FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

COURSE WATER ENGINEERING LABORATORY

COURSE CODE ECW341
LEVEL OF OPENNESS 1
CATEGORY PARTIALLY OPEN
DEGREE OF OPEN ENDED 33%
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 1 WEEK
LAB NO 3.2
DETERMINATION OF HYDRAULIC PARAMETERS IN UNIFORM
TITLE
FLOW FOR OPEN CHANNELS.

OBJECTIVES

1. To obtain appropriate coefficients to satisfy the Manning formula

of a corrugated and roughened bed on the depth of water at
different flow rates.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Conduct the determination of hydraulic parameters in uniform flow

for open channels laboratory experiment. (CO1 – PO4)
2. Analyze and interpret the data based on obtained data. (CO2 –
PO6)

THEORITICAL BACKGROUND

For uniform flow in an open channel, the Manning formula states that:
PREAMBLE
2 1
1
𝑣 = 𝑛 𝑅3 𝑆 2
where
n = Coefficient of roughness (Dimensionless)
v = Mean fluid velocity (m/s)
R = Hydraulic mean radius (m)
= Flow area A / Wetted perimeter P
Where:
𝑑0 +𝑑1
𝐴 = 𝐵. ( 2
)

and
𝑑0 +𝑑1
𝑃 = 𝐵 + 2. ( 2
)

Where
B= channel width (m)

ECW341 – WATER ENGINEERING LABORATORY Page 1

 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

S= Slope of energy line

= sin θ = (d0 – d1)/x
with
x = Distance between level of measurements (m)
d0 = Upstream depth of flow (m)
d1 = Downstream depth of flow (m)

The actual fluid velocity can be calculated as:

𝑣 = 𝑄/𝐴
where:
v = Mean fluid velocity (m)
Q = volume of flow rate (m3)
A = Area of flow (m2)
= (Breadth of channel, b) x (depth of flow, h)
h = Average depth of flow above gravel bed (m)
(d0 + d1) / 2

The group is required to obtain the coefficient of roughness, n based on

the laboratory test on the two (2) type of different bed surface. Then need
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
to compare to the actual Manning coefficient publishes base on the two
(2) types of different bed flow rates.

APPARATUS

i. Self-contained glass sided tilting flume

ii. Rulers
iii. Paper
iv. Corrugated bed
v. Gravel bed
APPARATUS vi. Point gauge

Figure 1 Self contained glass sided tilting flume

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

Figure 2 Apparatus cross-section in corrugated bed

Figure 3 Apparatus cross-section in gravel bed

PROCEDURE/METHOD

1) Install the corrugated bed section at the bottom of the flume.

Position the hook and point level gauge on the instrument rails.
Use the top of the corrugations in the bed as a datum and measure
the datum height.
2) Ensure the downstream tilting overshot weir is at the bottom of its
water flow, open the flow control valve and admit the water into the
flume. Once a small head of flowing water has been achieved do
not adjust the flow control valve again, in order to maintain a
WAYS AND MEANS constant flow rate throughout the experiment.
(Refer to Standard Methods for the 3) Measure the volume flow rate, Q, and the depth of flow d0 and d1
Examination of Water and above the roughened bed at each end.
4) Raise the downstream tilting overshot weir in small stages,
Wastewater
repeating the measurements at each stage.
5) Further sets of readings can be obtained by repeating the above
measurement with different flow rates but increasing the slope of
the flume.
6) Repeat the whole procedures with gravel bed section.

Students are asked to obtain the upstream and downstream flow depth
from the given discharges. The horizontal distances between upstream
and downstream location will be determined.

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 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA LABORATORY MANUAL

The group is required to submit the technical report of the laboratory

results highlighting the apparatus used, the procedures undertaken for the
RESULT, ANALYSIS
test, data acquisition process, analysis carried out and the relevancy of
CONCLUSION
the set-out output to address the given problem. Discuss the result
outcome in the experiment.

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