TOPIC 3:

OPEN CHANNEL FLOW

 SUB-TOPIC 3.2:
NON-UNIFORM FLOW IN
OPEN CHANNELS
LEARNING OUTCOMES
To differentiate between Gradually Varied Flow &
Rapidly Varied Flow.
To determine critical depth, critical velocity, maximum
discharge & minimum specific energy at critical point.
To determine critical slope and classify bed slope.
To classify flow based on Froude number, to describe
propagation of disturbance, to identify control sections.
CLASSIFICATION OF NON-UNIFORM OCF

RVF GVF
Rapidly Varied flow Gradually Varied Flow

d/dx ~ 1 d/dx <<1

Observable Usually not observable

Localised acceleration Not localised

Momentum equation is Momentum equation is

used not used
e.g. flow over obstacles,
constriction, hydraulic Backwater curve
jump
STEADY NON-UNIFORM FLOW

entry
OCFs are typically How does yn1
yn1 turbulent, why? compare to yn2 ?

yn2

exit
What happens at
change of slope?

What happens if cross What happens at

section varies? entrance and exit?
STEADY NON-UNIFORM FLOW
STEADY NON-UNIFORM FLOW

v12/2g
v2/2g
v22/2g
D1 D1
D
D2
D2
B1
z1 z
z2 B2
 v2
SPECIFIC ENERGY E D
2g
 Defined as the total energy per unit weight
measured above bed level, suitable for analysis of
steady non-uniform flow.

V12 V22
Recall Energy eqn.: D1   z1  D2   z2  hL
2g 2g
E1  z1  E2  z2  hL
 CRITICAL DEPTH &
MINIMUM SPECIFIC ENERGY
Consider a RECTANGULAR CHANNEL:
Q = constant
Q Q D (and v) changes
Average velocity v 
A BD
Q
Flow per unit width q
B
2
v2 1  Q  q2
Specific energy E D D   D (a)
2g 2g  BD  2gD 2

2q 2 d 2E
For minimum specific energy dE
 1 0  
dD 2
dD 2gD3
q2 q2 Q2
 3
1 Citical depth Dc  3 3
gDc g gB 2
q2
Hence, E D
2gD 2
3
gDc Dc 3 3 2
E  Dc  2
 Dc   Dc Emin  Dc OR Dc  Emin
2gDc 2 2 2 3
CRITICAL DEPTH, CRITICAL VELOCITY AND
MAXIMUM FLOW RATE PER UNIT WIDTH
q2 1
From; E D q  D 2g E  D   2g .DE  D  2
2gD 2

2g .D   d 2E
 ve 
 2g E  D  
Differentiating dq D
 2g  E  D   dD 2
dD 2 E D  2 E D 

3/2
dq 2  2  2 
if  0, D  Dc and q  qmax  E 2g  E  E   g  E 
dD 3  3  3 

Hence q  gDc3 OR Dc  (q 2 / g )1/ 3

2
Specific energy 3 v
E  Dc  Dc  c v c  gDc
2 2g Critical velocity

Q = constant
When D = Dc, v = vc
Example
A rectangular channel 8 m wide conveys water at a rate of 15 m3/s. If the velocity
in the channel is 1.5 m/s, determine;
a) E b) Dc c) vc d) Emin e) type of flow

a) Specific energy
Q 15 d) Minimum energy, Emin
D   1.25 m
Bv 8  1.5
3 3
2 Emin  Dc   0.710  1.065 m
1 .5 2 2
E  1.25   1.365 m
2  9.81
Q 15
b) Critical Depth  q
 1.875 m2 /s e) Type of flow
B 8
For Rectangular channel subcritical
1/ 3 1/ 3
D > Dc and v < vc
 q2   1.875 2  (tranquil)
Dc        0.710 m
g   9 . 81 
v 1.5
Fr    0.60
c) Critical velocity gD 9.81 1.25

v c  gDc  9.81 0.710  2.64 m/ s < 1, subcritical

CRITICAL SECTION FOR NON RECTANGULAR
CHANNELS
E D
Q2 B
2gA2

Consider minimum energy: dD

dE 2Q 2 dA Q 2B dA
 1 0  1 D
dD 2gA3 dD A3 g
A
dA
B
dD
D  A / B  characteri stic (average depth)
1/2
Q  Ag 
Rearranging Critical velocity, v   
A  B 
  v c  gD

1/ 3
2  q2 
From Q B  1 show that Dc   
A3 g g 

Prove that the equation applies to rectangular channels

Example Determine the critical depth in the trapezoidal channel shown below
if the discharge in the channel is 0.34 m3/s. The channel has side slopes with a
vertical to horizontal ratio of 1:1

B
B  b  2nDc A  b  nDc Dc
1 Dc
2
Q B
Critical condition 3
1 n=1
A g
b = 0.6 m
Q 2 b  2nDc  0.34 2 0.6  2  1 Dc 
1 1
b  nDc  Dc g
3 3
0.6  1 Dc  Dc  9.81
3 3

0.342 0.6  2  1 Dc   0.6  1 Dc 3 Dc 3  9.81  0

Solving by trial and error Dc = 0.27 m

Example 3 Determine the critical depth in a channel of triangular cross section
conveying water at a velocity of 2.75 m/s and at a depth of 1.25 m. The channel
has side slopes of 1:2 (vertical to horizontal ratio).

