Resilience Program: Preliminary Investigation of Bridge Scour Countermeasure and Mitigation Strategies in Virginia

Scour, the erosion of material from stream beds and banks due to flowing water, poses a significant threat to transportation infrastructure integrity, particularly around bridge piers and abutments, where it is a primary cause of damage and failure in bridges in the United States. While steady scour under typical flow conditions allows for monitoring and maintenance, rapid erosion during flood events can lead to infrastructure failure with limited warning. Despite extensive engineering-driven research, limited field data and focus on large bridges have left smaller infrastructures vulnerable. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommends monitoring and implementing scour countermeasures, but existing techniques lack standardized evaluation and approval. Variability in topography and geology across regions complicates the selection of effective countermeasures. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) faces increasing scour-related challenges but lacks specific procedures to address them. Therefore, a comprehensive study is crucial for VDOT to identify effective scour countermeasures adaptable to diverse topographies across Virginia's districts.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $174,173.00
• Contract Numbers:

  124060-RC00175

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Virginia Transportation Research Council

  530 Edgemont Road
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22903
• Performing Organizations:

  Virginia Transportation Research Council

  530 Edgemont Road
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22903
• Principal Investigators:

  Behravan, Amir

  Hoppe, Edward

• Start Date: 20240425
• Expected Completion Date: 20260430
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge management systems; Bridge piers; Erosion control; Floods; Scour
• Geographic Terms: Virginia
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01951189
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Virginia Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 124060-RC00175
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 10 2025 9:13AM