Case Study: Experimental Investigation into the Feasibility of Pier Nose Extensions to Reduce Local Scour around Bridge Piers
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 1
Abstract
The feasibility of pier nose extensions as an environmentally acceptable alternative to reduce local pier scour for a nontypical pier geometry was investigated using a 1:30 Froude-scaled movable-bed model. The movable-bed characteristics were investigated using Shields scaling to the grain. The study was conducted for a site-specific location, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway crossing on the Santa Ana River near Corona, California. Local scour behavior was evaluated in the model for the estimated worst-case hydrodynamic conditions with and without the pier nose extensions. When aligned with the approach flow, the pier extensions reduced the local pier scour. They produce a reduction of 53% compared with the existing pier configuration without extensions. Historically, pier nose extensions have been used for the passage of debris and to increase the conveyance in lined channels. This study extends the possible engineering applicability of pier nose extensions as a countermeasure for local scour.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some of the LiDAR data and water surface profiles that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The experiments described and results presented in this paper were obtained through research sponsored by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. In addition, appreciatively acknowledged is the extremely helpful and intelligent comments by the editors and anonymous reviewers, which aided in significantly improving the paper.
References
Arneson, L. A., L. W. Zevenbergen, P. F. Lagasse, and P. E. Clopper. 2012. Evaluating scour at bridges. Washington, DC: US DOT.
Barkdoll, B. D., R. Ettema, and B. W. Melville. 2007. Countermeasures to protect bridge abutments from scour. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Breusers, H. N. C., G. Nicollet, and H. W. Shen. 1977. “Local scour around cylindrical piers.” J. Hydraul. Res. 15 (3): 211–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221687709499645.
Chabert, J., and P. Engeldinger. 1956. Etude des affouillements autour des piles des ponts. [In French.] Chatou, France: Laboratoire d’Hydraulique.
Chang, F. F. M., and M. Karim. 1972. “An experimental study of reducing scour around bridge piers using piles.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 125 (11): 1221–1224.
Chiew, Y. M. 1984. “Local scour at bridge piers.” Rep. No. 355, Auckland, New Zealand: School of Engineering, Univ. of Auckland.
Chiew, Y. M. 1992. “Scour protection at bridge pier.” J. Hydrual. Eng. 118 (9): 1260–1269. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1992)118:9(1260).
Chiew, Y. M., and S. Y. Lim. 2003. “Protection of bridge piers using a sacrificial sill.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Water Marit. Energy 156 (1): 53–62. https://doi.org/10.1680/wame.2003.156.1.53.
Deng, L., and C. Cai. 2010. “Bridge scour: Prediction, modeling, monitoring, and countermeasures—Review.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr. 15 (2): 125–134. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000041.
Ettema, R. 1980. Scour at bridge piers. Auckland, New Zealand: Univ. of Auckland.
Garcia, M. H. 2008. Sedimentation engineering: Processes, management, modeling and practice. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Ge, L., S. O. Lee, F. Sotiropoulos, and T. Sturm. 2005. “3D unsteady RANS modeling of complex hydraulic engineering flows. II: Model validation and flow physics.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 131 (9): 809–820. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2005)131:9(809).
Ge, L., and F. Sotiropoulos. 2005. “3D unsteady RANS modeling of complex hydraulic engineering flows. I: Numerical model.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 131 (9): 800–808. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2005)131:9(800).
Gupta, A. K., and T. Gangadharaiah. 1992. “Local scour reduction by a delta wing-like passive device.” In Vol. 2 of Proc., 8th Congress of Asia and Pacific Regional Division, B471–B481. Pune, India: CWPRS.
Haehnel, R. B., and S. F. Daly. 2002. Maximum impact force of woody debris on floodplain structures. Vicksburg, MS: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center.
Herbertson, J. G., and A. A. Ibrahim. 1992. “Interaction between bridge piers and scour protection devices.” In Proc., Int. Conf. on Protection of the Nile and Other Major Rivers. Cairo, Egypt: Nile Research Institute.
Hite, J. E., S. E. Stonestreet, and M. E. Mulvihill. 1993. “Model study of Rio hondo flood control channel, Los Angeles, California.” In Proc., National Conf. on Hydraulic Engineering, 1695–1700. Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology.
Hjulström, F. 1939. “The principles of construction of instruments for procuring samples of water containing silt.” Geogr. Ann. 21 (1): 67–71. https://doi.org/10.2307/520002.
Hong, S. 2005. “Interaction of bridge contraction scour and pier scour in a laboratory river model.” Master’s thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, George Institute of Technology.
