Eighty-three on-site measurements of local scour at bridge pierswere gathered from both published and unpublished sources and analyzed using multiple regression analysis to obtain local scour prediction equations. This investigation differs from most previous studiesof scour at bridge piers because only on-site measurements were used. The regression analysis provides a probability statement about the distribution of the prediction, from which an upper confidence limit of the depth of local scour can be determined. An upper confidence limit having an appropriate exceedence probability can be used fordesign of bridge pier foundations to provide a desired factor of safety. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1290, Third bridge engineering conference, march 10-13, 1991, denver, colorado, volume 2.
Abstract