Experimental studies of the kinematics flow and bottom’s reformations in the area of bridge pier during the construction of the bridge crossing

The results of laboratory modeling of bottom reformations in the area of bridge pier crossing over water barriers are presented. The basics of hydraulic modeling are described taking into account the similarity criteria. The flow around a rectangular box (tongued-and-grooved protection of a constructed pier) is experimentally studied, the pattern of erosion if an ice-cutter device is installed in front of the box in the form of a triangle directed at an acute angle towards the flow is considered. The structure of the bottom relief in the vicinity of the tongued-and-grooved box is experimentally studied under the conditions of the bottom erosion. Two cycles of experiments were performed for different values of the flow depth and specific discharge of water. Localization and quantitative characteristics of washouts and alleviation of sandy soil in the vicinity of the streamlined design are established. It is noted that the main mechanism for the formation of the bottom relief is a horseshoe vortex at the base of the pier. A stagnation zone is formed inside the horseshoe. In the absence of an ice cutter, the main zones of soil erosion occur in the corners of the frontal bezel of the box, alluvium forms in the rear unit of the design. By installing an ice-cutter device in front of the box, the erosion zones move to the vicinity of the corners lying at the base of the triangular ice-cutter facing the box. The alluvium remains in the wake of the box. At the same time, the absolute values of the erosion depth and the height of the alluvium under installing the ice-cutter close to the box are reduced. The data of velocity measurements on the free surface and in the flow thickness are also given.