Drag force is usually exerted on bridge piers due to running river water. This force is calculated empirically based on drag coefficients stated in design codes and specifications. Different values of drag coefficients have been reported in literature. For example, AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications uses a drag coefficient of 1.4 and 0.7 for square-ended and semicircular-nosed pier, respectively, while Coastal Construction Manual (FEMA P-55) recommends a value of two and 1.2 for square and round piles, respectively. In addition, many researchers have obtained other different values of drag coefficient under similar conditions (i.e., similar range of Reynolds number) reaching to 2.6 for square object. The present study investigates the drag coefficient of flow around square, semicircular-nosed, and 90 deg wedged-nosed and circular piers numerically using finite element method. Results showed that AASHTO values for drag force coefficient varied between very conservative to be under-reckoning. The study recommends that AASHTO drag coefficient values should be revised for different circumstances and under more severe conditions.
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April 2017
Research-Article
Numerical Evaluation of AASHTO Drag Force Coefficients of Water Flow Around Bridge Piers
Amin Almasri,
Amin Almasri
Associate Professor
Civil Engineering Department,
Jordan University of Science and Technology,
Irbid 22110, Jordan
e-mail: ahalmasri@just.edu.jo
Civil Engineering Department,
Jordan University of Science and Technology,
Irbid 22110, Jordan
e-mail: ahalmasri@just.edu.jo
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Shadi Moqbel
Shadi Moqbel
Assistant Professor
Civil Engineering Department,
The University of Jordan,
Amman 11942, Jordan
e-mail: s.moqbel@ju.edu.jo
Civil Engineering Department,
The University of Jordan,
Amman 11942, Jordan
e-mail: s.moqbel@ju.edu.jo
Search for other works by this author on:
Amin Almasri
Associate Professor
Civil Engineering Department,
Jordan University of Science and Technology,
Irbid 22110, Jordan
e-mail: ahalmasri@just.edu.jo
Civil Engineering Department,
Jordan University of Science and Technology,
Irbid 22110, Jordan
e-mail: ahalmasri@just.edu.jo
Shadi Moqbel
Assistant Professor
Civil Engineering Department,
The University of Jordan,
Amman 11942, Jordan
e-mail: s.moqbel@ju.edu.jo
Civil Engineering Department,
The University of Jordan,
Amman 11942, Jordan
e-mail: s.moqbel@ju.edu.jo
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Materials Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received April 13, 2016; final manuscript received August 31, 2016; published online February 1, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Xi Chen.
J. Eng. Mater. Technol. Apr 2017, 139(2): 021001 (8 pages)
Published Online: February 1, 2017
Article history
Received:
April 13, 2016
Revised:
August 31, 2016
Citation
Almasri, A., and Moqbel, S. (February 1, 2017). "Numerical Evaluation of AASHTO Drag Force Coefficients of Water Flow Around Bridge Piers." ASME. J. Eng. Mater. Technol. April 2017; 139(2): 021001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035253
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