Probability of Drift Blockage at Bridge Decks
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 4
Abstract
Drift seriously increases the destructive power of a flood event. Drift accumulations and blockages at river bridges are a widespread problem, possibly leading to their total destruction. Although drift is a major threat, limited knowledge is currently available on the likelihood of drift blocking. Drift either accumulates at a single pier, or it spans between two or more piers, or it gets blocked at the bridge deck. The main purpose of this experimental study is to analyze the drift-blocking probability at bridge decks depending on: (1) drift dimensions, (2) freeboard, (3) flow characteristics, and (4) bridge characteristics. Systematic model tests include the accumulation of both single logs and rootstocks. The test flow conditions represent a major flood event, where the freeboard tends to zero and the drift is able to touch the bridge deck. The results indicate significant effects of the freeboard, the approach flow Froude number, and the bridge characteristics on drift accumulation. They allow for an estimation of the blocking probability and therefore can be used as a risk assessment tool to identify endangered bridges prior to a flood event. The model tests demonstrate further the randomness of the blocking process, resulting occasionally in a wide scatter of data.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Daniela Nussle for her continuous support and to both Stephan Hofer and Manfred Imhof for their laboratory assistance.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 4 • April 2011
Pages: 470 - 479
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 24, 2009
Accepted: Sep 1, 2010
Published online: Mar 15, 2011
Published in print: Apr 1, 2011
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