SURFACE PROFILES

Unit 2

Classification of slopes
There are five types of slopes
Adverse slope (A)if So < 0 (slope is positive in the downstream
direction), yn does not exist
Horizontal slope (H)if So = 0, yn = infinity
Critical slope (C)if So =Sc, Yn =yc
Mild slope (M)if So> Sc andyn>yc
Steep slope (S)if So > Sc andyn<yc

Classification of zones

Type 1 curve: Depth is greater thanycandyn, flow is

subcritical
Type 2 curve: Depth is betweenycandyn, flow can be
either subcritical or supercritical
Type 3 curve: Depth is less than bothycandyn, flow is
supercritical.

Curvature of water surface

Obtained using
Chezys formula
or

Obtained using
Mannings formula

When
y>yc,

When
y<yc,

This indicate that H2 curve meets the CDL

normally at d/s end & at u/s end it tends to
approach horizontal line tangentially

This indicate that H3 curve meets the CDL

& channel bottom line normally

When
y>yn>yc,
When
yn>y>yc,

When yn>yc>y,

This indicate that M1 curve meets the

NDL asymptotically at the u/s end & it
tends to be horizontal on the d/s
This indicate that M2 curve meets the
NDL asymptotically at the u/s end &
CDL normally on d/s
This indicate that M3 curve meets
the CDL & channel bottom line
horizontally

When y>yc =
yn
So =Sc

When y<yc =
yn

This indicate that C1 will b more or

less horizontal line

This indicate that C3 will be more

or less horizontal line

When
y>yc>yn,
When
yc>y>yn,

When yc>yn>y,

This indicate that S1 curve meets the

CDL normally at the u/s end & it
tends to be horizontal on the d/s
This indicate that S2 curve meets the
CDL normally at the u/s end & on d/s
it meets NDL asymptotically
This indicate that S3 curve meets
the channel bottom normally & it is
asymptotic to NDL

When y>yc

This indicate that A2 tends to be

horizontal @ u/s & at d/s it meets
CDL

When y<yc
This indicate that A3 meets the
CLD & channel bottom line
normally