Numerical Analysis of the Influence of the Impinging Distance on the Scouring Efficiency of Submerged Jets

Water jet technology is widely used in submerged buried pipes as a non-traditional trenching process,often invol-ving a complex sediment response.An important adjustable and influential engineering variable in this technol-ogy is represented by the impinging distance.In this study,the FLOW-3D software was used to simulate the jet scouring of sand beds in a submerged environment.In particular,four sets of experimental conditions were con-sidered to discern the relationship between the maximum scour depth and mass and the impinging distance.As shown by the results,a critical impinging distance h0 exists by which the static scour depth can be maximized;the scour mass ratio between dynamic and static conditions decreases as the impinging distance increases.Moreover,the profile contours are similar when the erosion parameter Ec is in the range 0.35<Ec<2.Empirical equations applicable for predicting the jet trenching contour under both dynamic and static scour modes are also provided in this study.

Sacrificial piles as a countermeasure against local scour around underwater pipelines

Local scour around pipelines crossing rivers or in marine environments is a significant concern.It can lead to failure of the pipelines resulting in environmental side effects and economic losses.This study developed an experimental method to reduce local scour around pipelines with a steady flow of clear water by installing cylindrical and cubical sacrificial piles.Three sizes of sacrificial piles were examined in a linear arrangement.Sacrificial piles were installed on the upstream side of the pipeline at three distances.Maximum scour depth reduction rates below the pipeline were computed.The results showed that sacrificial piles could protect a pipeline from local scour.A portion of scoured sediment around the sacrificial piles was deposited beneath the pipeline.This sediment accumulation reduced the scour depth beneath the pipeline.Analysis of the experimental results demonstrated that the size of piles(d),the spacing between piles,and the distance between the pipe and piles(Xp)were the variables that reduced the maximum scour beneath the pipeline with a diameter of D.For the piles with d=0.40D and 0.64D,X_(p)=4OD was the optimal distance to install a group of piles,and cubical piles could mitigate scour more effectively than cylindrical piles under similar conditions.For the piles with d=D,the greatest reduction in scour depth was achieved at X_(p)=50D with any desired spacings between piles,and cylindrical piles in this dimension could protect the pipeline against scour more effectively than cubical piles.

Numerical study on local scour characteristics around submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Delta silty sandy soil under waves and currents

Due to their high reliability and cost-efficiency,submarine pipelines are widely used in offshore oil and gas resource engineering.Due to the interaction of waves,currents,seabed,and pipeline structures,the soil around submarine pipelines is prone to local scour,severely affecting their operational safety.With the Yellow River Delta as the research area and based on the renormalized group(RNG)k-εturbulence model and Stokes fifth-order wave theory,this study solves the Navier-Stokes(N-S)equation using the finite difference method.The volume of fluid(VOF)method is used to describe the fluid-free surface,and a threedimensional numerical model of currents and waves-submarine pipeline-silty sandy seabed is established.The rationality of the numerical model is verified using a self-built waveflow flume.On this basis,in this study,the local scour development and characteristics of submarine pipelines in the Yellow River Delta silty sandy seabed in the prototype environment are explored and the influence of the presence of pipelines on hydrodynamic features such as surrounding flow field,shear stress,and turbulence intensity is analyzed.The results indicate that(1)local scour around submarine pipelines can be divided into three stages:rapid scour,slow scour,and stable scour.The maximum scour depth occurs directly below the pipeline,and the shape of the scour pits is asymmetric.(2)As the water depth decreases and the pipeline suspension height increases,the scour becomes more intense.(3)When currents go through a pipeline,a clear stagnation point is formed in front of the pipeline,and the flow velocity is positively correlated with the depth of scour.This study can provide a valuable reference for the protection of submarine pipelines in this area.

