2024 , Volume 29, № 2, p.5-20

Purpose. The paper presents a numerical simulation of local soil erosion near a bridge pier caused by a river ѕow.

Methodology. The simulation based on a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model with parametri- zation of turbulent mixing and a sediment transport model.

Findings. The simulation results show that the local scour is stabilizing. A comparison of the simulation results with the available empirical data on local scour used in the design shows the proximity of the depth of the scour in modelling and empirical data.

Originality/value. The paper attempts to understand by which models and/or empirical formulas to carry out calculations of local erosion in practice. Generally speaking, both model and empirical approaches are questionable. Delft3D (oceanographic model) in this article is adapted to calculate local erosion and compared with empirical formulas. Simulation data are obtained and a comparison with empirical data is given. In this sense, it can be argued that the material contains new computational and scientiҥc data.