Advancing Bathymetry and Streamflow Survey to Real-Time Scour Prediction: An Automated Algorithm

Most research on scour assessment has traditionally focused on developing best-fit or envelope equations to estimate the maximum scour depths from physical experiments in a laboratory environment. However, obtaining an accurate estimate is a challenge due to numerous uncertainties in the actual riverine or coastal environment. With advances in new surveying technologies and growing computational power, a promising alternative approach is to develop a robust high-speed 2-D or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or model to predict scour depths, final bathymetries, and further assess scour risks during flood events in a real-time fashion. To achieve this approach, we will continue our effort in Phase I and II to improve the algorithm and integrate it to SRH-2D software that is widely used by hydraulic engineers. The process will be efficiently and effectively performed by advanced mathematical algorithms. We will also incorporate the algorithm to scour general hazard curves to rapidly determine the scour risk for each sonar scan. The objective of the Phase IIB is to turn the developed algorithm to a commercially available software for scour prediction and risk assessment during storm events.