Scour around vertical piles due to long-crested and short-crested nonlinear random waves plus a current

This paper provides a practical stochastic method by which the maximum equilibrium scour depth around a vertical pile exposed to long-crested (2D) and short-crested (3D) nonlinear random waves plus a current can be derived. The approach is based on assuming the waves to be a stationary narrow-band random process, adopting the Forristall (2000) wave crest height distribution representing both 2D and 3D nonlinear random waves, and using the empirical formulas for the scour depth by Sumer and Fredsøe (2002). Comparisons are made between the present approach and the Sumer and Fredsøe (2001) data for 2D random waves plus current. An example calculation is provided.

► A stochastic method to predict the scour depth around a vertical pile.
► The vertical pile is exposed to 2D and 3D nonlinear random waves plus a current.
► Comparisons are made between the present approach and the published data.
► An example calculation is provided.