Goal of the Project
Scour holes are local perturbation in the river bed characterised by their significant depth and steep upstream slopes. A typical size for a scour hole is hundreds of meters in length, tens of meters in width and at least one meter in depth. In many rivers around the world these scour holes are observed. The scour hole can migrate and deform after their formation, and eventually posing a threat to the stability of nearby infrastructure like bridge pillars and dike foundations. Predictions of the migration and deformation rate of recently formed scour holes is missing and therefore managing scour holes accurately is difficult. This research aims for a better understanding of the short-term and long-term evolution of existing scour holes by analysing multibeam measurements of scour holes in the field, executing physical experiments in a flume, and developing a numerical model. The focus is on the dominant discharges, scour hole characteristics and detailed flow phenomena inside a scour hole that drive the short-term migration and formation of a scour hole. This knowledge will be used to make predictions of the long-term evolution and evaluate possible future threats.
Picture showing a scour hole
Scientific Motivation
Deep scour holes with their steep slopes can threaten nearby infrastructure like bridge pillars, dike foundations, and pipelines. Filling scour holes preventative is costly and may disturb the natural processes in the river. Yet, a good understanding of the long-term evolution of scour holes is lacking, making it complex to assess possible future threats. A better understanding of the short-term and long-term evolution of scour holes can help to formulate efficient strategies whether, when and how to fill scour holes. Applying these strategies will guarantee the stability of nearby infrastructure where as much as possible the natural processes in the river are preserved.
Case Study
We will be looking at fluvial lowland rivers, that are dominated by river discharges rather than by the tides. The case study includes Dutch rivers like the Waal, the Meuse, and the Rhine.
Expected Outcomes
This research results in four paper publications. In addition, a numerical model will be developed which will be made public assessable and the end of this research project.
Involved Endusers
Last modified: 20/08/2024
Contributing Researchers
Marthe Oldenburg
University of Twente
Involved Endusers
Project outputs
FRM in focus: video
The Future FRM Tech programme develops flood resilient landscapes for rivers and estuaries as well as technical solutions for water barriers. Watch the video to get to know more about the project
29/04/2021 by Prof. dr. ir. Bas Jonkman
Bevat: Video & Audio
