CE 664 # Hydraulics of Alluvial Rivers

TUTORIAL – 7
ALLUVIAL STREAMS AND THEIR HYDRAULIC GEOMETRY
Q-1 The distance between Hardwar and Allahabad on Ganga River is 600 km. The mean size
of the sediment particles at Hardwar and Allahabad were found to be 6.0 mm and 2.0 mm
respectively. Compute the abrasion coefficient of Ganga River.

Q-2 Explain the following with their significance in alluvial stream modelling:
a) Dominant discharge
b) Bed generative discharge
c) Young streams, mature streams and old streams
d) Straight, braided and meandering river reaches

Q-3 Explain the variation of longitudinal slope of the river in longitudinal direction with
reasoning.

Q-4 Explain ‘Leopold and Maddock’ equations for alluvial stream problems. Explain the
significance of equations.

Q-5 Explain the criteria for identifying meandering and braided rivers.

Q-6 The plan of Tapi River from chainage 700.0 km to 770.0 km is shown in Figure (attached).
Compute Sinuosity, Tortuosity and Plan Form Index (PFI) of the river.
[GIS Figure of Lower Tapi River will be provided separately]
 The plan of Tapi River from chainage 700.0 km to 770.0 km is shown in Figure (attached). Compute Sinuosity, Tortuosity and Plan Form Index (PFI )
Q.6
of the river.

Image Scale :- 1 cm = 1.93333 km

𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒆𝒈 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒆𝒈 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 − 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉

𝟏) 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 = 𝟐) 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 = ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉

𝑻
∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝟒) 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 ∶
𝟑) 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙 = 𝑩
𝑵
𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 > 𝟏. 𝟓 ⟹ 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎
𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑻 = 𝑻𝟏 + 𝑻𝟐 = 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑻𝒐𝒑 𝑾𝒊𝒅𝒕𝒉
𝑷𝑭𝑰 < 𝟒 ⟹ 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎
𝑩 = 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒅𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘
𝟒 < 𝑷𝑭𝑰 < 𝟏𝟗 ⟹ 𝑴𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎
𝑵 = 𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒔
𝑷𝑭𝑰 > 𝟏𝟗 ⟹ 𝑳𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎
 Calculation of Sinuosity, Tortuosity and Plan form Index (PFI) of Each Reach of River

Reach - 1 Reach - 2 Reach - 3 Reach - 4 Reach - 5 Reach - 6 Reach - 7

River Reach
(Ch. 700 to 710) (Ch. 710 to 720) (Ch. 720 to 730) (Ch. 730 to 740) (Ch. 740 to 750) (Ch. 750 to 760) (Ch. 760 to 770)

Talweg Length (kms) 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Valley Length (kms) 9.2800 8.7000 8.8933 6.1867 8.7000 7.7333 6.3800

Sinuosity 1.0776 1.1494 1.1244 1.6164 1.1494 1.2931 1.5674

Tortousity 7.76% 14.94% 12.44% 61.64% 14.94% 29.31% 56.74%
T1 0.155 0.087 0.058 0.116 0.058 0.174 0.155
T2 0.077 0.058 0.135 0.039 0.184 0.155 0.116
T3 0.135 0.155 - - - - -
Section - A
T 0.367 0.300 0.193 0.155 0.242 0.329 0.271
(kms)
N 3 3 2 2 2 2 2
B 1.063 0.812 0.580 0.425 0.870 0.773 0.677
PFI 1 11.515 12.302 16.667 18.182 13.889 21.250 20.000
T1 0.116 0.106 0.097 0.039 0.155
T2 0.174 0.058 0.116 0.193 0.135
T - 0.290 0.164 - 0.213 0.232 0.290
Section - B (kms)
N 2 2 2 2 2
B 0.967 0.580 0.580 0.580 0.773
PFI 2 15.000 14.167 18.333 20.000 18.750

Plan Form Index (PFI) 11.515 13.651 15.417 18.182 16.111 20.625 19.375

Not Meandering & Not Meandering & Not Meandering & Meandering & Not Meandering & Not Meandering Meandering &
Characteristic of Plan
Moderately Moderately Braided Moderately Braided Moderately Moderately Braided & Lowly Braided Lowly Braided
Form of Each Reach
Braided Reach Reach Reach Braided Reach Reach Reach Reach
 Characteristics of Plan Form of Whole River :

𝟏) 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 = 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟕 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

1.07 + 1.149 + 1.124 + 1.616 + 1.149 + 1.293 + 1.567

=
7

Overall Sinuosity = 1.283

Overall Sinuosity < 1.5 shows that the whole river is Not a Meandering Stream, although reaches 4 and 7 are Meandering Reaches.

𝟐) 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 = 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟕 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

7.76 + 14.94 + 12.44 + 61.64 + 14.94 + 29.31 + 56.74

=
7

Overall Tortuosity = 28.25%

𝟑) 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 (𝐏𝐅𝐈) = 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐅𝐈 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟕 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

11.515 + 13.651 + 15.417 + 18.182 + 16.111 + 20.625 + 19.375

=
7

Overall PFI = 16.411

Overall PFI lying in the range 4 < PFI < 19 shows that the whole river Moderately Braided Stream, although reaches 6 and 7 are Lowly Braided
Reaches.