National University

of Computer & Emerging Sciences

Fluid Mechanics
Week 16: Uniform Flow in Open
Channels: Chezy’s and Manning’s
equations, Bazin’s and Kutter’s equations,
Most economical rectangular and
trapezoidal section.
Dr. Mohsin Siddique
Assistant Professor
NU-FAST Lahore
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Date: 8/05/2013
Open Channel Flow
An open channel is the one in which stream is not
complete enclosed by solid boundaries and therefore has a
free surface subjected only to atmosphere pressure.

The flow in such channels is not caused by some external

head, but rather only by gravitational component along the
slope of channel. Thus open channel flow is also referred to as
free surface flow or gravity flow.

Examples of open channel are

Rivers, canals, streams, & sewerage system etc

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Open Channel Flow

Thal Canal Indus river

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Comparison between open channel flow and
pipe flow
Aspect Open Channel Pipe flow
Cause of flow Gravity force (provided by Pipes run full and flow takes place
sloping bottom) under hydraulic pressure.
Cross-sectional Open channels may have any Pipes are generally round in
shape shape, e.g., triangular, cross-section which is uniform
rectangular, trapezoidal, along length
parabolic or circular etc
Surface Varies with depth of flow Varies with type of pipe material
roughness

Piezometric head (z+h), where h is depth of (z+P/γ) where P is the pressure in

channel pipe

Velocity Maximum velocity occurs at a The velocity distribution is

distribution little distance below the water symmetrical about the pipe axis.
surface. The shape of the Maximum velocity occurs at the
velocity profile is dependent on pipe center and velocity at pipe
the channel roughness. walls reduced to zero.
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Types of Channels
Natural Channels: It is one with irregular sections of varying shapes,
developing in natural way. .e.g., rivers, streams etc

Artificial Channels: It is the one built artificially for carrying water for
various purposes. e.g., canals,

Open Channel: A channel without any cover at the top. e.g., canals, rivers
streams etc

Covered Channels: A channel having cover at the top. e.g., partially filled
conduits carrying water

Prismatic Channels: A channel with constant bed slope and cross-section

along its length.

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Types of flow in open channels
Steady and unsteady flow Same definition
Uniform and non-uniform flow with pipe flows

Laminar and Turbulent flow

Subcritical, critical and supercritical flow
Laminar and Turbulent flow: For open channels, it is defined with
Reynolds No. as;
VRh Remember in pipe flows
Re =
ν VD 4VRh
Re = =
ν ν
Therefore,
For laminar flow: Re <= 500 For laminar flow: Re <= 2000
For transitional flow: 500 <Re< 1000
For Turbulent flow: Re >= 1000
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Types of flow in open channels
Subcritical, Critical and Supercritical Flow. These are classified with
Froude number.
Froude No. (Fr). It is ratio of inertial force to gravitational force of
flowing fluid. Mathematically, Froude no. is
V
Fr =
gh
Where, V is average velocity of flow, h is depth of flow and g is
gravitational acceleration

If
Fr. < 1, Flow is subcritical flow
Fr. = 1, Flow is critical flow
Fr. > 1, Flow is supercritical flow

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Definitions
Depth of Flow: It is the vertical distance of the lowest point of a
channel section(bed of the channel) from the free surface.
Depth of Flow Section: It is depth of flow normal to bed of the
channel.
Top Width: It is the width of channel section at the free surface.
Wetted Area: It is the cross-sectional area of the flow section of
channel.
Wetted Perimeter: It is the length of channel boundary in
contact with the flowing water at any section.
Hydraulic Radius: It is ratio of cross-sectional area of flow to
wetted perimeter.

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Open channel formulae for uniform flow
For uniform flow in open channels, following formulae are widely used

1. Chezy’s Formula: Antoine de Chezy (1718-1798), a

French bridge and hydraulic expert, proposed his
formula in 1775.

V = C RS o Here,
V=Average flow velocity
C= Chezy’s constant R=Hydraulic radius
So=Channel bed slope
2. Manning’s Formula: Rober manning (An Irish
engineer) proposed the following relation for
Chezy’s coefficient C
C = (1 / n )R1/ 6
According to which Chezy’s equation can be written as
1 2 / 3 1/ 2
V= R So
n

9 n= Manning’s Roughness coefficient

Derivation of Chezy’s formula
In uniform flow the cross-sectional through which flow occurs is constant along
the channel and so also is the velocity. Thus y1=y2=yo and V1=V2 =V and the
channel bed, water surface and energy line are parallel to one another.

F1= Pressure force at section 1

F2= Pressure force at section 2
W= Weight of fluid between
section 1 and 2= γAL
So= slope of channel
θ= Inclination of channel
with horizontal line
τo= shearing stress
P= Wetted perimeter
L= length between sections
According to force balance along the direction of flow; we V= Avg. Flow velocity
can write, yo= depth of flow
F1 − F2 + γAL sin θ = τ o PL
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Derivation of Chezy’s formula

γAL sin θ A z1 − z 2
τo = =γ sin θ = γR sin θ So =
PL P ∆x
For channels with So<0.1, we can safely assume that
(z + y ) − (z2 + y2 )
Sw = 1 1
∆x
S o = S w ≈ S = sin θ S=
(z1 + y1 + v1 / 2 g ) − (z2 + y2 + v2 / 2 g )
Therefore; ∆x
hL
τ o = γRS o S=
∆x

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Derivation of Chezy’s formula
τo (shearing stress) can also be expressed as (already discussed)

V2
τo = Cf ρ
2
Comparing both equations of τo we get;

V2
Cf ρ = γRS o
2
2g 8g
V= RS o = RS o Q C f = f / 4
Cf f
V = C RS o
Where C is Chezy’s Constant whose value depend upon the type of channel surface

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Relation b/w f and C
2g 8g
C= = QC f = f / 4
Cf f

As f and C are related, the same consideration that are present for
determination of f for pipe flows also applies here.

