Scour around spur dikes and bridge abutments

Abstract Realistic estimation of scour depth around spur dikes and bridge abutments in alluvial rivers is important for safe and economic design of their foundations. Procedures have been developed by previous investigators for determination of design scour depth in steady flows at abutments and spur dikes by making use of the design discharge. However, the time required by the design discharge to scour to its full potential is generally much larger than the time for which it runs. Therefore, computations on temporal variation of scour depth are also important for design purposes. Scour processes at bridge piers, abutments and spur dikes have been found to be similar except that the boundary layer effect induced by the channel wall upstream of the abutment or spur dike causes less scour around these as compared to the case of piers. In the present study, therefore, the concept of an analogous pier is developed. The analogous pier would have the same equilibrium scour depth as the given abutment or spur dike under similar hydraulic conditions. The parameters relating to drag due to flow around abutment/ spur dike and bridge pier have been found to be useful in establishing a relationship for the diameter of the analogous pier. The temporal variation of scour depth and the equilibrium scour depth at the spur dike and the abutment are then computed using pier scour equations with size of the analogous pier being taken as the pier diameter. Results obtained are verified using laboratory data of several investigators for both clear-water and live-bed scour conditions.