Istanbul Bridge Conference

August 11-13, 2014

Istanbul, Turkey

SIMULATION RESEARCH ON
HYDRODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF BRIDGE
PIER SETTING IN BEND RIVER
Weichao Pan 1 , Mingjun Liu 2
ABSTRACT
Yangtze River is the main artery of Chinese inland waterways transport. With the crossing
bridge building, the bridge pier setting in water greatly narrowed the navigational channel
width. The navigation span width is more than 100 meters in the early time, therefore, it has
brought many limitations and obstacles to the waterway shipping especially in bend river
area. Bend circular current has been taken effect in flood period of Yangtze River, and
usually accompanied strong sense of bend-rushing current, reflux current and Clip weir
water. And the velocity distribution is extremely uneven, turbulent around the bridge pier,
and the flow is further abnormal around it. It is greatly increased the difficulty to control ship
maneuvering with the risk of ship-bridge collision accidents through the bridge.
In order to grasp the dynamic flow conditions near the bridge pier, the research according to
relevant technical standards and norms of inland river navigation, and then using numerical
simulation FLUENT software. The variations of Bend River flow field of bridge pier setting
before and after have been simulated. The turbulence ranges which generated by pier in
different radius of curvature, different velocities was given out. After analyzed corresponding
research on safety navigation range after bridge pier setting through the establishment of ship
motion model, reference of pier setting in water of bending area and safety measures for built
bridge navigable waters have been proposed. It is significant to alleviate the effects of bridge
pier setting of ship navigation conditions in Bend River.
Key wordsBend river; Bridge pier setting; Numerical simulation of flow field; Safety
navigation ranges

1
2

Master, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063

Professor, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063

Weichao Pan, Mingjun Liu, Kai Zhou, Shu Han, Pei Zhang. Simulation Research on Hydrodynamic Effects of
Bridge Pier Setting in Bend River. Proceedings of the Istanbul Bridge Conference, 2014.

Simulation Research on Hydrodynamic Effects of Bridge Pier Setting

in Bend River
Weichao Pan 1 Mingjun Liu2Kai Zhou3Shu Han4Pei Zhang5

ABSTRACT
In order to grasp the dynamic flow conditions near the bridge pier, the research according to
relevant technical standards and norms of inland river navigation, and then using numerical
simulation FLUENT software. The variations of Bend River flow field of bridge pier setting
before and after have been simulated. The turbulence ranges which generated by pier in
different radius of curvature, different velocities was given out. After analyzed corresponding
research on safety navigation range after bridge pier setting through the establishment of ship
motion model, reference of pier setting in water of bending area and safety measures for built
bridge navigable waters have been proposed. It is significant to alleviate the effects of bridge
pier setting of ship navigation conditions in Bend River.

1. Introduction
Yangtze River is the main artery of Chinese inland waterways transport. At present, the
Yangtze River has been built and being built more than 120 bridges. With the developing of
the main traffic arteries and port demands along the Yangtze River, the bridge construction is
gradually increased. A lot of cross-bridges are under planning, designing, construction, and it
is expected to be more than 200 in the Yangtze River in 2020.With an average of about 15
km a bridge, the city port of bridge river area is concentrated, and the current distance of two
bridges is less than 2 kilometers. The straight river and bend river has the same proportion in
1
2

3
4
5

Master, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063

Professor, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063
Master, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063
Master, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063
Master, School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, 430063

Weichao Pan, Mingjun Liu, Kai Zhou, Shu Han, Pei Zhang. Simulation Research on Hydrodynamic Effects of
Bridge Pier Setting in Bend River. Proceedings of the Istanbul Bridge Conference, 2014.

