Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Three-dimensional analysis of coherent turbulent flow structure around a single circular bridge pier

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Fluid Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The coherent turbulent flow around a single circular bridge pier and its effects on the bed scouring pattern is investigated in this study. The coherent turbulent flow and associated shear stresses play a major role in sediment entrainment from the bed particularly around a bridge pier where complex vortex structures exist. The conventional two-dimensional quadrant analysis of the bursting process is unable to define sediment entrainment, particularly where fully three-dimensional flow structures exist. In this paper, three-dimensional octant analysis was used to improve understanding of the role of bursting events in the process of particle entrainment. In this study, the three-dimensional velocity of flow was measured at 102 points near the bed of an open channel using an Acoustic Doppler Velocity meter (Micro-ADV). The pattern of bed scouring was measured during the experiment. The velocity data were analysed using the Markov process to investigate the sequential occurrence of bursting events and to determine the transition probability of the bursting events. The results showed that external sweep and internal ejection events were an effective mechanism for sediment entrainment around a single circular bridge pier. The results are useful in understanding scour patterns around bridge piers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lu JY, Shi ZZ, Hong JH, Lee JJ, Raikar RV (2011) Temporal variation of scour depth at nonuniform cylindrical piers. J Hydraul Eng 137(1):45–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Melville BW, Coleman SE (2000) Bridge scour. Water Resources Publications, Highlands Ranch

    Google Scholar 

  3. Richardson E.V., Davies S.R. (1995) Evaluating scour at bridges. Rep. No. FHWAIP-90-017 (HEC 18), Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C

  4. Chang WY, Lai JS, Yen CL (2004) Evolution of scour depth at circular bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 130(9):905–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Raudkivi AJ, Ettema R (1983) Clear water scour at cylindrical piers. J Hydraul Eng 109(3):338–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Tsutsui T (2008) Fluid force acting on a cylindrical pier standing in a scour. Bluff Bodies Aerodynamics & Applications, Milano, Italy, BBAA VI International Colloquium, July 20–24

  7. Melville BW, Chiew YM (1999) Time scale for local scour at bridge piers. J Hydraul Eng 125(1):59–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Morton B.R., Evans-Lopez J.L. (1986) Horseshoe vortices and bridge pier erosion. \(9^{\rm th}\) Australian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Auckland, 8–12 December

  9. Kirkil G, Constantinescu G (2008) Coherent structures in the flow field around a circular cylinder with scour hole. J Hydraul Eng 134(5):572–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Dargahi B (1989) The turbulent flow field around a circular cylinder. Exp Fluids 8:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Melville BW, Raudkivi AJ (1977) Flow characteristics in local scour at bridge piers. J Hydraul Res 15(1):373–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ettema R, Kirkil G, Muste M (2006) Similitude of large-scale turbulence in experiments on local scour at cylinders. J Hydraul Eng 132(1):33–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sumer BM, Fredsoe J (2002) The mechanics of scour in the marine environment. World Scientific, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  14. Unger J, Hager WH (2007) Down flow and horseshoe vortex characteristics of sediment embedded bridge piers. Exp Fluids 42:1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kline SJ, Reynolds WC, Schraub FA, Runstadler PW (1967) The structure of turbulent boundary layers. J Fluid Mech 30(4):741–743

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hussain AKMF (1983) Coherent structures: reality and myth. Phys Fluids 26:2816–2838

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Keshavarzi A, Gheisi AR (2006) Stochastic nature of three-dimensional bursting events and sediment entrainment in vortex chamber. J Stochast Environ Res Risk Assess 21(1):75–87

    Google Scholar 

  18. Offen GR, Kline SJ (1975) A proposed model of the bursting process in turbulent boundary layers. J Fluid Mech 70:209–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Roy AG, Buffin-Belanger T, Lamarre H, Kirkbride AD (2004) Size, shape and dynamics of large-scale turbulent flow structures in a gravel-bed river. J Fluid Mech 500:1–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ganapathisubramani B, Hutchins N, Hambleton WT, Longmire EK, Marusic I (2005) Investigation of large-scale coherence in a turbulent boundary layer using two-point correlations. J Fluid Mech 524:57–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wohl EE (2000) Mountain rivers. American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC

    Book  Google Scholar 

  22. Dey S, Bose SK, Sastry GLN (1995) Clear water scour at circular piers: a model. J Hydraul Eng 121(12):869–876

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Thorne PD, Williams JJ, Heathershaw AD (1989) In situ acoustic measurements of marine gravel threshold and transport. Sedimentology 36:61–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Townsend AA (1976) The structure of turbulent shear flow. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  25. Nezu I, Nakagawa H (1993) Turbulence in open-channel flows, International Association for Hydraulic Research (IAHR). Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  26. Bridge JS, Bennett SJ (1992) A model for entrainment and transport of sediment grains of mixed sizes, shapes and densities. Water Resour Res 28(2):337–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Keshavarzi A, Ball JE (1997) An analysis of the characteristics of rough bed turbulent shear stress in an open channel flow. J Stochast Hydrol Hydraul 11(3):193–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Nakagawa H, Nezu I (1977) Prediction of the contributions to the Reynolds stress from bursting events in open-channel flows. J Fluid Mech 80(1):99–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Grass AJ (1971) Structural features of turbulent flow over smooth and rough boundaries. J Fluid Mech 50(2):233–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Nychas SG, Hershey HC, Brodkey RS (1973) A visual study of turbulent shear flow. J Fluid Mech 61:513–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Keshavarzi A, Ball J, Nabavi H (2012) Frequency pattern of turbulent flow and sediment entrainment over ripples using image processing. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 16:147–156. doi:10.5194/hess-16-147

