One of the most versatile buried infrastructure products on the market, box culverts has a variety of uses. Used as a stream or creek crossing when bridges aren’t feasible, water holding structures, walking paths under roads, and many other purposes.
When standard culverts are too big to install in an area, or just too unyielding for the company installing them, split box culverts are a simple solution. Coming in two pieces, split box culverts feature a three-sided bridge turned upside down as well as the top or lid piece.
For larger culverts, the three-sided bridges can be used for both the top and bottom parts of the split box culvert. With repetitive pieces, moving each piece into position is much easier. A box culvert that weighed 13 tons suddenly becomes more manageable with two 6 ½ ton pieces.
Installation Considerations
When using two or more split box culvert sections, a 9-inch wide butyl adhesive tape must be applied to all box joints. This includes slab tops that complete a section. When multiple sections of two three-sided bridges are used, the upper bridge may be staggered to provide more support.
The bed, footings, and other installation processes are the same for standard box culverts. This depends on size, weight, and other factors. All Columbia Precast split-box culverts are made to meet Washington and Oregon State buried infrastructure codes and requirements. (Download .pdf.)
Sustainability
Columbia Precast Concrete is very proud of what we do, but we may appreciate how we do it even more. Concrete itself is a very eco-conscious product to begin with. It is made with raw and natural materials, chemically inert, and lasts longer than any other buried infrastructure material.
But we take sustainability to the next level. By manufacturing our products in a controlled facility, we are able to recoup and reuse any waste materials and water from our casting process. Less water is wasted and fewer materials go to the landfill. We monitor the entire production, from mixing to the strengthening period.
We test every batch so we can stop the process if needed. This saves materials, power, and man-hours. Finally, we choose our vendors based on like-minded mission statements and even location. If we can find a supplier that’s 50 miles closer than another, we’ll take the shortest delivery route to cut down on emissions from delivery trucks.
It seems like a minor step, but every little bit is worth it to us. That’s why we were the first buried infrastructure plant in the country to earn SMaRT Certification. By making every effort to promote sustainability, we earned platinum designation in our certification. That means our efforts help on three fronts: good for the environment, the economy, and the global community.
Helping Your Construction Efforts
The Pacific Northwest is known for its insistence on doing things as “green” as possible. From state to county to local jurisdictions, every effort is made to accept bids from outfits offering environmentally friendly materials and processes. By using Columbia Precast Concrete split box culverts, you’ll be checking a lot of those boxes.
That’s not the only reason to choose us of course – we also make a superior product. Our buried infrastructure products are designed to last a century. With more than 140 years of experience among the managerial and production staff, we have the background to deliver quality culverts, manholes, catch basins, and more.
Have a custom product? Bring it on! Our engineers are masters at making things work while still maintaining proper strength and usability standards. If you have a big construction project on the horizon, reach out to Columbia Precast Products and see how we can help.
