better.

Being newly installed, I'd be reluctant to drive over it with a heavy load. 1/2" of loose gravel isn't going to protect the plastic culvert from pushing down the top.

Not sure what type gravel you are using?

ccsial · Mar 1, 2018

This trail is only used for my ATV's and tractors. I only need to drive the truck and dumping trailer to spread the gravel. 3/4". There will never be any heavy trucks on it.

ovrszd · Mar 1, 2018

I'm not there so I can't say for sure. I don't know how well the material is distributed around the culvert. Even distribution is the only thing that gives it crush strength. Loose rock tries to move out of the way. So is the culvert in a narrow deep trench so the sidewall material is compressed against a solid bank? Or was the dugout a wide area that's been filled with several inches or feet of loose sidewall material? So not the top of your fill is below road level and you are just trying to fill the hole??

If you are using 3/4" gravel and you only have 1/2" of material over the culvert then it's inevitable that you can see the top of the culvert. I dunno. Proceed at your own risk I guess.

ccsial · Mar 1, 2018

It has been dug ou a few inches wider than the culvert. I'll be driving my RAM and a dump trailer with about 2 yds of gravel. I won't be doing this for at least a month or more until it dries out around here. I guess I'll bring in some gravel with the loader for the first round and then drive over it and hope for the best.

fried1765 · Mar 1, 2018

Yup!
That is the right idea.
You are working in recently frozen ground that now has lots of voids around the pipe.
Put 4+ inches more cover over the pipe.
Some old plywood to drive over would help too.

Gordon Gould · Mar 2, 2018

Are you sure you have to shovel it into the bucket. If you have a 5' bucket you can do this.

gg

ccsial · Mar 2, 2018

I can't put wood down since I will be spreading the gravel as I go over the culvert.

I can get one or two bucket loads with the loader but after that I have to shovel. The trailer bed is 12 feet long.

I thought about closing the gate and dumping the load to the rear a bit but I'd have a mess when I open the gate. I think it would be hard to control since when it goes, it goes.

flingwing1969 · Mar 2, 2018

ovrszd said:
You didn't say how long it's been there???

If it's a fresh install, I'd probably try to get more cover before crossing with a heavy load.

If it's been in the ground thru a couple weather seasons I wouldn't worry about it at all. I've got some on public roads that have eroded with no more than a couple inches of cover. They get crossed by 80K lb semis full of grain.

If you can compact the sides some more that will be more beneficial than additional cover.

woody · Mar 2, 2018

I'm looking at putting in about 60 feet of 24 inch pipe but it will be covered with possibly 8 feet of dirt and material to build up a low spot. what would the TBN pros think, will it hold that much weight?

Red Horse · Mar 2, 2018

mddorange said:
I have a 15" with 2" over it and it accepts anything I run over it with. What really maters is that you pack it well on the sides before putting a top layer on.

IMO that is the key.

tcreeley · Mar 2, 2018

ccsial said:
I just installed it today. There is still a bit of frost in the ground too. I put the gravel I dug out around it. I'm going to pack it down best I can.

It looks good to go - adding some more gravel to take out the dips from settling is a good idea, but it looks solid. 12" is a rugged size.
If it was me, I wouldn't hesitate to drive your pickup and gravel trailer over it.

I've watched 11 yard dump trucks drive over my 16" corrugated plastic culvert without problems - 6"-7" of gravel. Culverts are designed tough!

ovrszd · Mar 2, 2018

woody said:
I'm looking at putting in about 60 feet of 24 inch pipe but it will be covered with possibly 8 feet of dirt and material to build up a low spot. what would the TBN pros think, will it hold that much weight?

Not sure I understand the question??

Adding depth of fill won't compromise the pipe at all. I've buried some 30ft deep. More isn't a problem. Less is a problem.