Culvert and Pipe Plugs

Culvert and pipe plugs are used primarily to keep toxic materials inside a pipe or culvert, and away from sensitive wet lands or the environment in general.

There are a lot of considerations that should be taken into account when designing a culvert plug. However we do our best to share our experience with you. These plugs sometimes have a huge responsibility to keep environmentally damaging substances out of sensitive wet lands, and they should be tested well past their designed intent to make certain that they meet the criteria they are designed for. We only have control over the information provided by the customer, and if it is not accurate, or if we use incorrect information, the problem they are trying to solve could become worse. For this reason, we take great care to send accurate images of the concept and dimensions before we start, and we ask the our customers test the concept fully.

Pipe Plugs

Pipe plugs were first used out in the oil and gas field to keep materials that were inside the pipe (drilling mud for instance) from spilling out on the road way when the drill pipe is in transit. Note that there is a small grommet strip to help locate the plug inside the pipe. We can also supply companies with a light weight high pressure hand pump called a top off pump.

Culvert Plugs

These plugs are all designed individually for a specific need. Inflation is a huge consideration. plugs this size can not use disposable CO2 cylinders, some use boat valves, and 110 volt blowers, some use compressed air. When compressed air is used, a pressure relief valve ( PRV ) is always recommended.

The one pictured here is an inflated cylinder. It has a pressure relief valve set at 4 psi. A boat valve for rapid inflation and deflation, and a clamp flange with a 3/4 NPT (national pipe thread) connection that can be used to plumb to any air source. This plug is designed to keep toxic materials that may leak out of a plant from entering a river. They are tested semi annually by the company. The plug pictured here is 42 inches in diameter.

culvert plug 14 ft. dia

This was a very large diameter plug, and it was only designed to plug a hole and keep snow out of the Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada. We also made a number of 13 ft. diameter, 36 inch diameter, and 48 inch diameter plugs for them. As well as this 23.5 ft. diameter arch to seal up a truck entrance to the mine. Note the curtain has a zipper that allows it to unzip from the arch, and a channel that allows the base to be staked down for heavy wind.

Other considerations

We build each culvert plug to the exact diameter you request. However the material stretches about 2 to 3 % in one direction, and so the 4 psi air pressure tends to wedge a plug securely into place.

Corrugated culverts have less surface area to grip to, and we often suggest that Quick concrete be laid in between the corrugations with a piece of construction plastic placed on top of that. The plug is then inflated to push the concrete into place and allowed to cure. the construction plastic acts as a release agent, With this set up, the seal around the bottom is better, and there is more grip on the plug. Please keep in mind that heavy head pressure inside the culvert may require a longer main section or attachment points to keep the plug in place, and these things are difficult to quantify, so we try to over build to make sure it works.

We have taken great care to design some plugs with attachments that help keep them from moving through the culvert. There are cases where culverts need to be plugged periodically to clear pump systems. these may not involve toxic substances but they still need to shut off flow for a period of time while routine maintenance is done. We rely on the customers experience to tell us if these are viable and safe uses for the product. Remember to always test the system before putting it into use. Have a look at a product for the Ohio Dept. of Wildlife here.

Prices for 2012- 2013.... Note we did not have a price increase from 2012 to 2013

These prices are considered a standard offering for different diameters.

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