IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures

❑ Design of vertical drop weir

The design of a vertical drop weir consists of: The following data must be known for the design
i. Hydraulic calculations to fix various elevations, of the vertical drop weir:
ii. Design of weir wall, a) Maximum flood discharge,
iii. Design of impervious floor (apron),
iv. Design of protection works on u/s & d/s sides. b) High flood level (H.F.L.) before construction
of weir,
c) Downstream bed level,
d) Full supply level (F.S.L.) of canal taking off
from the river,
e) Allowable afflux,
f) Lacey’s silt factor.
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures

❖ Hydraulic Calculations
i. The length of the waterway, L is calculated from Lacey’s regime formula. P = 4.75 Q
ii. The discharge per unit length of the waterway, q is calculated as q = Q/L.
iii. The regime scour depth is calculated using Lacey’s formula 1
  3
2
q
R = 1.35 
iv. The regime velocity and velocity head are calculated from  f 
V = q/R, and velocity head = v2/(2g)
v. Water levels and total energy line (T.E.L.) on the d/s & u/s side are calculated as
Level of d/s T.E.L. = (H.F.L. before construction) + v2/(2g)
Level of u/s T.E.L. = Level of d/s T.E.L. + Afflux
Level of u/s H.F.L. = Level of u/s T.E.L. – v2/(2g)
vi. Discharge over the crest of the weir is determined from,

q = 1.70 K
2 3
3 2
and  q 
K= 
 1.70 
Therefore, crest level = u/s T.E.L. - K
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
vii. Pond level = Level of top of gates
= F.S.L. of canal + Head loss through regulator
Head loss through regulator may be taken as 0.5 to 1.0 m.
Height of shutters = S = Level of top of gates – Crest level
viii. Protection against scour
Level of bottom of u/s pile = u/s H.F.L. – 1.5 R
Level of bottom of d/s pile = H.F.L. after retrogression – 2 R

❖ Design of Weir Wall

✓A weir wall is usually trapezoidal in cross-section with either both u/s and d/s faces inclined; or u/s
face vertical and d/s face inclined.
✓The design of the weir wall involves the determination of its top and bottom widths such that the
section will be stable under the condition of maximum stress.
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
✓In general the condition of maximum pressure is that in which the head water is at the level of the crest
of the weir or at the top of the crest of the shutters (if any) and no water is flowing over the weir so that
there is no water on the d/s side.
✓However, the condition of maximum stress on the weir may be different in certain cases. Hence, it is
necessary to check the stability of the weir under the following three states:

State 1. When the u/s water

or head water is at crest level or
at the top of the crest shutter
(if any) and there is no flow .
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures

State 2. When water is flowing

over the weir crest and the weir
is submerged

State 3. When water is flowing

over the weir crest and weir is
discharging with a clear overfall.
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
➢ Top width of weir wall
✓ Top width of the weir wall is obtained using three methods:
1) No tension criterion (for elementary profile)
d
B1 =
Sm

Where B1 = top width of the weir

d = maximum depth of water above the weir crest, which is equal to u/s H.F.L. – crest level,
2) No sliding criterion (for elementary profile)
d
B1 =
 Sm

Where µ = coefficient of friction. Assuming µ = 2/3 as a safe value, we get

3d
B1 =
2 Sm
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
3) Considering the height of the crest shutter
The top width of the weir is affected by height of crest shutter and it is given by,
B1 = S + 1 (meters)
Then, the largest of the three values is taken as the top width of the weir wall.

➢ Bottom width of weir wall, B

✓Determined by equating the overturning moments to the resisting moments taken at the outer middle
third of the bottom width of the weir wall.
✓In determining the bottom width all the three states discussed above are considered.
State 1. Head water is at crest level or at the top of the crest shutter (if any)
Considering the pressure diagram in Fig. (a) above, the overturning moment is given by
 (H + S)
3
M0 =
6
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
✓ The resisting moment about the outer middle third point of the bottom is given by,
  
Mr = (S + 1 . 5 )H + 2 . 5SB 2
+ B (S H − H − S )B −
1 2
B (H + 3S )
12  
m 1 m 1
2 
✓ The above expression is valid when u/s and d/s faces have the same slope.
✓ If the u/s face is kept vertical, the resisting moment is given by
HS m 2
Mr =
6
(
B + BB1 − B12 )
✓ By equating the overturning moment to the resisting moment, the bottom width B is determined.

