Design of erodible and

non-erodible, alluvial
channels-
Kennedy’s and Lacey’s
theories.
Introduction
 In addition to the hydraulic design, canal structures have to be designed
for structural soundness and stability. This heading provides the
guidelines for the structural and stability designs adopted during the
feasibility design of the irrigation project.
 The structural design provides appropriate thickness for structural
members to resist the forces, bending moment, and shear stresses
imposed by loads on the structure.
 The stability design provides adequate structural dimensions so that
the structure will resist sliding and overturning, and limits foundation
pressures to less than the allowable bearing pressure.
 Both structural and stability design involve the consideration of the loads
which the structure may carry from time to time, how these loads are
combined together and interact, and the materials of which the structure
is made, and their strength and behavior under loads.
Canal types
1. Alluvial canals: canals which run through an alluvial
stream bed, which carry silt, sand …, it could take and
drop sediments depending on the velocity level
2. Non alluvial: called rigid, which could be lined with non
erodible material
3. Others are also:
 Inundation /flood canal need certain level of flood to
function
 Permanente/ perennial canal; which have dependable supply
 Productive where the M & O cost offsite by out put
 Feeder or link canal, take water from source /reservoir to the
irrigation canal
Design
Two approaches are used
Kennedy and Laceys’
theory
According to Kennedy :
m = Critical velocity
 The critical velocity (Vc) in a
channel may be defined as the ratio = 1.1 to 1.2 for coarse
mean velocity of flow which s and = 0.8 to 0.9 for fine
will just keep the channel free sand
from silting or scouring.
 His investigations pertain to
0.64
Upper Bari Doab canal in UP. Vc  0.55.m.d
Procedures to use Kennedy
 Assume a depth of flow = d,
 Calculate C from Kutter’s formula
and ‘m’
and then the velocity of flow by

 Compute critical velocity ,Vc Chezy’s equation

 Compute x-area = Q/Vc  If the Velocity computed now is same

as found by Kennedy's method the

 Assuming a canal side slope
design depth is correct
0.5:1 compute the bed width
 Otherwise repeat the above steps by
 Compute the wetted perimeter
assuming different depth of flow
for the assumed depth and
computed bed width
 PROCEDURE TO USE KENNEDY’S

FOR KNOW Q
0.64
Vc  Cv .m.d
1  0.00155 
A  Q / Vc  n   23  S

  
C
  0.00155  n 
1   23  S
 
   R 
0.5
d Where, C=Kuters’ coefficient
R=hydraulic mean radius
S=canal slope
B=? n=Manning’s roughness coefficient
A  d (2 * B  2 * 0.5 * d ) / 2
V  C RS
 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 condition Value of n
1. Very good 0.0225
2. Good 0.025
3. Indifferent 0.0275
4. Poor 0.03
LACEY’S REGIME THEORY
The regime theory postulates that a channel with
erodible boundaries tends to adjust the dimensions
viz., width, depth and slope in order to attain a state
of equilibrium called REGIME STATE.
Two regimes – initial and final
 Initial regime occurs immediately after constructing
and putting the channel under use by adjustment of
bed form.
 Final regime occurs after long time adjustment of bed
width and banks.
When the channel reaches a regime condition the
channel conveys water smoothly without deposition
or scouring.
Laceys’
Silt factor ‘f ’
P  4.75 Q
f  1.76 m
Where, 5 V 2 
R   
m = mean particle size, mm 2  f 
1/ 6
 Qf  2
V    f 5/3 
 140  S   1/ 6 
Q  3340 .Q 
A 
V
The difference between Kennedy’s and Lacey’s theory is
that Kennedy considered the depth of flow (d) as
significant variable and Lacey considered the Hydraulic
radius (R) as the significant variable
Design procedure
 Q and m are initially known
 Calculate the silt factor “f”
 Compute V from Lacey’s equation
 Compute A from continuity equation
 Compute P & S from Lacey’s equations