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Empirical Relations for Chezy’s Constant, C
Although Chezy’s equation is quite simple, the selection of a correct value
of C is rather difficult. Some of the important formulae developed for
Chezy’s Constant C are;

1. Bazin Formula: A French hydraulic engineer H. Bazin (1897) proposed

the following empirical formula for C
157.6 R= Hydraulic Radius
C=
181 + K / R K=Bazin Constant

The value of K depends upon the type of channel surface

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Empirical Relations for Chezy’s Constant, C
2. Kutter’s Formula: Two Swiss engineers Ganguillet and Kutter
proposed following formula for determination of C
BG units SI units
R= Hydraulic Radius
N=Manning’s roughness
coefficient

3. Manning’s Formula: Rober manning (An Irish engineer) proposed the

following relation for chezy’s coefficient C

C = (1 / n )R1/ 6

1 2 / 3 1/ 2
V= R So
n
n= Manning’s Roughness coefficient
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The values of N or n depends upon nature of channel surface
Empirical Relations for Chezy’s Constant, C

Reading Assignment: Read section 10.2 from Book

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Relation b/w f and n
Since C=
2g
=
8g
QC f = f / 4
Cf f

Also C = (1 / n )R1/ 6

It mean n and can also be related with each other. hence

f
n = R1 / 6 SI
8g
f
n = 1.486 R1/ 6 BG
8g

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Chezy’s and Mannings Equations in SI and BG System

Chezy’s Equation Manning’s Equation

1 2 / 3 1/ 2
V = C RS o V = R So
n SI
Q = CA RS o ( ) 1
Q m / s = AR 2 / 3 S o
3

n
1/ 2

Value of C is determine from

Q(cfs ) =
respective BG or SI Kutter’s 1.486 1/ 2 BG
AR 2 / 3 S o
formula. n

C= Chezy’s Constant
A= Cross-sectional area of flow A= Cross-sectional area of flow

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Most Economical Section
From Manning’s formula, we can write that,
1
Q ∝ ARh S o
n
For a given channel of slope, So, area of cross-section A and roughness n,
we can simplify above equation as
A 1
Q ∝ Rh ⇒ Q ∝ ⇒ Q ∝
P P
It emphasis that discharge will be maximum, when Rh is maximum and for a
given cross-section, Rh will be maximum if perimeter is minimum.

Therefore, the most economical section(also called best section or most

efficient section) is the one which gives maximum discharge for a given area
of cross-section (say excavation for channel shape).

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Most economical rectangular section
Let’s consider a rectangular
channel as shown in figure in
which width of channel is b and
depth of flow is h.
h

Cross - sectional area of flow = A = bh

b
Wetted Perimeter = P = b + 2h = A / h + 2h

For most economical section, perimeter should be minimum. i.e.,

dP/dh = 0
A
− + 2 = 0 ⇒ A = 2 h 2

dP/dh =
d
(b + 2h ) = d (A / h + 2h ) = 0 h2
dh dh
bh = 2h 2
b = 2h or h = b / 2
Hence for most economical rectangular section, width is twice the
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depth of channel
 Most economical trapezoidal section
Let’s consider a b+2Sh
trapezoidal channel having
bottom width, b, depth of Sh Sh
flow is d, and side slope, S,
1 h
as shown in figure s θ
h S +1
2

Cross - sectional area of flow = A = bh + Sh 2 A = bh + Sh 2

Wetted Perimeter = P = b + 2 Sh 2 + h 2 = (A / h − Sh ) + 2 Sh 2 + h 2 A
b = − Sh
h
For most economical section, perimeter should be minimum. i.e.,
dP
=0
dh

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d
dh
( )
A / h − Sh + 2 Sh 2 + h 2 = 0
Most economical trapezoidal section
d
dh
( ) h
A
A / h − Sh + 2h S2 + 1 = 0 ⇒ − 2 − S + 2 S2 + 1 = 0

A bh + Sh 2
2
+ S = 2 S +1 ⇒
2
2
+ S = 2 S2 + 1
h h
b + Sh b + Sh Sh
+ S = 2 S2 + 1 ⇒ + = 2 S2 + 1
h h h
b + 2Sh
= 2 S2 + 1
h
b + 2Sh
= h S2 + 1 ⇒ b + 2Sh = 2h S2 + 1
2
Hence for most economical trapezoidal section, top width is twice
the length of one sloping side or half of top width is equal to
length of one sloping side

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Most economical trapezoidal section
For given width, b, and depth, h, perimeter becomes only the
function of side slope, S,. So if we estimate value of S that provide
minimum P then we have;
dP
dS
=0⇒
d
dS
( )
A / h − Sh + 2 S2 h 2 + h 2 = 0 ⇒
d
dS
(
A / h − Sh + 2h S2 + 1 = 0 )

(
1 2
 − h + 2h S + 1 )
1 / 2 −1 
(
× 2S  = 0 ⇒ −h + 2 Sh S2 + 1)−1/ 2
=0
 2 
( ) (
− h S2 + 1 = 2Sh ⇒ − S2 + 1 = 2 S )
Squaring both sides of equation, we get
1 1
− S2 + 1 = 4 S 2 ⇒ S 2 = ⇒S=
3 3
If sloping sides make an angle θ with the horizontal than S=tanθ
1
S = tan θ = ⇒ θ = 60 o
3

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 Thank you
Questions….

Feel free to contact:

mohsin.siddique@nu.edu.pk

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