B  2nD  2  2  1.25  5 m B

1 1
A  BD   5  1.25  3.125 m2 1
2 2 n=2
Q  Av  3.125  2.75  8.594 m3 /s
2
Q B B  2nDc
Critical condition
3
1
A g 1 1
A  BDc   2nDc  Dc  nDc
2

2 2

8.594 2 2nDc 
1/ 5
 8.595 2  2 
1 Dc   
nD  g
c
2 3
 2 g 
2  Dc = 1.304 m
 CRITICAL SLOPE
A bed slope required to produce critical flow:

2
 1 A5 / 3 1/ 2  gA3
Q 2B
1  Q   2 / 3 S0  
2
gA3 n P  B

gA3  n 2P 4 / 3  gn 2 P 4 / 3 gn 2 (B  2y c )4 / 3
S0   10 / 3   1/ 3 
B  A  A B (By c )1/ 3 B
gn 2 (B  2y c )4 / 3
Sc  S0  1/ 3
yc B1 / 3  B

4/3
gn 2  B  2y c 
For rect. Channel: Sc  1/ 3  
yc  B 

gn 2
For wide rect. Channel: Sc  1/ 3
yc
 Example 1.5 (Determination of critical bed slope) Given a wide
rectangular channel of width 20 m, determine the critical bed slope and
discharge for critical depths of 0.2 m, 0.5 m and 1.0 m. Assume n = 0.035
gn 2 1 A5 / 3 1/ 2
Sc  1/ 3 Q S0
yc nP 2/3

y (m) Sc (m/m) Q (m3/s)

0.2 0.02 5.5
0.5 0.015 21.3
1.0 0.012 58.7

This shows that Sc is dependent on Q, i.e., for a channel with a given

slope, it is the discharge which determines whether that the slope is
mild or steep.

Consider case S0 = 0.015, what if:

(i)Q > 21.3 m3/s
(ii)Q < 21.3 m3/s
Example (Critical depth and slope in a natural channel)
The data given below were derived from the measured cross-section of a
natural stream channel. Using the data, determine the critical stage and
associated critical bed slope for a discharge of 60 m3/s assuming n = 0.04.
Stage Area Perimeter Surface width
(m) (m2) (m) (m)
Q 2B
From 3
1 0.5 3.5 9.5 9.0
gA 1.0 9.0 13.9 13.0
1.5 16.0 16.7 15.0
Q 2 A3 2.0 24.0 19.5 17.0
  367
g B

h (m) A3/B (m5)

0.5 4.8 Interpolate hc  1.59m
1.0 56.1
Pc  17.2m, Ac  17.4m2
1.5 273.1 367
2.0 813.2

2
 nQP 2/3

From Manning’s eqn.: Sc   c
5/3
  0.0186
 A c 
 CLASSIFICATION OF BED SLOPES

For a given flow rate Q (and normal depth Dn):

C M S H A
Critical Mild slope Steep slope Horizontal Adverse
slope slope slope
(uphill)
S0 = Sc S0 < Sc S0 > Sc S0 = 0 S0 (-ve)

D n = Dc Dn > Dc Dn < Dc Dn  Dn undefined

Critical Subcritical Supercritical - -

flow flow flow
 CLASSIFICATION OF FLOW

V flow velocity inertia force

Define Froude no.: Fr   
gD wave velocity gravitatio nal force

v2
Consider constant Q and E D
2g

For critical flow, D  Dc ,v  vc ,  Fr  1, v  gD

For subcritical flow, D  Dc ,v  vc ,  Fr  1, v  gD

For supercritical flow, D  Dc ,v  vc ,  Fr  1, v  gD

E = constant
 PROPAGATION OF DISTURBANCE

a) Caused by the weir is transmitted upstream as Fr < 1 and yn > yc

b) Caused by a change of slope is not transmitted upstream as Fr > 1 and yn < yc

 Tranquil Critical Shooting

Other name Subcritical Critical Supercritical

Depth D > Dc D = Dc D < Dc
Velocity v < vc v = vc v > vc
Froude No. Fr < 1 Fr = 1 Fr >1
Channel slope Mild Critical Steep
Control Downstream - Upstream
Disturbance Wave can travel Standing Waves Waves cannot
upstream travel upstream

Since q = qmax at control section, such

sections are limiting factor in channel
design.
 CONTROL SECTIONS

(a) Tranquil to shooting

(b) Entrance to channel

(c) Freefall from a channel

(d) Change of bed level or width