Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Estimation of maximum scour depths at upstream of front and rear piers for two in-line circular columns

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Fluid Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous investigations indicate that scour around bridge piers is one of the most important factors for the failure of waterway bridges. Hence, it is essential to determine the accurate scour depth around the bridge piers. Most of the previous studies were based on scour around a single pier; however, in practice, new bridges are usually wide and then piers comprise two circular piers aligned in the flow direction that together support the loading of the structure. In this study, the effect on maximum scour depth of the spacing between two piers aligned in the flow direction was investigated experimentally under clear water scour conditions. The results show that the maximum scour depth at upstream of the front pier occurs when the spacing between the two piers is 2.5 times the diameter of the pier. Two semi empirical equations have been developed to predict the maximum scour depth at upstream of both front and rear piers as a function of the spacing between the piers, in terms of a pier-spacing factor. If the new equations for the pier-spacing factor are used with some of the existing equations for scour at a single pier, the predicted scouring depths are in good agreement with observed results. The S/M equation exhibited the best performance among the various equations tested and was recommended for use in prediction of the equilibrium scour depth. The findings of this study can be used to facilitate the positioning of piers when scouring is a design concern.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

D:

Diameter of piers

d50 :

Median grain size of sediment

F:

Froude number

h:

Depth of approach flow

d1 :

Scour depth upstream of single pier case

ds :

Scour depth upstream of front pier for double-pier case

dse1 :

Equilibrium scour depth upstream of front pier for two in-line circular piers

dse2 :

Equilibrium scour depth upstream of rear pier for two in-line circular piers

Ks :

Factors for the effect of spacing between two piers

Kt :

Time factor to extrapolate the scour depth to equilibrium scour depth

L:

Centre to centre distance between two piers

Q:

Flow rate

Re :

Reynolds number

s:

Normalised spacing between two piers, L/D

te :

Time to reach equilibrium scour depth

V:

Free stream velocity

Vc :

Critical velocity of flow for sediment

σg :

Geometric standard deviation of the grain size distribution

B:

Width of the flume

References

  1. Ahmed F, Rajaratanam N (1997) The three dimensional turbulent boundary layer flow around bridge piers. J Hydraul Res 35:209–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Alam MM, Zhou Y (2008) Strouhal numbers, forces and flow structures around two tandem cylinders of different diameters. J Fluids Struct 24:505–526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ameson LA, Zevenbergen LW, Lagasse PF, Clopper PE (2012) Evaluating scour at bridges, 5th edn. FHWA-HIF-12-003, HEC-18. U. S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC

  4. Amini A, Melville BW, Ali TM, Ghazali AH (2012) Clearwater local scour around pile groups in shallow-water flow. J Hydraul Eng 138:177–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ataie-Ashtiani B, Aslani-Kordkandi A (2013) Flow field around single and tandem piers. Flow Turbul Combust 90(3):471–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Ataie-Ashtiani B, Baratian Ghorghi Z, Beheshtia A (2010) Experimental investigation of clear water local scour of compound piers. J Hydraul Eng 136(6):343–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Baker CJ (1979) The laminar horseshoe vortex. J Fluid Mech 95:347–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Beg M (2010) Characteristics of developing scour holes around two piers placed in transverse. In: Arrangement fifth international conference on scour and erosion (ICSE-5), San Francisco, CA. ASCE

  9. Breusers NHC, Nicollet G, Shen HW (1977) Local scour around cylindrical piers. J Hydraul Res IAHR 15:211–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Breusers HNC, Raudkivi AJ (1991) “Scouring.” Hydraulic structures design manual, vol 2. A. A. Balkmea, Rotterdam

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cokgor S, Avci I (2001) Hydrodynamic forces on partly buried tandem, twin pipelines in current. Ocean Eng 28:1349–1360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Dargahi B (1989) The turbulent flow field around a circular cylinder. Exp Fluids 8:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dey S, Bose SK, Sastry GLN (1995) Clear water scour at circular piers: a model. J Hydraul Eng 121:869–876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Domenech A, Moran FJV, Salvador GP, Bihs H (2011) Experimental and numerical modelling of scour at bridge piers. In: 10th hydraulic conference, Brisbane, Australia. Engineers Australia

  15. Elhimer M, Harran G, Hoarau Y, Cazin S, Marchal M, Braza M (2015) Coherent and turbulent processes in the bistable regime around a tandem of cylinders including reattached flow dynamics by means of high-speed PIV. J Fluids Struct 60:62–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ettema R (1976) Influence of bed material gradation on local scour. Report No. 124, School of Engineering, the University of Auckland, New Zealand

  17. Ettema R (1980) Scour at bridge piers. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Aucland

  18. Ferraro D, Tafarojnoruz A, Gaudio R, Cardoso AH (2013) Effects of pile cap thickness on the maximum scour depth at a complex pier. J Hydraul Eng ASCE 139(5):482–491. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000704

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Gao Y, Etienne S, Wang X, Tan SK (2014) Experimental study on the flow around two tandem cylinders with unequal diameters. J Ocean Univ China (Ocean Coast Sea Res) 13(5):761–777

