The Polish system for riverbed scour monitoring in the proximity of bridge supports

Łukasz Topczewski; Paweł Mikołajewski; Mirosław Biskup

doi:10.7409/rabdim.025.030

Published: 2025-12-08

Vol. 24 No. 4 (2025)

The Polish system for riverbed scour monitoring in the proximity of bridge supports

Łukasz Topczewski

, Paweł Mikołajewski

, Mirosław Biskup

Section: Articles

https://doi.org/10.7409/rabdim.025.030

Abstract

Given the increasing frequency of extreme hydrological phenomena, bottom scouring around bridge supports poses a significant threat to transport infrastructure safety. The article presents the results of a research and development project carried out by MOPMO (Monitoring system for bridge pillars and their surroundings). The project aimed to develop a national system for continuously monitoring bottom scouring at bridge supports in Poland’s major rivers. An analysis of historical data from the last 1,000 years has demonstrated the cyclical nature of floods and an increase in their intensity since the end of the Little Ice Age, with particular intensification in the last three decades. These phenomena correlate with an increased number of bridge disasters, primarily caused by the erosion of bottom soil layers. Bottom scouring is the primary mechanism by which bridge supports are destroyed. Erosion caused by water flow results in the local weakening of foundations’ load-bearing capacity, leading to displacement, loss of stability, and potential collapse of the structure. The intensity of scouring is influenced by various factors, including the geometry and orientation of the support, the ratio of flow depth to pier width, hydrotechnical changes in the catchment area, river valley development, and geotechnical subsoil conditions. In response to these threats, an innovative bottom scour monitoring system has been developed. This consists of above-water and underwater modules equipped with 3D sonar, temperature and pressure sensors, and a remote data transmission system, among other things. This system enables continuous monitoring, even during floods, allowing critical erosion conditions to be detected in real time. The article also describes the technical challenges encountered during implementation and the design solutions applied. The collected data provides the basis for further research into risk modelling, the impact of climate change, and improving the operational safety of engineering structures.

Keywords:

bridge, climate change, flood, inspection, monitoring, scour, SHM

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Juliusz Cieśla, Mirosław Biskup, Łukasz Topczewski, Marian Skawiński, Cases of failure of bridge structures during the process of pre-stressing , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 16 No. 1 (2017)
Łukasz Topczewski, Juliusz Cieśla, Assessment of load bearing capacity of reinforced concrete bridge on the base of NDT results , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 13 No. 2 (2014)
Łukasz Topczewski, Guidelines for the application of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to inspection of concrete bridges – reflection mode , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 11 No. 4 (2012)
Janusz Bohatkiewicz, Marcin Świtała, Rafał Królikowski, Mirosław Biskup, The aftermath of a flood: assessing its impact on roads and bridges with insights from the Road and Bridge Research Institute , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 24 No. 2 (2025)
Mirosław Biskup, Jan Skawiński, Performance of type "T" prestressed concrete beams with limestone aggregate under long- and short-term loading , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 23 No. 3 (2024)
Juliusz Cieśla, Mirosław Biskup, Marian Skawiński, Experimental analysis of stiffness of pre-tensioned concrete bridge beams , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 8 No. 1 (2009)
Łukasz Topczewski, The application of selected tomographic imaging methods in the inspection of concrete bridges , Roads and Bridges – Drogi i Mosty: Vol. 24 No. 3 (2025)

Download files

PDF

Citation rules

Topczewski, Łukasz, Mikołajewski, P., & Biskup, M. (2025). The Polish system for riverbed scour monitoring in the proximity of bridge supports. Roads and Bridges – Drogi I Mosty, 24(4), 465–479. https://doi.org/10.7409/rabdim.025.030

Cited by / Share

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Łukasz Topczewski

Lukasz.Topczewski@zut.edu.pl
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8416-7937

Affiliation:

West Pomeranian University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 50 Piastów Av., 70-311 Szczecin Poland

Paweł Mikołajewski

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9426-7432

Affiliation:

Maritime University of Szczecin, Faculty of Geoengineering and Environmental Protection, 46 Żołnierska St., 70-500 Szczecin; Escort Technology Sp. z o.o., 8 gen. Dezyderego Chłapowskiego St., 70-103 Szczecin Poland

Mirosław Biskup

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6240-1892

Affiliation:

Road and Bridge Research Institute, Kielce Branch, 28 Chorzowska St., 25-852 Kielce Poland

The Polish system for riverbed scour monitoring in the proximity of bridge supports

Abstract

Keywords:

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Downloads

Łukasz Topczewski

Paweł Mikołajewski

Mirosław Biskup