Yangtze River, most straight waters areas had built bridge in accordance with the standard
requirements, and therefore, we have to consider building bridges in Bend River. Some city
roads located in bend area with large distance around, it is not convenient and also increased
the bridge construction cost. Therefore, the demand of bridge constructions in Bend River is
more prominent in need, and the bend river will become bridge construction areas in the
future.
With the crossing bridge building, the bridge piers setting in water greatly narrowed the
navigational channel width. The navigation span width is more than 100 meters in the early
time. Bend circular current has been taken effect in flood period of Yangtze River, and
usually accompanied with strong sense of bend-rushing current, reflux current and Clip weir
water. The velocity distribution is extremely uneven, turbulent around the bridge pier, and the
flow is further special around it. It has brought many limitations and obstacles to the
waterway shipping especially in bend river area and greatly increased the difficulty to control
ship maneuvering with the risk of ship-bridge collision accidents through the bridge [1]. This
paper will study on the flow field surrounding bridge piers in the bend river in order to
alleviate corresponding risk, control influence, and it will proposed mitigation measures.
With the study of the flow phenomenon surrounding piers, it mainly research on pier
turbulent from the methods of experiment equipment and numerical simulation software.
Some scholars were research on pier group effect on water flow and flow characteristics of
piers. It analysis the relationship between the width of pier vortex zone and flow conditions
before pier, the measured data which mainly from the particle image velocity, conceptual
flume experiment, velocity experiments and ADV experiment to measure surface
instantaneous velocity around the cylindrical in straight and bend areas, then it had proposed
the related principle of safety distance between the channel line and bridge piers [2~4].
Numerical simulation was based on software of Fluent, CFX-4 to simulated 2-D flow and 3D flow surrounding circular cylinder under the steady and unsteady state, and it analysis the
influence of bridge pier on stream in river[5~8]. The numerical simulation FLUENT software
will be used to stimulate 2-D flow field surrounding the piers under different conditions, then
calculated of varied flow field and its corresponding turbulent flow range, and analysis safety
range navigation of the ships at last.
2. Related Simulation parameters
In order to take the numerical simulation of bridge piers on the bend river, it needs to
establish the related hydrodynamic models. The representative bend river bridges pier areas
of midstream and downstream in the Yangtze River will take into research. The paper
analyzes the relationship between the curvature radius, flow velocity, the piers spacing and
safety navigable waters under 2-D turbulence model through the FLUENT software.
The paper researches on the piers setting effect on flow field conditions of various spacing,
different velocity, and different curvature radius by using numerical experiments. Two kinds

of radius of curvature have been taken into contrast: 900m and 1050m in Bend River.
Experimental pond has set two same 30m-piers in the width of 300m. The piers spacing takes
120m and 180m two typical situations into consideration. The cross boundary is wall
boundary conditions. Observer looks on from Import of experimental pond. The right side of
the pier is named right bank, and the left hand side is named left bank. The initial velocity has
been set in 2 and 2.5m/s, and these are general flow rate situation of high water level in flood
period of the Yangtze River. The initial flow field is along the X axis direction. This paper is
study on the surface flow, because the inland navigation ships have shallow draught and the
unobvious influence of bed current. Therefore, there are 8 kinds of variables condition for
analyzed and then takes out the velocity distribution surrounding pier waters.
3. Flow field simulations surrounding the pier in 900m radius of curvature
Gambit is used to model and mesh the experimental pond. Grids are refined before and after
the bridge axis for the sake of accurate analyzing the piers interference to the flow field.
120m and 180m piers spacing all have the initial velocity of 2.0m/s and 2.5m/s in the 900m
curvature radius. The simulation results of flow field distribution surrounding the bridge by
using FLUENT is shown in figure1~ 4.

Fig.1 Flow velocity distribution of 120m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.0m/s in
the 900m curvature radius.

Fig.2 Flow velocity distribution of 120m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.5m/s in
the 900m curvature radius.

Fig.3 Flow velocity distribution of 180m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.0m/s in
the 900m curvature radius.