State 2. Water is flowing over the weir crest and the weir is submerged (Fig. b).
✓ The overturning moment is given by,
hH 2
M0 =
2
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures

✓For maximum value of M0, h is taken corresponding to the case when the weir is just submerged.
✓The resisting moment about the outer middle third of the bottom, with tail water at weir crest level, is
given by,
H(S m − 1) 2
▪if both u/s and d/s faces have the same slope Mr =
12
(B + B1 B )
H(S m − 1) 2
▪If the u/s face is vertical, Mr =
6
(B + B1 B − B12 )
▪Equating M0 and Mr, B can be determined.

State 3. Water is flowing over the weir crest and weir is discharging with a clear over-fall (Fig. c).

 3
M0 =
6
(
H + 3dH 2 − D 3 )
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
✓In the above equation there are two unknowns, viz. d and D and the relation between the two must be known
to find the maximum overturning moment.
✓When the weir extends over the entire width of the river and the width of the river is of considerable width
in comparison to its depth, d is roughly proportional to D, i.e. d = kD; where k is a constant and can be known
if the river discharge for any one depth is known (i.e. gauged).
✓Introducing this relation, Mo will be,  3
M0 =
6
(H + 3kDH − D
2 3
)
✓The maximum value of M0 is obtained from, dM 0
dD
=

6
3kH 2 − 3D 2 = 0 
Or
D=H k

✓Hence, the maximum value of M0 is given by M0 =

H 3
6

1 + 2k 3 2

o The resisting moment may be considered to be approximately the same as that given for state 2.
o Like the previous cases, by equating M0 and Mr, B is determined.
o The greatest of the three values of B obtained above is adopted.
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
❖ Design of impervious floor (or apron)
✓For underseepage the worst condition occurs when the water on the u/s side is at the level of the weir crest
or at the top of the crest shutters and there is no tailwater.
▪ If the floor is designed on the basis of Bligh’s theory, the total creep length is given by
L = CHs

▪ If the floor is to be designed on the basis of Khosla’s theory, the horizontal length b of the
impervious floor is found by the consideration of the permissible exit gradient, GE, given by.
HS 1
GE =
d  
1
▪ Knowing the permissible value of GE for the soil and values of Hs and d,   may be calculated.
1
▪ From the exit gradient curve, for this value of   , the corresponding value of α may be found.
▪ Then from α = b/d, knowing α and d, the value of b can be determined.
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
✓ Out of the total impervious floor length b (or creep length L), the lengths L1 and L2 on the d/s and u/s
of the weir wall, respectively are fixed on the basis of Bligh’s recommendation as

o Downstream impervious floor length, L1

Hs
▪ for weirs without crest shutters L1 = 2.21C
10

▪ for weirs with crest shutters L1 = 2.21C

Hs
13

o Upstream impervious floor length, L2

L2 = L – L1 – (B + 2d1 + 2d2) (according to Bligh’s theory)
L2 = b – L1 – B (according to Khosla’s theory)

❖ Design of protection works on upstream and downstream sides

i. Upstream side
✓Immediately at u/s end of the impervious floor, a block protection of length d1 is provided, where d1 is
the depth of pile below the river bed or the impervious floor at the u/s end.
✓U/s of the block protection a launching apron of length equal to 1.5d1 is provided.
IDEN 6041: Design of diversion & irrigation Structures
ii. Downstream side
✓The total length of the impervious floor, inverted filter, and launching apron on the d/s side of the weir
wall is also fixed on the basis of Bligh’s recommendations as
▪for weirs without crest shutters Hs q
L 3 = 18C x
10 75

▪for weirs with crest shutters L 3 = 18C

Hs q
x
13 75
✓ The minimum length of the inverted and the launching apron is then equal to L3 – L1.
✓ However, an inverted filter of minimum length equal to 1.5d2 is to be provided immediately at the d/s
end of the impervious floor, where d2 is depth of d/s sheet pile.
✓ After the inverted filter, a launching apron of length equal to 1.5 d2 and thickness of 1.5 m is provided.
✓ If the required length (L3 – L1) is more than 3d2 the lengths of the inverted filter and launching apron
may be suitably increased.