Evaluation of Existing Equations for Local Scour at Bridge Piers
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 1
Abstract
Twenty-three of the more recent and commonly used equilibrium local scour equations for cohesionless sediments were evaluated using compiled laboratory and field databases. This investigation assembled 569 laboratory and 928 field data. A method for assessing the quality of the data was developed and applied to the data set. This procedure reduced the laboratory and field data to 441 and 791 values, respectively. Because the maturity of the scour hole at the time of measurement for the field data was unknown, they were only used to evaluate underprediction by the equations. A preliminary quality control screening of the equilibrium scour methods/equations reduced the number of equations from the initial 23 to 17. For this screening procedure the equations were used to compute scour depths for a wide, but practical, range of structure, flow, and sediment parameters. Those methods/equations yielding unreasonable (negative or extremely large) scour depths were eliminated from further consideration. The remaining 17 methods/equations were then analyzed using both laboratory and field data. Plots of underprediction error versus total error for the laboratory data and underprediction error for field data versus total error for laboratory data along with error statistics calculations assisted in the ranking of the equations. Equations from previous publications were melded and slightly modified to provide the best performing equation in that it yields the least total error and close to the least under-prediction error of those tested. The new equation is termed the Sheppard/Melville (S/M) equation in this paper.
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Acknowledgments
The research reported on in this paper was conducted under contract with the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 24-32) and reported in NCHRP Report 682. The authors thank the National Cooperative Highway Research Program for funding the research and the review panel and in particular the program manager, Amir N. Hanna, for their helpful comments and suggestions throughout the study. The authors also thank the many researchers and practitioners that provided data and information needed for this investigation.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 1 • January 2014
Pages: 14 - 23
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 4, 2012
Accepted: Jul 1, 2013
Published online: Jul 4, 2013
Discussion open until: Dec 4, 2013
Published in print: Jan 1, 2014
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