Failure of Spill-Through Bridge Abutments during Scour: Flume and Field Observations
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 5
Abstract
This paper presents early findings from laboratory tests and field observations on the failure of spill-through abutments subject to abutment scour. These findings show that geotechnical and hydraulic processes interact to erode embankment soil during abutment scour, producing lesser scour depths than predicted using leading abutment scour equations. A major failure location is the flow waterline beginning at an abutment’s upstream corner where soil is exposed to the highest values of flow velocity and turbulence. Undercutting and toppling of soil blocks occurs sequentially along the face of the spill slope, eroding it back and eventually exposing the abutment column. Further erosion then may breach the embankment. The laboratory findings, based on uniform sand compacted to varying densities and thereby shear strengths, show that soil strength influences scour depth.
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© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 16, 2014
Accepted: Dec 9, 2014
Published online: Jan 21, 2015
Published in print: May 1, 2015
Discussion open until: Jun 21, 2015
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