United States Department of Transportation
i
Performance and Policy Related to Aluminum Culverts in Wisconsin
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2019-05-01
[PDF-40.35 MB]
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Edition:Final Report, July 2017 to May 2019
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Abstract:Current Wisconsin Department of Transportation policy severely limits the use of aluminum drainage structures (pipe and boxculverts) based on the observation of pitting corrosion from deicing salts that led to the failure of an aluminum culvert inWisconsin in 1993. The research goal is to establish best practices for aluminum culvert use and formulate recommendations forupdated aluminum culvert policy in Wisconsin. The research process reviewed policy from Wisconsin DOT, policy from federalagencies, policy from other state departments of transportation, industry-wide technical information and previous aluminumculvert performance research, demographic and performance data from Wisconsin and federal databases, aluminum culvert alloyspecifications, technical data on durability factors and corrosion mechanisms, and trends of deicer chemical usage on Wisconsinroadways. The research developed and administered a stakeholder survey and conducted a field investigation. Based on naturalenvironmental conditions in Wisconsin, aluminum culverts should provide 50 to 75 yrs or more of service life if installed in sitesthat meet generally accepted abrasion, pH, and resistivity limits. Infiltration of chloride-based deicing chemicals though soil filland contact with aluminum leads to pitting corrosion that may lead to premature culvert failure. Best practices to prevent thismechanism include installing an impermeable isolation membrane within the backfill, testing and limiting the chloride content ofthe embedment backfill, and using free-draining backfill below the membrane and as embedment around the buried structure.
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