Study on the mechanics of riprap failure at bridge pier / Fuziah Abd Rahim

One of the engineering method to protect bridge pier is placing riprap stones around the bridge pier. This study aims to investigate the stability of the riprap layer around a cylindrical bridge pier. Experiments was conducted in the Hydraulic Laboratory, MARA Institute of Technology, Shah Alam. A series of flume experiment was conducted to simulate the effect of scour to the bridge pier and hence looks at the effectiveness of riprap as protection. The experimental data shows three mode of failure, they are riprap shear failure, riprap winnowing failure and riprap edge failure. The study shows the modes of mechanical failure of the riprap layer have a relationship with the riprap thickness and cover.