CHAPTER 2

Basic Hydraulics Principle in Open

Channels

7/8/2021 1
Outlines

Continuity Equation

Specific energy and critical depth

Moment equation and critical force

7/8/2021 2
 1. Continuity equation
The continuity equation principle based on conservation of mass

principle which state “mass neither created nor destroyed “.

Q1 = Q2, Where Q is Discharges

A1V1 =A2V2

7/8/2021 3
2. Energy principle

Energy principle is based on conservation of energy which state that

“energy neither created nor destroyed, however it changes from one
form to other form energy”

2 2
p1 v p2 v
 z1 
1
  z2   hf
2
1 2g  2 2g

7/8/2021 4
Specific energy and critical depth
Definition

7/8/2021 5
7/8/2021 6
Specific Energy

7/8/2021 7
7/8/2021 8
• A 2.5-m wide rectangular channel has a specific energy of 1.50 m when
carrying a discharge of 6.48 m3/s. Calculate the alternate depths and
corresponding Froude numbers?

7/8/2021 9
Example 2.1
A 2.5-m wide rectangular channel has a specific energy of 1.50 m when carrying
a discharge of 6.48 m3/s. Calculate the alternate depths and corresponding
Froude numbers.
f ( x)  y 3  1.5 y 2  0.34243
f '( x)  3 y  3 y
2

f ( x)
xt 1  xt 
f '( x)
f (ans )
ANS  ans 
f '(ans)
y  1.5 y  0.34243  0
3 2
y1  1.296 m andy 2  0.625 m
7/8/2021 y1  1.296 m, F1  0.561; andaty 2  0.625 m, F 2  1.675 10
Critical flow computation

critical depth

critical energy

7/8/2021 11
Critical flow

7/8/2021 12
 Q2
E  y
2 gA2
2
dE d ( y ) d Q
  ( 2
)0
dy dy dy 2 gA
2
Q dA
0  1- 3 ' dA  dy * T
gA dy
Q 2T QT 2
1- 3
 0, 1 3
 Fr 2
gA gA

7/8/2021 13
7/8/2021 14
 15
7/8/2021
7/8/2021 16
7/8/2021 17
Trapezoids

7/8/2021 18
 zyc 3
B (1 3
) y
Q 2
A ( B  zyc ) yc
3 3 3 c zyc
   B , Substitute 
g T ( B  2 zyc ) B(1 
2 zyc
) B
B
Q 2
B (1   ) 
5 3 3
 3
g z (1  2 )
2 3
Q z (1   )  3 3

gB 5
(1  2 )

Qz (1   ) 
3/2 3/2 3/2
 
gB 5/2
(1  2 )1/2

7/8/2021 19
CONT….
This equation can easily be evaluated for various value of ζ and plotted as
ψ vs ζ. It may be noted that if α > 1, ψ can be defined as

Q z 2 3
 ( 5
) Ec 1 (3  5 )
gB 
A ( B  zy ) y
zy
(1  ) yc 2 (1  2 )
  B
T ( B  2 zy ) (1  2 zy )
B

V zy
Fr  f( )
g( A / T ) B

7/8/2021 20
EXAMPLE

7/8/2021 21
CONT…

7/8/2021 22
CONT…

7/8/2021 23
CONT…

7/8/2021 24
CONT….

7/8/2021 25
Circular channel
Let D be the diameter of a circular channel (Figure below) and 2θ
be the angle in radians subtended by the water surface at the center.

7/8/2021 26
Cont..

