State DOTs undertake hundreds of construction projects each year that affect, and are affected by, streams and rivers. These include replacement and rehabilitation of bridges and culverts, as well as new construction and rehabilitation of highways in stream corridors. The hydraulic design standards for the completed bridge, culvert or highway are well established. However, there are elements of risk involved in any temporary occupancy of a waterway for construction, including: personal safety risks, economic risks to the transportation agency and contractor from delays or damage, and environmental risk from unanticipated flooding. These risks are associated with a wide range of temporary structures used for facilitating construction of permanent structures in streams and rivers. Some states may have well-defined policies and methods to address hydraulic considerations for temporary facilities, but others may address these issues on a case-by-case basis.
The objective of this synthesis is to document state DOT hydraulic and hydrologic engineering considerations and practices for design and construction of temporary facilities in streams and rivers.
Information for this study was gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs. Case examples of four state DOTs provide additional information on hydraulic and hydrologic engineering considerations and practices for design and construction of temporary facilities in streams and rivers.
Daniel Che of Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, collected and synthesized the information and wrote the report, supported by Issam Khoury, Kevin White, Farzana Rahman Reshma, and Mohammad Hashim Pashtun of Ohio University. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on page iv. This synthesis is an immediately useful document that records engineering considerations and practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation.
The completed report can be found at NCHRP Synthesis Report 619.
