Ref: OPEN CHANNEL HYDRAULICS

-Ven Te Chow

Chapter 6
Uniform Flow: Its Development and
Comutation

Dr. M. A. Matin
Professor
CE, AUST, Dhaka
Spring 2023
Uniform Flow
 Manning Equation (1891)

• Most popular in U.S. for open channels

1 (MKS units!)
V = R 2/3
h S1/2
o
n T /L1/3
Dimensions of n?
Is n only a function of roughness? NO!
1.49
V = R 2/3
h S1/2
o
(English system)
n
Bottom slope
Q = VA
1
Q = ARh2 / 3 S o1 / 2 very sensitive to n
n
Chezy equation (1768)
• Introduced by the French engineer Antoine Chezy in 1768 while
designing a canal for the water-supply system of Paris

2g
V = C Rh S f compare V = S f Rh
l
where C = Chezy coefficient
m m
60 < C < 150
s s
where 60 is for rough and 150 is for smooth
also a function of R (like f in Darcy-Weisbach)
 Darcy-Weisbach equation (1840)
f = Darcy-Weisbach friction factor  d 2 
 
A  4  d

l V2 l V2 Rh = = =
hl = f hl = f P d 4
d 2g 4 Rh 2 g

l V2 V2 8g
Sfl = f S f Rh = f V= S f Rh
4 Rh 2 g 8g f
 Example 1

open channel of width = 3m as shown, bed slope = 1:5000, d=1.5m

find the flow rate using Manning equation, n=0.025.

1 2
V = Rh 3 S
n
A = 0.5  (3 + 9)1.5 = 9 m 2
( )

1.5m
P = 2 32 + 1.52 + 3 = 9.708 1

A 9 2
Rh = = = 0.927
P 9.708 3.0m
2
1
V=  0.927 3 1 = 0.538 m/s
0.025 5000
Q = VA = 0.538  9 = 4.84 m 3 / s
 Example 2

open channel as shown, bed slope = 69:1584, find the flow rate using
Chezy equation, C=35.
V = C Rh S
2.52  5.04 0.72  2.52
A= + 2.52  16.8 +  3.6 + 0.72  150 = 162 .52 m 2
2 2
P = 0.72 + 150 + (1.8 2
)
+ 3.6 2 + 16.8 + (2.52 2
)
+ 5.04 2 = 177.18 m
A 162 .52
Rh = = = 0.917
P 177 .18
0.69
V = 35 0.917  = 0.7 m/s
1584
Q = VA = 0.7  162 .52 = 113 .84 m 3 / s
 Example.

The discharge in a rectangular channel of width 6

m with Manning’s n = 0.012 m–1/3 s is
24 m3 s–1. If the streamwise slope is 1 in 200 find:
(a) the normal depth;
(b) the Froude number at the normal depth;
(c) the critical depth.
State whether the normal flow is subcritical or
supercritical.
 Values of Manning n
Lined Canals n
Cem ent plaster 0.011
Untreated gu nite 0.016
Wood , planed 0.012 n = f(surface
Wood , u nplaned
Concrete, trow led
0.013
0.012 roughness,
Concrete, w ood form s, u nfinished 0.015 channel
Ru bble in cem ent 0.020
Asphalt, sm ooth 0.013 irregularity,
Asphalt, rou gh
N atural Channels
0.016
stage...)
Gravel bed s, straight 0.025
Gravel bed s plu s large bou ld ers 0.040
Earth, straight, w ith som e grass 0.026
Earth, w ind ing, no vegetation 0.030
Earth , w ind ing w ith vegetation 0.050

n = 0 .031d 1 / 6 d in d = median size of bed material

n = 0 .038 d 1 / 6 dftin m
 1
Q = ARh2 / 3 S o1 / 2
Trapezoidal Channel n

• Derive P = f(y) and A = f(y) for a trapezoidal channel

• How would you obtain y = f(Q)?

