Hydraulics Engineering Publications

Title: Bridge Deck Drainage Systems

Description: Design of Bridge Deck Drainage, Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 21 (HEC-21), provides guidelines and procedures for designing bridge deck drainage systems, including illustrative examples. Should the design process indicate a drainage system is needed, utilization of the most hydraulically efficient and maintenance-free system is emphasized. The manual also stresses the advantages of designing to minimize the complexity of bridge deck drainage systems. Integration of practical drainage details into overall structural design is presented. For the users' convenience, all design graphs and nomographs appear in an appendix.

The manual is a compendium of bridge drainage design guidance. It includes design theory, step-by-step design procedures, and illustrative examples. Drainage system design is approached from the viewpoints of hydraulic capacity, traffic safety, structural integrity, practical maintenance, and architectural aesthetics. System hardware components, such as inlets, pipes, and downspouts, are described. Guidance for selecting a design gutter spread and flood frequency are provided. System details and existing computer models are discussed.

FHWA Publication Number: SA-92-010
NTIS Publication Number: PB94-109584

Publication Year: 1993

Document Links: PDF (2.4 MB)