Prediction of afflux on undistorted scale bridge model

Abstract

This paper presents the results and findings from several sets of experimental data on afflux around bridge waterways in overbank flow condition. The paper also investigates the accuracy, capability, and suitability of one-dimensional hydraulic river modelling software (HEC-RAS and ISIS) to model flow through bridge structure. To eliminate a scaling effect between the laboratory-scale experiments and model techniques, all experimental results were scaled up using an undistorted-scale model in which both the vertical and horizontal scale ratio was 100. A total of six methods of predicting afflux, the energy method, the momentum method, the water surface profile (WSPRO) method, Yarnell's method (in HEC-RAS), the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads (USBPR) method, and the arch bridge method (in ISIS) were compared with scaled up experimental results. The results for ISIS are significantly different from the measured data and the output from HEC-RAS. The energy method and the momentum method in HEC-RAS are the most accurate methods to compute the afflux around the bridge waterways.