Weirs

• Weirs are overflow structures which are built

across an open channel for the purpose of
measuring or controlling the flow of liquids.
Weirs have been commonly used to measure
the flow of water, but it is now being adopted
to measure the flow of other liquids. The
formulas and principles that will be discussed
are general meaning it can be applicable to
any type of liquid.
 Classification of Weirs
• According to shape, weirs may be rectangular,
triangular, trapezoidal, circular, parabolic, or of
any other regular form. The most commonly used
shapes are the rectangular, triangular and the
trapezoidal shapes. According to the form of the
crest, weirs may be sharp-crested or broad-
crested.
• The flow over a weir may either be free or
submerged. If the water surface downstream
from the weir is lower than the crest, the flow is
free, but if the downstream surface is higher than
the crest, the flow is submerged.
 Definition of Terms
• Nappe - the overflowing stream in a weir
• Crest of weir - the edge of top surface of a weir with
which the flowing liquid comes in contact
• Contracted weir - weirs having sides sharp-edged, so
that the nappe is contracted in width or having end
contractions, either one end or two ends.
• Suppressed weir or full-width weir - weirs having its
length L being equal to the width of the channel so that
the nappe suffers no end contractions
• Drop-down curve - the downward curvature of the
liquid surface before the weir.
• Head, H - the distance between the liquid surface and
the crest of the weir, measured before the drop-down
curve.
 Rectangular Weir

Section A-A of the figure above

• Consider a differential area of length L and
height dh to be located h meters below the
liquid surface. By orifice theory, the
theoretical velocity through this area is:

• where the total head producing flow H' = h +

hv, where hv is the velocity head of approach
and is equal to v.2/2g. The discharge through
the elementary strip is then,
• It is a common practice to combine into a
single coefficient Cw called the weir factor. The
general formula for a discharge through a
rectangular weir considering velocity of
approach then becomes
• If the ratio H/P is sufficiently small, the velocity of
approach becomes very small and the term hv3/2
may be neglected. The discharge formula
becomes

• In situations where the discharge is required

considering the velocity of approach, using
equations above would lead to successive trials
to solve for Q (since the velocity of approach hv, is
a function of Q). The following simplified
equation may be used:
 Standard Weir
The following specifications must be applied to a standard
rectangular weir without end contractions:

• The upstream face of the weir plate should be vertical and smooth
• The crest edge shall be level, shall have a square upstream corner,
and shall be narrow that the water will not touch it again after
passing the upstream corner.
• The sides of the flume shall be vertical and smooth and shall extend
a short distance downstream past the weir crest.
• The pressure under the nappe shall be atmospheric.
• The approach channel shall be of uniform cross section for a
sufficient distance above the weir, or shall be provided with baffles
that a normal distribution of velocities exists in the flow
approaching the weir, and the water surface is free of waves or
surges.
 Standard Weir Factor (Cw) Formulas
• Numerous equations have been developed for
finding the discharge coefficient C. Some of
these are given below.
Francis Formula
• Based upon experiments on rectangular weirs
from 1.07 m (3.5 ft) to 5.18 m (17 ft) long
under the heads from 180 mm to 490 mm
 Standard Weir Factor (Cw) Formulas
• For H/ P < 0.4, the following value of Cw may
be used.

Rehbock and Chow Formula

 Standard Weir Factor (Cw) Formulas
Bazin Formula
• For rectangular weirs of length from 0.5 m to
2.0 m under heads from 50mm to 600 mm.
 Contracted Rectangular Weirs
• The effective length of L of contracted weir is
given by:
 Triangular Weir (V-Notch)
• At very low heads, the nappe of a rectangular
weir has a tendency to adhere to its
downstream face. A weir operating under
such condition would give a very inaccurate
result. For very low heads, a V-notch weir
should be used is accuracy of measurement is
required. The vertex angle θ of a V-notch weir
is usually between 10° to 90° but rarely larger.
Triangular (V-Notch) weir
Triangular (V-Notch) weir
Triangular (V-Notch) weir
 Triangular (V-Notch) weir
• It can be used even if the side inclinations are
unequal.
 Triangular (V-Notch) weir

• For standard 90o weir:

 Trapezoidal Sharp Crested Weir
• The discharge from a trapezoidal weir is
assumed the same as that from a rectangular
weir and a triangular weir in combination.
Trapezoidal Sharp Crested Weir
 Cipolletti Weir
• Cipolletti weirs are trapezoidal weirs with side
slope of 1 horizontal to 4 vertical. The
additional area at the sides adds
approximately enough effective width of the
stream to offset the side contractions
Cipolletti Weir
Suttro Weir or Proportional Flow Weir
• It may be noted that, in a rectangular weir,
discharge varies with 3/2 power of H and, in a
triangular weir, with 5/2 power of H. There
exist a shape for which the discharge varies
linearly with the head, the proportional flow
or Rettger weir, also known as Suttro weir.
Suttro Weir or Proportional Flow Weir
 Submerged Sharp Weir
• The discharge over a submerged sharp-
crested weir is affected not only by the head
on the upstream side H1, but by the head
downstream H2. The discharge for a
submerged weir is related to the free or
unsubmerged discharge Villemonte expressed
this relationship by the equation
• where is the exponent of H in the equation for
free discharge for the shape of weir used for
rectangular weir, n = 3/2 and n = 5/2 for
triangular weir
Unsteady Flow Weir (Variable Head)
Unsteady Flow Weir (Variable Head)
Unsteady Flow Weir (Variable Head)