  32. Keshavarzi A., Shirvani A. (2002) Probability analyses of instantaneous shear stress and entrained particles from the bed, CSCE/EWRI of ASCE Environmental Engineering Conference, Niagara Falls

  33. Nelson JM, Shreve RL, Mclean SR, Drake TG (1995) Role of near-bed turbulence structure in bed load transport and bed form mechanics. Water Resour Res 31(8):2071–2086

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Drake TG, Shreve RL, Dietrich WE, Whiting PJ, Leopold LB (1988) Bed load transport of fine gravel observed by motion picture photography. J Fluid Mech 192:193–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Keshavarzi A, Ball JE (1999) An application of image processing in the study of sediment motion. J Hydraul Res 37(4):559–576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Cuthbertson AJS, Ervine DA (2005) Experimental study of fine particle settling in turbulent open channel flows over rough porous beds. J Hydraul Eng 133(8):905–916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Marchioli C, Soldati A (2002) Mechanisms for particle transfer and segregation in a turbulent boundary layer. J Fluid Mech 468:283–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Dwivedi A, Melville B, Shamseldin AY (2010) Hydrodynamic forces generated on a spherical sediment particle during entrainment. J Hydraul Eng 136(10):756–769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Dwivedi A, Melville B, Shamseldin AY, Guha TK (2011) Flow structures and hydrodynamic force during sediment entrainment. Water Resour Res 47:W01509. doi:10.1029/2010WR009089

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Raudkivi AJ (1998) Loose boundary hydraulics. A. A Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  41. Sontek ADV Operation Manual (1997) Firmware version 4.0. Sontek, San Diego.

  42. Goring DG, Nikora VI (2002) Despiking acoustic Doppler velocimeter data. J Hydraul Eng 128(1):117–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Wahl T (2002) Discussion on despiking acoustic Doppler velocimeter bata by Goring and Nikora. J Hydraul Eng 129(6):484–487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Dargahi B (1990) Controlling mechanism of local scouring. J Hydraul Eng 116(10):1197–1214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Devenport WJ, Simpson RL (1990) Time-dependent and time averaged turbulence structure near the nose of a wing-body junction. J Fluid Mech 210:23–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Simpson RL (2001) Junction flows. Annu Rev Fluid Mech 33:415–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Graf WH, Istiarto I (2002) Flow pattern in the scour hole around a cylinder. J Hydraul Res 40(1):13–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Duan JG, He L, Wang GQ, Fu XD (2011) Turbulent bursts around an experimental spur dike. Int J Sedim Res 26(4):471–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Jafari Mianaei S, Keshavarzi A (2008) Spatio-temporal variation of transition probability of bursting events over the ripples at the bed of open channel. J Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 22(2):257–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Jafari Mianaei S, Keshavarzi A (2010) Study of near bed stochastic turbulence and sediment entrainment over the ripples at the bed of open channel using image processing technique. J Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 24(5):591–598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Papanicolaou AN, Diplas P, Evaggelopoulos N, Fotopoulos S (2002) Stochastic incipient motion criterion for spheres under various bed packing conditions. J Hydraul Eng 128(4):369–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Esfahani F, Keshavarzi A (2011) Effect of different meander curvatures on spatial variation of coherent turbulent flow structure inside ingoing multi-bend river meanders. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 25:913–928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Esfahani F, Keshavarzi A (2013) Dynamic mechanism of turbulent flow in meandering channels: considerations for deflection angle. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 27:1093–1114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Liu X, Bai Y (2013) Three-dimensional bursting phenomena in meander channel. Trans Tianjin Univ 19:17–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Breusers HNC, Nicollet G, Shen HW (1977) Local scour around cylindrical piers. J Hydraul Res 15(3):211–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Keshavarzi A (1997) Entrainment of sediment particles from a fixed bed with the influence of near-wall turbulence. PhD Thesis, University of New South Wales, Australia.

  57. Kumar A, Kothyari UC (2012) Three-Dimensional flow characteristics within the scour hole around circular uniform and compound piers. J Hydraul Eng 138(5):420–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, F.E.I.T., University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia

    Alireza Keshavarzi & James Ball

  2. Water Department, Shiraz University, Shiraz , 7144, Iran

    Alireza Keshavarzi

  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Bruce Melville

Authors
  1. Alireza Keshavarzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bruce Melville
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. James Ball
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alireza Keshavarzi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Keshavarzi, A., Melville, B. & Ball, J. Three-dimensional analysis of coherent turbulent flow structure around a single circular bridge pier. Environ Fluid Mech 14, 821–847 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-013-9332-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-013-9332-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation