87th MEETING OF BRIDGE AND STRUCTURES STANDARDS COMMITTEE

(June, 2021)

Item No. 1047/87th: Formulae for the estimation of scour depth at bridge piers.

Ref: Item No. 1047/82nd/2014/RBF/BSC/82

COMMITTEE’S OBSERVATIONS

1. RDSO has asked for observed scour and other relevant details of identified
bridges from NR, NFR, CR, SR, NER and ECR. The Zonal Railways should
submit the data latest by 30-11-2019 for validation of the scour depth
computed using Melville Formula with the actual observed scour.

2. Simultaneously, RDSO should also explore the similar data with CWPRS, if
available. This data can also be utilized for validation of Melville’s Formulae.

COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Zonal Railways to submit the data latest by 30-11-2019.

RAILWAY BOARD ORDER’S

Approved.

Zonal Railways to submit the data as early as possible.

Timeline-30th April 2020

PRESENT STATUS

1. In pursuance of the Railway Board orders on 86th BSC vide letter

No.2019/27/CE-III/BR/BSC/86th BSC dated 30.01.2020, RDSO vide letter No.
RBF/BSC/82 dated, 19.04.2020 & 11.10.2020 advised six Zonal Railways
(NR, NFR, CR, SR, NER& ECR) to collect the scour data and send it to
RDSO to validate the Melville’s formulae.

2. RDSO vide letter No. RBF/BSC/82 dated 21.11.2019 &13.05.20 also

consulted CWPRS, Pune regarding the subject matter. CWPRS vide letter no.
CWPRS/REG/BE/Misc/2020/155/1182 dated 22.05.2020 has informed that as
follows:

“It is to inform that CWPRS carries out site specific studies for different rivers
as required by various Project Authorities. The studies are carried out on the
basis of data received from projects. In most of the studies Lacey’s approach
is adopted for determination of scour around bridge piers. Although it may be
little conservative in some cases.”

3. The status of Railwaywise data received from Zonal Railways isgivenbelow.

SN Zonal IdentifiedBridges Data received Remarks

Rly from Zonal
Railways

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1 NR 19,93,294,88,101,233,6,245 Nil
2 NFR 28(New-25), 59, 502, 52, 355, 414 & 463 scrutiny done
0, 414, 463, 240
3 CR 680/1, 802/1, 62/3, 74/1 Nil
4 SR 1541,T-9,194 1541, T-91, 194 scrutiny done
5 NER 37 Nil
6 ECR 1,14 1 scrutiny done

4. Comparison of scour depths obtained by different methods based on the data

received from Zonal Railways

SN. Rly. Br. No. Local General D 2D % Max.

(Span Scour by Scour (D) Melville Lacey Differenc observed
Arrangeme Melville’s by +D e of scour
nt ) formula Lacey’s Lacey depth
(D
DS=KDBK formula Melville +
IKDKSKꝊ 0.473(Qf/f) D Lacey )
^1/3 or w.r.t.
1.338 2D Lacey
[qf2/f] ^1/3
A B (A+B) 2B
1. NFR 414 3.27 1.30 4.56 2.60 76.04 1.80
(5x18.3m) 3.95 2.04 5.99 4.08 46.79 3.15
3.85 1.82 5.67 3.64 55.59 2.50
2. NFR 463 4.28 1.62 5.90 3.24 82.01 2.80
(6x18.3m)
4.36 2.42 6.79 4.84 40.00 4.45
4.05 2.11 6.16 4.22 45.72 2.50
3. ECR 1 (4x45.70m) 4.32 8.04 12.36 16.08 -23.14 15.13
4. SR 1541 3.86 3.59 7.45 7.18 3.69 Not
(6x8.70m) provided
5. SR T-9 1.92 6.67 8.59 13.34 -35.60 Not
(10x7.50m) provided
6. SR 194 4.18 4.12 8.30 8.24 0.81 2.5
(10x18.30m)
It is observed from the above table that:

In a limited data of 6 bridges, Melville’s Method (General scour+ Melville’s

Local scour) is giving lesser scour value than the actual scour observed in one
case which is an unsafe situation. In 4 no of cases there is not much difference
between the value obtained by Melville’s method (Melville + D Lacey) and

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 87th MEETING OF BRIDGE AND STRUCTURES STANDARDS COMMITTEE
(June, 2021)

Lacey’s method (2D Lacey). It is ranging from 4% to 35% which is not

considerable considering that these are estimation only.

