An investigation of water-flow pressure distribution on bridge piers under flood loading

This study simulates the flood effect on piers using a finite volume method in the ANSYS-FLUENT package. The pier is modelled as a non-structural column with a rectangular and a circular cross-section. To simplify the methodology, the pier, as well as the bed and side walls, is assumed to have non-slip boundaries for the fluid domain. A crucial feature of this investigation is the consideration of the effect of water while it is flowing around an object like a bridge pier and the distribution of pressure along the pier height. A numerical model is proposed to explore the influence of variation of velocity on the hydrodynamic force and pressure distribution exerted on piers. A significant finding is that the shape of the pier cross-section has a significant effect on the fluid pressure exerted on bridge piers under flood loading. It is noted that the AS5100 method is appropriate for a conservative estimation of the pressure on rectangular piers, whereas the technique will have a risky safety margin for bridge piers with a circular cross-section and need to be used with caution.