Culvert Condition Assessment Details Sheet

Perforations visible and/or connection hardware failing (metal)

Heavy abrasion and scaling with exposed steel reinforcement (concrete)

Heavy abrasion or scour damage (plastic)

Displaced mortar and/or blocks, holes in invert area (masonry)

Holes or section loss with extensive voids beneath invert and/or embankment/roadway damage

Holes and gaps with extensive infiltration of soil, bedding or backfill material (masonry)

Open or displaced with significant infiltration of soil and/or leakage of water and voids visible

Missing mortar or displaced blocks (masonry)

Open or displaced with significant infiltration of soil and accompanying embankment/roadway damage

Significant perceptible deformation

Deformation with accompanying longitudinal cracking (concrete)

Excessive deformation resulting in significant reduction of available flow area, and/or extensive infiltration of soil, voids, structural failure or embankment/roadway damage

Open cracks >1/8” wide (concrete) or missing and/or displaced blocks (masonry) with voids and significant infiltration of soil and/or leakage of water 

Several splits, tears and cracks >6” long (plastic)

Significant deformation of liner or wall buckling (plastic)

Heavy rust staining and/or exposed steel reinforcement in sides and top of barrel (concrete)

Cracks, tears, splits, bulges, holes or section loss have led to extensive infiltration of soil, structural failure, voids and embankment/roadway damage

The stream channel approaches the crossing at an angle of 45-70 degrees from the centerline of the structure. 

The stream channel approaches the crossing at an angle of 70-90 degrees from the centerline of the structure.

Significant horizontal or vertical misalignment of the pipe (Note: do not confuse this with constructed pipe bends)

Significant misalignment resulting in deformation of pipe or embankment/roadway damage

Top portion of footing exposed, but no cracking or breaking off of flakes or chips

Footing exposed with signs of cracking or breaking off of flakes or chips

Bottom of footing exposed and/or undercut

Cracking or breaking off of flakes or chips affecting >50% of area and/or exposed steel reinforcement Gap >4” between barrel and wall

 Footing exposed and undermined

Partially or totally collapsed with damage to embankment/roadway

Significant cracks, piping or undermining affects >50% of section

End crushed or separated from barrel

Deterioration is significantly affecting performance and/or causing embankment/roadway damage

Light to moderate denting or deformation of inlet and/or outlet end of flexible pipe culvert. The invert of the inlet is at the streambed elevation  (no uplift). 

Invert of inlet bent upward above streambed or mitered edges crumpled inward.

Debris/sediment/vegetation blocks 1/3 of more of the inlet opening

Sediment blocks more than ½ the inlet opening (and not designed that way for aquatic organism passage)

Significant cracking affects >50% of apron. Significant piping or undermining.

Partially or totally collapsed, significantly affecting performance and/or causing embankment/roadway damage.

Slight pavement cracking above the culvert, perhaps with a noticeable bump/depression when driving, but no evidence of holes in the embankment or soil infiltration in the culvert barrel.

Partially or totally failed, significantly affecting performance and/or causing embankment/roadway damage or undermining of the culvert barrel or footings.