Daniel Iancu

Date of Award

May 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Civil Engineering

First Advisor

Howe Y. Lim

Abstract

This research centers on verifying an accurate and reliable method in deriving river bathymetry near bridge sites, which leads to critical enhancement of bridge scour analysis. The structural integrity of bridges is paramount, and accurate scour analysis is a cornerstone in civil engineering and public safety. Existing methods, though reliable and very well cemented in practice, may be improved with more precise water velocity estimates, which is essential for thorough bridge scour evaluations. Bridge assessments utilize bathymetry measurements in significant spots and or map out the continuous surface at the bottom of the river. This study seeks to validate if utilizing high-resolution bathymetry data from HYCAT surveys can refine water velocity predictions in HEC-RAS 2D modeling, leading to improved bridge scour analysis. The research is employing the HYCAT Autonomous Surface Vehicle for detailed bathymetry surveys, ArcGIS Pro for terrain modeling, and HEC-RAS 2D for comprehensive flood modeling, focused on Bridge 5872, located on the Red River of the North. The research underscores the pivotal role of high-resolution bathymetry from the HYCAT survey in flood simulation accuracy, advocating for refined survey techniques to achieve the best results. It highlights the significance of precise bathymetric data in elevating the quality of flood simulations and bridge scour assessments.

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