Risk reduction measures of large wood accumulations at bridges

Abstract

Bridges with and without piers are prone to large wood (LW) accumulations during floods, possibly resulting in an upstream backwater rise, local scour, or destabilization of the structure. To reduce the flood hazard, measures are required that decrease the accumulation probability p of LW. This paper presents a literature review on existing measures to reduce p at bridges. In addition, a series of flume experiments was conducted to examine structural measures at bridge piers regarding their accumulation risk reduction effect. The objective was to test the efficiency of (1) LW fins and (2) bottom sills including various configurations. The resulting p was then compared to the setup without measures. The tested configurations of a LW fin did not decrease p. Bottom sills, in contrast, are a promising measure to reduce p for a defined range of boundary conditions. The installed sills lead to enhanced turbulence and increased surface waves. The best results to reduce p were obtained with two consecutive sills, leading to an average reduction of p by 30%. In contrast to retaining LW with retention structures, LW can be safely guided downstream, thereby preserving its relevant ecological role in rivers. However, the efficiency of bottom sills strongly depends on the approach flow and the sediment transport conditions.