CHAPTER 5B

PIPE NETWORK
(HARDY CROSS METHOD)
ZARINA MD. ALI & Dr TAN LAI WAI
 PIPE NETWORK
In municipal distribution systems, pipes are frequently
interconnected and flow may come by several different
paths.

As a result, we often cannot tell by inspection which

way the flow travels, as in pipe BE.

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Three simple methods to solve pipe networks in loop
configuration are:

a. Hardy Cross
b. Linear theory, and
c. Newton-Raphson.

The most popular is the Hardy Cross method which involves

a series of successive approximations and corrections to
flows in individual pipes.

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HARDY-CROSS METHOD
The empirical equations which are Hazen-William,
Manning and Darcy Weisbach were rearranged into
the form of head loss equation.
As we can see that hf = kQn
Darcy – Weisbach Hazen – William Manning
8 fLQ 2 10.67 LQ1.85 10.29 Ln 2Q 2
hf  2 5 hf  hf 
 gD CH D 4.87 D16.3
8 fL , n = 2 10 .29 Ln 2

k 2 5 k
10.67 L , n = 1.85 k
 gD CH D 4.87 D 16.3

,n=2

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Equivalent resistance K for pipe

Formula Units of Measurement K

Hazen-Williams 4.73L
Q (cfs), L (ft), d (ft), hf (ft)
C1.85d 4.87
10.44L
Q (gpm), L (ft), d (in), hf (ft)
C1.85d 4.87
10.70L
Q (m3/s), L (m), d (m), hf (m)
C1.85d 4.87
Darcy-Weisbach fL
Q (cfs), L (ft), d (ft), hf (ft)
39.70d 5
fL
Q (gpm), L (ft), d (in), hf (ft)
32.15d 5
fL
Q (m3/s), L (m), d (m), hf (m)
12.10d 5

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PIPE NETWORK
The flow in any network, however complicated, must satisfy the
basic relations of continuity and energy as follows:

1. The flow into any junction must equal the flow out of it.
2. The flow in each pipe must satisfy the pipe friction laws for
flow in a single pipe.
3. The algebraic sum of the head losses around any closed loop
must be zero
This method called Hardy Cross Method

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Procedure of Hardy-Cross method:
1. Divide the network into a number of closed loops.
2. Compute K for each pipe.
3. Assume a discharge Qa and its direction at each pipe of the
loop.
4. Compute hf at each pipe and retain the sign of the flow
direction.
5. Compute hf/Q for each pipe without regard to the sign.
6. Determine the correction
h f kQ 2
Q  
(h f / Q) n kQ n 1

7. Apply the correction algebraically to the discharge of each

member of the loop.
8. For the adjusted Q, repeat steps 4 to 6 until  becomes very
small for all loops.
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 EXAMPLE 5.7 (ONE LOOP)
B
Find discharge Q in every
A
Q=7 pipes for the water supply
Q = 10.0 m3/s m3/s system by using Hardy-
Cross method and Darcy
C Weisbach equation. Ignore
Q=3 m3/s
minor losses in pipes.
Pipe AB BC CA
Darcy – Weisbach
Length (m) 600 600 200 8 fLQ 2
hf  2 5
Diameter (mm) 250 150 100  gD
Friction factor f 0.0039 0.0044 0.0051 8 fL , n = 2
k 2 5
 gD
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Procedure of Hardy-Cross method:
1. Divide the network into a number of closed loops.
Computations are made for one loop at a time.
8 fL
2. Compute K for each pipe. k  2 5
 gD
B
A
Q=7
Q = 10.0 m3/s m3/s

C Pipe D (m) L (m) f k = (8fL)/96.82D^5

Q=3 m3/s
AB 0.25 600 0.004 197.9888
AC 0.10 200 0.005 8428.0107
CB 0.15 600 0.004 2807.2967

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 Procedure of Hardy-Cross method:
3. Assume a discharge Qa and its direction at every pipes. At
each junction, the total flow in should equal to the flow out.
Consider the clock-wise flow to be positive and the
counter clockwise flow to be negative.

Check junction (example)

Q=5
Qin = 10 A
Qout = 5
Q=5 Q=2
Qout = 5

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 SOLUTION

4. Compute hf
for each pipe
5. Compute hf/Q for
and retain the
each pipe without
sign of the flow
regard to the sign.
direction.

6. Determine the correction

h f kQ 2
dQ  
(h f / Q) n kQ n 1
dQ1 = -(-216979.7343)/(97489.1828) 11 ZMA/S21819
 Q = 7.23 Q = 8.29

Q = 2.77 Q = 0.23 Q = 1.29

Q = 1.71
Try 2: Try 3:

Try 2 Try 3
Q2 hf= kQn n[KQn-1] Q3 hf= kQ n[KQn-1]
7.23 10337.0873 2861.2081 8.29 13621.0175 3284.3931
-2.77 -64869.1420 46763.9958 -1.71 -24517.9926 28749.8108
0.23 142.9799 1267.1020 1.29 4703.4674 7267.4696
-54389.0749 50892.3059 -6193.5077 39301.6735
dQ2 = 1.0687 dQ3 = 0.1576

Q2 = Q1 + dQ1 Q3 = Q2 + dQ2

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 Try 4
Q4 hf = kQn n[KQn-1] Qfinal
8.45 14143.5184 3346.7948 8.4556
-1.55 -20196.6449 26093.4888 -1.5444
1.45 5918.4571 8152.2673 1.4556
-134.6694 37592.5509
dQ4= 0.0036

Final
Q4 = Q3 + dQ3 Q = 10.0 m3/s
Try 4:
A B
Q = 8.29 Q = 8.4536 m3/s Q=7
m3/s

Q = 1.29 Q = 1.4536 m3/s

Q = 1.71 Q = 1.5464 m3/s
C
Q = 3 m3/s

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EXAMPLE 5.8 (TWO-LOOPS)
The two-loops pipe system are shown below with discharge
into and out of system. Determine the flow in each pipe if k
values for each pipe were given and n = 2.

1 2

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SOLUTION
1. Divide the network into a number of closed loops.
- 2 loops
2. Compute K for each pipe
- given in question
3. Assume a discharge Qa and its direction in each pipe of the
loop – check at each junction, Qin = Qout

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 Try 1

4. Compute hf for each

pipe and retain the sign of
the flow direction. 5. Compute hf/Q for each pipe
without regard to the sign.
Loop 1
Loop 2
Q1 hf= kQn n[KQn-1]
Q1 hf= kQ n[KQn-1]
60 3600 120
50 10000 400
10 400 80
25 1250 100
-40 -4800 240
-10 -400 80
-800 440
-25 -3125 250
dQ1 = 2
7725 830
dQ1 = -9
6. Determine the correction
h f kQ 2
Q  
(h f / Q) n kQ n 1 ZMA/S21819 16
 Try 2

Loop 1 Loop 2
Q2 hf= kQn n[KQn-1] Q2 hf= kQ n[KQn-1]
62 3844 124 41 6724 328
21 1764 168 16 512 64
-38 -4332 228 -21 -1764 168
1276 520 -34 -5780 340
dQ2 = -2 -308 900
dQ3 = 0
Q2 = Q1 + (dQ1(L1) -dQ1(L2))
Q2 = Q1 + (dQ1(L2) -dQ1(L1))
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