Rapidly Varied Flow

Rapidly-varied flow involves a significant change in water depth

over a short distance (a few times water depth).

It occurs where there is a local disturbance (e.g. at a weir,

venturi, sluice, free overfall, sudden change in slope) or a
mismatch between the depths imposed by upstream and
downstream controls (as in hydraulic jump).

As the flow varies rapidly over a short length of the channel we

can neglect bed friction and bed slope in the analysis of these
flows.

Dr. KV S'Ram
Hydraulic Jump
A hydraulic jump is an abrupt
change from a shallow, high-speed
flow to a deep, low-speed flow.
It occurs when a depth difference is
imposed by upstream and
downstream conditions. For example
rapid, shallow flow may be created by
a steep spillway or sluice. A slower and deeper downstream
flow may be controlled by a downstream weir or by a reduction
in slope.

Hydraulic jump at the base of a spillway is desirable to remove

surplus kinetic energy, in order to reduce downstream erosion.
We analyze hydraulic jump using the momentum principle with the
assumptions of negligible bed friction and negligible bed slope and
uniform velocities at upstream and downstream sections.

Dr. KV S'Ram
Hydraulic Jump
Applying momentum principle at
Sections (1) & (2):
ΣFX = Rate of Change of momentum
in X direction:
p1 A1 p2 A2  Q(V2  V1 )
y1 y2  Q Q 
.by1  .by2  Q   
2 2  by2 by1 
b 2 Q 2  1 1  2Q 2  1 1
 ( y1  y2 )  2
    ( y1  y2 ) 
2 2
  
2 b  y2 y1  gb2  y2 y1 
2Q 2  y1  y2  2Q 2  1 
 ( y1  y2 )( y1  y2 )  
2 
  ( y1  y2 )  
2 

gb  y1 y2  gb  y1 y2 
2Q 2 2Q 2 2  y2 y22  2Q 2
 y2 ( y1  y2 )  2  ( y1 y2  y2 )  2  y1   2   2
2

gb . y1 gb . y1  y1 y1  gb . y1
 y2 y22  2Q 2 2Q 2 .b y22 y2
   2   2 3  3
 2 F 1
2
 2
  2 F1
2
0
 y1 y1  gb . y1 gA y1 y1

The positive root of this Quadratic equation is :

y2 1

  1  1  8 F12
y1 2

Dr. KV S'Ram
Notes – Hydraulic Jump
Notes:
• The depths y1 and y2 are called Sequent depths or Conjugate depths of
the hydraulic Jump.
• Specific Force: we have:
y1 y 2 Q Q
p1 A1 p 2 A2  Q(V2  V1 )  . A1  . A2  Q  
2 2  A2 A1 
y1 Q 2 y 2 Q2 A1 y1 Q 2 A2 y 2 Q 2
 . A1    . A2      
2 A1 2 A2 2 gA1 2 gA2

LHS and RHS above are force terms per unit weight of water called “Specific
Force”
• We can note that the Specific Force is the SAME at the beginning and the
ending of the hydraulic Jump.
• Note that the Specific Energy is NOT the same at the beginning and the end of
the jump and E2 will be significantly less than the E1, resulting in energy
dissipation across the jump.

We can also write :

y1 1

  1  1  8F22
y2 2

Dr. KV S'Ram
Energy Dissipation in Hydraulic Jump
.. 
E  E1  E 2   y1 
V12  
   y 2 
V22   V12 V22 
  E  ( y1  y 2 )    
 2g   2g   2g 2g 
Q2  1 1 
 E  ( y1  y 2 )  2 
 2
 
2 
2 gB  y1 y2 
Q2 1
We have noted previously that  y1 . y 2 ( y1  y 2 )
2 gB 2 4
1  1 1  1  y 22  y12 
 E  ( y1  y 2 )  y1 . y 2 ( y1  y 2 ) 2  2   ( y1  y 2 )  y1 . y 2 ( y1  y 2 ) 2 2 
4  y1 y2  4  y1 y 2 
1  y 22  y12   ( y1  y 2 ) 2 
 E  ( y1  y 2 )  ( y1  y 2 )   ( y1  y 2 )1  
4  y1 y 2   4 y1 y 2 
 4 y1 y 2  ( y1  y 2 ) 2 
 E  ( y1  y 2 ) 
 4 y1 y 2 
  4 y1 y 2  ( y1  y 2 ) 2   ( y 2  y1 ) 2 
 E  ( y 2  y1 )   ( y 2  y1 ) 
 4 y1 y 2   4 y1 y 2 
( y 2  y1 ) 3 Energy dissipation in the hydraulic jump is proportional
 E 
4 y1 y 2 to the cube of the difference of the sequent depths.
Dr. KV S'Ram
Types of Hydraulic Jump
The hydraulic jumps in horizontal rectangular channels are classified
into five categories based on the Froude number F1 of the supercritical flow,
as follows:
(a) Undular Jump (1.0 < F1≤ 1.7): The water surface is undulating with a
very small ripple on the surface. The sequent-depth ratio is very small and
EL/ E1 is practically zero. (see below figure)
(b) Weak Jump (1.7 < F1 ≤ 2.5): The surface roller makes its appearance
at F1 ≈1.7 and gradually increases in intensity towards the end of this range,
i.e. F1 ≈ 2.5. The energy dissipation is very small, is EL/ E1 about 5 per cent at
F1 = 1.7 and 18 per cent at F1 = 2.5. The water surface is smooth after the
jump.