Hong, S., and T. W. Sturm. 2009. “Physical Model study of bridge abutment and contraction scour under submerged orifice flow conditions.” In Proc., 33rd IAHR Congress: Water Engineering for a Sustainable Environment, Vancouver, BC, Canada: International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research.
Hong, S., and T. W. Sturm. 2010. “Physical modeling of abutment scour for overtopping, submerged orifice and free surface flows.” In Proc., 5th Int. Conf. on Scour and Erosion. London: International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.
Hong, S. H., A. Gotvald, T. W. Sturm, and M. Landers. 2006. “Laboratory and field measurement of bridge contraction scour.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on Scour Erosion. Etterbeek, Belgium: Curnet. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/326239659.pdf.
Jain, S. C., and E. E. Fischer. 1979. Scour around circular bridge piers at high Froude numbers. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Khosronejad, A., S. Kang, and F. Sotiropoulos. 2012. “Experimental and computational investigation of local scour around bridge piers.” Adv. Water Resour. 37 (Mar): 73–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2011.09.013.
Kothyari, U. C., R. C. J. Garde, and K. G. Ranga Raju. 1992. “Temporal variation of scour around circular bridge piers.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 118 (8): 1091–1106. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1992)118:8(1091).
Kumar, V., K. Raju, and N. Vittal. 1999. “Reduction of local scour around bridge piers using slots and collars.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 125 (12): 1302–1305. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1999)125:12(1302).
Lagasse, P. F., P. E. Clopper, L. W. Zevenbergen, and L. G. Girard. 2007. Countermeasures to protect bridge piers from scour. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Landers, M. N., and D. S. Mueller. 1993. “Reference surface for bridge scour depth.” In Proc., National Conf. on Hydraulic Engineering, 2075–2080. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Lauchlan, C. S., and B. W. Melville. 2001. “Riprap protection at bridge piers.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 127 (5): 412–418. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2001)127:5(412).
Laursen, E. M. 1952. “Observations on the nature of scour.” In Proc., 5th Hydraulic Conf., 179–197. Iowas City, IA: Univ. of Iowa.
Laursen, E. M., and A. Toch. 1956. “Scour around bridge piers and abutments.” Accessed August 4, 2015. http://publications.iowa.gov/20237/.
Lee, S. O., and T. W. Sturm. 2009. “Effect of sediment size scaling on physical modeling of bridge pier scour.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 135 (10): 793–802. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000091.
Levi, E., and H. Luna. 1961. “Dispositifs pour reduire l’affouillement au pied des piles de pont.” In Proc., 9th IAHR Congress, 1061–1069. Dubrovnik, Croatia: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.
Lim, S.-Y. 1997. “Equilibrium clear-water scour around an abutment.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 123 (3): 237–243. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1997)123:3(237).
Lottes, S. A., N. Sinha, C. Bojanowski, and K. Kerenyi. 2015. Three dimensional analysis of pier extension and guide wall design alternatives to mitigate local scour risk at the BNSF railroad bridge downstream of the Prado Dam. ANL/ESD-15/7. Lemont, IL: Argonne National Laboratory.
McNeil, J., C. Taylor, and W. Lick. 1996. “Measurements of erosion of undisturbed bottom sediments with depth.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 122 (6): 316–324. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1996)122:6(316).
Melville, B., and A. Hadfield. 1999. “Use of sacrificial piles as pier scour countermeasures.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 125 (11): 1221–1224. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1999)125:11(1221).
Melville, B. W., and Y.-M. Chiew. 1999. “Time scale for local scour at bridge piers.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 125 (1): 59–65. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1999)125:1(59).
Melville, B. W., and A. J. Sutherland. 1988. “Design method for local scour at bridge piers.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 114 (10): 1210–1226. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1988)114:10(1210).
Mueller, D. S., and C. R. Wagner. 2005. “Field observations and evaluations of streambed scour at bridges.” Rep. No. FHWA–RD–03–052. McLean, VA: Federal Highway Administration.
Odgaard, A. J., and Y. Wang. 1987. “Scour prevention at bridge piers.” In Hydraulic engineering, edited by R. M. Ragan, 523–527. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Paice, C., and R. Hey. 1993. “The control and monitoring of local scour at bridge piers.” In Proc., Hydraulic Engineering Conf., 1061–1066. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Parker, G., C. Toro-Escobar, and R. L. Voight Jr. 1998. Countermeasures to protect bridge piers from scour. Minneapolis: Univ. of Minnesota.
