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ii
Contents
CONTENTS
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................................
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................
Purpose and scope .....................................................................................................................................................
Location of study area ...............................................................................................................................................
Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................................................
Methods of study ..............................................................................................................................................................
Narrow-beam fathometer surveys..............................................................................................................................
Continuous seismic-reflection surveys ......................................................................................................................
Acoustic Doppler current profiler..............................................................................................................................
Delineation of tidal scour at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges ...........................................................................
Sloop Channel Bridge ...............................................................................................................................................
Fathometer survey ..............................................................................................................................................
Seismic-reflection profiles..................................................................................................................................
Piers 1 and 2.........................................................................................................................................
Piers 4 and 5.........................................................................................................................................
Piers 6 and 7.........................................................................................................................................
Piers 9 and 10.......................................................................................................................................
Discharge measurement .....................................................................................................................................
Goose Creek Bridge ..................................................................................................................................................
Fathometer survey ..............................................................................................................................................
Seismic-reflection profiles..................................................................................................................................
Centerspan ...........................................................................................................................................
Piers 5 and 6.........................................................................................................................................
Piers 2 and 3.........................................................................................................................................
Piers 1 and 2.........................................................................................................................................
Summary and conclusions ................................................................................................................................................
References cited................................................................................................................................................................
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FIGURES
1. Maps showing location of Sloop Channel Bridge and Goose Creek Bridge study area, and of tide-stage gage,
Nassau County, N.Y. A. General location. B. Study area ...................................................................................
2. Generalized sketches showing pier-numbering systems for piers during July 1998 seismic-reflection survey,
Nassau County, N.Y. A.Goose Creek Bridge. B. Sloop Channel Bridge ...........................................................
3. Map showing sea-floor elevation at Sloop Channel Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998.............................
4. Narrow-beam fathometer profiles between piers 2 and 3 at Sloop Channel Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y.,
July 1998...............................................................................................................................................................
5-8. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profiles at Sloop Channel Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998:
5. Between piers 1 and 2.......................................................................................................................................
6. Between piers 4 and 5.......................................................................................................................................
7. Between piers 6 and 7.......................................................................................................................................
8. Between piers 9 and 10.....................................................................................................................................
9. Acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) velocity profiles between piers 9 and 10 during flood tide at Sloop
Channel Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y. A. East-west velocity. B. Vertical velocity ............................................
10. Bathymetric contour map of the sea floor at Goose Creek Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998 ..................
11-14. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profiles at Goose Creek Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998:
11. Between centerspans.......................................................................................................................................
12. Between piers 5 and 6.....................................................................................................................................
13. Between piers 2 and 3.....................................................................................................................................
14. Between piers 1 and 2.....................................................................................................................................
Contents
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iii
By
To Obtain
Length
foot (ft)
mile (mi)
0.3048
1.609
meter
kilometer
Flow
cubic foot per second
(ft3/s)
0.02832
Velocity
feet per second (ft/s)
0.3048
Sea level: In this report, sea level refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929)--a
geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United States and Canada,
formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929.
iv
Contents
Abstract
Inspection of the Goose Creek Bridge in
southeastern Nassau County in April 1998 by the
New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) indicated a separation of bridge piers
from the road bed as a result of pier instability
due to apparent seabed scouring by tidal currents.
This prompted a cooperative study by the U.S.
Geological Survey with the NYSDOT to delineate
the extent of tidal scour at this bridge and at the
Sloop Channel Bridge, about 0.5 mile to the
south, through several marine-geophysical
techniques. These techniques included use of a
narrow-beam, 200-kilohertz, research-grade
fathometer, a global positioning system accurate
to within 3 feet, a 3.5 to 7-kilohertz seismicreflection profiler, and an acoustic Doppler
current profiler (ADCP). The ADCP was used
only at the Sloop Channel Bridge; the other
techniques were used at both bridges.
