KIA 3005

LECTURE 2
OPEN CHANNEL - UNIFORM FLOW

Prof Ir Dr Faridah Othman

Dept of Civil Engineering
Universiti Malaya
References
The detailed notes can be referred to :
1) Subramanya, K. (3rd edition)“Flow in open
channels”. Mc-Graw Hill. (Chapter 3).
2) R.E Featherstone and C.Nalluri. Civil Engineering
Hydraulics. Blackwell-Science. (Chapter 8).

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 Uniform Flow
• Flow in open channel can be defined
as uniform or non-uniform
depending on the depth of the
channel.
• Uniform depth occurs when
• the flow depth and average flow
velocity remains constant
• Depth in uniform flow is called
normal depth, yn ( y0 )
• Uniform depth is maintained as long
as :
• the slope, cross section and surface
roughness of the channel remains
unchanged.

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Steady Uniform Flow
V1= V2 = V0
y1 = y2 = y0
Sf = Sw = S0

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 Darcy-Weisbach Equation
• Open channel resistance equation
𝐿 𝑉2 ℎ𝑓 𝑉2
• ℎ𝑓 = 𝑓 or = 𝑓
4𝑅 2𝑔 𝐿 8𝑔𝑅

Where
ℎ𝑓
= 𝑆𝑓 = 𝑆𝑜 = slope of energy line
𝐿
R = hydraulic radius ( R = A/P)
L = length of channel
V = average velocity
𝑓 = Darcy-Weisbach friction factor (f = )

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 Chezy and Manning equations

• Chezy Equation (1768) • Manning equation (1889)

V = C 𝑅𝑆
where C = Chezy coefficient

1
Q = AV = A C 𝑅𝑆 Q= AR 2 / 3 S 1/ 2
n

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Chezy equation
• Chezy equation: V = C 𝑅𝑆
• D-W equation: ℎ𝑓
= 𝑓
𝑉2
=> S = 𝑓
𝑉2
𝐿 8𝑔𝑅 8𝑔𝑅

• Thus C = 8𝑔/𝑓

• f can be calculated using the Colebrook- White

(C-W) equation

Note: = f and k=s

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Manning’s equation
1 2Τ3 1Τ2 1
𝑉= 𝑅 𝑆 Q= AR 2 / 3 S 1/ 2
𝑛 n
➢ Manning’s n can be determined by
(1) References and Tables
(2) Strickler formula
𝑑50 1/6
𝑛=
21.1

𝑑901/6
𝑛=
26

𝑑50 = particle size in which 50% of the bed material

is finer (unit: m).
𝑑90 = particle size in which 90% of the bed material
is finer (unit: m).

➢ Chezy coefficient,C, and n can be related by the

following

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 Velocity distribution
• The velocity varies throughout the depth
of the channel.
• The velocity, V, is zero at the solid
boundaries and gradually increases with
distance from the boundary.
• The flow is usually three-dimensional
flow, however, 1D flow approximation is
usually made with good success for many
practical problems.
• The maximum velocity of the cross-
section occurs at a certain distance near
the free surface. This dip of the maximum
velocity point, giving surface velocities
which are less than the maximum
velocity, is due to secondary currents and
is a function of the aspect ratio (ratio of
depth to width) of the channel.
• For computation in steady uniform flow,
normally the average velocity is taken.

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Shear stress distribution
• The average shear stress τ0 on the boundary of a
channel is given as
τ0 = gRS = RS (where  = g)
• However, this shear stress is not uniformly
distributed over the boundary. It is zero at the
intersection of the water surface with the
boundary and also at the corners in the boundary.
• As such, the boundary shear stress τ0 will have
certain local maxima on the side as well as on the
bed.
• A knowledge of the shear stress distribution in a
channel is of interest not only in the understanding
of the mechanics of flow but also in certain
problems involving sediment transport and design
of stable channels in non-cohesive material.

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Uniform flow Computation
• Uniform flow computation are relatively simple.
• The basic variables in uniform flow situations can be the discharge Q, velocity
of flow V, normal depth yn, roughness coefficient n, channel slope S0 and the
geometric elements (e, g., B and m for a trapezoidal channel) or geometric
elements
• The available relations are
• Manning’s formula or Chezy formula
• Continuity equation
• Geometry of the cross section

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Rectangular channel – wide channel
• As y0 /B, the aspect ratio of the channel decreases, R→y0. Such channels with large
bed-widths as compared to their respective depths are known as wide rectangular
channels.
• In these channels, the hydraulic radius approximates to the depth of flow.
• This approximation of a wide rectangular channel is found applicable to rectangular
channels with y0/B < 0.02.

For wide rectangular channel

R  y0

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Compound channels
A compound channel is a channel section The method of analysis is to consider the
composed of a main deep portion and one or two total discharge to be the sum of component
flood plains that carry high-water flows. discharges computed by the Manning
equation.
The main channel carries the dry weather flow Thus, for the channel shown below, assuming
and during wet season, the flow may spillover the that the bed slope is the same for the three
banks of the main channel to the adjacent flood sub-areas:
plains.
A majority of natural rivers have compound
sections. A compound section is also known as
two-stage channel.
The hydraulic conditions of the main channel and
the flood plain differ considerably, especially in the
channel geometry and in its roughness.

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Critical slope
• Critical slope is the slope of a specified channel necessary
to have uniform flow of a given discharge with critical
depth as the normal depth.
• If Sc > S0 ,
• the normal depth of flow will be larger than the critical depth
and the flow is subcritical and the channel is called mild slope
channel.
• If Sc < S0 ,
• the normal depth of flow will be smaller than the critical depth
and the flow is supercritical and the channel is called steep
slope channel
• If Sc = S0,
• the normal depth of flow is equal to the critical depth and the
flow is critical and the channel is called as critical slope channel.
• Thus the critical slope of a channel is a conceptual slope
value which depends on the discharge in the channel. Its
relative value with respect to the actual slope of the
channel determines the nature of flow of the discharge in
the channel.

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Example 1
• A trapezoidal channel is 10.0 m wide and has a side slope of 1.5
horizontal: 1 vertical. The bed slope is 0.0003. The channel is lined
with smooth concrete of n = 0.012.
• a) Compute the mean velocity and discharge for a depth of flow
of 3.0 m.
• b) If the channel is only to carry only 50 m3/s at a depth of 3 m,
recalculate the bottom slope.

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Example 2
• A 5.0-m wide trapezoidal channel having a side slope of 1.5
horizontal:1 vertical is laid on a slope of 0.00035. It is an earth and
unlined channel.
• Compute the depth of the uniform flow if the discharge is 20 m3/s.

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Exercise
• A concrete-lined trapezoidal channel is to have a side slope of 1.0
horizontal: 1 vertical. The bottom slope is to be 0.0004. Find the
bottom width of the channel necessary to carry 100 m3/s of
discharge at a normal depth of 2.50 m.

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 THANK YOU….

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