TALK TITLE:
Bridge Scour and Hydraulics under Climate Change: From Deterministic Design to Risk-Based Assessment
TIME: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 10:15
ABSTRACT:
Bridge scour is recognised as a primary cause of bridge failure on a global scale, and its assessment is becoming increasingly challenging in the context of climate change. This presentation revisits traditional approaches to hydraulic andscour design, which are largely based on deterministic design floods, empirical formulas and simplified hydraulic modelling. It discusses the limitations of these approaches when applied to non-stationary climatic conditions. The presentation draws on research and case studies developed in Portugal, highlighting how risk-based methodologies, combined with hydraulic modelling (1D/2D), targeted CFD analysis and probabilistic design floods, can provide more robust support for decision-making. The primary focus of this study is the transition from single-event design verification to integrated, uncertainty-aware scour risk assessment frameworks.
SHORT BIO:
Dr Ana Margarida Bento is a postdoctoral researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), where she is leading the BriSKproject, which is funded by the FCT Individual Scientific Employment Stimulus (6th edition) and focuses on developing a risk-based methodology for predicting bridge scour risk in a changing climate. Her research focuses on bridge scour and hydraulic risk assessment, integrating hydrological and hydraulic modelling, computational fluid dynamics, experimental studies, and climate projections to promote infrastructure resilience. Dr Bento holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto (FEUP), which she completed as part of the FCT InfraRiskDoctoral Programme in collaboration with the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC). Dr Bento has participated in several national and international research projects and collaborates with engineering stakeholders. She is also actively involved in scientific associations and editorial activities. She also teaches at university level and supervises undergraduate, master’s and doctoral research.
