Methods for Assessing Channel Conditions Related to Scour-critical Conditions at Bridges in Tennessee. Final Report

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Bryan, Brett A. Simon, Andrew Outlaw, Geraldine Thomas, Randy
Copyright Year	1995
Abstract	The ability to assess quickly the potential for scour at a bridge site, to evaluate those bridges with the greatest potential for significant amounts of scour, and to then identify scour-critical structures is important for public protection and bridge maintenance planning. The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration has completed a three phase evaluation of bridges in Tennessee. Information from site assessments of 3,964 bridges in Tennessee was used to develop indexes of potential and observed scour. A data base and geographic information system were established for rapid assessment of potential scour characteristics over broad geographic areas, such as counties, regions, or drainage basins. Channel instability characteristics differ from region to region. In West Tennessee counties, channel instability has progressed from valley bottoms into the uplands through headward degradation. In the middle and east counties of Tennessee, channel widening is a dominant process, but widespread degradation has been prevented by stream beds being lined with erosion-resistant bedrock, boulder, cobble, and gravel, and by the absence of channelization. Neither quantifiable headcutting nor degradation in bedrock channels was noted at any site in the State. However, potential for lateral scour is prevalent in Middle and East Tennessee.
File Format	PDF HTM / HTML
DOI	10.3133/wri944229
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/1994/4229/report.pdf
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article