Culvert Repair Techniques For Effective Rehabilitation

Though culvert systems often have long lifespans, they do require repairs. Unfortunately, since they are often buried into the soil under roads, damage tends to go unnoticed until a significant problem has occurred.

A failing culvert can lead to flooded embankments and surrounding land corrosion that can affect the nearby community. That’s why it’s vital for city maintenance teams to conduct regular inspections of the culvert infrastructure they manage to check for deterioration or additional concerning damage.

In the event that damage/deterioration has occurred and repairs are needed, your maintenance team will want to find a pipelining professional like the team at SEKISUI to complete a repair using the best culvert repair techniques.

What is a Culvert?

Culverts are tunnels built underneath structures such as roads, railroads, or trails that serve to move water from one end to the other. In some cases, they may serve as additional road support to hold the weight of traffic. You’ll typically find them immersed in soil, built commonly with concrete, steel, or plastic. They tend to empty into a river, lake, or other body of water that can handle an additional controlled flow of water.

Culvert Repair Techniques

The process of repairing or rehabilitating a culvert doesn’t have to be strenuous. There are a few culvert repair techniques, such as the following outlined below, that can repair the damage with minimal disruption to the pipe’s function.

Spiral Wound Lining

SEKISUI SPR can rehabilitate your culvert pipe and keep water flowing efficiently without disrupting the surrounding environment.

This culvert repair technique occurs through the following steps:

Cleaning the host pipe. Before most culvert repair projects, the pipe will need to be cleaned to some extent. The level of cleaning varies by the technology used. For Spiral Wound, a typical/lighter cleaning may be required.
Inserting the winding machine. The winding machine is placed at the host pipe entrance or directly within the culvert. The type of PVC lining method (SPR™EX, SPR™TF, SPR™) depends on the culvert’s diameter and shape.
Constructing the liner. PVC profile is fed into the winding machine from an above-ground spool to construct the PVC liner directly inside the culvert.
Liner expansion or grouting. The SPR™TF method lines the PVC directly against the pipe wall, so expansion or grouting is not necessary. For SPR™EX, the liner is expanded by cutting a secondary lock within the profile. The PVC liner slides and fits tightly against the culvert wall. Both SPR™TF and SPR™EX do not require annular space grouting. The SPR™ process requires the space between the culvert and PVC liner to be filled with grout.
Finishing touches. If any lateral connections are present, they are reinstated post-rehabilitation.

Cured in Place Pipe Lining

Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP) lining is another trenchless culvert pipe repair method that can renew failing systems. This process includes inserting a CIPP liner into an existing damaged pipeline to restore the host pipe.

The step-by-step installation process includes:

Cleaning the host pipe. Dirt and debris must be removed from the culvert for the CIPP installation process. CIPP requires a heavy cleaning.
Establishing flow management. For a successful CIPP lining project, the culvert must be dry. For culvert applications, the flow will most likely be managed by setting up temporary bypass pumping. This system of pumps and piping will divert the flow around the repair area.
Installing the liner. The CIPP liner can be installed through either inversion or pull-in-place. Your pipeline professional will select the best method for your culvert.
Curing the CIPP Liner. The resin-impregnated tube will be cured in place by UV light or heat to form a rigid pipe within the existing culvert.
Re-establishing lateral connections. After the liner is fully cured and the new pipe is in place, lateral connections can be reinstated.
Quality check. Pipeline professionals should assess the condition of the liner post-rehabilitation.

Slip Lining

Another viable culvert repair technique is Slip Lining. Similar to CIPP lining, Slip Lining is completed by inserting a smaller pipe into the existing host pipe. However, this process does require grouting to fill the gap between the liner and the existing pipe.

This process is completed by:

Clearing out the culvert. To start the Slip Lining process, debris and dirt must be removed from the host pipe.
Slip lining installation. For the installation, a slightly-reduced diameter pipe (typically HDPE) is inserted within the existing culvert.
Grouting the liner. Using concrete bulkheads with vent tubes, technicians fill in the space between the host and slip pipe with grout to seal the new pipe in place.
Completing the repair. Technicians finish filling in the grout and remove the vent tubes. Pipelining professionals should complete a quality check before leaving.

Trust SEKISUI SPR To Repair Your Culvert

Culverts need regular maintenance, but in the instance that more extensive rehabilitation is needed, SEKISUI SPR is here.

Using modern technology our knowledgeable team of pipelining professionals has been able to accomplish astonishing results, such as repairing over 40 culverts in Newport Beach, California.