SCOUR AROUND BRIDGE PIERS

Available theories and prediction formulas on scour at bridge waterways are reviewed. Formulas that offer potential for prediction of scour around bridge piers are compared by reducing each formula to a non-dimensional form that includes Froude Number, the ratio of scour depth to pier width, and the ratio of stage to pier width. A field study to gather data on scour and related variables is described. The study is aimed at collecting field data in order to furnish a basis on which to compare scour prediction formulas. Four test sites are included in the study. These sites are located on: the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana, the Brazos River in Richmond, Texas, the Homochitto River near Brookhaven, Mississippi, and the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. An automatic instrumentation system that measures scour depth at three points around a bridge pier as well as river stage is used in this study. The system is based on a depth measuring fathometer.

• Corporate Authors:

  West Virginia University, Morgantown

  Engineering Experiment Station
  Morgantown, WV  United States  26506

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hopkins, G R
  • Vance, R W
  • Kasraie, B
• Publication Date: 1975-3-1

Media Info

• Pagination: 205 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge abutments; Bridge piers; Bridge waterways; Bridges; Data collection; Depth; Flow; Froude number; Instrumentation; Maintenance; Piers (Supports); Piers (Wharves); Precast concrete; Recording instruments; Scour; Streamflow; Streams; Surveying; Surveying; Waterways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge maintenance
• Geographic Terms: Indiana; Louisiana; Mississippi; Texas
• Old TRIS Terms: Frounde number
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00094552
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-75- 56 Intrm Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-7759
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM