DESIGN OF

ERODIBLE AND
NON-ERODIBLE
CHANNELS
 According to Kennedy the critical
velocity ratio Vc in a channel may be
defined as the mean velocity of flow which
will just keep the channel free from silting
or scouring.
His investigations pertain to Upper
bari Doab canal in UP.
0.64
Vc  0.55.m.d
m = Critical velocity ratio
= 1.1 to 1.2 for coarse sand
= 0.8 to 0.9 for fine sand
 KENNEDY’S METHOD OF CHANNEL DESIGN
PROCEDURE

Q=AxV
0.64
Vc  Cv .m.d
V

1  0.00155 
 n   23  S

  
C
  0.00155  n 
1   23  S
 
   R 

V  C RS
 Assume a depth of flow = d, m
 Compute the critical velocity from kennady’s formula
 Compute are of c/s of flow = Q/Vc
 Assuming a side slope of channel, say 0.5:1 compute
the bed width
 Compute the wetted perimeter for the assumed depth
abd computed bed width
 Calculate C from Kutter’s formula and then the
velocity of flow by Chezy’s equation
 If the Velocity computed now is same as found by
kennady’s method the design depth is correct
 Otherwise repeat the above steps by assuming
different depth of flow
 CWPC PRACTICE FOR “n”
Type of soil Canal discharge (cumecs) Value of n
1. Soil other than Up to 0.014 0.03
rock 0.14 to 1.4 0.025
1.4 to 14 0.0225
Above 14 0.020
2. Rocky cuts 1. When rock portion at least 15 0.035 to 0.05
cm above the excavated bed level is
left out in working out cross
sectional area.
2. When no portion above bed level 0.05 to 0.080
is left out
Channel of condition Value of n
1. Very good 0.0225
2. Good 0.025
3. Indifferent 0.0275
4. Poor 0.03
 He also defined critical velocity as
non-silting –non-scouring velocity and
gave a relation between critical velocities
to the depth of flowing water.
 The relation is,
V0 = 0.55 D0.64
(OR V0 = 0.84 D0.64 in F.P.S Units

In general

V0 = CDn
V0 = Critical velocity, in (m/s)
D = Depth of water over bed portions of a channel in
m
n = any index number
 The equation has been derived on the basis of
observations on one canal only, it is applicable to only
those channels, which are flowing, in sandy silt of the same
quality or grade as that of Upper Bari Doab system.
 Kennedy later realized the importance of silt
grade on critical velocity and introduced a factor
‘m’ known as critical velocity ratio (C.V.R) in his
equation. The equation is then written as

V0 = 0.55 m D0.64

Where, m = C.V.R = V/ V0
 Sand coarser than the standard was assigned value of m
from 1.1 to 1.2 and those finer than the standard from 0.9
to 0.8. Generally, in a system of canal, higher C.V.R. is
assumed in head reaches and lower value of C.V.R is
assumed towards its tail end.
 The value of constant C in equation for various
grades of material may be assumed as follows:

Types of material Value of C

Light sandy silt 0.53

Coarser light soil 0.59

Sandy loam 0.65

Coarse silt
0.70
Value of m

Type of silt
Value of m
Light sandy silt in the rivers
1.00
of northern India
Somewhat coarser light
1.1
sandy silt
Sandy loamy silt 1.2
Rather coarser silt or debris
1.3
of hard soil
Drawbacks in Kennedy’s theory
•Kennedy did not notice importance of B/D ratio.
•He aimed to find out only the average regime
conditions for the design of a channel.
•No account was taken of silt concentration and bed
load, and the complex silt-carrying phenomenon was
incorporated in a single factor m.
•Silt grade and silt charge were not defined.
•Kennedy did not give any slope equation.
•Kennedy use kutter’s equation for the determination
of mean velocity and therefore the limitations
kutter’s equation got incorporated in Kennedy’s
theory of channel design
THANK YOU

PRESENTED BY

PREETHA DEVI.R
BTE-06-026