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NBDTI Implementation of a Culvert Rehabilitation Program to Address a Deteriorating Inventory

Abstract

The New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (NBDTI) highway network contains over 3400 culverts greater than 1.2 m in diameter. This inventory exhibits similar condition issues to the rest of North America, possibly more urgent due to harsh water conditions, multiple freeze thaw cycles and relatively low maintenance budgets. Recent analysis has suggested that approximately 40% of the large culvert inventory is expected to require replacement or rehabilitation within the next 10 years
(Northmore, A., 2021).

As part of the Department’s strategy to address this backlog of deteriorating culverts, a rehabilitation program was implemented in 2021. The goal is to defer the high costs of conventional excavations and replacements, especially in deep fill embankments and high traffic roads.

Although select culvert rehabilitations were carried-out in the past, the allocation of incremental funding toward rehabilitations ensures that these projects are not in competition with priority culvert replacements for budget.

Since implementation of the program in 2021, twenty-five sites, ranging in size between 1.0 m and 3.35 m have been rehabilitated using a mix of conventional and trial methods including slip lining, concrete invert lining and point repairs, and spray-applied geopolymer and shotcrete.

This paper includes details on the following:

  • Background
  • Identification of potential rehabilitation candidates
  • Renewal option selection
  • Design
  • Construction
  • Results
  • Lessons learned

In addition to sharing the results of NBDTI’s Culvert Rehabilitation Program, the Department aims to generate further discussion with other jurisdictions on their experience with culvert rehabilitations and emerging methods.

Conference Paper Details

Session title:
Transportation Structures
Author(s):
Profit, Gregory
Wetmore, Steve
Miller, Lindon
McGinn, Jared
Topics:
Structures
Year:
2024