Muhanad Al-Jubouri

58482916300

Publications - 10

Sensitivity analysis and optimization of pier shape scour prediction using HEC-RAS

Publication Name: Pollack Periodica

Publication Date: 2025-06-27

Volume: 20

Issue: 2

Page Range: 8-15

Description:

Scour around bridge piers threatens bridge stability. This study uses the Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System to improve depth estimates for various pier shapes. The Colorado State University and Froehlich equations were tested with a one-dimensional model calibrated for circular, square, rectangular, oblong, oval, and cylindrical piers. Sensitivity analysis identified coefficients K2, K3, flow velocity, and depth as key factors, with K2 being most significant. The Colorado State University equation overestimated scour depths, especially for square piers. The Froehlich method provided more accurate predictions, confirming the system’s value in hydraulic modeling for bridge stability analysis.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1556/606.2024.01211

Prediction of Scour Depth for Diverse Pier Shapes Utilizing Two-Dimensional Hydraulic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System Sediment Model

Publication Name: Fluids

Publication Date: 2024-11-01

Volume: 9

Issue: 11

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Examining scouring around bridge piers is crucial for ensuring water-related infrastructure’s long-term safety and stability. Accurate forecasting models are essential for addressing scour, especially in complex water systems where traditional methods fall short. This study investigates the application of the HEC-RAS 2D sedimentation model, which has recently become available for detailed sediment analysis, to evaluate its effectiveness in predicting scoring around various pier shapes and under different water conditions. This study offers a comprehensive assessment of the model’s predictive capabilities by focusing on variables such as water velocity, shear stress, and riverbed changes. Particular attention was paid to the influence of factors like floating debris and different pier geometries on scour predictions. The results demonstrate that while the HEC-RAS 2D model generally provides accurate predictions for simpler pier shapes—achieving up to 85% precision—it shows varied performance for more complex designs and debris-influenced scenarios. Specifically, the model overpredicted scouring depths by approximately 20% for diamond-shaped piers and underpredicted by 15% for square piers in debris conditions. Elliptical piers, in contrast, experienced significantly less erosion, with scour depths up to 30% shallower compared to other shapes. This study highlights the novel application of the HEC-RAS 2D model in this context and underscores its strengths and limitations. Identified issues include difficulties in modeling water flow and debris-induced bottlenecks. This research points to the improved calibration of sediment movement parameters and the development of advanced computational techniques to enhance scour prediction accuracy in complex environments. This work contributes valuable insights for future research and practical applications in civil engineering, especially where traditional scour mitigation methods, such as apron coverings, are not feasible.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/fluids9110247

Advanced Numerical Simulation of Scour around Bridge Piers: Effects of Pier Geometry and Debris on Scour Depth

Publication Name: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

Publication Date: 2024-09-01

Volume: 12

Issue: 9

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Investigating different pier shapes and debris Finteractions in scour patterns is vital for understanding the risks to bridge stability. This study investigates the impact of different shapes of pier and debris interactions on scour patterns using numerical simulations with flow-3D and controlled laboratory experiments. The model setup is rigorously calibrated against a physical flume experiment, incorporating a steady-state flow as the initial condition for sediment transport simulations. The Fractional Area/Volume Obstacle Representation (FAVOR) technique and the renormalized group (RNG) turbulence model enhance the simulation’s precision. The numerical results indicate that pier geometry is a critical factor influencing the scour depth. Among the tested shapes, square piers exhibit the most severe scour, with depths reaching 5.8 cm, while lenticular piers show the least scour, with a maximum depth of 2.5 cm. The study also highlights the role of horseshoe, wake, and shear layer vortices in determining scour locations, with varying impacts across different pier shapes. The Q-criterion study identified debris-induced vortex generation and intensification. The debris amount, thickness, and pier diameter (T/Y) significantly affect the scouring patterns. When dealing with high wedge (HW) debris, square piers have the largest scour depth at T/Y = 0.25, while lenticular piers exhibit a lower scour. When debris is present, the scour depth rises at T/Y = 0.5. Depending on the form of the debris, a significant fluctuation of up to 5 cm was reported. There are difficulties in precisely estimating the scour depth under complicated circumstances because of the disparity between numerical simulations and actual data, which varies from 6% for square piers with a debris relative thickness T/Y = 0.25 to 32% for cylindrical piers with T/Y = 0.5. The study demonstrates that while flow-3D simulations align reasonably well with the experimental data under a low debris impact, discrepancies increase with more complex debris interactions and higher submersion depths, particularly for cylindrical piers. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive approach to evaluating the effects of different pier shapes and debris interactions on scour patterns, offering new insights into the effectiveness of flow-3D simulations in predicting the scour patterns under varying conditions.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/jmse12091637

