Journal article
Field-Scale Numerical Investigation of Flow and Bed Stresses at a Bridge Site: Effects of Piers and Pressure–Flow with Deck Overtopping
Journal of hydraulic engineering (New York, N.Y.), Vol.151(6), 05025003
11/01/2025
DOI: 10.1061/JHEND8.HYENG-14119
Abstract
Detached Eddy Simulations (DES) with deformable free surface are used to analyze the three-dimensional flow fields and the bed shear stresses at a multiple-pier bridge in a river reach with natural bathymetry. The bed shear stresses and the dynamics of coherent structures are analyzed for different flow regimes (free surface and pressure flow with deck overtopping) and different scenarios, which include the removal of some of the piers and/or the bridge deck. Using data from this full-scale case study, the paper discusses how the presence of pressurized flow beneath the bridge deck and the proximity of piers affect the scour potential. In the present case study, the contraction caused by adjacent piers has a minor effect, since piers are relatively thin and far from each other. The bed shear stresses and the erosion potential are found to be more than twice larger when the flow is pressurized compared with the corresponding simulation in which the bridge deck is removed. When the flow is pressurized, the piers have small effects on the erosive capacity of flow; hence, for relatively high flow conditions, pressure scour is dominant compared to local and contraction scour. The results from DES are also compared with those obtained using the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approach. The mean flow field and mean bed shear stresses are fairly close to each other, particularly for pressurized-flow conditions at the bridge deck. Simulation results show that in regions with large-scale coherent structures, RANS computations underestimate the turbulent kinetic energy and, in turn, the fluctuations of bed shear stress that play a role in local scouring.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Field-Scale Numerical Investigation of Flow and Bed Stresses at a Bridge Site: Effects of Piers and Pressure–Flow with Deck Overtopping
- Creators
- Tommaso Lazzarin - University of PaduaGeorge Constantinescu - University of IowaDaniele P. Viero - University of Padua
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of hydraulic engineering (New York, N.Y.), Vol.151(6), 05025003
- DOI
- 10.1061/JHEND8.HYENG-14119
- ISSN
- 0733-9429
- eISSN
- 1943-7900
- Publisher
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- Grant note
- CARIPARO foundationA. Gini foundation for the research period at IIHR Hydroscience and Engineering, University of IowaRETURN Extended Partnership - European Union Next-GenerationEU: D.D. 1243 2/8/2022, PE0000005
Autorita Distrettuale di Bacino del Po is acknowledged for the bathymetric survey. Autostrade per l'Italia S.p.A. is acknowledged for providing the technical design of the bridge. T.L. was sponsored by a scholarship provided by the CARIPARO foundation and by a scholarship provided by the A. Gini foundation for the research period at IIHR Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Iowa. T.L. and D.P.V. were supported by the RETURN Extended Partnership funded by the European Union Next-GenerationEU (National Recovery and Resilience Plan-NRRP, Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.3-D.D. 1243 2/8/2022, PE0000005).
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/01/2025
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984865435402771
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