Curb cuts
Curb cuts are just one form of BMPBest management practice. State of the art methods or techniques used to manage the quantity and improve the quality of wet weather flow. BMPs include: source, conveyance and end-of-pipe controls. inlet.
They are well suited to retrofit scenarios and to collect runoffThat potion of the water precipitated onto a catchment area, which flows as surface discharge from the catchment area past a specified point.Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the land surface. from catchments with relatively gentle longitudinal slope, and/or a greater cross slope.
This might be the local topography of a parking lot or a piece of parkland?
As this inlet width is directly proportional to longitudinal slope; the required curb cut increases rapidly on steeper roads.
Sizing
To completely capture linear flow travelling along a gutter perpendicular to a curb inlet, the inlet must be of width:\[W_T=0.817Q^{0.42}S_{0}^{0.3}\left (\frac{1}{nS_{x}}\right)^{0.6}\]
Where:
- WT is the width of the inlet for complete capture (m),
- Q is the design flow perpendicular to the inlet (m3/s)
- S0 is the longitudinal slope ratio
- n is Manning's 'n' (between 0.012 and 0.016 for concrete, depending on surface treatment), and
- Sx is the cross slope ratio (typically between 0.015 and 0.04)
Where the intention is to capture only a proportion of the flow, the ratio of flow entering the curb inlet may be calculated:\[R_c=1-\left ( 1-\frac{W}{W_T} \right )^{1.8}\]
Where:
- Rc is the proportion of flow entering the curb cut, and
- W is the available curb cut width (m)
Where the curb cut width is constrained and a greater flow into the BMPBest management practice. State of the art methods or techniques used to manage the quantity and improve the quality of wet weather flow. BMPs include: source, conveyance and end-of-pipe controls. is desired, the effective cross slope may be increased by adding a depressed apron. <math>
Example
A curb cut of 3 m is proposed as an inlet for an offlineRefers to a system that when full, stormwater will bypass the practice. Offline systems use flow splitters or bypass channels that only allow the water quality volume to enter the facility. This may be achieved with a pipe, weir, or curb opening sized for the target flow, but in conjunction, create a bypass channel so that higher flows do not pass over the surface of the filter bed. bioretention cell receiving runoffThat potion of the water precipitated onto a catchment area, which flows as surface discharge from the catchment area past a specified point.Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the land surface. from an adjacent roadway. The gutter and the curb are made from smooth concrete with Manning's 'n' = 0.013. The x-slope is 3% and the longitudinal slope of the road is 2%. The design storm produces flow of 0.08 m3/s.
The width of inlet to capture 100% of this flow is:\[W_T=0.817\times(0.08)^{0.42}\times(0.02)^{0.3}\left (\frac{1}{0.013\times0.03}\right)^{0.6}=9.71\ m\]
The proportion of water entering the bioretentionA shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation. cell under these flow conditions would be:\[R_c=1-\left ( 1-\frac{3}{9.71} \right )^{1.8}= 0.48\]
48% of the 0.08 m3/s (i.e. 0.038 m3/s) would enter the bioretenteion cell through the inlet as designed.
Curb cuts gallery
This curb cut has been sawn into existing concrete as part of a retrofit. Note the temporary (erosion log) and permanent stone erosion controlIncludes the protection of soil from dislocation by water, wind or other agents. measures in place. Mississauga Road, ON.
Curb cut used as a controlled overflow route from permeable paving to a bioretention facility with monitoring well, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, Newmarket, ON.
Curb cut into a bioretentionA shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation. facility in Hinsdale, IL. Stone in the center of the facility reduces erosion and dissipates power inflow around the inlet area. A monitoring/maintenance well can be seen in the foreground. Photo credit: CNT
Curb cut into a bioretentionA shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation. facility in Brown Deer, WI. Stone is used to reduce erosion around the inlet area. Photo credit: Aaron Volkening
Curb cut into a bioretentionA shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation. facility in Ajax, ON.
Stone lined inlet at IMAX site in Mississauga
The grading around this inlet prevents flow in the correct direction. i.e. from the pavement onto the grass. Not too critical in this example, as the surface is permeable paving.
Curb cut into a rain garden on a green street in Newmarket, ON.
Curb cut leading into a small bioretentionA shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation. cell in Brampton, ON.
Curb cut leading to a bioswaleLinear bioretention cell designed to convey, treat and attenuate stormwater runoff. The engineered filter media soil mixture and vegetation slows the runoff water to allow sedimentation, filtration through the root zone, evapotranspiration, and infiltration into the underlying native soil. in Brampton, ON.
