Experimental Study on the Influence of New Permeable Spur Dikes on Local Scour of Navigation Channel

Abstract

The depths and areas of the scour holes around spur dikes are the most concerning issues regarding spur dike design. In this study, using a moving bed experiment, the influence of traditional rock-fill spur dikes and new permeable spur dikes with different permeabilities on riverbed scour under unsteady flow was studied, and the spatial characteristics of scour holes at dike heads were analyzed. The results show that with increases in the permeability coefficient of the spur dike, the depth and area of the scour hole at the dike head gradually decreases; however, when the permeability coefficient is more than 17.6%, the depth and area of the scour hole downstream of the dike body increases with an increase in the permeability coefficient. According to comprehensive evaluation, when the water permeability is 17.6%, the stability of the spur dike is at its best. The maximum depth of the scour hole at the dike head is affected by factors such as the spur dike permeability coefficient, effective scouring time, and width bottom protection structure. On this basis, a new formula for calculating the maximum depth of the scour hole at a dike head is proposed. These research results will be beneficial to the reliability of spur dikes and the sustainability of navigation channels.