Revised Clear-Water and Live-Bed Contraction Scour Analysis
Bridge waterways commonly narrow or constrict natural channels, forcing water to flow through a
contracted area, thereby increasing the magnitudes of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy of flow
passing through the waterway. If these increases cause erosion of the waterway boundaries, the contracted
section may scour.
The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's
NCHRP Research Report 971:
Revised Clear-Water and Live-Bed Contraction Scour Analysis
develops live-bed and clear-water contraction scour equations suitable for use in risk-based
bridge design encompassing a wide range of hydraulic conditions, including varying contraction ratios.
Supplemental to the report is
NCHRP Web-Only Document 294: Revised Clear-Water and Live-Bed Contraction Scour Analysis Training Manual
and a
Presentation.
This Summary Last Modified On: 7/16/2021