Dr. KV S'Ram
Types of Hydraulic Jump…
(c) Oscillating Jump 2.5 < F1 ≤ 4.5 This category of jump is characterized
by an instability of the high-velocity flow in the jump which oscillates in a
random manner between the bed and the surface. These oscillations
produce large surface waves that travel considerable distances downstream.
Special care is needed to suppress the waves in stilling basins having this
kind of jump. Energy dissipation is moderate in this range; EL / E1= 45 per
cent at F1 = 4.5.

Dr. KV S'Ram
Types of Hydraulic Jump…
(d) Steady Jump (4.5 < F1 ≤ 9.0) In this range of Froude numbers, the jump
is well-established, the roller and jump action is fully developed to cause
appreciable energy loss. The relative energy loss EL / E1 ranges from 45 per
cent to 70 per cent in this class of jump. The steady jump is least sensitive in
terms of the toe-position to small fluctuations in the tailwater elevation.
(e) Strong or Choppy Jump (F1 >9.0) In this class of jump the water
surface is very rough and choppy. The water surface downstream of the
jump is also rough and wavy. Energy dissipation is high (EL / E1 > 70%).

Length of the Hydraulic

jump (in all cases) is given
as: Lj = 6.9 (y2− y1)

Dr. KV S'Ram
Applications of Hydraulic Jump
• The high energy loss that occurs in a hydraulic jump has led
to its adoption as a part of the energy-dissipator system
below a hydraulic structure. The downstream portion of the
hydraulic structure where the energy dissipation is
deliberately allowed to occur so that the outgoing stream
can safely be conducted to the channel below is known as a
stilling basin. It is a fully-paved channel section and may
have additional appurtenances, such as baffle blocks and
sills to aid in the efficient performance over a wide range of
operating conditions. Stilling basins are designed to obtain
a stable hydraulic jump with high energy-dissipation
characteristics within a minimum length of the basin (See
figure in next page)

• Hydraulic jump may be used for mixing of chemicals in

some cases such as in water treatment plants.
Dr. KV S'Ram
Stilling basin example

Dr. KV S'Ram
Unsteady non-uniform flow – Surges
• As we have divided steady non-uniform flow as gradually
varied (the backwater and drawdown profiles) and rapidly
varied (a hydraulic jump) we have this distinction with
respect to unsteady characteristics also: gradually varied
unsteady flow such as a flood wave and rapidly varied
unsteady flow such as surges formed due to sudden
opening or closing of the sluice gates.

Dr. KV S'Ram
Unsteady non-uniform flow – Surges
• In the unsteady non-uniform flow with a stable wave profile,
that is it will not change in shape as it moves down the
channel, is termed as a uniformly progressive flow. This flow
has the below features:
i. the successive positions of the wave front at different times are
parallel to each other
ii. The velocity (or celerity) of the wave front is greater than the
mean velocity of flow at any section of the wave and
iii. The wave travels downstream with a constant velocity but the
mean velocity of flow may vary from section to section as the
hydraulic characteristics of flow change.

• Uniformly progressive flow is a special case of unsteady flow

which is possible in prismatic channels

Dr. KV S'Ram
Unsteady non-uniform flow – Surges
Let’s consider a progressive wave
as shown with the below notation:
y1, V1,Q1 are the depth, mean
velocity and discharge respectively
of initial low uniform flow at the
downstream section; and
y2, V2,Q2 are corresponding values
of the final high uniform flow at the upstream section; and
Vw is the velocity of the wave front formed due to sudden
opening of the gate.

It can be noted that eventually the wave runs over the initial
low uniform flow completely to attain final uniform flow.
Though the wave front introduces unsteady character for an
observer travelling along the channel bank with a velocity Vw it
would appear as a steady flow.
Dr. KV S'Ram
Unsteady non-uniform flow – Surges
With the relative frame of observer
we can see that as the wave passes
it takes a discharge from left to
right side as shown in the figure
which is equal to (Vw – V2)A2 or
(Vw – V1)A1. This steady discharge conceived relative to an
observer travelling along the wave is called an ‘overrun (Qo)’.
i.e., Qo = (Vw – V1)A1 = (Vw – V2)A2
or, Vw = (A2 V2 – A1V1) / (A2 – A1)

Coming to the absolute reference frame we know that the

surge causes the discharge to increase from Q1 to Q2 resulting
in increase in the momentum. This change in momentum can
be considered caused by the overrun Qo. As the change in
momentum is accompanied by the unbalanced forces as per
the Newton’s II law can write:
Dr. KV S'Ram
Unsteady non-uniform flow – Surges
(neglecting small frictional forces)
p1 A1 p 2 A2  Qo (V2  V1 )
Qo (V2  V1 )   y 2 A2   y 1 A1
Substituting Qo  (Vw  V2 ). A2 in the above equation we get
A1
(Vw  V2 ). A2 (V2  V1 )  ( y 2 A2  y 1 A1 ) g  (Vw  V2 )(V2  V1 )  ( y 2  y 1 )g  Eq(*)
A2
A1  A 
Now, from the expression of Vw we can write V2 as V2  V1  Vw 1  1 
A2  A2 
Substituting above expression for V2 in the Eq (*),
    
Vw  V1 A1  Vw 1  A1   V1 A1  Vw 1  A1   V1   ( A2 y 2  A1 y 1 ) g
  A  A2    A2  A2  
  2    A2

A1  A   ( A y  A1 y 1 ) g
(Vw  V1 ) 1  1 (Vw  V1 )   2 2
A2  A2   A2
1/ 2 1/ 2
   
   
 
Vw  V1   2 2  or, Vw   2 2   V or, V  c  V
( A y A y
1 1 ) g ( A y A y
1 1 ) g
  A1     A1  
1 w 1

 A1 1     A1 1    c = absolute wave velocity or celerity

  A2     A2  
Dr. KV S'Ram