Fig.4 Flow velocity distribution of 180m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.5m/s in
the 900m curvature radius.
The results of 120m navigable show that: when the uniform initial flow velocity is 2m/s,
both sides of pier velocity peaks at 4.08m/s on the right bank and below 3.6m/s on the left
bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 30m from the right pier according to the
pier axial, the velocity of them were 3.96m/s, 2.40m/s, 2.21m/s, 2.24m/s and 3.45m/s. The
flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 1.8m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of
pier to 121m, and 205m in the velocity of 2m/s. The flow rate behind the left bank increases
to 1.6m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 204m. when the uniform initial
flow velocity is 2.5m/s, both sides of pier velocity peaks at 5.13m/s on the right bank and
below 4.4m/s on the left bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 30m from the
right pier according to the pier axial, the velocity of them were 4.99m/s, 3.00m/s, 2.77m/s,
2.79m/s and 4.35m/s. The flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 2.4m/s in the slow
flow area from the axis of pier to 192m, and 238m in the velocity of 2.5m/s. The flow rate
behind the left bank increases to 2.2m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 296m.
The results of 180m navigable show that: when the uniform initial flow velocity is 2m/s,
both sides of pier velocity peaks at 4.33m/s on the right bank and below 3.5m/s on the left
bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 45m from the right pier according to the
pier axial, the velocity of them were 4.13m/s, 2.33m/s, 2.15m/s, 2.11m/s and 3.42m/s. The
flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 1.8m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of
pier to 94m, and 162m in the velocity of 2m/s. The flow rate behind the left bank increases to
1.6m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 165m. when the uniform initial flow
velocity is 2.5m/s, both sides of pier velocity peaks at 5.44m/s on the right bank and below
4.4m/s on the left bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 30m from the right pier
according to the pier axial, the velocity of them were 4.97m/s, 2.99m/s, 2.76m/s, 2.79m/s and
4.29m/s. The flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 2.4m/s in the slow flow area
from the axis of pier to 134m, and 181m in the velocity of 2.5m/s. The flow rate behind the
left bank increases to 2.2m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 175m.
4. Flow field simulations surrounding the pier in 1050m radius of curvature
Gambit is used to model and mesh the experimental pond. Grids are refined before and after
the bridge axis for the sake of accurate analyzing the piers interference to the flow field.
120m and 180m piers spacing all has the initial velocity of 2.0m/s and 2.5m/s in the 1050m
curvature radius. The simulation results of flow field distribution surrounding the bridge by
using FLUENT is shown in figure 5~8.

Fig.5 Flow velocity distribution of 120m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.0m/s in
the 1050m curvature radius.

Fig.6 Flow velocity distribution of 120m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.5m/s in
the 1050m curvature radius.

Fig.7 Flow velocity distribution of 180m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.0m/s in
the 1050m curvature radius.

Fig.8 Flow velocity distribution of 180m piers spacing with the initial velocity of 2.5m/s in
the 1050m curvature radius.
The results of 120m navigable show that: when the uniform initial flow velocity is 2m/s,
both sides of pier velocity peaks at 4.00m/s on the right bank and below 3.6m/s on the left
bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 30m from the right pier according to the
pier axial, the velocity of them were 3.97m/s, 2.40m/s, 2.22m/s, 2.25m/s and 3.49m/s. The
flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 1.8m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of
pier to 122m, and 206m in the velocity of 2m/s. The flow rate behind the left bank increases
to 1.8m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 236m. when the uniform initial
flow velocity is 2.5m/s, both sides of pier velocity peaks at 5.03m/s on the right bank and
below 4.4m/s on the left bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 30m from the
right pier according to the pier axial, the velocity of them were 5.00m/s, 3.06m/s, 2.79m/s,
2.77m/s and 4.41m/s. The flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 2.4m/s in the slow
flow area from the axis of pier to 196m, and 234m in the velocity of 2.5m/s. The flow rate
behind the left bank increases to 2.2m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 263m.
The results of 180m navigable show that: when the uniform initial flow velocity is 2m/s,
both sides of pier velocity peaks at 4.19m/s on the right bank and below 3.5m/s on the left
bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 45m from the right pier according to the
pier axial, the velocity of them were 4.11m/s, 2.33m/s, 2.15m/s, 2.14m/s and 3.48m/s. The
flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 1.8m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of
pier to 97m, and 160m in the velocity of 2m/s. The flow rate behind the left bank increases to
1.6m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to 133m. when the uniform initial flow
velocity is 2.5m/s, both sides of pier velocity peaks at 5.26m/s on the right bank and below

4.5m/s on the left bank. Piers spacing has been taken into 5 levels per 30m from the right pier
according to the pier axial, the velocity of them were 5.21m/s, 2.90m/s, 2.69m/s, 2.67m/s and
4.41m/s. The flow velocity behind the right bank increases to 2.4m/s in the slow flow area
from the axis of pier to 132m, and 174m in the velocity of 2.5m/s. The flow rate behind the
left bank increases to 2.2m/s in the slow flow area from the axis of pier to279m.
5. Statistical analyses of typical flow field dates
In conclusion, we can get the velocity of 5 levels per distance from the right pier according to
pier axial, the peak velocity of both sides of piers and the slow flow area behind the axis of
piers in different condition from the FLUENT data by using Tecplot software, which is
shown in table 1~2.
Table 1

