SBIR Phase I: A Feasibility Study for a New Technology to Mitigate Bridge Flood Damage

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the validation and feasibility of a new technology for the mitigation and correction of local scour damage at bridge foundations caused by periodic floods, tidal flows, or sustained stream flows. The technology involves a flow control device that mitigates the enhanced turbulent mixing and local scour at the streambed and is applicable to thousands of bridges nationwide. An extensive survey of the nation's bridges has recently been completed by the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Geological Survey; and twenty to thirty percent of the existing bridges have been found to be scour critical. Phase I research will formulate a suitable test matrix to evaluate the feasibility and performance for the technology. Scaled flume tests will be performed at Colorado State's Hydraulics Laboratory and evaluations for a Phase II follow-on R/R&D and commercial applications study will be made. If successful, the potential for savings by the State and Federal Governments through the use of this technology can be conservatively estimated to be over 10 million a year