Case History Analysis of Bridge Failures due to Scour

Scour is a major cause for bridge failure. To understand the characteristics of bridge failures under scour conditions and provide useful information for scour countermeasure, this study reviewed and analyzed totally 36 historical cases of bridge failure due to scour, including their hydraulic, geotechnical, and structural conditions and failure modes. Based on the collected data, most of scour depths (i.e. up to 41%) ranged from 0.5 to 5 m; but, the maximum scour depth could be up to 15 m. Local scour was accounted for 64% bridge failures, followed by channel migration (14%), and contraction scour (5%). Possible bridge failure modes due to scour included vertical failure, lateral failure, torsional failure, and bridge deck failure. Approximately 70% of bridge failures were lateral and vertical. The findings from this study can be updated when more cases of bridge failure under scour conditions are collected and/or become available.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784413326.021
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780784413326
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Lin, Cheng
  • Han, Jie
  • Bennett, Caroline
  • Parsons, Robert L
• Conference:
  • International Symposium of Climatic Effects on Pavement and Geotechnical Infrastructure 2013
  • Location: Fairbanks Alaska, United States
  • Date: 2013-8-4 to 2013-8-7
• Publication Date: 2014-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: pp 204-216
• Monograph Title: Climatic Effects on Pavement and Geotechnical Infrastructure

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Case studies; Failure; Geotechnical engineering; Hydrology; Scour; Structural design
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I60: Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01526031
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780784413326
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: May 28 2014 3:22PM