Culvert modelling and mitigation advice
Delivering county-wide culvert inspections, to support increased understanding of the risks posed by blockage and the suitability of screen designs.
Located to the south of Dublin, this project saw our teams conduct culvert inspections at 21 locations across the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown to support a risk based approach to maintenance and mitigation.
- Client Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
- Location Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown
Comprehensive culvert inspections supported by hydraulic modelling and asset management expertise
Intending to identify, investigate and model 21 culverts to provide mitigation advice, this project saw our team deliver a range of services as they embarked upon culvert inspections across Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.
To ensure we were able to propose the most effective mitigation measures, each of the 21 culverts had to be considered individually. This meant taking a multi-phased approach to gathering the required information and starting with flood history data collection before each site visit.
Following the initial data collection, the site visits were used to identify the culverts, determine whether a screen was required and where existing screens were in place, and assess whether they were appropriate.
By conducting culvert inspections at each site, we were able to accurately assess the potential impact of a blockage. This involved making use of our in-house hydraulic modelling expertise to provide a flow estimate at each site and to also assess the potential number of flooded properties.
The hydraulic modelling which formed a key part of this project was conducted using two pieces of JBA-developed software, JFlow® and JScreen®. JFlow® is a world-leading software package that simulates flood risks at anything from local to continental scales, whilst JScreen® simulates flooding caused by blockages in pipes, culverts or bridges.
Standalone reports to support a greater understanding of flood risk
To ensure the information we had gathered was clear, consistent and able to be acted upon, we delivered a standalone report for each of the 21 culverts investigated. Paired with a summary risk report spreadsheet for each site, these reports will help Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) better understand the scale and nature of potential screen and culvert blockage impacts across the county. Thus allowing them to adopt a risk-based approach to the maintenance and mitigation of flood risk from trash screens and culverts.
