1D and 2D Hydraulic Modeling to Estimate Bridge Scour: A Case Study

Abstract

Scour is the effect of erosion of soil surrounding a bridge foundation due to fast-flowing water. This dynamic phenomenon can be categorized as the most common cause of bridge failures. Therefore, scour depth at piers and abutments should be estimated during the preliminary bridge design phase. This project will compare scour depth values for an existing bridge’s foundation applying 1D and 2D hydraulic modeling. The bridge to be evaluated is located in the Municipality of San Germán, Puerto Rico and crosses the Rosario River. The 1D hydraulic model was performed using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s computer program, Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System, and for the 2D hydraulic model, the community version of Surface-water Modeling System from Aquaveo was used. The result of this project indicates that the use of 2D hydraulic models is the best approach to estimate scour depth in bridges. Key Terms ⎯ Bridges, HEC-RAS, Hydraulic Modeling, Scour, SMS