Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Flow Characteristics Around Complex Bridge Piers in Different Geometries

Abstract

The flow parameters through complex-type bridge piers configured in various geometries were explored and compared in this work using dye visualisation and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. The Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) technique based on the SST k omega model has been chosen to investigate the flow characteristics around complex bridge piers, and time-averaged normalised mean streamwise velocity, time-averaged normalised mean cross-stream velocity, time-averaged normalised mean pressure, time-averaged normalised mean Reynolds shear stress, time-averaged normalised mean y vorticity, time-averaged normalised mean z vorticity, and drag coefficient have been selected as parameters for this study. According to the study’s findings, when the time-averaged normalised mean streamwise velocity component of all complex bridge piers was examined, the pile sections had the highest values. Drag coefficients have been sorted from low to high when comparing complex bridge piers in all geometries such as elliptical, circular, rectangular, and square. Article Highlights Flow characteristics around complex bridge piers Dye visualisation experiments and CFD method with DES based on the SST k omega model Drag Coefficients of complex bridge piers