Experimental investigation and flow analysis of clear-water scour around pier and abutment in proximity

Local scour around bridge piers and abutments is one of the most significant causes of bridge failure.Despite a plethora of studies on scour around individual bridge piers or abutments,few studies have focused on the joint impact of a pier and an abutment in proximity to one another on scour.This study conducted laboratory experiments and flow analyses to examine the interaction of piers and abutments and their effect on clear-water scour.The experiments were conducted in a rectangular laboratory flume.They included 18 main tests(with a combination of different types of piers and abutments)and five control tests(with individual piers or abutments).Three pier types(a rectangular pier with a rounded edge,a group of three cylindrical piers,and a single cylindrical pier)and two abutment types(a wingewall abutment and a semicircular abutment)were used.An acoustic Doppler velocimeter was used to measure the three-dimensional flow velocity for analyses of streamline,velocity magnitude,vertical velocity,and bed shear stress.The results showed that the velocity near the pier and abutment increased by up to 80%.The maximum scour depth around the abutment increased by up to 19%.In contrast,the maximum scour depth around the pier increased significantly by up to l71%.The presence of the pier in the vicinity of the abutment led to an increase in the scour hole volume by up to 87%relative to the case with a solitary abutment.Empirical equations were also derived to accurately estimate the maximum scour depth at the pier adjacent to the abutment.

Experimental Study of Submergence Ratio on Local Scour Around a Square Pile in Steady Flow

Scour around a submerged square pile was realized experimentally in a steady flow to study the effects of flow depth on local scour.Flow depth to pile height ratios ranging from 1.5 to 5 in uniform sand and 2 to 5 in non-uniform sand were tested in the approaching flow velocity to critical velocity(larger than which the sediment particle is motivated)ratios of 0.56 and 1.03,respectively.The influences of flow depth were investigated on the basis of analysis of the three-dimensional topography,temporal maximum scour depth,bed profile development,and equilibrium scour depth.Results showed that the maximum scour depth was at the upstream corners of the pile other than at the stagnation point.The evolutions of the maximum scour depth data in non-uniform sand were well fitted with a recent exponential function,which characterized the initial,developing,and equilibrium stages of scour depth.The scour hole slopes upstream of the pile were found to be parallel to each other in the process of each test and were mainly governed by the sediment repose underwater.The equilibrium scour depth varied slightly with flow depth when the submergence ratio was larger than 1 in uniform sand while it was 2 in non-uniform sand.The armoring effects of coarse sediment particles markedly reduced the sediment transport in non-uniform sand despite the 0.34 increment in non-uniformity.

An Innovative Approach to Predicting Scour Depth Around Foundations Under Combined Waves and Currents in Large-Scale Tests Based on Small-Scale Tests

This study presents an innovative theoretical approach to predicting the scour depth around a foundation in large-scale model tests based on small-scale model tests under combined waves and currents.In the present approach,the hydrodynamic parameters were designed based on the Froude similitude criteria.To avoid the cohesive behavior,we scaled the sediment size based on the settling velocity similarity,i.e.,the suspended load similarity.Then,a series of different scale model tests was conducted to obtain the scour depth around the pile in combined waves and currents.The fitting formula of scour depth from the small-scale model tests was used to predict the results of large-scale tests.The accuracy of the present approach was validated by comparing the prediction values with experimental data of large-scale tests.Moreover,the correctness and accuracy of the present approach for foundations with complex shapes,e.g.,the tripod foundation,was further checked.The results indicated that the fitting line from small-scale model tests slightly overestimated the experimental data of large-scale model tests,and the errors can be accepted.In general,the present approach was applied to predict the maximum or equilibrium scour depth of the large-scale model tests around single piles and tripods.

Characteristics of gully bed scour and siltation between check dams

Check dams are the most commonly used engineering measure for debris flow control worldwide.The scour and siltation characteristics between dams are important factors affecting dam design.In this study,classical dimensional analysis of the variables that influence the development of gully bed scour and siltation was carried out.Flume experiments were conducted to examine the influence characteristics of opening width,flume slope,debris flow density,and opening rate on the characteristics of gully bed scour and siltation.The influential characteristics of variables on the dimensionless scour depth,scour length,siltation length,scour volume and siltation volume were obtained.The experiments showed that,with an increase in the relative opening from 1.5 to 2.5,scour depth increased by 7.4%,scour length decreased by 11.2%,siltation length increased by 22.0%,scour volume decreased by 4.7%and siltation volume increased by 22.0%.With an increase in flume gradient from 0.105 to 0.213,scour depth,siltation length and siltation volume increased by 40.0%,65.9%and 65.9%,respectively,and scour length decreased by 20.1%.With an increase in sediment concentration from 0.303 to 0.545,siltation length and siltation volume increased by 15.4%and 15.4%,respectively,and scour depth,scour length and scour volume decreased by 9.6%,9.1%and 17.8%,respectively.As opening rate increased from 0.08 to 0.32,siltation length and siltation volume increased by 33.3%and 33.3%,respectively,and scour depth,scour length and scour volume decreased by 5.4%,13.7%and 18.4%,respectively.The results showed that the flume gradient was the most influential factor on scour depth,scour length,siltation length and siltation volume,and the sediment concentration was the most influential factor on scour volume.Then,according to the experimental data,some empirical formulas predicting scour depth,scour length,siltation length,scour volume and siltation volume were obtained.The error between the computed values according to the formulas in this paper and the observed values was within±10%.These research results may provide a technological basis for window dam design in debris flow disaster prevention and mitigation.

