Section – 5

Considerations for Waterway

Design
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

5. CONSIDERATIONS FOR WATER WAY DESIGN 1

5.1 Introduction 1

5.2 Environmental Considerations 1

5.2.1 General 1
5.2.2 Site Selection 1
5.2.3 Impact of Bridge Construction 1

5.3 Design Considerations 2

5.3.1 General 2
5.3.2 Selection of Waterway Structure 2
5.3.3 Impact on the Stream 3
5.3.4 Energy Dissipation Structures 3
5.3.5 Computer Modelling 5

5.4 References 6

FIGURES

Figure 5.1: A Typical Straight Drop Structure 4

TABLES

Table 5.1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Bridges 2

Table 5.2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Culverts 2

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5. CONSIDERATIONS FOR WATER WAY DESIGN

5.1 Introduction

Waterway structures are comprised of bridges, culverts or flood ways, or a combination of these structures.
Floodway is an especially constructed low-level section of the road to convey floodwater where traffic
volumes are low.

This Chapter provides basic information on factors which should be considered for designing a waterway
structure. The factors discussed here relate to the environmental and design considerations.

5.2 Environmental Considerations

5.2.1 General

Quality of the environment receives prime importance in current engineering practices all over the world.
Selection of a location for river crossing, its design and construction methods should aim at minimal adverse
impact on historical, archaeological, scenic, natural, recreational and social values and all resources of the
project area. A comprehensive environmental impact assessment should be an important element of the
selection criteria adopted for a river crossing. Following main steps can ensure proper coverage of
environmental issues:

1. Identify alternative bridge sites.

2. Inventory environmental resources at each site. The resources should include, not limited to, wildlife and
aquatic life, rare or endangered species, specific vegetation, archaeological and ethnographic site.
3. Impact assessment of each site and the proposed design and construction approach on all
environmental aspects.
4. Cost estimates and preliminary plans for best combinations of functional cost and environmental impact
for each site.

Some factors require an expert assessment of their impact on the environment, warranting an
interdisciplinary investigation. The following description presents specific considerations for the site selection
for a river crossing.

5.2.2 Site Selection

Location of the proposed road has a significant impact on location of a bridge. Other considerations that
must receive due importance for selection of bridge location include:

1. Straight channel reach.

2. Stable stream banks and bed.
3. Away from unstable channel reach.
4. Satisfactory geological and geotechnical conditions.
5. Safe distance from existing structures to avoid adverse effects.
6. Avoid as far as possible regions of earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and frequent landslides and
subsidence.

5.2.3 Impact of Bridge Construction

Impact of bridge construction is generally short lived. In some cases the construction activities may produce
long-term damaging effects. Possible impacts of construction should be assessed and suitable control
measures adopted. Such measure include control of erosion and pollution at the construction site and
minimising possible impact on water supplies. The landscape should be restored after completion of
construction to eliminate source of long-term adverse impacts.
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5.3 Design Considerations

5.3.1 General
The crossing should pass the total waterway design flood with minimum damage. A combination of bridge or
culvert with a low or sacrificial section of the road can ensure passage of large floods with the waterway
structures being over topped. Following discussion covers design considerations for selecting the waterway
structure.

5.3.2 Selection of Waterway Structure

Choice of a bridge, culvert or floodway as a road crossing depends on considerations of traffic, cost and
stream conditions. Following factors influence the selection of the waterway structure:

1. Stream hydraulic parameters such as flow volume, depth and velocity.

2. Level of stream stability and potential for scour and erosion.
3. Traffic volume and the required level of serviceability.
4. Road alignment and geometric standards.
5. Stream geometry and topography.
6. Limits on backwater imposed by upstream land use.
7. Navigational requirements.
8. Environmental considerations.
9. Potential for debris transported during floods.

Choice between a bridge or a culvert as the waterway structure is quite clear in most cases and above
factors help in making this choice. Table 5.1 and Table 5.2 present advantages and disadvantages of the two
waterway structures in generally encountered conditions.

Table 5.1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Bridges

Advantages
Less susceptible to clogging with debris
Waterway increases with increase in water
surface
Scour increases flow cross-section
Little impact on aquatic environment and
wetlands
Disadvantages
More maintenance cost than culvert
Abutments and piers susceptible to
damage from scour
Hazardous buoyant, drag and impact
forces
Susceptible to stream channel migration

Table 5.2: Advantages and Disadvantages of Culverts

Advantages
Less structural maintenance than bridges
Capacity increases with stage
Easier and quicker to build
Scour is localised and easier to control
Disadvantages
Susceptible to clogging, require periodic
cleaning
Susceptible to abrasion and corrosion
damage
Inlets of flexible culverts are susceptible to
failure by bouyancy
Susceptible to failure by piping

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5.3.3 Impact on the Stream

Alluvial streams react to human interventions in ways which can be quite unpredictable without
comprehensive study, investigations and analyses. Alternations to the channel geometry and bed slopes at
one point may result in undesirable impact elsewhere in the channel over time. Assessment of the river
response to external factors including human interventions have been discussed in Section 4. The best
strategy for the stream crossing design should involve minimum possible channel modifications.

Short reaches of the stream can be slightly modified to suit the proposed waterway design. The controlling
criteria should be a minimal change in its hydraulic performance. This can be satisfactorily done by computer
modelling (Section 5.3.4) of the river reach with and without the bridge and compare the basic parameters of
flow velocity, flow depth and shear stress. Excessive increases in the flow velocity and shear stress along
the modelled reach represent potential for bank and bed instability as well as undesirable impact on the
stream ecosystem. Channel modifications must be avoided in such cases unless there is not practical
alternative.

5.3.4 Energy Dissipation Structures

Constriction of the waterway at road crossings and hydraulic performance of culverts results in higher flow
velocities. In addition to causing local scour and bank erosion, these velocities can initiate channel changes
which may propagate through the river system in time. Inlets an outlets of the culverts need treatment for
local protection as well as energy dissipation for overall stability of a larger stream segment. A typical drop
structure with its basic elements is shown in Figure 5.1. Design details of the energy dissipaters have been
discussed in Section 9.

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Figure 5.1: A Typical Straight Drop Structure

Source: AUSTROADS 1994

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5.3.5 Computer Modelling

Present-day computer models have comprehensive capability to carry out analyses required for waterway
design for a given crossing. Flow depth and velocity, water surface elevations and backwater profiles, the
essential hydraulic parameters for selection of a waterway, are readily predicted by 1-D computer models.
The model recommended for Addis Ababa City Roads Authority is HEC-RAS (River Analysis System)
created by US Corps of Engineers. The model is capable of handling a comprehensive range of calculations
covering I-D flow and generating parameters used in design of waterway and other hydraulic structures.

HEC-RAS is an integrated package of hydraulic analysis programs, in which the user interacts with the
system through the use of a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The system is capable of performing Steady
Flow water surface profile calculations as well as Unsteady Flow computations. Sediment Transport, and
several hydraulic design computations are expected to form part of this model in the future.

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5.4 References
Austroads-Australia (1994),“Waterway Design- A Guide to the Hydraulic Design of Bridges, Culverts and
Floodways”, AUSTROADS National Office, Sydney.

NAASRA (989), “Bridge Water Ways – Hydrology and Design”, National Association of Australian State
Road Authorities Working Group, Sydney.

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