Scour protection at bridge piers / Mohd. Fadzli Harun

One of the problem that arises during the lifetime of a bridge so far, as the foundations are considered is the undermining due to scour at the bridge pier. The scour when it is excessive can cause unequal settlement of foundation or leave part of the structure unsupported due to undermining and thus cause structural failure. Protecting or limiting extent of local scour around bridge piers is a matter of great interest. Usually designer should make a choice between deep and shallow foundations. The choice is greatly influenced by economy of the project, local geological conditions of the river and flow characteristics. By far, the most commonly used method of protection is to provide loose apron over the area susceptible to scour. As the scour develops, the coarse material covers the sides of the scour hole, thereby paving it and preventing further scour. Several methods of scour protection at bridge piers have been studied and analysed. The most effective and useful method of scour protection to be used, depends on its design and economic criteria.