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Gaudio R, Tafarojnoruz A, de Bartolo S (2013) Sensitivity analysis of bridge pier scour depth predictive formulae. J Hydroinform 15(3):939–951. https://doi.org/10.2166/hydro.2013.036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Hannah CR (1978) Scour at pile groups. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

    Google Scholar 

  22. Igarashi T (1981) Characteristics of the flow around two circular cylinders arranged in tandem: 1st report. Bull JSME 24(188):323–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Keshavarzi A, Melville B, Ball J (2014) Three-dimensional analysis of coherent turbulent flow structure around a single circular bridge pier. Environ Fluid Mech 14(4):821–847

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kothyari U, Kumar A (2012) Temporal variation of scour around circular compound piers. J Hydraul Eng 138:945–957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Kothyari UC, Garde RCJ, Raju KGR (1992) Temporal variation of scour around circular bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 118:1091–1106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kothyari UC, Hager WH, Oliveto G (2007) Generalized approach for clear-water scour at bridge foundation elements. J Hydraul Eng 133:1229–1240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Laursen EM, Toch A (1956) Scour around bridge piers and abutments. Bulletin No. 4. Iowa Highway Research Board, Bureau of Public Roads, Iowa

  28. Melville BW (1975) Local scour at bridge sites. School of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland

    Google Scholar 

  29. Melville BW (1997) Pier and abutment scour: integrated approach. J Hydraul Eng 123:125–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Melville BW, Chiew Y-M (1999) Time scale for local scour at bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 125:59–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Melville BW, Coleman SE (2000) Bridge scour. Water Resource Publicatians, LLC, Denver

    Google Scholar 

  32. Melville BW, Raudkivi AJ (1977) Flow characteristics in local scour at bridge piers. J Hydraul Res IAHR 15:373–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Melville BW, Sutherland AJ (1988) Design method for local scour at bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 114:1210–1226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Mia M, Nago H (2003) Design method of time-dependent local scour at circular bridge pier. J Hydraul Eng 129:420–427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Nazariha M (1996) Design relationship for maximum local scour depth for bridge pier groups. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa

  36. Oliveto G, Hager W (2002) Temporal evolution of clear-water pier and abutment scour. J Hydraul Eng 128:811–820

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Okajima A, Yasui S, Kiwata T, Kimura S (2007) Flow-induced streamwise oscillation of two circular cylinders in tandem arrangement. Int J Heat Fluid Flow 28:552–560

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Raben SG, Diplas P, Apsilidis N, Dancey CL, Vlachos PP (2010) Local scour at bridge piers: the role of reynolds number on horseshoe vortex dynamics. In: International conference on scour and erosion (ICSE-5) San Francisco, California, United States. American Society of Civil Engineers

  39. Raudkivi AJ (1998) Loose boundary hydraulics. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam

    Google Scholar 

  40. Raudkivi AJ, Ettema R (1985) Scour at cylindrical bridge piers in armored beds. J Hydraul Eng 111:713–731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Salim M, Jones JS (1998) Scour around exposed pile foundations. In: Compilation of conference papers (1991–1998), Reston, VA

  42. Sheppard D, Miller W (2006) Live-bed local pier scour experiments. J Hydraul Eng 132:635–642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Sheppard DM, Melville B, Demir H (2014) Evaluation of existing equations for local scour at bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 140:14–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Sumer BM, Bundgaard K, Fredsoe J (2005) Global and local scour at pile groups. In: Fifteenth international offshore and polar engineering conference, Seoul, Korea

  45. Sumer BM, Fredsoe J (2002) The mechanics of scour in the marine environment. Advance series on ocean engineering, Toh Tuck link. World Scientific Publishing Com. Pty, Toh Tuck Link

    Book  Google Scholar 

  46. Sumner D (2010) Two circularcylindersincross-flow:areview. J Fluid Sand Struct 26(2010):849–899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Tafarojnoruz A, Gaudio R, Grimaldi C, Calomino F (2010) Required conditions to achieve the maximum local scour depth at a circular pier. In: Proceedings of the XXXII Italian conference of hydraulics and hydraulic constructions, 14–17 September

  48. Tafarojnoruz A, Gaudio R, Calomino F (2012) Bridge pier scour mitigation under steady and unsteady flow conditions. Acta Geophys 60(4):1076–1097. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-012-0040-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Yanmaz AM, Altinbilek HD (1991) Study of time-depenbent local scour around bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 117:1247–1268

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Alireza Keshavarzi, Chij Kumar Shrestha, Hadi Khabbaz, Mohsen Ranjbar-Zahedani & James Ball

  2. Centre for Infrastructure Engineering, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia

    Alireza Keshavarzi

  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Bruce Melville

Authors
  1. Alireza Keshavarzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chij Kumar Shrestha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bruce Melville
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hadi Khabbaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mohsen Ranjbar-Zahedani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. James Ball
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alireza Keshavarzi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Keshavarzi, A., Shrestha, C.K., Melville, B. et al. Estimation of maximum scour depths at upstream of front and rear piers for two in-line circular columns. Environ Fluid Mech 18, 537–550 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-017-9572-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-017-9572-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation