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Basic Guide To Calculating Falls and Gradients For Drainage - Basic Guide To Calculating Falls and Gradients For Drainage - Wyr

This document provides a basic guide to calculating pipe gradients and falls for drainage systems. It explains that horizontal drainage pipes should have a gradient between 1 in 40 and 1 in 110 to ensure adequate flow velocity without solids becoming stranded. A gradient of 1 in 80 is commonly used for initial calculations. The invert level and manholes are also described. Backdrop manholes are discussed as a way to deal with sloping ground surfaces.

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147 views3 pages

Basic Guide To Calculating Falls and Gradients For Drainage - Basic Guide To Calculating Falls and Gradients For Drainage - Wyr

This document provides a basic guide to calculating pipe gradients and falls for drainage systems. It explains that horizontal drainage pipes should have a gradient between 1 in 40 and 1 in 110 to ensure adequate flow velocity without solids becoming stranded. A gradient of 1 in 80 is commonly used for initial calculations. The invert level and manholes are also described. Backdrop manholes are discussed as a way to deal with sloping ground surfaces.

Uploaded by

kktay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic guide to calculating falls and gradients for drainage - Basic guide... http://www.wyre.gov.uk/info/200134/advice_on_building_work/166/ba...

Wyre Council

Basic guide to calculating falls and gradients for drainage


Pipe Gradients
All above ground and below ground horizontal drainage pipes should be laid to an adequate gradient.
Gradients from 1 in 40 to 1 in 110 will normally give adequate flow velocities.
A gradient of 1 in 80 is suitable for commencing calculations for pipe schemes.
If a gradient is too steep i.e. steeper than 1 in 40, the liquid may run faster than the solids in the sloping foul water pipe thus leaving the solids stranded, which could then block the
pipe.
If the gradient is not steep enough, i.e. less than 1 in 110, then the pipe could still block if the solids slow down and become stranded.The fall in a pipe may be defined as the vertical
amount by which the pipe drops over a distance. The distance can be between sections of pipe or between manholes. The diagram below show pipe fall and distance.

A gradient may be defined as fall divided by distance.


GRADIENT = FALL / DISTANCE
For example is a 24 metre section of drainage pipe has a fall of 0.30 metres, calculate the gradient.
Gradient = 0.30 / 24
Gradient = 0.0125
This can be converted into a gradient written as a ratio or 1: some number.
Gradient = 1 / 0.0125 = 80
Gradient = 1 in 80
The above formula may be rearranged for Fall if the gradient is known:

FALL = GRADIENT X DISTANCE


For example, calculate the fall in a 50 metre section of foul water pipework if the gradient is to be 1 in 80.
A gradient of 1 in 80 is converted to a number instead of a ratio.
1 / 80 = 0.0125
Fall = Gradient x Distance

Fall = 0.0125 x 50
Fall = 0.625 metres or 625mm.
The previous diagram may be completed by adding a pipe gradient.

Invert Levels
The Invert Level of a pipe is the level taken from the bottom of the inside of the pipe as shown below.

The level at the crown of the pipe is the Invert level plus the internal diameter of the pipe plus the pipe wall thickness. It may be necessary to use this in calculations when level
measurements are taken from the crown of a pipe.

Manholes
A manhole or access chamber is required to gain access to a drainage system for un-blocking, cleaning, rodding or inspection. A typical manhole is shown below.

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Basic guide to calculating falls and gradients for drainage - Basic guide... http://www.wyre.gov.uk/info/200134/advice_on_building_work/166/ba...

Manholes may be manufactured from masonry or precast concrete. Sometimes several precast concrete rings are used to form a manhole which speeds up the on-site construction
process. Normally deep manholes below 1.0 metre in depth require step irons to assist access for a workman.
Manholes and access chambers are also manufactured in PVC. An access chamber is not usually large enough to admit a person but is suitable for access by cleaning rods or hose and
they are used for domestic applications, a common size of plastic access chamber is 450mm diameter. For the domestic market plastic, fibreglass or galvanised steel lids may be used but
cast iron lids are required where traffic crosses.

A back drop manhole is used in areas where the surface level slopes as shown below.
If the undergroung sewer pipe is to stay below ground it must follow the average gradient of the slope. This invariably means that the pipe gradient becomes too steep, resulting in
the solids being left stranded in the pipe therefore causing a blockage.
To overcome this problem the back drop manhole was developed, as shown below.

An easier way to construct a back drop manhole is to use an internal vertical section of pipe as shown below.

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Basic guide to calculating falls and gradients for drainage - Basic guide... http://www.wyre.gov.uk/info/200134/advice_on_building_work/166/ba...

For additional information and guidance please see the following document.
The Building Regulations 1991 - Drainage and Waste Disposal Approved Document

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