culvert guard rail
culvert guard rail
(OP)
I'm working on a single family residence (in the US) that has a culvert over a stream. The owner would like to put a guardrail on each side of the driveway.
Am I correct to believe that this guardrail may be designed as a pedestrian restraint (IRC) - not as a vehicle barrier (AASHTO)?
Am I correct to believe that this guardrail may be designed as a pedestrian restraint (IRC) - not as a vehicle barrier (AASHTO)?






RE: culvert guard rail
RE: culvert guard rail
RE: culvert guard rail
Assuming a vertical drop-off, I'd want more than a handrail if it were my driveway. I wouldn't insist on Test Level 4 bridge rail. TL-1 rail is designed for impacts up to 31 mph and should be more than adequate.
Could you extend the culvert to provide a sufficient clear zone and avoid the need for rail entirely? The AASHTO Guidelines for Geometric Design of Very Low Volume Local Roads (ADT < 400) says a 6 ft clear zone is adequate for new low volume roads. That should suffice for a residential driveway.
RE: culvert guard rail
www.redi-rock.com
Absolutely no affiliation.
RE: culvert guard rail
Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.
RE: culvert guard rail
redi rock guardrail
http://www.redi-rock.com/documents/retainingwalls/...
redi rock concrete barrier
http://www.redi-rock.com/documents/retainingwalls/...
RE: culvert guard rail
StoneStrong also has double-faced units. These are hollow and usually filled with gravel, but if needed they could be filled with reinforced concrete to lock them into the course below. On the other hand, that would make replacing damaged units even more difficult.
RE: culvert guard rail
@ACtrafficengineer, I think a TL-1 rail is what the owner wants to replace with something prettier. The civil engineer designed the culvert and existing rail but the owner has turned to the architect, and by extension me, to replace it with some weathering steel plates with water-etched lettering. I think the attachment answers your questions. Thanks for the terminology and reference. As a building structural, I'm not familiar with that realm.
RE: culvert guard rail
RE: culvert guard rail
- It will cause streaky rust stains on the concrete, which probably isn't the look the owner wants. There is an outfit that shows up at our annual E-week conference that powder-coats guiderail.
- Don't use it if the driveway will be salted in the winter. Salt rots weathering steel. But then again, you shouldn't salt gravel drives anyway.
I don't think the Redirock or Stone Strong blocks will fit.RE: culvert guard rail
Agree with AC on the weathered steel.
Currently, it looks to be about 2 feet tall.
Architect is thinking too much, trying to make your job more difficult.
Here's what I see:
You've got a built up boulder embankment.
You've got what appears to be a split face CMU pilaster holding the gate.
You've got a tree that doesn't look as healthy as it should, probably got its root system in construction. Might need to go or it could fall on their new decorative "guardrail"
My thoughts:
Split face CMU Pilaster at both ends.
Split face CMU wall between the pilasters, turned driveway side along the top of the wall.
Back face of the CMU lined up with the concrete creek side.
Fuax rock veneer creekside
2" Capstone at the top of the wall (and pilasters.)
Drill and epoxy in the vertical reinforcing (Hilti HY 200)
First bond beam in second coursing (16") then every 16" thereafter
Hook the bond beams into the pilasters
4 courses would put you at 32" which is higher than it is currently
Provide an expansion joint, maintaining the horizontal steel, at the joint of the wall to pilaster. Pilaster will be on its own footing and will not settle at the same rate as the head wall.
The faux rock veneer will blend in nicely with the rocks of the boulder embankment. While this won't give then the wrought iron, weathered steel look of their gate, it will give them the look of their gates' pilasters
Just my thoughts,
Chip
P.S. They need to pressure wash their pilaster.