Hydrodynamic Modeling and Comprehensive Assessment of Pier Scour Depth and Rate Induced by Wood Debris Accumulation

Publication Name: Hydrology

Publication Date: 2024-04-01

Volume: 11

Issue: 4

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

This study mainly investigates the impact of debris accumulation on scour depth and scour hole characteristics around bridge piers. Through controlled experiments with uniform sand bed material, the influence of various debris shapes (high wedge, low wedge, triangle yield, rectangular, triangle bow, and half-cylinder), upstream debris length, downstream debris extension, and debris thickness on scour depth and scour hole area and volume around the cylindrical pier were analyzed. The findings revealed that the shape and location of debris in the water column upstream of piers are key factors that determine the depth of scour, with high wedge shapes inducing the deepest scour and potentially the largest scour hole, particularly when positioned close to the pier and fully submerged. Scenarios in which triangle bow debris was submerged at full depth upstream of the pier closely resembled situations devoid of debris. Conversely, debris extension downstream of the pier was found to reduce local scour depth while concurrently enlarging the dimensions of the scour hole. The existing scour prediction equations tend to overestimate scour depth in scenarios involving debris, particularly when applying effective and equivalent pier width. This discrepancy arises because these equations were originally developed to predict scour depth around piers in the absence of debris. In response, a refined model for predicting scour induced by debris was proposed, integrating factors such as upstream debris length, downstream extension, obstruction percentage, and debris shape factor. This model demonstrated strong agreement with experimental data within the scope of this study and underwent further validation using additional experimental datasets from other research endeavors. In conclusion, this experimental study advances the comprehension of scour processes around cylindrical bridge piers, providing valuable insights into the role of debris characteristics and positioning.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/hydrology11040052

Enhancing pier local scour prediction in the presence of floating debris

Publication Name: Pollack Periodica

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: Unknown

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Local scour poses a grave threat to bridge foundations, potentially causing catastrophic collapses. This study uses FLOW-3D with the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes model to analyze pier scour and dune formation under bridges. It focuses on submerged debris shapes near the water’s surface. Results closely match experiments when specific conditions are met. The study introduces an innovative approach to debris impact assessment. Instead of traditional methods, it proposes a novel equation accounting for debris’s effective area and elevation. This enhances reliability by over 20%, improving scour depth assessment in debris-laden scenarios. This advances the understanding of debris’s role in local scour, benefiting bridge design and management practices.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1556/606.2023.00952

Combined Effect of Nano Ferrite and Nano Silica on Properties of Cement Mortar

Publication Name: International Journal of Integrated Engineering

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 16

Issue: 1

Page Range: 350-360

Description:

This study investigates the effects of adding nano-ferrite (N.F.) and nano-silica (N.S.) on the mechanical and biological properties of mortar. By assessing four water-to-cement ratios (1–4%), the ideal nanoparticle doses were determined. Results indicated that both N.F. and N.S. significantly increased the mortar’s strength at ratios between 1% and 4%, while combinations of N.F. and N.S. improved strength up to 3% and 4% substitution, respectively. The mechanisms of strength enhancement were attributed to nanoparticles acting as fillers and hydration accelerators, which densify the mortar microstructure and promote the production of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gels. In terms of biological properties, the study examined the antibacterial effects of nano-silica and nano-ferrite. Nano-silica demonstrated greater antibacterial potency against all bacterial strains assessed. Both materials exhibited a stronger antibacterial impact on Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) compared to Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), due to differences in cell wall structures. The study emphasizes the importance of optimal nanoparticle dosages and identifies limitations that warrant further research, such as durability and potential downsides at higher concentrations. Despite these challenges, the findings underscore the potential of nanoparticles to enhance mortar performance and suggest promising applications in construction and the development of antibacterial materials. Future research should focus on overcoming these constraints and exploring the practical applications of nanoparticle-enhanced mortar in real-world scenarios.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.30880/IJIE.2024.16.01.030

