Hydraulic characteristics of a buried invert elliptical culvert inlet and quantification of culvert exit loss

Buried invert culverts, which consist of large pipes partially filled with substrate and set such that their inverts lie beneath corresponding channel thalwegs, are used to mitigate undesirable environmental impacts of culvert installation. Currently, buried invert culvert design is conducted without the aid of performance curve regression constants, entrance loss coefficients, or exit loss coefficients, as values of these parameters have not yet been determined for such culverts. These parameters are important, as they make hydraulic evaluation of culvert performance and capacity possible. The following documents a study which determined values of the aforementioned parameters through laboratory testing. The final products of the study are quasi-dimensionless performance curve regression constant values describing inlet control stage-discharge relationships and entrance loss coefficient values to be used in outlet control energy balance for a fifty-percent buried invert elliptical culvert, as well as an improved means of quantifying culvert exit loss.