Experimental Investigation of Wave Forces on Coastal Bridge Decks Subjected to Oblique Wave Attack
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 24, Issue 4
Abstract
Large wave forces induced by the combination of storm surge and hurricane waves have caused significant damage and failure of various coastal bridges in the Gulf of Mexico. Existing research studies are mainly focused on the wave forces generated by normal incident waves rather than oblique waves. In this study, wave forces induced by oblique hurricane-induced waves were investigated experimentally. A full bridge specimen, including superstructure, substructure, and neighboring segments, was manufactured and employed in this experiment to measure wave forces and wave-impact pressure. A detailed test covering different wave heights, clearances, and wave angles was conducted in the wave flume. The characteristics of wave forces under different wave conditions were analyzed to provide more insight regarding the oblique wave action on coastal bridges. The vertical wave force was found to reach the peak at a wave angle of 30° under a clearance of 4.0 cm. Wave overtopping was found to have a significant effect on the vertical force in the semisubmerged and submerged cases. The pressure distribution for an elevated case was also investigated to obtain a better understanding of the vertical wave force under oblique wave action.
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Acknowledgments
The financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of Distinguished Young Scholars of China (51725801) is highly appreciated by the authors.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 24 • Issue 4 • April 2019
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 18, 2018
Accepted: Oct 1, 2018
Published online: Jan 24, 2019
Published in print: Apr 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Jun 24, 2019
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