66″ Culvert Repair Under NY Thruway

66″ Culvert Repair Under NY Thruway

PDF Version ↓

Market

Transportation

Challenge

A culvert under a highway was experiencing joint separation and the severely offset joints were causing soil erosion. This soil erosion and infiltration were expected to damage the pavement above by creating voids and forming sinkholes. The culvert was 66” in diameter and its invert had collected debris.

Aerial view of an active road
RCP with a joint that is severely separated
A side of the road with a barrier
RCP with a joint that is severely separated
A severely separated pipe joint

Engineered Solution

The double-wide HydraTite Internal Joint Seals with stainless steel backing plates were selected to rehabilitate the culvert’s joint. Additional bands were installed over the backing plate to ensure the pipe transition had a watertight seal. This solution eliminated infiltration through the pipe joints to prevent further voids and possible sinkholes.

Scope

Three seals were installed in two days. HydraTech worked with the highway maintenance crew to clean debris from the culvert joints. Concrete patching was used to ensure that the backing plates were seated in place. The repairs were completed despite water still present.

Several images of a HydraTite seal installed in a concrete pipe
A backing plate positioned behind a rubber seal in a pipe
A technician tightening a bolt on a retaining band in a HydarTite seal
A technician positioning a hydraulic expander in the retaining band of a HydraTite seal
A technician sitting a pipe that has been sealed with the HydraTite seal

Solution

Repairs were completed with minimal effects on traffic. HydraTech supplied a solution that did not require excavation, lining, or replacement, which in turn saved the project owner time and money. The HydraTite seal will ensure that the joints prevent infiltration and safeguard the traveling public for 50 plus years.

A HydraTite seal installed in a pipe with four steel retaining bands
A HydraTite seal installed in a pipe with four steel retaining bands
A HydraTite installed in a large-diameter pipe