Results indicate extensive tidal scour at both
bridges. The fathometer data indicate two major
scour holes nearly parallel to the Sloop Channel
Bridge one along the east side, and one along
the west side (bridge is oriented north-south). The
scour-hole depths are as much as 47 feet below
sea level and average more than 40 feet below sea
level; these scour holes also appear to have begun
to connect beneath the bridge. The deepest scour
is at the north end of the bridge beneath the
westernmost piers. The east-west symmetry of
scour at Sloop Channel Bridge suggests that flood
and ebb tides produce extensive scour.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Turbulent flow at bridge piers causes scour holes
to develop, these in turn cause piers to fail and bridges
to collapse. Local scour is the result of flow
disturbances caused by emplaced objects such as
pilings and piers (Gorin and Haeni, 1989). In May
1998, an inspection by New York State Department of
Transportation (NYSDOT) of the Goose Creek Bridge
(NYSDOT Bridge Identification Number [BIN]
1058509) (fig. 1), which connects Low Island with
Green Island in southern Nassau County, revealed that
one of the piers had settled sufficiently to separate
from the overlying roadbed. This bridge was
subsequently demolished, and a new bridge is under
7345'
7337'30"
7330'
Low
Island
ree
eC
4052'30"
os
Go
NEW YORK
Area shown
in figure 10
4045'
NASSAU COUNTY
QUEENS
COUNTY
Area of detail
Green Island
Stone C
reek
LK
SUFFO Y
T
COUN
Long
Island
South
Oyster
Bay
el Area shown
nn in figure 3
op
a
Ch
Slo
4037'30"
Point Lookout
tide-stage gage
Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data
0
0
2
2
4 MILES
4 KILOMETERS
A. GENERAL LOCATION
Jones
Beach
Island
NTIC
ATLA AN
OCE
0.125 0.25
KILOMETER
B. STUDY AREA
Figure 1. Location of Sloop Channel Bridge and Goose Creek Bridge study area, and of tide-stage
gage, Nassau County, N.Y. A. General location. B. Study area.
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the officers and crew of the
U.S. Coast Guard at Jones Beach for providing
logistical support during the field operations for this
study. Thanks are extended to the U.S. Geological
Survey Branch of Geophysical Applications and
Support for their technical assistance and use of the
seismic-reflection survey equipment. The authors
also thank the U.S. Geological Survey, Office of
Surface Water, for technical assistance.
METHODS OF STUDY
Data were compiled from (1) bridge-construction
records, (2) narrow-beam-fathometer surveys, (3)
continuous seismic-reflection surveys, and (4) ADCP
surveys. Additional information was obtained from
previous NYSDOT fathometer surveys and
construction reports. All marine-geophysical methods
used in this study are based on similar principles of
Methods of Study
B
Figure 2. Pier-numbering system for piers during July 1998 seismic-reflection survey, Nassau County,
N.Y. A. Goose Creek Bridge. B. Sloop Channel Bridge. (Locations are shown in fig. 1.)
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
Methods of Study
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
7330'10"
5"
7330'
40
36'
55"
50"
45"
250
500 FEET
EXPLANATION
0
50
100 METERS
Figure 3. Sea-floor elevation at Sloop Channel Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998.
(Location is shown in fig. 1.)
72 feet
EAST
0
2
10
4
20
6
8
30
10
40
12
14
WEST
Figure 4. Narrow-beam fathometer profiles between piers 2 and 3 at Sloop Channel Bridge, Nassau County,
N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
WEST
EAST
FEET
Figure 5. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profile between piers 1 and 2, Sloop Channel Bridge,
Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
WEST
EAST
FEET
WEST
EAST
FEET
WATER SURFACE
10
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
EAST
WEST
FEET
WATER SURFACE
Figure 8. Interpreted high-frequency-seismic-reflection profile between piers 9 and 10 at Sloop Channel Bridge,
Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
11
EAST
WEST
8 feet per
second
Area under
bridge deck
10
DEPTH, IN FEET
15
20
25
-2
sea floor
30
35
-5
40
45
-8
scour holes
50
0.00 seconds
bad
4 min 44.63 s
ELAPSED TIME
WEST
2.0 feet per
second
Area under
bridge deck
10
1.2
DEPTH, IN FEET
15
20
0.4
25
30
-0.4
sea floor
35
-1.2
40
45
-2.0
scour holes
50
0.00 seconds
bad
4 min 44.63 s
ELAPSED TIME
B. Vertical Velocity
Figure 9. Acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) velocity profile between piers 9 and 10 during
flood tide at Sloop Channel Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y.: A. East-west velocity. B. Vertical velocity.
(Location is shown in fig. 1.)
12
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
Fathometer Survey
13
7330'10"
5"
40
37'
25"
20"
EXPLANATION
250
50
500 FEET
100 METERS
Figure 10. Bathymetric contour map of the sea floor at Goose Creek Bridge, Nassau County, N.Y.,
July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
14
the scour hole. Above this marker bed on the east side
are sloped reflectors, which are interpreted as crossbedded sand. Riprap beneath the bridge appears as a
series of overlapping hyperbolic reflections that
indicate point reflectors. Nearly parallel horizontal
reflectors suggest infilling of the scour hole by
1 to 2 ft of fine-grained sediment.
