Numerical Modelling of Debris Accumulation at Masonry Bridge Piers and its Influence on Scouring

Throughout this investigation the open-source toolbox OpenFOAM and foam-extend is used to model the processes of scour around a bridge under flood conditions. The Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) method is used to capture the interface between water and air around the pier. The k-omega SST model is employed to account for the turbulent flow. The flow patterns developed around a laboratory scale model are investigated computationally with and without debris and compared with in-house experiments. Additionally a new scour model has been developed and tested.