Full-Scale Numerical Simulation of the Local Scour Under Combined Current and Wave Conditions Based on Field Data

The monopile is the most common foundation to support offshore wind turbines.In the marine environment,local scour due to combined currents and waves is a significant issue that must be considered in the design of wind turbine foundations.In this paper,a full-scale numerical model was developed and validated based on field data from Rudong,China.The scour development around monopiles was investigated,and the effects of waves and the Reynolds number Re were analyzed.Several formulas for predicting the scour depth in the literature have been evaluated.It is found that waves can accelerate scour development even if the KC number is small(0.78<KC<1.57).The formula obtained from small-scale model tests may be unsafe or wasteful when it is applied in practical design due to the scale effect.A new equation for predicting the scour depth based on the average pile Reynolds number(Rea)is proposed and validated with field data.The equilibrium scour depth predicted using the proposed equation is evaluated and compared with those from nine equations in the literature.It is demonstrated that the values predicted from the proposed equation and from the S/M(Sheppard/Melville)equation are closer to the field data.

Large-scale experimental study on scour around offshore wind monopiles under irregular waves

The Keulegan-Carpenter(KC)number is the main dimensionless parameter that affects the local scour of offshore wind power monopile foundations.This study conducted large-scale(1:13)physical model tests to study the local scour shape,equilibrium scour depth,and local scour volume of offshore wind power monopiles under the action of irregular waves with different KC numbers.Systematic experiments were carried out with the KC number ranging from 1.0 to 13.0.With a small KC number(KC<6),and especially when the KC number was less than 4,the scour mainly occurred on both cross-flow sides of the monopile with a low scour depth.When the KC number exceeded 4,the shape of the scour hole changed from a fan to an ellipse,and the maximum scour depth increased significantly with KC.With a large KC number(KC>6),the proposed method better predicted the equilibrium scour depth when the wave broke.In addition,according to the results of three-dimensional terrain scanning,the relationship between the local equilibrium scour volume of a single offshore wind power monopile and the KC number was derived.This provided a rational method for estimation of the riprap redundancy for monopile protection against scour.

Effect of trapezoidal collars as a scour countermeasure around wing-wall abutments

Local scour around bridge abutments is a widespread problem that can result in structural failure. Collars can be used as a countermeasure to reduce the scour depth. In this study, the temporal scour development around a wing-wall abutment was investigated with and without collars. The tests were carried out under clear-water conditions for different abutment lengths, with collars of different sizes placed at the bed level. When no collar was used in the experiments, 70% of the maximum scour depth occurred in less than 2 h. However, when a collar with a width greater than the length of the abutment was used, no scour was observed for up to 200 min from the beginning of the experiments. The results show that an increase in the collar width not only led to a lag time for the onset of scouring but also reduced the maximum scour depth. Moreover, an increased collar width led to a better performance in mitigating scouring around smaller abutments. Generally, the scour depth decreased by 9%-37% with different collar widths.

Local scour at offshore windfarm monopile foundations: A review

In this article,current research findings of local scour at offshore windfarm monopile foundations are presented.The scour mechanisms and scour depth prediction formulas under different hydrodynamic conditions are summarized,including the current-only condition,wave-only condition,combined wave-current condition,and complex dynamic condition.Furthermore,this article analyzes the influencing factors on the basis of classical equations for predicting the equilibrium scour depth under specific conditions.The weakness of existing researches and future prospects are also discussed.It is suggested that future research shall focus on physical experiments under unsteady tidal currents or other complex loadings.The computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method and artificial intelligence technique are suggested being adopted to study the scour at offshore windfarm foundations.

