Experimental investigation of the effect of bridge geometry configuration on blocking probability by floating driftwood in flow

Login driftwoods into the river flow and their accumulation in the upstream of the bridge will decrease the flow carrying capacity of the bridge. Blockage may cause a strong reduction in the flow rate through the bridge and therefore a strong increase in upstream water level which may lead to flooding or nearby urbanized areas. Drift woods either accumulates at a single pier, or it spans between two or more piers or it gets blocked at the bridge deck. Since the evaluation of such a mechanism in nature and in flood time is very difficult and limited knowledge is currently available on the likelihood of bridge blocking by the driftwoods, therefore, it is necessary to evaluate experimentally the movement of the driftwoods through the river flow and the effect of bridge characteristics on driftwood accumulation and blockage. The main purpose of this experimental study is to analyze the driftwood blocking probability at bridge depending on drift dimensions, driftwood shape (single log and log with branches), flow characteristics, method of driftwood entry into the flow and bridge characteristics. Tests were carried out in an inclinable rectangular flume and a bridge with guard rails was installed into the flume. The tests were performed by different length of driftwood, smooth and with branches, the number of entering driftwood to the channel flow (individual or aggregate), in the presence and absence of bridge pier and with three levels of water flow in the upstream face of the bridge. Entering each case of driftwoods has been repeated 10 times and then bridge clogging probability has been determined. The results showed that in case of water level come to low cord of the bride's deck , the clogging probability a bridge with and without pier changed from 13% to 93% and 33% to 100 respectively. The results showed that lengthening and increasing the number of driftwood and trunk with branches, the presence of the pier, and finally the rising water flow will increases the clogging possibility.