Author(s): T. Chaturyya; Amrendra Maurya; Ellora Padhi; Shivakumar Khaple

Linked Author(s):

Keywords: Bridge pier; Local scour; Scour countermeasure; Splitter plate; Turbulent flow

Abstract: In this study, an experimental campaign was carried out to understand the effects of the splitter plate on the flow characteristics around the bridge pier. In doing so, the flow velocity was measured around the bridge pier with and without a splitter plate. In both cases, the flow characteristics were measured using Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry, keeping the rest of the hydraulic properties of the channel the same. Various flow characteristics such as time-averaged velocity, Reynolds shear stress (RSS), Reynolds normal stress (RNS), and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) have been calculated, and the results were compared with the non-splitter plate environment. The results indicate that the use of splitter plate at the upstream vertical plane of the pier deflected the approach flow and thus weakened the strengths of the downflow and the horseshoe vortex, therefore instrumental in reducing the equilibrium scour depth at the pier. From the velocity profile, it was observed that close to the pier, a flow recirculation zone was created and propagates downstream. However, for the pier with a splitter plate, the extension of the recirculatory zone is smaller than that of the pier without splitter plate. Further, comparing both cases, it was revealed that the presence of a splitter plate significantly reduces the magnitude of RSS, RNS, and TKE profiles along the longitudinal direction than those without splitter plate conditions. This signifies that the splitter plate attached to the bridge pier had not only reduced the scour depth but also drastically altered the flow and its characteristics.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/978-90-833476-1-5_iahr40wc-p0609-cd

Year: 2023