#avantbec
- Starling — The upstream part of a bridge pier, projecting forward and specially shaped (pointed, wedge-like, or ogival) to split the water current, guide the flow, and protect the structure against water pressure, ice jams, or floating debris carried by the river. It serves as the frontal safety component of a bridge infrastructure facing the hydrological flow.
- Starling — A prominent construction element, with a hydrodynamic or angular profile, located on the upstream side of a bridge pier or a dam, having the structural role of splitting and deflecting water currents, reducing hydrodynamic pressure, and protecting the main structure from the impact of ice floes or logs carried by floods.