Town of Spencer 

 
 
Culvert Assessment 
Field Data Form & 
Guide   

 
 
 
Last Updated: 7/21/2015 
 TOWN OF SPENCER CULVERT ASSESSMENT FIELD DATA FORM

Date: ____________ Inspection: ______________________ Weather: ________________________

Road: ___________________ Town: ____________________ GPS Coordinates: __________________

Other Location Notes: __________________________________________________________________

*NOTE THIS FORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED USING THE CULVERT ASSESSMENT GUIDE AS A REFERENCE*

Good (1.00) Fair (0.67) Poor (0.33) Critical (0.00) Unknown N/A
Invert Deterioration ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Joints & Seams ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Cracking ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Headwall/Wingwall ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Apron ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Pipe Damage ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Scour ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Cross-section deformation ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Longitudinal alignment ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Footing ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Roadway over Culvert ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Blockage at Inlet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Embankment ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Culvert Condition Score (Average of Scores Given):

Performance Problems:

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Additional Comments:

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Updated: 7/9/2015
Town of Spencer 
 
 
Culvert   
Assessment  
Guide 
 
 
 
Last Updated: 7/21/2015 
 Invert Deterioration
Good Fair

No visual damage or only superficial corrosion or Minor corrosion and pitting, no holes or distortion.
scaling of the invert. Cannot penetrate metal with sharp point of geology
hammer. Minor isolated spalls in concrete.

Poor Critical

Perforations visible and/or connection hardware Holes or section loss with extensive voids beneath
failing (metal). Heavy abrasion and scaling with invert and/or embankment/roadway damage. Holes
exposed steel reinforcement (concrete). Heavy and gaps with extensive infiltration of soil, bedding,
abrasion or scour damage (plastic). Displaced mortar or backfill material (masonry)
and/or blocks, holes in invert area (masonry)

1
 Joints & Seams
Good Fair

Joints and seams are tight with no openings. Minor separation of joints and seams up to 1”, minor
backfill infiltration.

Poor Critical

Significant separation of joints and seams between Severe separation of joints and seams greater than
1" to 3"; infiltration of backfill into culvert; voids 3"; infiltration of backfill into culvert; large voids
visible in fill through offset of joints visible in fill through offset of joints

2
 Cracking (Concrete)
Good Fair

No visual evidence of cracking, or only minor hairline Longitudinal cracks less than 1/8" in width, spalls up
cracking at isolated locations, or minor scaling of to 1/4" deep
invert

Poor Critical

Longitudinal cracks between 1/8"-1/4" in width, Severe cracking and spalls greater than 1/2" on
spalls larger than 1/2" deep, and spalls have culvert walls, sections of culvert are partially
exposed rebar collapsed, major corrosion of rebar

3
 Cracking (Metal)
Good Fair

No visual evidence of cracking along bolt holes or Minor cracking around bolt holes or seams at
seams isolated sections

Poor Critical

Significant cracking and/or deterioration along bolt Severe cracking and or deterioration along bolt holes
holes and isolated seams of plates and along seams of plates

4
 Cracking (Plastic)
Good Fair

No visual evidence of damage, cracking, or rips in Minor isolated rip or tear caused by debris less than
the culvert material 6" in length and 1/2" in width. Minor cuts or gouges
to end sections from maintenance or construction
activities

Poor Critical

Cracking, splits or tears over 6" in length and up to Cracking, splits, punctures, or tears over 6" in length
3/4" in width. Openings in pipe causing loss of and over 1" in width. Openings in pipe causing loss of
backfill material backfill material.

5
 Headwall/Wingwall
Good Fair

No visual evidence of damage to structure. No Minor spalls and cracks less than 1/8" in width. No
offsets, no changes in vertical or horizontal exposed rebar or surface evidence of rebar of rebar
alignment corrosion. Minor differential or rotation settlement

Poor Critical

Significant spalls and cracks between 1/8" to 1/4" in Extensive deterioration with loss of concrete.
width. Exposed rebar with corrosion. Significant Corrosion of rebar and extensive section loss.
differential or rotational settlement. Extensive settlement of the wall

6
 Apron
Good Fair

No evidence of culvert undermining and very small Some minor undermining of culvert and small scour
scour hole. Little to no deterioration of joint hole. Some deterioration of joint between apron and
between apron and headwall. headwall.

Poor Critical

Significant undermining of culvert and evidence of Extensive undermining of culvert and large scour
scour hole. Significant deterioration of joint hole. Substantial deterioration of joint between
between apron and headwall. apron and headwall.