Investigation on the Local Scour Beneath Piggyback Pipelines Under Clear-Water Conditions

A piggyback pipeline consists of two pipes such that the secondary line rides on the main pipe with a fixed distance between two pipes in length.The novel strategy is utilized in offshore areas instead of a single flow line.In this regard,there are only a handful of experimental and numerical studies investigating the effect of scour below a piggyback pipeline under steady current.Hence,this study focuses on examining the influential factors on scouring due to steady current including the pipe diameter and the gap between pipes through numerical simulations and experimental tests.Accordingly,at the first phase of the research,a single pipe was established and tested in laboratory to compare the results with those of an empirical equation.After finishing experimental verifications,piggyback pipelines were also assembled to study the scouring under steady current conditions.It was concluded that by increasing the gap distance between the pipes,the maximum scour depth decreases;however,an increase in the small pipe’s diameter results in a larger maximum scour depth.Secondly,numerical simulations were carried out using the FLOW-3D software which was found to be a suitable tool for the numerical investigation of this study.Finally,the numerical results have been compared with the corresponding experimental data and a relatively good agreement was achieved between them.

Experimental Study on the Effect of the Inclination Angle on the Scouring Efficiency of Submerged Water Jets

The effects of oblique submerged scouring jets on sand beds with various particle sizes have been studied experimentally.In particular,a total of 25 experiments have been carried out to explore the influences of the jet angle and application time on the considered submerged sand beds.Test results conducted with a specially-designed device have shown that the scouring efficiency attains a maximum when the inclination angle is in the range between 15°and 20°and then it decreases when the inclination angle becomes higher.

Multi-approach analysis of maximum riverbed scour depth above subway tunnel

When subway tunnels are routed underneath rivers, riverbed scour may expose the structure, with potentially severe consequences. Thus, it is important to identify the maximum scour depth to ensure that the designed buried depth is adequate. There are a range of methods that may be applied to this problem, including the fluvial process analysis method, geological structure analysis method, scour formula method, scour model experiment method, and numerical simulation method. However, the application ranges and forecasting precision of these methods vary considerably. In order to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of the different methods, a subway tunnel passing underneath a river was selected, and the aforementioned five methods were used to forecast the maximum scour depth. The fluvial process analysis method was used to characterize the river regime and evolution trend, which were the baseline for examination of the scour depth of the riverbed. The results obtained from the scour model experiment and the numerical simulation methods are reliable; these two methods are suitable for application to tunnel projects passing underneath rivers. The scour formula method was less accurate than the scour model experiment method; it is suitable for application to lower risk projects such as pipelines. The results of the geological structure analysis had low precision; the method is suitable for use as a secondary method to assist other research methods. To forecast the maximum scour depth of the riverbed above the subway tunnel, a combination of methods is suggested, and the appropriate analysis method should be chosen with respect to the local conditions.

Effect of synthetic fibers on resisting scour caused by horizontal jet

Given that the development of scour downstream of hydraulic structures increases the risk of structural damage,it is important to find cost-effective and environmental approaches to reduce this risk.This study aimed to experimentally evaluate the effect of synthetic fibers on the scour profile downstream of a sluice gate with a rigid apron.Experiments were performed with the same Froude number and with different weight percentages of synthetic fibers on both non-cohesive and cohesive sediments.One uniform sand was used as the non-cohesive sediment,and three different cohesive sediments were prepared by mixing different percentages of kaolinite soil with the used sand.The scouring experiments showed that the presence of synthetic fibers did not considerably affect the scour hole dimension in non-cohesive sediments.Evaluation of the scour in the cohesive sediments in silty sand(SM)texture found that an increase in the percentage of silt reduced the scour hole dimensions.The effect of synthetic fibers on scour of SM-texture-based sediments was also investigated,and the results showed that increasing the percentage of synthetic fibers decreased the scour hole dimensions.In addition,the cohesive sediments in SM texture did not have a similar non-dimensional scour profile,and the presence of synthetic fibers did not significantly affect the scour hole.

