Investigation of Riprap Pattern in the Vicinity of Bridge Piers Group

Ripraps are placed around bridge piers to prevent scour and secure the piers from failure. Proper riprap cover is essential to be economical. The present study examines using of riprap for reduction of local scour in piers group and the results are compared with data from riprap on a single pier. The models consist of two and three circular-shaped piers in line with the flow, with the diameter of 0.02 m and pier spacing of twice and four times the pier diameter. Four uniform riprap sizes with the diameters of 2.86, 3.67, 4.38 and 5.18 mm were used to cover the piers. The results showed that the effect of wake vortices formed at the downstream side of piers group was decreased as compared with single pier. The reinforcing and sheltering effects caused 31% decrease in front pier and 60% increase in back pier, respectively, for the length of cover riprap. The reinforcing and sheltering effects were decreased by increasing pier spacing, but the riprap pattern was not affected. In triple piers group, scour depth in the second pier was less than the first pier and in the third pier was less than the first and second piers. In double and triple piers group, the sheltering effect reduced the scour depth (46% and 54%, respectively) in the back pier with respect to the single pier. Reduction of dimensions in scour hole of back pier in triple piers group was 67% with respect to double piers group, which is the result of sheltering effect of first and second piers. The best shape for the riprap was semi-oval. The riprap length in double and triple piers group was reduced by 31% and 37.5%, respectively, as compared with the single pier.