Comparative Study of Scouring Around
Bridge Piers
P. Sreeja and Supradeep Singh
Abstract Excessive scouring around bridge piers is one of the main causes for
bridge failures. Scour is not easily noticeable because it is hidden under the channel
flow. Scour around a bridge pier is a challenging problem to planners and hydraulics
researchers because of the adaptation of some empirical formulas. The basic reason
of such adaptation of empirical formulas is due to lack of monitoring of such complex
problem, and hence, the mechanism of scouring is not fully understood. Most of these
scour prediction empirical formulas was based primarily on flume experiments. Thus,
the knowledge of precise maximum scour depth for a given hydraulic and geotechnical condition is essential for proper design of foundation of the bridge piers as
under predicted scour depth will lead to bridge failures, and over prediction of scour
depth will lead to unnecessary construction costs. Since most of the scour prediction equations are based on laboratory experiments, it is important to analyse the
hydraulic characteristics of the river before and after the construction of the bridge.
In this study, analysis has been carried out to understand the influence of different
parameters such as sediment size and the shape of the pier using different empirical
equations. In India, Indian codes for scour estimation uses Lacey’s regime equation for scour depth estimation for the hydraulic design of bridges, which are having
certain limitations. Thus, the objective of this study is to obtain a better understanding
of the mechanism which causes scouring by considering hydraulic and geotechnical
characteristics. Therefore, in the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of different parameters on scour around bridge piers. The results
obtained were compared with equations and models used by other researchers and
found that Lacey’s equation is giving over predicted values than other empirical
equations.
P. Sreeja
Water Resource Engineering and Management, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati,
Guwahati, Assam, India
S. Singh (B)
Department of Civil Engineering, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Majitar, Sikkim, India
e-mail: Supradeep.s@smit.smu.edu.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
C. Bhuiyan et al. (eds.), Water Security and Sustainability,
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 115,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9805-0_22
261
Bridge Piers
P. Sreeja and Supradeep Singh
Abstract Excessive scouring around bridge piers is one of the main causes for
bridge failures. Scour is not easily noticeable because it is hidden under the channel
flow. Scour around a bridge pier is a challenging problem to planners and hydraulics
researchers because of the adaptation of some empirical formulas. The basic reason
of such adaptation of empirical formulas is due to lack of monitoring of such complex
problem, and hence, the mechanism of scouring is not fully understood. Most of these
scour prediction empirical formulas was based primarily on flume experiments. Thus,
the knowledge of precise maximum scour depth for a given hydraulic and geotechnical condition is essential for proper design of foundation of the bridge piers as
under predicted scour depth will lead to bridge failures, and over prediction of scour
depth will lead to unnecessary construction costs. Since most of the scour prediction equations are based on laboratory experiments, it is important to analyse the
hydraulic characteristics of the river before and after the construction of the bridge.
In this study, analysis has been carried out to understand the influence of different
parameters such as sediment size and the shape of the pier using different empirical
equations. In India, Indian codes for scour estimation uses Lacey’s regime equation for scour depth estimation for the hydraulic design of bridges, which are having
certain limitations. Thus, the objective of this study is to obtain a better understanding
of the mechanism which causes scouring by considering hydraulic and geotechnical
characteristics. Therefore, in the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of different parameters on scour around bridge piers. The results
obtained were compared with equations and models used by other researchers and
found that Lacey’s equation is giving over predicted values than other empirical
equations.
P. Sreeja
Water Resource Engineering and Management, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati,
Guwahati, Assam, India
S. Singh (B)
Department of Civil Engineering, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Majitar, Sikkim, India
e-mail: Supradeep.s@smit.smu.edu.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
C. Bhuiyan et al. (eds.), Water Security and Sustainability,
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 115,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9805-0_22
261