Parker, G. W., L. Bratton, and D. S. Armstrong. 1997. Stream stability and scour assessments at bridges in Massachusetts. Marlborough, UK: Massachusetts Highway Department Bridge Section.
Richardson, E. V., and S. R. Davis. 2001. Evaluating scour at bridges. 4th ed. Springfield, VA: Federal Highway Administration.
Roberts, J., R. Jepsen, and J. Gailani. 2004. “Measurements of bedload and suspended load in cohesive and non-cohesive sediments.” In Proc., World Water Congress. London: International Water Association.
Sharp, J. A., T. O. McAlpin, G. L. Bell, H. E. Park, and R. E. Heath. 2017. General model study of proposed pier extensions—Santa Ana River at BNSF Bridge, Corona, California. Washington, DC: USACE.
Shen, H. W., V. R. Schneider, and S. Karaki. 1969. “Local scour around bridge piers.” J. Hydraul. Div. 95 (6): 1919–1940. https://doi.org/10.1061/JYCEAJ.0002197.
Shen, H. W., V. R. Schneider, and S. S. Karaki. 1966. Mechanics of local scour. Gaithersburg, MD: National Bureau of Standards.
Shirhole, A. M., and R. C. Holt. 1991. Planning for a comprehensive bridge safety program. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
Singh, K. K., D. V. S. Verma, and N. K. Tiwari. 1995. “Scour protection at circular bridge piers.” In Proc., 6th Int. Symp. on River Sedimentation. London: International Hydropower Association.
Stockstill, R. L. 2006. Hydraulic design of channels conveying supercritical flow. Vicksburg, MS: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center.
Stonestreet, S. E., M. E. Mulvihill, and J. E. Hite. 1994. “Revised hydraulic design of the Rio Hondo flood control channel.” In Proc., National Conf. on Hydraulic Engineering, 401–405. Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology.
Sturm, T. W., I. Abid, B. Melviller, X. Xiong, T. Stoesser, B. F. Bugallo, K. V. Chua, S. Abt, and S. Hong. 2018. Combining individual scour components to determine total scour. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
Sundborg, A. 1956. “The River Klaralven: A study of fluvial processes.” Geogr. Ann. 38 (2–3): 125–316. https://doi.org/10.2307/520285.
Tafarojnoruz, A., R. Gaudio, and F. Calomino. 2012. “Evaluation of flow-altering countermeasures against bridge pier scour.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 138 (3): 297–305. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000512.
Tanaka, S., and M. Yano. 1967. “Local scour around a circular cylinder.” In Vol. 3 of Proc., 12th IAHR Congress, 193–201. Dubrovnik, Croatia: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.
Thomas, Z. 1967. “An interesting hydraulic effect occurring at local scour.” In Vol. 3 of Proc., 12th IAHR Congress, 125–134. Dubrovnik, Croatia: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.
USACE. 2013. Design documentation report (DDR): Hydrology, hydraulics, and sedimentation appendix, Lower Santa Ana River, Reach 9, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad Bridge (scour protection). Washington, DC: USACE.
USACE. 2015a. Hydraulic engineering basis of design for BNSF bridge protection of Reach 9 of the Lower Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River Mainstem, CA. Washington, DC: USACE.
USACE. 2015b. Santa Ana River: Reach 9 phase 4, 5A, 5B, & BNSF bridge. Supplemental environmental assessment and addendum to environmental impact report. Washington, DC: USACE.
Vittal, N., U. C. Kothyari, and M. Haghighat. 1994. “Clear water scour around bridge pier group.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 120 (11): 1309–1318. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1994)120:11(1309).
Wang, T. W. 1994. “A study of pier scouring and scour reduction.” In Proc., 9th Congress, Asia Pacific Division, Int. Association for Hydraulic Research. Paris: International Science Council.
Zarrati, A. R., H. Gholami, and M. B. Mashahir. 2004. “Application of collar to control scouring around rectangular bridge piers.” J. Hydraul. Res. 42 (1): 97–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2004.9641188.
Zhou, K., J. G. Duan, and F. A. Bombardelli. 2020. “Experimental and theoretical study of local scour around three-pier group.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 146 (10): 04020069. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001794.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 1 • January 2022
Copyright
© 2021 Published by American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 13, 2020
Accepted: Aug 3, 2021
Published online: Oct 18, 2021
Published in print: Jan 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Mar 18, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Faezeh Zanganeh-Inaloo, Hossein Hamidifar, Giuseppe Oliveto, Local Scour Around Riprap-Protected Bridge Piers with Debris Accumulation, Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Civil Engineering, 10.1007/s40996-023-01034-9, (2023).