Experimental study of debris-induced scour around a slotted bridge pier

One of the most common problems for river engineers is the accumulation of waterborne debris upstream of the bridge piers. In addition to reducing the cross-sectional flow area, debris increases the drag force exerted to the pier and contributes to scour. Several studies have been carried out by previous researchers to examine the usefulness of different types of countermeasures. The effectiveness of these countermeasures is not well understood when debris accumulation occurs. In this study, the effect of debris accumulation on the efficiency of a bridge pier slot, as scour countermeasure, is investigated experimentally. A total of 54 experiments were carried out under different hydraulic and debris geometrical conditions. The results showed that slots were effective in protecting bridge piers against scouring in presence of debris. Depending on the debris shape, the reduction efficiency may increase or decrease for a slotted pier in presence of debris accumulation when compared to the standard pier conditions without debris accumulation. Except for the inverse pyramid shape, the maximum scour is generally more reduced due to sheltering effect when the debris is located on the bed. While debris accumulation can lead to a reduction of the slot efficiency, the slot can be considered a reliable countermeasure against scouring. The outcome of this study can help the design of new bridges affected by large wood debris accumulations.