5. Efforts were made to find out the practices being adopted by other
organizations as tabulated below:

S.N. Department Document Remarks (As per document)

1. National Tender document of The hydrological and hydraulic
Highways Detailed Project Report studies shall be carried out in
Authority of India of stretches from accordance with IRC SP-13
Ankaleshwar to (Guidelines for the Design of
Netrang&Taloda to Small Bridges and Culverts)
Burhanpur of National and IRC:5 (Code of Practice
Highways for upgradation for Road Bridges, Section I
to 4-lane in the State of General Feature of Design).
Maharashtra,
May 2017
2. Uttar Pradesh Purvanchal Expressway Scour depth can be calculated
Expressways (Package-IV) From as per Clause 703.2 of latest
Industrial SidhiGaneshpur to IRC: 78 and as explained in
Development Sansarpur (Dist.
latest IRC: SP 13
Authority Sultanpur) in the State of
Uttar Pradesh, June 2018
3. Tamil Nadu Road Consultancy services for The hydrological and hydraulic
Development the preparation of studies shall be carried out in
Company Ltd. Detailed Project Report accordance with IRC SP-13
(TNRDC) for the Construction of (Guidelines for the Design of
new 4 lane bridge near Small Bridges and Culverts)
the sunken bridge at and IRC:5-1998 (Code of
Illaiyanarkuppam near Practice for Road Bridges,
Kalpakkam at East Coast Section I General Feature of
Road, Chennai, Tamil Design).
Nadu, May 2017
4. Government of PWD Handbook, 1986 Mean Scour Depth: The
Maharashtra scour depth in natural
channels flowing in non-
coherent alluvium may be
calculated by the formula D=
1.34 (Q/f)1/3.
5. Government of Kerala Public Works Scour depth:. To calculate the
Kerala Department Manual maximum scour depth, IRC: 5
Revised Edition 2012 and IRC SP: 13 shall be
followed.”
6. Government of Madhya Pradesh Water Scour depth below H.F.L
Madhya Pradesh Resources department Ds = 1.374 (q 2/f)1/3
d
Design Series Technical

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Circular No. 36 dated Where,

03.09.1993 Ds = depth of scour in m,
measured from the H.F.L.
qd = Design discharge in
cumec per m run of nalla bed.
f = Lacey’s silt factor

6. Literature study:

Literature studies show that in India Lacey’s formula is being widely adopted.

A Research Paper on “Limitations of Lacey’s Theory for estimation of bridge

scour” by S.K. Mazumder has been studied. The paper was presented in 67th
Indian Road Congress. It compares estimation of scour by Lacey’s method
and other 4 mathematical models including Melville’s formula. The essence of
the research paper is as follows:-

“The current method of scour estimation as prescribed in IRC, RDSO and IS

Codes (used in India) is based on Lacey’s regime theory developed in 1930.
Scour around piers in 5 bridges are computed using four different
mathematical models of Melville & Coleman, Richardson & Davis (HEC-18),
Breussers&Raudkivi (IAHR), Kothyari-Garde and Rangaraju. Total depths of
scour found from first four models have been compared with scour depths
found by Lacey’s method adopted by Indian codes. Percentage excess scour
found by Lacey’s method with respect to other mathematical models range
between 2.4% to 275.2%. It is, however, difficult to conclude which
mathematical model gives the best result unless the results are compared
with actual scour measurement in prototype at different bridge sites.”

7. Consultation with other organisations:

Discussion was also held with officials of UP Irrigation, Lucknow on subject

matter. It was informed by them that Lacey’s formula based on IRC codes is
being used in their department for estimation of scour depth.

In view of above, it is clear that Lacey’s formula is time tested, proven and is
being widely used in India. Lacey’s formula is simple to use also. Switching
over to Meliville formula at this stage is not advisable as sufficient field studies
have not been done so far.

ThecommitteemaydeliberateontheItem.

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