Probabilistic Quantile Regression-Based Scour Estimation Considering Foundation Widths and Flood Conditions

Scour has been widely accepted as a key reason for bridge failures.Bridges are susceptible and sensitive to the scour phenomenon,which describes the loss of riverbed sediments around the bridge supports because of flow.The carrying capacity of a deep-water foundation is influenced by the formation of a scour hole,which means that a severe scour can lead to a bridge failure without warning.Most of the current scour predictions are based on deterministic models,while other loads at bridges are usually provided as probabilistic values.To integrate scour factors with other loads in bridge design and research,a quantile regression model was utilized to estimate scour depth.Field data and experimental data from previous studies were collected to build the model.Moreover,scour estimations using the HEC-18 equation and the proposed method were compared.By using the“CCC(Calculate,Confirm,and Check)”procedure,the probabilistic concept could be used to calculate various scour depths with the targeted likelihood according to a specified chance of bridge failure.The study shows that with a sufficiently large and continuously updated database,the proposed model could present reasonable results and provide guidance for scour mitigation.

Effect of Mutual Interference of Bridge Piers on Scouring in Meandering Channel

Local scour is the reduction of original bed level around any hydraulic structure.Bridge failure due to scouring has made researchers study the cause of scouring and predict the scour depth and pattern around bridge piers and foundations.Several investigators have extensively studied local scour around isolated bridge pier,but modern designs of the bridges comprise of wide span and thus group of piers rather than a single pier.The flow and scour pattern around group of piers are different from the case of a single pier due to the interaction effect.The objective of present study is to investigate the effect of mutual interference of bridge piers on local scour experimentally around two piers in non-cohesive bed.Experiments were carried out on model bridge piers of circular cross section in a meandering channel.It was observed that when front and rear piers were placed at an angular displacement ofθ=40°and 80°respectively,maximum depth of scour is maximum.Hereθis the angle the line drawn at the inlet of bend to the line joining the centre of curvature and any point on the outer portion of the bend.

Experimental Study on Local Scour Around Bridge Piers in Tidal Current

Local scour around a bridge pier is an important parameter for the design of a bridge. Compared with the local scour in a mono-directional current, the local scour in a tidal current has its unique characteristics. In this paper, several aspects of local scour around bridge piers in tidal current, including the scour development process, the plane form of a scour hole and the maximum scour depth, are studied through movable bed flume experiments.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Local Scour Around Submarine Piggyback Pipeline Under Steady Current

As a new type of submarine pipeline, the piggyback pipeline has been gradually adopted in engineering practice to enhance the performance and safety of submarine pipelines. However, limited simulation work and few experimental studies have been published on the scour around the piggyback pipeline under steady current. This study numerically and experimentally investigates the local scour of the piggyback pipe under steady current. The influence of prominent factors such as pipe diameter, inflow Reynolds number, and gap between the main and small pipes, on the maximum scour depth have been examined and discussed in detail. Furthermore, one formula to predict the maximum scour depth under the piggyback pipeline has been derived based on the theoretical analysis of scour equilibrium. The feasibility of the proposed formula has been effectively calibrated by both experimental data and numerical results. The findings drawn from this study are instructive in the future design and application of the piggyback pipeline.

Effects of riverbed scour on seismic performance of high-rise pile cap foundation

To explore the seismic performance of a high-rise pile cap foundation with riverbed scour, a finite element model for foundations is introduced in the OpenSees finite element framework. In the model, a fiber element is used to simulate the pile shaft, a nonlinear p-y element is used to simulate the soil-pile interaction, and the p-factor method is used to reflect the group effects. A global and local scour model is proposed, in which two parameters, the scour depth of the same row of piles and the difference in the scour depth of the upstream pile and the downstream pile, are included to study the influence of scour on the foundation. Several elasto-plastic static pushover analyses are performed on this finite element model. The analysis results indicate that the seismic capacity （or supply） of the foundation is in the worst condition when the predicted deepest global scout depth is reached, and the capacity becomes larger when the local scour depth is below the predicted deepest global scout depth. Therefore, to evaluate the seismic capacity of a foundation, only the predicted deepest global scout depth should be considered. The method used in this paper can be also applied to foundations with other soil types.