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I have to build a stone wall in an intermittent stream to guide the water when it comes to the culverts that are in place, and to minimize the erosion of the driveway over the culverts/ Can anyone tell me what to do to pin the wall to the ledge underneath, and what kind of mortar/additives to use to make the wall survive the inevitable freeze/thaws in during the Maine springs? Thanks!
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culvert entrances and exits are usually two part..
the first part is the flared end,, if you have concrete.. it would be aconcrete flared end.. if corrugated , then a corrugated flared end..
the second part is not laid up in mortar,..
it is placed rip-rap.. for most streams this would be two-man (that is the size) placed by machine.. if the layer of rip-rap is 12 inch thick.. then you excavate 12 inches and bring it back up to grade with the rip rap...
go to your highway department.. they will have common details of how it is done in your area...
b but hey whadda i no ?
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the text "Timesaver Standards for Landscape Architecture:design and construction data" is loaded with information on design/construction for an appropriate system. This text will force you to think through to an appropriate solution for your problem.
1998 McGraw Hill Publishing
I would try to save the $125.00 and try Mikes idea first, or start scoping out the highways dept's work, if they stonewall you.
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Pretty interesting problem. I am not sure how to pin to the ledge below, but couldn't you minimize the effects of the freeze-thaw by incorporating components to minimize this? Freeze-thaw damage would be minimal if you ensure that water is not trapped behind the wall; backfill with large crushed stone, 2-3" stuff and either lay up a dry wall or make sure you include generous weep-holes for water to escape. Use large stones for the wall, lay it up carefully and slant it away from the stream so gravity will assist in holding it in place and if possible, make sure you are resting directly on the stone ledge below.
Bear in mind that "rip-rap" is usually a self-defeating structure as used by most road departments. It protects the banks where in place, but as soon as the structure ends, there is a break where high water will cut back in behind the rip-rap erode the banks again. There are other stuctures that can be created in the stream to re-direct water back to the middle and encourage deposition of sediment along the banks creating sloped rather than sharply cut stream boundaries.
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I built a gorgeous damn across a stream once. The damn will be there for millenia. Unfortunately the bank eroded horribly around the edge of the damn and the pond has about one half inch of water in it.
Frank
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In my experience, maintaining a streamlined flow at the inlets and outlets of the culverts will be your greatest asset. Instead of attempting to bond to the ledge I might think about using large stone let into both the driveway and the ledge. If you have to use rental equipment to do this then you're probably on the right track. Rocks that weigh 5 or 600lbs. well chosen, or partially dressed to fit into a shallow recess cut into the ledge and upon each other will have at least a chance of staying where they're placed, especially if they divide the stormwater into un-turbulent flows. Stack the stone so that it buttresses and supports itself in such a way that upstream water cannot get behind it; extend it far enough upstream on the adjacent banks to minimize scouring if the culverts were to clog or become overloaded. For a sense of what I mean by rental equipment: For this job we'd use a Bobcat with bucket, forks and backhoe. Bucket and forks to sort and transport stone, forks and backhoe (using slings) to place the stone. To cut into the ledge: if you have 120V nearby, a Bosch Breaker can be had for like $50/day saving the cost of having to rent a large compressor to run a pneumatic hammer. For inspiration/information look at pictures of old Roman bridges.
*Damn it Frank, its dam - not damn...;-)
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Jim,
If I hadn't broken my back doing that totally failed project it would have been dam and not damn.
Frank
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All I know is if you place a rock in a stream water and soil will back up behind it and the flow will wash away the surface in front of it. To make a swimming pond you would excavate in front of the dam (downstream) and then let the overflow do the rest of the work.
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i Hydraulic Design of Highway Culverts-Hydraulic design Series No. 5 (1985)
published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA-IP-85-15)
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I have to build a stone wall in an intermittent stream to guide the water when it comes to the culverts that are in place, and to minimize the erosion of the driveway over the culverts/ Can anyone tell me what to do to pin the wall to the ledge underneath, and what kind of mortar/additives to use to make the wall survive the inevitable freeze/thaws in during the Maine springs? Thanks!