Work

Potential of roughening geometric elements as bridge pier local scour countermeasures

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The safety of bridges can be endangered by sediment erosion occurring around bridge piers. To mitigate this issue, this study examined the use of different roughening geometric elements (RGEs) on the upstream surface of bridge piers. Keeping the clear-water conditions, laboratory experiments were conducted using five RGEs and their one-to-one ten combinations, along with two square pier dimensions, and three separate flow water depths. To evaluate the performance of the RGE piers, a case of an unprotected pier was also tested. Although the use of RGEs caused an elongated scour pit length of up to 8% upstream of the bridge piers, they proved to be successful in decreasing the maximum scour depth (35%), upstream gradient of scour pit (38%), scour pit surface area (16.34%), and volume of the scour pit (27.34%) upstream of the pier when compared to piers without protection.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-92410-0

Authors: Aziz Ahmad, Mujahid Khan, Muhammad Ajmal, Sadaf Sher, Muhammad Waseem, Faisal Baig

Institutions: University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, United Arab Emirates University

Language: English

Topic: Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690