INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF BRIDGE PIERS ON STREAM MORPHOLOGY USING A STREAM TABLE

Modification of stream morphology by the installation of manmade structures in a channel can have ramifications for the stability of the stream system. One of the most common forms of these manmade structures, and the main focus of this project, is bridge piers. These piers, which are placed into stream channels for stability of the overlying bridge, can result in scouring and failure of the stream banks, which in turn release more sediment downstream. To model these morphological changes, a stream table was used to form a stable stream in which equilibrium was reached for the baseline measurements of flow, sediment transport and scour. Plastic cylinders were placed within the stream channel to represent bridge piers and measurements made to document the changes that occurred. By conducting this experiment, I was able to begin to see and understand the correlation between human development and the dramatic affect it can have on stream channel morphology.