Investigate Wisconsin Bridge Scour in Mobile (Alluvial) Sand-Bed Rivers

The primary objective of this research is to enhance scour prediction accuracy for bridges in Wisconsin’s mobile sand-bed rivers by developing region-specific scour envelope curves. The proposed study will address the limitations of existing scour prediction methods by incorporating Wisconsin’s unique hydraulic, geomorphic, and sedimentological conditions. By refining existing scour envelope methodologies and tailoring them to Wisconsin’s river systems, this research aims to improve scour estimation accuracy, reduce unnecessary costs, and enhance long-term bridge safety and maintenance planning. In order to provide guidance for determining the probable depth of scour under various hydraulic, geological, and structural conditions, FHWA developed Hydraulic Engineering Circular No. 18 (HEC-18): Evaluating Scour at Bridges (Richardson & Davis, 2012). HEC-18 has served as a technical standard for bridge scour analysis in the United States. It establishes a comprehensive methodology for evaluating scour at bridge foundations, including pier scour, contraction scour, and abutment scour. Additional documents are also available, including HEC-20: Stream Stability at Highway Structures (Lagasse, Schall, et al., 2001) and HEC-23: Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures (Lagasse, Zevenbergen, et al., 2001).These documents are also adopted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) as the standard procedures for bridge scour analysis. To address the limitations of HEC-18, many state DOTs (e.g., Minnesota, Iowa, New Jersey, South Carolina) have developed regional modifications or supplemental procedures to enhance scour prediction models. While many state DOTs have developed regional modifications for HEC-18, or regional scour envelope curves, Wisconsin has not yet established a dedicated set of scour envelope curves tailored to its river systems. This study seeks to refine scour prediction in Wisconsin’s rivers by supplementing HEC-18’s methodology with locally derived scour envelope curves, improving the accuracy of scour predictions and optimizing bridge foundation designs.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Sponsor Organizations:

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  Department of Urban Planning/Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation
  Milwaukee, WI  United States 
• Start Date: 20260105
• Expected Completion Date: 20290131
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Predictive models; Rivers; Scour
• Geographic Terms: Wisconsin
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01979815
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 18 2026 11:26AM