<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Large debris transported by flood affects scour features at bridge piers and increases the risks of structural failure. Geometric characteristics of the debris and the relative position of the pier with respect to the river bank are important parameters for the scour process. The interaction between the water flow and debris accumulation increases the shear stress, turbulence and consequently enhances the scour depth at the pier. This paper aims at analyzing such effects on scour evolution at bridge piers. To this end, two series of tests were carried out under clear water condition with different debris geometries and percentage blockage ratios. Experimental evidences showed that the pier position only influences scour evolution and equilibrium morphology for low water depths. Conversely, its effect becomes negligible for scour at bridge piers with debris accumulation and higher water depths. Useful practical relationships have been derived, with satisfactory prediction capability of the scour evolution for all the tested configurations.</p></abstract>

Large debris transported by flood affects scour features at bridge piers and increases the risks of structural failure. Geometric characteristics of the debris and the relative position of the pier with respect to the river bank are important parameters for the scour process. The interaction between the water flow and debris accumulation increases the shear stress, turbulence and consequently enhances the scour depth at the pier. This paper aims at analyzing such effects on scour evolution at bridge piers. To this end, two series of tests were carried out under clear water condition with different debris geometries and percentage blockage ratios. Experimental evidences showed that the pier position only influences scour evolution and equilibrium morphology for low water depths. Conversely, its effect becomes negligible for scour at bridge piers with debris accumulation and higher water depths. Useful practical relationships have been derived, with satisfactory prediction capability of the scour evolution for all the tested configurations.

Effect of debris accumulation on scour evolution at bridge pier in bank proximity

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Large debris transported by flood affects scour features at bridge piers and increases the risks of structural failure. Geometric characteristics of the debris...

Effect of debris accumulation on scour evolution at bridge pier in bank proximity

Published Online: Jan 26, 2021

Page range: 108 - 118

Received: Jun 19, 2020

Accepted: Oct 06, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2020-0041

Keywords
Hydraulic model, Large debris, Local scour, Time evolution

© 2021 Michele Palermo et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Effect of debris accumulation on scour evolution at bridge pier in bank proximity

Published Online: Jan 26, 2021

Page range: 108 - 118

Received: Jun 19, 2020

Accepted: Oct 06, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2020-0041

KeywordsHydraulic model, Large debris, Local scour, Time evolution

© 2021 Michele Palermo et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Hydraulic model, Large debris, Local scour, Time evolution