The type of end treatment used on a culvert depends on many interrelated and sometimes conflicting considerations. The PEO must evaluate safety, aesthetics, debris capacity, hydraulic efficiency, scouring, and economics. Each end condition may serve to meet some of these purposes, but none can satisfy all these concerns. The PEO must use good judgment to arrive at a compromise as to which end treatment is most appropriate for a specific site. Treatment for safety is discussed in WSDOT’s Design Manual.
Several types of end treatments are discussed in this section. The type of end treatment chosen for a culvert shall be specified in the hydraulic report and the contract plans for each installation.
