Farm Underpasses
On many farms that are divided by a public road, the task of moving cattle and machinery is both difficult and poses serious safety hazards. Animals and machines carrying mud and dirt onto the road make the road surface dangerous and this could lead to a road traffic accident.
The installation of a farm underpass can make everyday tasks such as moving cows safer and more time efficient.
However farm underpasses are costly, so the costs versus the benefits need to be looked at closely. Normally the cost is only justified on dairy farms or on large beef or tillage units.
Principal Types
There are 3 main types of underpasses installed in Ireland.
1) Precast Concrete Box Underpasses
- These underpasses are constructed using a series of precast box units which are placed in line to create a tunnel.
2) Precast Concrete Pipe Underpasses
- These underpasses are constructed by placing the pipe units in line thus creating a tunnel. The principal disadvantages of these is that the size of the underpass is limited by the size of the largest pipe available on the market. Therefore these are not suitable for farm machinery.
3) Precast Concrete Arch Underpasses
- These underpasses are constructed by placing precast concrete arches in a line to create a bridge or tunnel. The arch arrives on site flat on the delivery truck. When the arch is lifted into position, it falls into the curved arch shape before being placed. This is a relatively new technology and only one company in Ireland called Macrete produces these Flexi Arches.
Suitable Location
Farm underpasses need to be located in the correct location for economy of construction. If the road is higher than the surrounding fields, it makes the construction of the underpass all the easier. If possible there should be some means of draining the underpass. Unfortunately it is not viable to construct an underpass in an area if the water table is high as in this instance the proposed structure would flood.
Engaging the services of a civil engineer is money well spent. In addition the engineer should be familiar with similar projects and should have knowledge of all the documentation required.
Farmipedia.ie is intended as a handy reference point for Irish farmers.
All information posted here is for your information, however Farmipedia.ie take no responsibility for anything posted on this site.
If you wish to return to the Farmipedia.ie homepage, click on the picture of the bull shown on the top left corner!