Bridge Scour Surveillance Using Guide Electromagnetic Wave Technology

摘要

Scour is the lowering of river bed as sediment surrounding piers and abutments washed away by river flow.Excessive scour reduces the mechanical support for bridge foundations which can cause catastrophic failure of bridge superstructure.Scour is a major cause of bridge failures; it also contributes to high construction and maintenance cost for bridges.Real time monitoring of bridge scour is important from both safety and economic considerations.Current tools for scour measurement generally do not perform satisfactory under field conditions.This paper introduces the use of guided electromagnetic wave technology to accurately monitor the extent of scour,sediment status,and river conditions.With the use of wave-splitting theory,information including the distribution of sediment with depth can be determined.The system helps to accurately assess the earth pressure on bridge piers and abutments as well as the effectiveness of scour countermeasures.The information provided by the scour monitoring system together with survey of superstructures conditions is integral components of a bridge management system which ensure the safety and costeffective management.