Study on the impact of different pier structures on navigable flow conditions

The navigable clearance scale is a key factor in the selection of bridge type schemes on urban navigable rivers, especially in the case of limited clearance, the restriction of pier size and shape on navigation. In this paper, the impact of different pier structures on navigable flow is analyzed through the two-dimensional flow mathematical model simulation of new bridge section of a river. The results show that the shape optimization of square pier chamfer can reduce the transverse velocity of navigable flow; and the larger size of pier, the greater transverse velocity of navigable waters. Furthermore, the transverse velocity of the navigable flow is the smallest on the condition of the same width but round form of head pier structure. The new design can effectively solve the contradiction between bridge navigation and landscape construction on urban navigable river, and provide a variety of options for bridge construction.