A = yb + y 2 z
1 y
z

P = 2 y 2 + ( yz ) 
2 1/ 2
+b b


P = 2 y 1+ z 
2 1/ 2
+b

Use Solver!
 Flow in Round Conduits
= (r sin q )(r cos q )
r − y
 = arccos 
 r 
radians
A = r 2 ( − sin  cos  )
r
T = 2r sin 

P = 2 r A y
Maximum discharge
when y = ______
0.938d T
 Flow in Round Conduits
= (r sin q )(r cos q )
r − y
 = arccos 
 r 
radians
A = r 2 ( − sin  cos  )
r
T = 2r sin 

P = 2 r A y
Maximum discharge
when y = ______
0.938d T
Example-1

• Q1.
• The discharge in a channel of width 5 m is 20 m3 s–
1. Manning’s n can be taken as
• 0.02 m-1/3 s. Calculate:
• (a) the normal depth and Froude number for a
streamwise slope of 0.001;
• (b) the normal depth and Froude number for a
streamwise slope of 0.01;
• (c) the critical depth;
• (d) the critical slope.
Example 2

• Q1.
• The discharge in a channel of width 5 m is 20 m3 s–
1. Manning’s n can be taken as
• 0.02 m-1/3 s. Calculate:
• (a) the normal depth and Froude number for a
streamwise slope of 0.001;
• (b) the normal depth and Froude number for a
streamwise slope of 0.01;
The Conveyance of a channel section, K:
If a large number of calculations are to be made, it is convenient to
introduce the concept of “conveyance” of a channel in order to calculate
the discharge. The “conveyance” of a channel indicated by the symbol K
and defined by the equation
Q
Q = KS 1/ 2 or K =
S when the
This equation can be used to compute the conveyance
discharge and slope of the channel are given.
When the Chézy formula is used:
K = CAR 1 / 2
where c is the Chézy’s resistance factor. Similarly when the Manning
formula is used
1
K = AR 2/3

n
• When the geometry of the water area and resistance factor or
roughness coefficient are given,
One of the above formula can be used to calculate K. Since the
Manning formula is used extensively in most of the problems, in
following discussion the second expression will be used. Either K
alone or the product Kn can be tabulated or plotted as a function of
depth for any given channel section: the resulting tables or curves can
then be used as a permanent reference, which will immediately yields
values of depth for a given Q, S and n. This conveyance factor
concept is widely used for uniform flow computation.
Since the conveyance K is a function of the depth of flow y, it may be
assumed that:
where
C1 = coefficient, and
K = C 1y
2 N

N = a parameter called hydraulic exponent

Taking the logarithms of both sides of above eq. And then differentiating
with respect to y:
2nK = Nny + nC 1
d(nK ) N d(nK )
= → N = 2y
dy 2y dy
On the other hand: from Manning’s Eq.
1
K = AR 2 / 3
n
Taking the logarithm of both sides and differentiating with respect to y:

2
nK = nR + nA − nn
3
d(nK ) 2 dR 1 dA
= +
dy 3R dy A dy
• The derivative of hydraulic radius with respect to y:
dR 1 dA A dA T R dP
= − 2 = −
dy P dy P dy P P dy

d(nK ) 2 1  T R dP  T 2 T 2 1 dP T
=  −  + = − +
dy 3 R  P P dy  A 3 A 3 P dy A
d(nK ) N d(nK )
= → N = 2y
dy 2y dy
d(nK ) 1  dP 
=  5T − 2R 
dy 3A  dy 

2y  dP 
N=  5T − 2R 
3A  dy 
• This is the general Eq. for the hydraulic exponent N. If the channel
cross section is known N can be calculated accordingly provided that
the derivative dP/dy can be evaluated. For most channels, except for
channels with abrupt changes in cross-sectional form and for closed
conduits with gradually closing top, a logarithmic plot of K as ordinate
against the depth as abscissa will appear approximately as straight
line. Thus if any two points with coordinates (K1, y1) and (K2, y2) are
taken from the straight line, the approximate value of N may be
computed by the following Eq.

LnK
K2 log (K 1 / K 2 )
N=2
K1 log (y1 / y 2 )

y y Lny
• For wide rectangular channels: Ry
• The Chézy Equation gives the value of K as:

K 2 = C2 A 2 R = C2 b 2 y 2 y = C2 b 2 y3 → N = 3
• On the other hand the Manning Equation gives the value of K as:

1 1 1
K =2
AR
2 4 /3
= b y y
2 2 4 /3
= b y
2 10 / 3

n 2
n n 2

→ N = 10 /3
Computation of uniform flow
Flow in Compound Channels

• Natural channels often have a main channel and an overbank section.

Overbank Section

Main Channel
Flow in Compound Channels
23
1 1/ 2  Ai 
Vi = S  
ni  Pi 
n
Q =  Vi A i
i =1

In determining R only that part of the wetted perimeter

in contact with an actual channel boundary is used.
Channel and Floodplain Subdivision