MANILA: Room 206, JPD Building CM Recto Avenue, Manila

CEBU: 4/F J. Martinez Bldg., Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City

Telephone Number: (02) 516 7559 (Manila) E-Mail: buksmarquez1 @yahoo.com
(032) 254 9967 (Cebu)

Review MODULE – Open Channel and Hydrodynamic Force

OPEN-CHANNEL FLOW AND FLOW STATES CRITICAL FLOW

When the flow is critical
Open-channel flow, is a type of liquid flow within a conduit with a free
- FN = 1
surface, known as a channel.
- Specific energy is a MINIMUM
- Discharge is a MAXIMUM
Hydraulic radius, is the term used to describe the shape of a channel. It is
- The depth is known as critical depth
the ratio between the length of the wetted perimeter and the cross-sectional
area of flow. When flow is critical, the following formula will be useful:
A, cross sectional area of flow
R= For non-rectangular channels (general):
P, wetted perimeter
Q2 A3
=
FLOW CAPACITY g B

Manning’s Formula For rectangular channels:

1 2 1 q2
v = R3 S 2 ; Q = Av = d3c
n g

Chezy’s Formula Relation b/w critical depth and the specific energy (for rectangular):
v = C√RS ; Q = Av 2 3
dc = E ; E = dc
3 2
SPECIFIC ENERGY
- is the energy of the flow with reference to the channel bed as the datum. UNIT FLOW/DISCHARGE, 𝐪 (𝐦𝟑 /𝐬/𝐦) – (For rectangular section only)
Q
q = vd =
NORMAL DEPTH B
- is the depth when the flow is steady and uniform.
SITUATION. A rectangular channel has 5 m width and 3 m water depth. The
BOUNDARY SHEAR STRESS slope of the channel is 1 in 1200 and the Manning’s coefficient is 0.02. Neglect
τ = γRS headloss.
7. Determine the minimum width of the throat without changing the water level
SITUATION. A trapezoidal canal with a bottom width 4 m and a side slopes at the entrance.
1H:1V on the left and 1.5H:1V on the right, with n = 0.016 and a bed slope of 3 8. Determine the maximum height of the hump to produce critical depth.
in 10000, carries a discharge of 8 m3/s. 9. Determine the specific energy at the hump.

SITUATION. A triangular channel with a water depth of 1.2 m.

10. Determine the minimum specific energy.
11. Determine the critical velocity.
12. If the maximum flow in the triangular channel becomes 10 m3/s, determine
the section factor. (Hint: Section factor is the product of section area and
the square root of hydraulic depth.)

FLOW STATES / ALTERNATE STAGES OF FLOW

1. Determine the normal depth.
2. Determine specific energy. FROUDE NUMBER, FN
3. Determine the average shear stress on the channel bed. - is a dimensionless value that describes different flow regimes of open
channel flow. It is a ratio of inertial and gravitational forces.
SITUATION. A channel has vertical wall 2 m apart and semicircular invert. The
channel has a centerline depth of 1.5 m, the bed slope is 1 in 2000 and the Energy Grade Line Depth, d
discharge is 1 m3/s. UPPER STAGE, (FN < 1.0)

CRITICAL STAGE, (FN = 1.0)

Qmax

LOWER STAGE, (FN > 1.0)

Channel Bed
Discharge, Q

𝐅𝐍 < 𝟏, subcritical flow (slow, tranquil)

𝐅𝐍 = 𝟏, critical flow
𝐅𝐍 > 𝟏, supercritical flow (fast, rapid, shooting)

For rectangular sections,

𝐕
𝐅𝐍 =
4. Determine the roughness coefficient. √𝐠𝐝
5. Determine Chezy’s C value.
6. Determine the friction factor. For non-rectangular sections,
𝐐𝟐 𝐁 𝐕 𝐀
𝐅𝐍 = √ 𝟑 OR 𝐅𝐍 = where: 𝐃 = hydraulic depth =
𝐀 𝐠 √𝐠𝐃 𝐁
 MANILA: Room 206, JPD Building CM Recto Avenue, Manila
CEBU: 4/F J. Martinez Bldg., Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City
Telephone Number: (02) 516 7559 (Manila) E-Mail: buksmarquez1 @yahoo.com
(032) 254 9967 (Cebu)

SITUATION. Given the section of channel and floodway, it has a uniform slope
of 0.00012 and the Manning’s coefficient n = 0.014 for both channel and
floodway. The side slopes used is 1:1.

13. Determine the flow rate.

14. Determine the specific energy.
15. Determine the Froude Number.
16. Determine the critical depth of the given section.

NON-UNIFORM FLOW

HYDRAULIC JUMP - when liquid at high velocity discharge into a zone of

lower velocity, a rather abrupt rise occurs in the liquid surface. The rapidly
flowing liquid is abruptly slowed and increases in height, converting some of
the flow’s kinetic energy into an increase in potential energy, with some
energy irreversibly lost through turbulence to heat.
∆F = ρQ(∆v)
Qγ
F2 − F1 = (v − v2 )
g 1

For rectangular sections:

q2 d1 + d2
= d1 d2 ( )
g 2
For any section:
Q2 A1 y1 − A2 y2
=
g 1 1
−
A2 A1

SITUATION. If the energy loss in a hydraulic jump in a rectangular channel is

found to be 6 m and pre jump Froude number of flows is equal to 6.
17. Determine the depth of flow before the jump.
18. Determine the depth of flow after the jump.
19. Determine the ratio of post to pre jump height.
20. Determine the Froude number after the jump.