Unraveling Debris-Enhanced Local Scour Patterns around Non-Cylindrical Bridge Piers: Experimental Insights and Innovative Modeling

Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland

Publication Date: 2023-11-01

Volume: 15

Issue: 22

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Bridge structures face a critical threat from localized scour-induced damage, prompting urgent attention to civil infrastructure resilience. Prior research has primarily focused on the influence of pier shapes on scour patterns. However, the exploration of the combined effects of various debris shapes, each possessing distinct properties, on predictive scour depth models around the non-cylindrical pier has hitherto remained less researched. This study explored the complex dynamics governing local scour around bridge piers, focusing on the influence of surface and near-surface debris. This research shed light on changes in scour depth by investigating factors like pier geometries, debris arrangements, and submersion depths. The experiments and analysis revealed the effects of various pier shapes—cylindrical, square, rectangular, oblong, oval, and lenticular—on scour patterns. Different geometries influenced primary scour zones and affected areas, with square piers causing the deepest scour and lenticular ones showing shallower instances. Scour depths typically peaked upstream across geometries, but ogival and lenticular shapes exhibited unique patterns. The research also introduced a formula that integrated debris attributes into predictive scour depth modeling, validated with favorable accuracy. Ultimately, this predictive model advances scour prediction, particularly in debris-laden flows, offering valuable insights for engineering and management practices in understanding real-world scour mechanisms and hydraulic dynamics.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/su152215910

The effectiveness parameters analysis for piers scour calculation

Publication Name: Pollack Periodica

Publication Date: 2023-07-11

Volume: 18

Issue: 2

Page Range: 48-53

Description:

A computational fluid dynamics numerical model addressed the problem of local scouring and deposition calculation for non-cohesive sediment and clear water conditions near single and double cylindrical piers. The numerical results of single cylindrical piers correlate very well with the physical model's results while are higher than the case of the double pier, especially when the large-eddy turbulence model, the van Rijn bed-load transport equation, and fine mesh size are considered. Additionally, the final numerical predictions are compared to experimental data after parameters effectiveness explores the range of results based on projected user inputs like the bed-load equation, mesh cell size, and turbulence model.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1556/606.2022.00680

A comparative study of local scour depth around bridge piers

Publication Name: Pollack Periodica

Publication Date: 2023-03-07

Volume: 18

Issue: 1

Page Range: 100-105

Description:

Scour is the leading cause of bridge collapse beneath any bridge pier located within the waterway. A numerical-based hydraulic model named the Hydrologic Engineering Centre River Analysis System and a mathematical model of the Florida Department of Transport were implemented to investigate their performance and accuracy in estimating the maximum scour depth beneath bridge piers where large and small-scale physical prototypes are used as a benchmark. The main findings are that a hydraulic model is an effective tool when employing the Colorado State University equation, which compares well with physical prototypes irrespective of the variation in piers' size and shape. Also, it has achieved more consistent results than the Froehlich and the Florida Department of Transport methodologies.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1556/606.2022.00649

Methods to detect and measure scour around bridge foundations

Publication Name: Acta Technica Jaurinensis

Publication Date: 2021-11-24

Volume: 14

Issue: 4

Page Range: 631-649

Description:

Bridges are indispensable structures vital to the operation of road and rail transportation networks. Crossing rivers and artificial waterways, however, presents a risk to their foundations due to scour actions. Scour is the number one cause for bridge failures and may occur beneath any bridge, large or small, with supports located within the waterway. This paper provides a summary of present scour detection and measurement equipment and associated assessment methodologies. In this regard, particular emphasis is placed on structural health monitoring better to evaluate the presence and influence of potential scour. A Sensitivity Analysis on a newly introduced monitoring system is also assumed. Furthermore, much research has been undertaken to create a technology that can instantly identify and detect bridge scour, improving survey reliability through prior inspection and prompt intervention. This research will explore and evaluate bridge scour detection methods employed and suggest a possible path for developing the detection system to identify scour depth effectively and efficiently. Finally, our key aim is to minimize human effort in identifying and bridge scour by using a quick, easy-to-use, cost-effective process, resulting in fewer injuries and economic savings.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14513/actatechjaur.00626