Abstract
This study attempts to reduce scour depth due to localised scour around a bridge pier by introducing Epoxidised Natural Rubber Alumina Nanoparticles (ENRAN) sheet acting as bridge pier sheathing. The performance of the ENRAN sheet was assessed based on the configuration of slots and by roughening with 1 cm diameter spheres. Experiments were conducted with pier shapes of cylindrical, square, and rectangular using a fixed sediment bed with median grain size (600 µm). Coarser slot spatial arrangement is more efficient in reducing 17% scour depth (from the non-sheathed pier), whereas closer placement of the roughened element has better performance up to 27%. Experiments were extended to investigate the combined slotted-roughened configuration, where higher scour reduction (35%) was observed, even for a rectangular shape. Not only the flexibility of the ENRAN sheet allows for installation for any pier shape, but also it’s durable characteristics proved ENRAN as an attractive method, providing self-protection to the bridge pier to minimise scouring.
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