Scour Under Ice: Potential Contributing Factor in the Schoharie Creek Bridge Collapse

摘要

The Schoharie Creek Bridge on I-90 along the New York State Thruway collapsed on the morning of April 5, 1987, killing 10 people in the five vehicles that plunged into the river. The failure was attributed to scour at the bridge pier foundations. However, the bridge was located just upstream of the confluence of the Schoharie Creek and the Mohawk River, both of which are known for ice jams and have extensive ice covers during winter. The influence of the river ice jams and ice covers on the bridge failure has yet to be explored. This paper discusses the potential impact of the ice jams and winter hydraulic conditions on the Schoharie Creek and Mohawk River that may have contributed to the collapse of the Schoharie Creek Bridge.