Faculty Development Programme on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Machinery- 17 th -22nd Nov 2003

17. ALLUVIAL CHANNELS

An alluvial channel was defined as one transporting water as well as sediment,
the sediment transported being of the same nature as that comprising the bed.
The stability of a reach of such a channel requires that the sediment in flow into
the reach be equal to the sediment out flow. Under such an equilibrium condition
the bed of the channel neither rises nor falls. Obviously, the shape, longitudinal
slope and cross-sectional dimensions of such a stable channel depend on the
discharge, the size of the sediment and the sediment load to be carried.

The two methods commonly adopted for the design of stable channels in
alluvium are the tractive force approach and the regime approach. Use is made
of the sediment transport and resistance laws for alluvial channel flows in the
tractive force approach and, for this reason, the approach may be deemed to be
more rational. But it has not been used in India and Pakistan to the same extent
as the regime approach, which is merely a set of empirical equations evolved
after thee study of a number of stable field channels. The word “regime’ used
herein is not to be confused with thee ‘regime of flow’ discussed in chapter 3.
Lacey8 introduced the term regime channel to indicate a channel carrying a
constant discharge and flowing uniformly through un limited incoherent alluvium
of the same character as that transported, without changing its cross-sectional
dimensions or slope over a period of time. The regime equations commonly used
in India and Pakistan are discussed below:

17.1. Regime approach

Although it was pointed out that the cross-sectional dimensions and the slope of
a regime channel ought to depend on the sediment load apart from the discharge
and sediment load as a variable and this remains an important limitation of these
equations. These equations were evolved using data of stable canals in India
and Pakistan carrying a sediment load generally smaller than 500 ppm by weight.
As such, one should expect these equations to be applicable when the sediment
load is not much higher.
(a) Kennedy’s Equation Kennedy analyzed data from stable canals of the
upper Bari Doab system and found that the non-scouring, non silting
velocity V0 is related to the depth by the equation

V0  0.55h 0.64 Eq.(17.1.1)

Here h is expressed in m and u in m/s. Kennedy also found that the sediment
size plays an important role an the critical velocity ration m (defined as V/V 0) was
greater than unity for sands coarser than thee one in Upper Bari Doab system
and less than unity for finer sands. In other words,
V  0.55h 0.64

This combined with a flow equation like the Manning’s equation

Department of Civil Engineering, AKCE 79

Faculty Development Programme on Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Machinery- 17 th -22nd Nov 2003

1 2 / 3 1/ 2
V  Rh S e Eq.(17.1.2)
n

Provides two equations for the determination of the three unknown B, h and S (if
a trapezoidal shape of known side slope is assumed) for known values of Q, m
and n. obviously any number of solutions will satisfy the above equations but not
all of these channels will be stable; a very narrow channel will tend to widen due
to scour of the sides and a very wide one would shrink in width due to deposition.
It is thus customary to assume a reasonable value of s considering he slope of
the country and past experience. The resulting solution is compared with thee
following recommended values of B/h; if the two values differ significantly,
suitable modification in the slope would be necessary.

Table 10 Recommended width – Depth Ratio (Approximate) for stable canals

Qm3/s 5.0 10.0 15.0 50.0 100.0 200.0 300.0
B/h 4.5 5.0 6.5 9.0 12.0 15.0 18.0

The side slopes of alluvial canals are maintained during construction equal to or
less than the angle of repose of the soil. But due to deposition of fine silt on the
sides, the side slopes obtained after some period of running of the canal are
much steeper. Although the final cross – section is not truly trapezoidal in shape,
it is customary to assume this shape with the slope to be 1/2H: 1 V.

Department of Civil Engineering, AKCE 80