Bridge‐Pier Location and Ice Conveyance in Curved Channels

Abstract

Channel curvature and the presence of bridge piers, which may effectively subdivide the channel, affect the ice-conveyance ability of curved and sinuous rivers and may favor the initiation of ice jams. Preliminary results from laboratory experiments conducted in a small-scale, sinuous channel with polyurethane blocks simulating ice floes indicate that deleterious effects of bridge crossings on ice conveyance in sinuous rivers can be minimized by locating bridges at the apex of bends, rather than along straight reaches between consecutive bends. Experiments were performed with two sizes of polyurethane blocks for a channel with a rectangular cross section and for a channel provided with a cross slope at the bends' apexes. Two different bridge-pier spacings were tested. The results presented in this paper are only indicative of the general trend in ice-conveyance behavior for bridge piers in curved channels. Additional experiments are recommended before extrapolating this conclusion to field conditions.