Large-Eddy simulation of three-dimensional turbulent flow around a circular pier*

In this article, the turbulent flow field and the scouring mechanism around a circular pier were numerically investigated using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method for three scouring holes. The effects of the bottom topographies on the flow structure were studied in detail. The results show that at the downstream of the pier, as the scouring depth increases, the bed shear stress decreases and approaches to the undisturbed shear stress, however, the turbulent intensity, the fluctuating pressure, and the vertical pressure gradient increase gradually.