7
 Pipe Damage
Good Fair

No signs of flow through embankment on outside of Embankment moist only in areas surrounding culvert
culvert barrel barrel. No evidence of flow or sediment transport
observed

Poor Critical

Evidence of seepage through the embankment Evidence of flow through embankment along the
along the outside of the culvert barrel, sediment outside of culvert barrel. Evidence of sediment
transport not observed transport observed

8
 Scour
Good Fair

No visual evidence of culvert undermining or Minor undermining of the culvert barrel or top of
exposed footings. Only minor scour hole is present. footing is exposed. Culvert span to scour hole depth
Culvert span to scour hole depth ratio is greater than ratio is between 5 to 10.
10.

Poor Critical

Significant undermining of the culvert barrel or Extensive undermining of the culvert barrel or
undermining of the footing. Culvert span to scour footing. Culvert span to scour hole depth ratio is less
hole depth ratio is between 2 to 5. than 2.

9
Cross-Section Deformation (Concrete)

No visual evidence of flattening of invert and/or crown.

Good
Barrel has smooth symmetrical curvature

Minor distortions isolated within the pipe resulting in

flattening of invert and/or crown. Isolated sections are
Fair
slightly non-symmetrical. Span dimension is within 1-5% of
design

Significant distortions within the pipe resulting in flattening

Poor of invert and/or crown of pipe. Span dimension is within 5-
10% of design

Severe distortions and deflection within the pipe; flattening

Critical of the crown or invert; structure is partially collapsed. Span
dimension is greater than 10% of design

10
Cross-Section Deformation (Metal)

No visual evidence of flattening of invert and/or crown.

Good
Barrel has smooth symmetrical curvature

Minor distortions isolated within the pipe resulting in

flattening of invert and/or crown. Isolated sections are
Fair
slightly non-symmetrical. Span dimension is within 5-15%
of design

Significant distortions within the pipe resulting in

Poor flattening of invert and/or crown of pipe. Span dimension
is within 15-20% of design

Severe distortions and deflection within the pipe;

Critical flattening of the crown or invert; structure is partially
collapsed. Span dimension is greater than 20% of design

11
Cross-Section Deformation (Plastic)

No visual evidence of distortions within the pipe. Barrel has

Good smooth symmetrical curvature. Pipe deflection up to 5%
from original shape.

Minor isolated distortions and dimpling within the pipe. Pipe

Fair
deflection 5-10% from original shape.

Significant distortions; wall buckling; flattening of invert/

Poor crown throughout the pipe. Pipe deflection 10-15% from
original shape.

Severe distortions; wall buckling; flattening of invert/crown

Critical throughout the pipe; cracking/tearing present. Pipe
deflection greater than 20% of original shape.

12
 Longitudinal Alignment
Good Fair

Angle measured from upstream channel to Angle measured from upstream channel to
centerline of culvert barrel is from 0-15 degrees centerline of culvert barrel is from 15-45 degrees

Poor Critical

Angle measured from upstream channel to Angle measures from upstream channel to
centerline of culvert barrel is from 45-75 degrees centerline of culvert barrel is larger than 75 degrees

13
 Footing
Good Fair

Little or no deterioration. Concrete - minor cracking, Minor to moderate deterioration. Concrete -

leaching, or scaling. Masonry - minor weathering moderate cracking, scaling or leaching (minor
(joints are sound). delamination or spalling). Masonry - moderate
weathering (minor joint deterioration). Slight
No footing exposed. settlement or undermining. Minor footing exposure.

Poor Critical

Extensive deterioration. Concrete - extensive cracking, Severe or critical deterioration. Function or structural capacity
scaling or leaching (delamination or spalling may be of the culvert has been severely impacted - immediate repairs
prevalent). Masonry - extensive weathering (significant or structural analysis may be required. Concrete - severe
cracking, scaling, delamination, or spalling. Masonry - severe
joint deterioration). Significant settlement or
weathering (failed joints or displaced masonry blocks) Severe
undermining. Footing exposed and undermined. settlement or undermining.

14
 Roadway Over Culvert
Good Fair

Pavement has no visible defects, small cracks, or Minor isolated cracking and spalled areas
maintenance patches

Poor Critical

Significant cracking, spalling, potholes, or Extensive cracking, spalling, potholes, or

maintenance patches affecting up to 20% of any maintenance patches affecting 20% or more of any
single travel lane or shoulder single travel lane or shoulder

15
 Blockage at Inlet
Good Fair

Blockage is less than 10% of opening Blockage is 10-30% of opening

Poor Critical

Blockage is 30-75% of opening Blockage is >75% of opening

16
 Embankment
Good Fair

No noteworthy deficiencies which affect the Riprap starting to wash away, minor erosion, and
condition of the embankment protection embankment protection is in need of minor repairs

Poor Critical

Embankment protection is severely undermined Embankment protection has failed causing severe
causing significant erosion of embankment and in scour of embankment and threatening the stability
need of immediate repairs of the roadway embankment

17