Difference Between Bridge And Culvert

In this blog article, I will describe the difference between Bridge and Culvert. The main work of the bridge is to permit the easy passage of traffic or community whereas the culvert is constructed for the passage of water.

What Is Bridge?

The bridge is a drainage structure that serves as a communication route for carrying a road or railway traffic across an obstruction or depression with or without water.

The path of communication may be a railway, roadway, cycle track, footpath, or a combination of both of them, and the obstruction may be in the form of a river, stream, valley, channel, road, railway track, etc.

Minor Bridge:

The bridge has an overall span length greater than 6 meters & less than 60 meters.

Major Bridge:

The bridge has an overall span length greater than 60 meters.

Long Span Bridge:

Major Bridge has a main span length of more than 120 meters.

What Is Culvert?

A small bridge having a total length of 6 m or less between the faces of abutments is called a culvert.

These are permanent drainage structures that are chiefly constructed to carry roadway or railway track over small streams or canals.

Difference Between Bridge And Culvert

1. The bridge is constructed to permit the easy passage of traffic or community whereas the culvert is made for the passage of water.
2. The length of a bridge is always more than 6 meters, but the length of a culvert is 6 meters or less than 6 meters.
3. Bridge normally constructed over an obstruction, or depression or freeway, roadway, railway, etc, the culvert is constructed over small streams or canals.
4. The culvert is generally rectangular or circular in cross-section, having a roof, walls, and a floor. The bridge sits on the foundation of each bank and it does not have a floor.

Here are the table comparing differences between bridge and culvert.

Criteria	Bridge	Culvert
Purpose	To span a gap, such as a river, road, or railway	To allow water to flow under a roadway, railway or embankment
Design	Generally longer and wider than culverts	Generally shorter and narrower than bridges
Span	Can span long distances, sometimes kilometers	Can only span relatively short distances
Height	Typically higher off the ground than culverts	Typically lower to the ground than bridges
Load-bearing capacity	Designed to carry heavy loads, such as vehicles or trains	Designed to carry lighter loads, such as water or pedestrians
Construction	Typically more complex and expensive to build	Typically simpler and less expensive to build
Materials	Can be constructed from a wide variety of materials, including concrete, steel, wood, and stone	Typically constructed from concrete or steel
Cost	Generally more expensive than culverts	Generally less expensive than bridges
Maintenance	Requires more frequent maintenance than culverts due to its larger size and complexity	Requires less frequent maintenance than bridges due to its smaller size
Visibility	More visible and prominent than culverts, often considered a landmark	Often hidden from view and less noticeable than bridges
Traffic	Bridges allow for continuous traffic flow	Culverts may require the temporary closure of roads or railways during maintenance
Location	Typically located in areas with high traffic volume, such as cities or major highways	Typically located in rural areas or areas with lower traffic volume
Length	Can be very long, spanning kilometers or even miles	Relatively short, generally less than 20 meters
Water flow	Bridges do not restrict the flow of water, but may cause erosion or alter the natural flow of the river	Culverts allow water to flow underneath the roadway, railway or embankment, maintaining the natural flow of water
Type	There are many different types of bridges, including arch, suspension, and cable-stayed bridges	There are two main types of culverts: box culverts and round culverts
Purpose	Used for transportation of goods and people	Used primarily for drainage purposes
Approach	Bridges typically have approach ramps to connect with the road or railway	Culverts typically do not have approach ramps, as they are embedded into the ground
Environmental impact	Bridges may have a significant impact on the environment, especially if they alter the natural flow of a river	Culverts generally have a lower impact on the environment than bridges
Noise	Bridges may generate noise from traffic passing over them	Culverts generally do not generate noise
Flood protection	Bridges may help to protect against flooding by allowing water to flow under them	Culverts can help to prevent flooding by allowing water to flow away from roadways or railways
Maintenance cost	Maintenance of bridges can be more expensive due to their size and complexity	Maintenance of culverts is generally less expensive than bridges
Durability	Bridges are generally more durable than culverts due to their larger size and stronger construction materials	Culverts are generally less durable than bridges
Appearance	Bridges are often considered aesthetically pleasing and can be architectural wonders	Culverts are generally not considered attractive and are often hidden from view
Width	Bridges are generally wider than culverts, allowing for multiple lanes of traffic	Culverts are generally narrower than bridges
Accessibility	Bridges are typically more accessible to pedestrians and vehicles than culverts	Culverts are typically less accessible to pedestrians and vehicles
Land use	Bridges may require significant land use for approach ramps and other infrastructure	Culverts typically require less land use than bridges
Flow rate	Bridges do not restrict the flow of water, but may cause changes in the water’s flow rate	Culverts generally do not cause significant changes in the flow rate of water.
Elevation	Bridges are generally elevated structures that span over the ground or water surface	Culverts are generally embedded in the ground or waterway
Longevity	Bridges are designed to last for decades or even centuries	Culverts have a shorter lifespan compared to bridges
Traffic capacity	Bridges can accommodate heavy traffic loads such as trains, buses, and heavy trucks	Culverts are typically designed to accommodate light traffic such as pedestrians, bicycles, and small vehicles

These are some of the key differences between bridges and culverts. It is important to note that the specific characteristics of a bridge or culvert will vary depending on its design, purpose, location, and materials used in construction

Conclusion

These are the key differences between bridge and culvert. Engineers and designers must have knowledge of these differences to avoid any mistake in the design of bridge or culvert.