A Technique for Preliminary Appraisal of Potential and Observed Scour As Applied to State-Maintained Highway Bridges in Maryland
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A TECHNIQUE FOR PRELIMINARY APPRAISAL OF POTENTIAL AND OBSERVED SCOUR AS APPLIED TO STATE-MAINTAINED HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN MARYLAND By Edward J. Doheny, Bernard M. Helinsky, and Ronald A. McGregor U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 95-135 Prepared in cooperation with the MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION Towson, Maryland 1996 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey, WRD U.S. Geological Survey 208 Carroll Building Branch of Information Services 8600 La Salle Road Box 25286 Towson,MD21286 Denver, CO 80225-0286 CONTENTS Glossary.................................................................................................^^^ Abstract............................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction......................................................................................._^ Purpose and scope.......................................................................................................................................2 Related studies.............................................................................................................................................3 General limitations of assessments..............................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................3 Description of study area.................................................................................................................................... 3 Physiography..............................................................................................................................................3 Land use.....................................................................................................................................................6 Data requirements.............................................................................................._^ Data-collection techniques .................................................................................................................................6 On the bridge deck..................................................................................................................................... 12 Under the bridge deck................................................................................................................................14 Upstream and downstream from bridge.................................................................................................... 15 Quality assurance.......................................................................................................................................21 Technique for appraisal of potential and observed scour.................................................................................22 Quality assurance.......................................................................................................................................24 Development of scour indexes ..................................................................................................................25 Potential-scour index............................................................................................................................25 Observed-scour index...........................................................................................................................28 Limitations of data and ratings.................................................................................................................. 30 Potential applications of data............................................................................................................................ 31 Screening of bridges for potential or observed scour................................................................................31 Relations among data variables.................................................................................................................38 Individual problem analysis.......................................................................................................................38 Multiple problem analysis.........................................................................................................................39 Geographic Information System analysis..................................................................................................42 Summary...........................................................................................................................................................44 References cited................................................................................................................................................45 Appendix..........................................................................................................................................................47 Selected channel-stability-assessment data, potential-scour ratings, and observed-scour ratings for State-maintained highway bridges over waterways in Maryland, 1990-91 .........................48 FIGURES 1. Map showing physiographic provinces and province divisions in Maryland........................................4 2. Example of channel-stability-assessment form......................................................................................7 3-6. Diagrams showing plan views of: 3. Positive high-flow angle of approach......................................................................................... 12 4. Negative high-flow angle of approach.......................................................................................13 5. Big Pipe Creek at Route MD-77, Carroll County, Maryland..................................................... 13 6. Abutment skew and pier skew................................................................................................... 14 Potential and observed scour of highway bridges in Maryland iii FIGURES-Continued 7- 9. Diagrammatic cross sections showing: 7. Debris blockage at upstream side of bridge opening.............................................................. 15 8. Locations of vertical abutments.............................................................................................. 16 9. Locations of spillthrough abutments....................................................................................... 17 10. Diagram showing plan view of typical channel reach for measurement of stream-channel data during a channel-stability assessment........................................................ 18 11. Diagram showing typical channel-bank conditions wkh woody-vegetative (tree) cover................ 19 12. Diagram showing plan view of a blowhole at a bridge....................................................................20 13. Diagram of plan view showing the location of a channel bar near a bridge.....................................20 14. Cross section showing the location of a channel bar near a bridge..................................................21 15. Diagram showing stages of channel evolution.................................................................................22 16-17. Examples of forms: 16. Potential-scour index. ...........................................................................................................26 17. Observed-scour index...........................................................................................................29 18-20. Examples showing: 18. Site report of channel-stability assessment for bridge 6015, Big Pipe Creek at MD-77, Carroll County, Maryland...................................................32 19. Report of potential-scour rating for bridge 6015, Big Pipe Creek at MD-77, Carroll County, Maryland................................................................................34 20. Report of observed-scour rating for bridge 60 5, Big Pipe Creek at MD-77, Carroll County, Maryland................................................................................35 21. Graph showing cumulative number of bridges with one or more pier-footing exposures for increasing magnitude of high-flow angle of approach..........................................39 22-23. Pie diagrams showing: 22. High-flow angle of approach of greater or less than 10 degrees in magnitude for bridges in the Piedmont Western Province division...............................39 23. Pier-footing exposures for bridges in the Great Valley Province division...........................39 24-27. Graphs showing number of bridges with: 24. Two selected potential-scour diagnostic characteristics in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province...............................................................................40 25. Five selected potential-scour diagnostic characteristics in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province...............................................................................41 26. Two selected potential-scour diagnostic characteristics in the Great Valley Province division.....................................................................................41 27. Five selected potential-scour diagnostic characteristics