7/8/2021 27
CONT…

7/8/2021 28
Example 2.1 Calculate the critical depth and the corresponding specific
energy for a discharge of 5.0 m3/s in the following channels:
(a) Rectangular channel, B = 2.0 m
(b) Triangular channel, z = 0.5
(c ) Trapezoidal channel, B = 2.0 m, z = 1.5
(d) Circular channel, D = 2.0 m

7/8/2021 29
CONT…
(b) Triangular channel, z = 0.5 𝟏
𝟐𝑸𝟐 𝟓
𝒚𝒄 =
𝒈𝒛𝟐
𝟏 Τ𝟓
𝟐 ∗ 𝟓𝟐
𝒚𝒄 = = 𝟏. 𝟖𝟐𝟖
𝟗. 𝟖𝟏(𝟎. 𝟓ሻ

Ec
 1.25
yc

Ec  2.284

7/8/2021 30
CONT…
(c ) Trapezoidal channel, B = 2.0 m, z = 1.5

1.5
5*1.5
5/2
 0.51843
9.8 * 2

zyc
   0.536
B

7/8/2021 31
CONT…

7/8/2021 32
(d) Circular channel, D = 2.0 m

yc
 0.537, yc  2*0.537  1.074m
D

7/8/2021 33
Section Factor Z and First Hydraulic Exponent M
The expression A 𝐴Τ𝑇 is a function of the depth y for a given channel
geometry and is known as the section factor Z

In the GVF computations, it is convenient to express the variation

of Z with y in an exponential form. The (Z – y) relationship

In this equation C1 = a coefficient and M = an exponent called the

first hydraulic exponent.

7/8/2021 34
 zy
The variation of M and  
B
for a trapezoidal channel is indicated in Figure

7/8/2021 35
STEADY FLOW
The momentum equation commonly used in most of the open channel flow
problems is the linear-momentum equation.

This equation states that the algebraic sum of all external forces, acting in a
given direction on a fluid mass equals the time rate of change of linear
momentum of the fluid mass in the direction.

In a steady flow the rate of change of momentum in a given direction will be
equal to the net flux of momentum in that direction.
7/8/2021 36
Uses of moment equation
The momentum equation is a particularly useful tool in analyzing
rapidly varied flow (RVF) situations where energy losses are
complex and cannot be easily estimated.
It is also very helpful in estimating forces on a fluid mass.

7/8/2021 37
CONT… 1. Pressure forces acting on the control surfaces, F1 and F2.
2. Tangential force on the bed, F3,
3. Body force, i.e., the component of the weight of the fluid in
the longitudinal direction, F4.

7/8/2021 38
CONT….

ΣF = F - F - F + F = M - M
1 2 3 4 2 1

M = β ρQV , is momentum flux entering the control volume

1 1

M = β ρQV is momentum flux leaving the control volume

2 2 2

7/8/2021 39
CONT…

7/8/2021 40
Cont.…

7/8/2021 41
CONT….

7/8/2021 42
Example 1 Estimate the force, on a sluice gate shown in Figure below

7/8/2021 43
 β1 = β2 = 1.0

7/8/2021 44
7/8/2021 45
Channel transition

7/8/2021 46
Cont…

7/8/2021 47
Cont..

7/8/2021 48
7/8/2021 49
Change in width

7/8/2021 50
7/8/2021 51
7/8/2021 52
Cont…

7/8/2021 53
Example 2 A rectangular channel has a width of 2.0 m and carriers a discharge
of 4.80 m3/s with a depth of 1.60 m. at a certain section a small, smooth hump
with a flat top and of height 0.10 m is proposed to be built. a) Calculate the
likely change in the water surface. Neglect the energy loss. (b) Estimate the
minimum size of the hump to cause critical flow over the hump.

7/8/2021 54
7/8/2021 55
7/8/2021 56
7/8/2021 57
7/8/2021 58
A rectangular channel is 3.5 m wide and conveys a discharge of
15. 0 m3/s at a depth of 2.0 m. It is proposed to reduce the width of the channel
at a hydraulic structure. Assuming the transition to be horizontal and the flow to
be frictionless determine the water surface elevations upstream and downstream
of the constriction when the constricted width is (a) 2.50 m, and (b) 2.20 m.

7/8/2021 59
7/8/2021 60
7/8/2021 61
7/8/2021 62
7/8/2021 63
Cont..

7/8/2021 64
Cont..

7/8/2021 65
Cont…

7/8/2021 66
Cont…

7/8/2021 67
Cont…

7/8/2021 68