Effect of the Current-Wave Angle on the Local Scour Around Circular Piles
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper studies the effect of the wave front-current angle on the scour around a circular pile. An experimental study was carried out in the Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport (COAST) laboratory at the University of Plymouth (UK) using a single monopile of 0.125 m in diameter and an 8 m long by 1.5 m wide by 0.2 m high sand pit. The results obtained during the test campaign show the influence of the angle between waves and currents on both the maximum scour depth and the time scale of the process. Wave fronts partially aligned with current (65°) produce deeper scour holes than perpendicular forcing conditions (90°). Wave fronts partially against the current (115°) produce less scour than any of the two previous scenarios. The addition of waves reduced the maximum scour depth, compared with the current-only case. The development of the scour hole was found to be more rapid when waves are added to the current, with 50% of the final scour achieved in half the time. The results show that wave direction relative to the current is an important component in scour prediction.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the contribution of Dr. Kieran Monk, Mr. Gregory Nash, Mr. Peter Arber, Mr. Alastair Reynolds, and Mr. Andrew Oxenham during the test setup and the whole experimental campaign. The research was supported by Intelligent Community Energy (ICE) project, INTERREG V FCE, European Commission (Contract No. 5025).
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Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 1 • January 2022
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 3, 2021
Accepted: Sep 13, 2021
Published online: Oct 22, 2021
Published in print: Jan 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Mar 22, 2022
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