Hydraulics Prof. B.S.

Thandaveswara

32.6 Slotted Bucket Stilling Basin

Bradley and peterka in 1959 developed the slotted bucket stilling basin (Fig. 32.10) with

an 8D sloping apron on which teeth of 45D are installed. The teeth introduces stable flow

and little boiling action.

Three types of flow may be distinguished

• Sweep out with a too low tailwater level

• Minimum tailwater level below which excessive surface waves and scour occur
and

• Maximum tailwater above which dividing flow results and the maximum tailwater

level above which dividing results.

A slotted bucket basin has a lower and an upper limit of operation. These depends on

V1
the approach Froude number F1 = and the relative bucket radius
( gy1 )
1/ 2

⎛R ⎞
R br = ⎜ b ⎟ ⎡⎣1 + 0.5 F1 ⎤⎦
2

⎝ y1 ⎠

in which V 1 is the approach velocity, is the flow depth measured perpendicular to the

bed slope, and Rb is the radius of the bucket.

Rbm
The minimum bucket radius should be = 2.2 F1 and the extreme tail water levels yt
y1

are given as a function of Rbr and F1 . Care should be taken against material entering

the bucket that may cause damage by abrasion.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

10 10

16 R
15
14 90 Bed slopes up
bed approx 0.05R
8 13 8 70 below apron lip
12 50
40
11
30
10
6 9 6 20
18
V1 8 15
F1 = ______
gy1 12
7 10
4 6 4 8
7
6
5
5
4 4

2 2
yt min/F1 = 3 yt max/F1 = 3

0 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
R Bed approximately 0.05R below lip
________
2 R
V ________
y1 + ____
1
2
2g V1
y ____
1 +
2g
(a) Minimum limit (b) Maximum limit
Minimum and maximum tailwater limits (After Peterka, (1958)

h yt max Upper limit of tail water

Tail Water Elevation
y1 yt min Safe minimum tail water level
R yt yts Sweep out condition level

Apron lip

Figure-32.7 Definition sketch for Slotted Bucket Stilling Basin

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

12
10 Ts
___
y1 =15
9
10
14
8 13
12
8 7 13
V1
Frl = ____
10
V1
gy1 Frl = ____ 6 9
gy1 8
6
5 7
6
4
4 5
3 4
3
2 2

1
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
R
Minimum allowable ______2 R
______
V1 2
y1 + ___ V1
y1 + ___
2g 2g
Minimum bucket radius Tailwater sweepout depth
(after Peterka, 1958) Figure 32.8 (after Peterka, 1958)

Following are important characteristics

• Tailwater level : Stage discharge relationship should be known.

• Cavitation control : Turbulent (fluctuations in the front part of basin and rear

portion of appurtenances).

• Scour control

Tailwater waves
Based on the Field Experience following are listed:

• The tailwater depth should atleast be equal to the sequent depth of the classical

jump,

• Adequate tailwater submergence can reduce the basin length,

• Dividing walls help in improving the stilling action and reduce concentration of

flow,

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

• Cavitation damage is likely to be increased by high velocity approach flow and

low tailwater levels, and

• End sills reduce scour significantly.

Stilling basins are popular and the designer’s favorite choice for energy dissipation,

certainly because of the knowledge and experience acquired over the years. They have

proved to be a reliable hydraulic structure if the approach conditions and the tailwater

elevation are within certain limits. Abrasion may become a concern for stilling basins

connected to a bottom outlets.

0.05Rb

Rb
0.125Rb

45 0.05Rb

16
8
0.5Rb
a)

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

0.05Rb 0.125Rb

b)

Rb
45
d)

8
c)

Figure - 32.9 Geometry of the Slotted bucket stilling basin

16

0.12
12 0.16
Minimum tailwater depths 1
0.24 R

}
br
0.37
0.2
8
F1 0.3 2
0.4
0.6
4

Maximum tailwater depths

0
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28

yt/y1
A slotted bucket basin has a lower and an upper limit of operation
Figure 32.10 - Extreme tailwater levels
for slotted stilling basin yt/y1
as function of initial Froude number and
Rbr= (Rb/y1 [1+0.5 F1 ]
2

Indian Institute of Technology Madras