Experimental investigation on hydrodynamic interaction between tsunami waves and bridge girder

This study focuses on the hydrodynamic interaction between tsunami waves and bridge girder. Firstly, a series of tsunami waves were experimentally generated by dam-break waves under various initial water depths, the wave front profiles and their evolution were obtained accordingly. Then, experimental studies on hydrodynamic interaction between these tsunami waves and a plate-girder as well as a T-girder were carried out systematically, and the characteristics of the whole interaction process were analyzed successively. After that, the pressure time histories on the front side, back side, upper side and downward side of the bridge girder were obtained, and the obvious differences in pressure time histories at different positions were compared and analyzed in detail. Furthermore, the horizontal impact peak force, vertical impact peak force and impact peak moment on the two bridge girders, as well as the forces and moments in the quasi-stationary stage, ware presented, and their evolution with initial water depth, incoming wave height and girder elevation are revealed elaborately. Finally, based on the findings of this study and considering the variation of tsunami wave front profile and girder elevation, the calculation formulas for the impact peak forces and moment, as well as the forces and moment in the quasi-stationary stage, are proposed for the plate-girder and T-girder, and related coefficients are suggested from the experimental results of this study. This study could deepen the insight of the hydrodynamic interaction between tsunami waves and bridge girders, and provides a new rapid calculation method for the forces and moment on plate-girder and T-girder.