The velocity of 5 levels per distance from the right pier according to pier axial and
the peak velocity of both sides of piers in different condition

The velocity of 5 levels per

distancem/s

curvature initial
Piers
radius velocity spacing
m/s m right keep
m
keep left
center
pier right
left pier
2.0
900
2.5

2.0
1050
2.5

Table 2

peak velocity
of both sides
of pierm/s
right
pier

left
pier

120

3.96

2.40

2.21

2.24

3.45

4.08

3.6

180

4.13

2.33

2.15

2.11

3.42

4.33

3.5

120

4.99

3.00

2.77

2.79

4.35

5.13

4.4

180

4.97

2.99

2.76

2.79

4.29

5.44

4.4

120

3.97

2.40

2.22

2.25

3.49

4.00

3.6

180

4.11

2.33

2.15

2.14

3.48

4.19

3.5

120

5.00

3.06

2.79

2.77

4.41

5.03

4.4

180

5.21

2.90

2.69

2.67

4.41

5.26

4.5

the slow flow area behind the axis of pier in different condition

curvature
radiusm

900

initial
velocity
m/s
2.0
2.5

Piers spacing
m

slow flow area behind the axis of

pierm
Right pier

Left pier

120

205

204

180

162

165

120

238

296

2.0
1050
2.5

180

181

175

120

206

236

180

160

133

120

234

263

180

174

279

From the statistical data: Table 1 shows that the velocity of both sides of piers increases with
the piers spacing widened, but the difference is not obvious. The flow velocity of right pier is
obvious more than the left side. The velocity of right pier is more than 2 times of initial
velocity and the left pier velocity is less than the initial velocity. Because of the flow
obstruction from the piers, the velocity in both sides of piers become highly. And it makes
superimposing water, oblique flow in front of bridge piers. The strong push flow appears
from the pier of both sides. Its strong influence regional is slightly larger than 30m in the
right bank pier, and the left side is far less than the pier diameter. The equidistant velocity
situation according to the pier axial is higher from two sides, and gradually descending to the
center The center velocity is higher than the initial velocity. At the same time, the
corresponding velocity point is basically decreased with pier spacing widened in addition to
pier side. The slow flow area behind the axis of pier increases with the pier spacing reduced
from Table 2. The right bank pier velocity of turbulent area is greater than the left side at
different initial velocity.
6. Ship maneuvering in bridge waters
The affecting factors of ship through bridge piers are mainly superimposing water and
oblique waters before piers according to the analysis. It makes the speed of piers side flow
increased. Convex bank side flow velocity surrounding pier prominent speeds up and forms
strong push flow in Bend River especially in the smaller space of the pier spacing. The
concave bank side pier's velocity is accelerated, but the impact area and push flow is small in
Bend River. The velocity of pier axial is higher than the entrance. The flow direction is
basically perpendicular to the axis of bridge. The direction will make effects on the ship
maneuvering only when it has the angle between ship and the pier axis. It is necessary to
increase horsepower and speed of turning, and will make smaller affecting on the ship bridge
waters for the adverse current ship in the surface of turbulent area after piers.
It is mainly to control the push flow effect from piers in order to solve the navigation safety
operation problems in fair current ship through the waters of the bridge pier. The flow is
strongly in convex bank, therefore, it need mariner on duty properly sail close to the right
side before the ship get into the bridge area. But the ship should steer off the pier near the
main oblique flow region and is generally called "4:6 distractions" or "3:7 distractions". The
ship sails in high water flow for the concave bank side in Bend River in order to overcome
effect on the push flow and bend-rushing current for safety sailing.

Conclusions
The flow condition is complicated when set piers in Bend River. It will make adverse effects
when the ship sailed through the bridge waters. In order to reduce this effect, the paper
suggested that the government departments and construction companies take into
consideration of adverse situation in Bend River when in the planning and design of bridge
construction. The organization can takes large span or a cross through the pier navigable
waters for safety ship navigation. A good environment will be provided for safety of the ships
navigation. This paper analyzed by 2-D flow field, the river topography, sediment and water depth did not
take into account. Next step the study will research on the flow characteristics of 3-D flow field
surrounding the piers.

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