Author(s): J. A. Vasquez; B. W. Walsh
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: We report the qualitative simulations of local scour in complex bridge piers under tidal flow using the commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model Flow-3D. The model was applied to compute the initial stages of scour development in a complex pier made of a large pile cap and 10 cylindrical piles. Flow-3D was able to correctly reproduce the expected interaction between the piles. The CFD model was also applied to simulate scour in a 3-pile group under tidal flow reversal. The results were in qualitative agreement with measurements reported in the literature, demonstrating that Flow-3D has potential as a hydraulic design tool for complex piers under various flow conditions.
Year: 2009