H5 Gradually Varied Flow

Data
1) Width of the flume, B = 0.3 m
2) Slope of the channel = 1/200
3) Manning’s n (taken from H4 experiment) = 0.0097
4) Manometer difference, H = 330mm
5) Flow rate, Q (from graph H4-ii) = 0.023m3/s
6) Channel is divided into N section: N =5
7) Water depth at point 1, y1 s = 0.24m
8) Water depth at point 6, y6 = 0.22m
9) Distance between the two water depths, L experiment = 3.7m
10) ∆y (Equation 2) = 0.004m
11) Critical depth, yc (Equation 3) = 0.084m
12) Conveyance factor, K0 (Equation 4) = 0.3253m3/s

Computation Table

Average Denominator Numerator ∆x i

Water Conveyance [Eq.(1)] [Eq.(1)] [Eq.(1)]
Index, water
Depth, factor, i.e., i.e., Or
i depth, 3
yi (m) K i (m /s)  Ko 
2
 yc 
3
y (Column6)
(1) y i (m)
[Eq.(7)] [Eq.(6)] 1    1   
[Eq.(5)]  K i   y i  S 0 (Column5)
(2) (4)
(3) (5) (6) (7)

1 0.220
2 0.224 0.222 1.791 0.967 0.946 0.782m
3 0.228 0.226 1.813 0.968 0.949 0.784m
4 0.232 0.230 1.834 0.969 0.951 0.786m
5 0.236 0.234 1.855 0.969 0.954 0.787m
6 0.240 0.238 1.875 0.970 0.956 0.789m
L = Total of ∆x i = 3.928m
Results and Conclusion
1) Determine the percentage difference between theoretical and experimental
distance of gradually varied flow obtained from experiment.
LTheoretical = 3.928m
LExperimental = 3.700m
LTheoretical  LExperimental
Percentage difference =  100%
LTheoretical

3.928  3.700
=  100%
3.928
= 5.80%

2) Give your conclusions on the result of the experiment.

a) The result that we obtained in the experiment is accurate since the
differential is small.
b) Experimental distance of gradually varied flow is 3.7m while the
theoretical result from calculation using Equation (1) is 3.928m.

3) From the results obtained, do you think that Equation (1) is applicable to be used
in analyzing gradually varied flow in open channel problem? Why?
a) Since the differential percentage between the theoretical and experimental
distance is small, 5.80%, so Equation (1) can be accepted in analyzing
gradually varied flow problem in open channel.
  y 3 
1  c  
  y i  
b) This differential equation, xi   2  , is suitable for rectangular
  K0  
1    

  K i  
channel.
c) The channel is assumed relatively long and prismatic.
d) The pressure distribution at any section is assumed to be hydrostatic.
e) The bed slope is considered small, which is 1/200.
f) The roughness along the channel surface is constant.
 g) The friction along the channel is neglected.
h) The value of flow rate is assumed constant along the channel.

DISCUSSION:
1) To improve the result of the experiment, we should:
i. The depth measurement apparatus has to be set to zero before measuring the
water depth.
ii. The water depth should be taken after the water flow becomes steady.
iii. Reader’s eyes must be parallel to the water surface to avoid parallax error.