Piers 5 and 6. The seismic-reflection profile
along a transect between piers 5 and 6, north of the
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
WEST
FEET
EAST
WATER SURFACE
Figure 11. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profile between centerspans at Goose Creek Bridge,
Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
EAST
FEET
WEST
WATER SURFACE
Figure 12. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profile between piers 5 and 6 at Goose Creek Bridge, Nassau
County, N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
15
EAST
FEET
WEST
WATER SURFACE
Figure 13. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profile between piers 2 and 3 at Goose Creek Bridge,
Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig. 1.)
16
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York
EAST
FEET
WEST
WATER SURFACE
Figure 14. Interpreted high-frequency seismic-reflection profile between piers 1 and 2 at Goose Creek Bridge,
Nassau County, N.Y., July 1998. (Location is shown in fig.1.)
17
REFERENCES CITED
Bedingfield, L., and Murphy, V., 1987, Surveying for scour:
Civil Engineering, v. 57, p. 67-69.
Brabets, T.P., 1995, Application of surface geophysical
techniques in a study of geomorphology of the Lower
Copper River, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey
Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4165,
47 p.
Crumrine, M.D., 1991, Results of a reconnaissance bridgescour study at selected sites in Oregon using surfacegeophysical methods: U.S. Geological Survey WaterResources Investigations Report 90-4199, 44 p.
Gorin, S.R., and Haeni, F.P., 1989, Use of surface-geophysical methods to assess riverbed scour at bridge piers:
U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 88-4212, 33 p.
Haeni, F.P., 1986, Application of continuous seismic-reflection methods to hydrologic studies: Ground Water,
v. 24, no. 1, p. 23-31.
18
_____ 1988, Evaluation of the continuous seismic-reflection method for determining the thickness and lithology of stratified drift in the glaciated northeast, in
Randall, A.D., and Johnson, A.I. (eds.), Regional
aquifer systems of the United Statesthe northeast
glacial aquifers: American Water Resources Association Monograph 11, p. 63-82.
Haeni, F.P., and Gorin, S.R., 1989, Post-flood measurement
of an infilled scour hole at the Bulkeley Bridge in
Hartford, Connecticut, in Proceedings of the Bridge
Scour Symposium: McLean, Va., Federal Highway
Administration Report FHWA-RD-90-035,
p. 147-174.
Haeni, F.P., and Placzek, Gary, 1991, Use of processed geophysical data to improve the delineation of infilled
scour holes at bridge piers, in Expanded abstracts
with biographies, SEG 61st Annual International
Meeting, Houston, Texas, November 10-14, 1991:
Houston, Texas, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, p. 549-552.
Morlock, S.E., 1996, Evaluation of acoustic doppler current
profiler measurements of river discharge: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations
Report 95-4218, 37 p.
Oberg, K.A., and Mueller, D.S., 1994, Recent applications
of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, in Pugh, C.A.
(ed.), Fundamentals and advancements in hydraulic
measurements and experimentation, ASCE symposium, Buffalo, New York, August 1-5, 1994: Buffalo,
N.Y., American Society of Civil Engineers,
p. 341-350.
Placzek, Gary, and Haeni, F.P., 1995, Surface-geophysical
techniques used to detect existing and infilled scour
holes near bridge piers: U.S. Geological Survey
Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4009,
44 p.
Placzek, Gary, Haeni, F.P., and Trent, R.E., 1993, Use of
geophysical data to assess scour development, in
Hydraulic Engineering 93National conference on
engineering hydrology, San Francisco, July 1530,1993, Proceedings: American Society of Civil
Engineers, p. 2051-2056.
Reynolds, R.J. and Williams, J.H., 1988, Continuous marine
seismic-reflection survey of glacial deposits along
the Susquehanna, Chemung, and Chenango Rivers,
south-central New York and north-central Pennsylvania, in Randall, A.D., and Johnson, A.I. (eds.),
Regional aquifer systems of the United Statesthe
northeast glacial aquifers: American Water Resources
Association Monograph 11, p. 83-103.
Robinson, E.S., and oruh, Cahit, 1988, Basic exploration
geophysics: New York, John Wiley, 562 p.
Delineation of Tidal Scour through Marine Geophysical Techniques at Sloop Channel and Goose Creek Bridges, Jones Beach
State Park, Long Island, New York