Fluid Mechanics - II

Lecture 6– Open Channel Flow

Engr Ayesha Aftab

Lecturer
Civil Engineering Department

National University of Science and Technology NUST Balochistan

Campus, Quetta
 Introduction 2

An open channel may be defined as a passage in

which liquid flows with its upper surface exposed
to atmosphere.
In open channels the flow is due to gravity, thus
the flow conditions are greatly influenced by the
slope of the channel
The behavior of open-channel flow is governed by the
effects of viscosity and gravity relative to the inertial forces
of the flow. Surface tension has a minor contribution but
does not play a significant enough role in most
circumstances to be a governing factor. Due to the
presence of a free surface, gravity is generally the most
significant driver of open-channel flow; therefore, the ratio
of inertial to gravity forces is the most important
dimensionless parameter. The parameter is known as the
Froude number, and is defined as:

Where U is the mean velocity,

D is the characteristic length scale for a channel's depth,
and g is the gravitational acceleration.
 Comparison between Open Channel and Pipe Flow 3

Aspects Open channel flow Pipe flow

It is usually uncovered, has a free It is covered and has no free
Condition surface at the top and atmospheric surface.
pressure at a free surface.

It may have any shape. e.g.,

Cross-section rectangular, parabolic, triangular, Generally, pipe flow has a circular
trapezoidal, circular, irregular etc. cross-section.

Cause of flow Flow is due to gravity in open Flow is due to pressure in pipe
channel flow. flow.
 Comparison between Open Channel and Pipe Flow 4

Surface Surface roughness varies with depth of Surface roughness depends

roughness flow upon the material of the pipe.

The maximum velocity occurs at a little

distance below the water surface. Velocity is maximum at the
Velocity
distribution The shape of the velocity profile of the center of the flow and reduces
open channel depends on the channel to zero at the pipe wall.
roughness.

Surface head Negligible Dominant for small diameter

 Types of Channels 5

The various types of

channels are:
It is the one which has irregular sections of varying shapes, developed
in a natural way.
Examples: Rivers, streams etc.
It is the one which is built artificially for carrying water for various
purposes. They have the cross-sections with regular geometrical shapes
(which usually remain same throughout the length of the channel).
Examples: Rectangular channel, trapezoidal channel, parabolic channel
etc
A channel without any cover at the top is known as an open
channel.
Examples: Irrigation canals, rivers, streams, flumes and water
falls.

The channel having a cover at the top is known as a covered or closed

channel.
Examples: Partly filled conduits carrying public water supply such as
sewerage lines, underground drains, tunnels etc. not running full of
water
 Types of Channels 6

The various types of

channels are:
A channel with constant bed slope and the same cross-section along
its length is known as a prismatic channel.
The prismatic channels can be further subdivided as:
 Types of Flow in Channels 7

The flow in channels is classified into the following types, depending upon the change
in the depth of flow with respect to space and time:
Types of Flow in Channels 8
Types of Flow in Channels 9
Types of Flow in Channels 10
Types of Flow in Channels 11
Types of Flow in Channels 12
Types of Flow in Channels 13
 Definitions 14

It is the vertical distance of the lowest point

of a channel section (bed of the channel)
from the free surface.

The depth of flow and depth of flow

section are assumed equal, unless
mentioned otherwise
Definitions 15
 OPEN CHANNEL FORMULAE FOR UNIFORM FLOW 16

For uniform flow in open channels, the following formulae will

be discussed :

Consider a longitudinal section of an open channel

in which the flow is steady and uniform, as shown
in Fig. The forces acting on the free body of water
between sections 1-1 and 2-2 in the direction of
flow are as follows:
(i) Pressure forces F1 and F2 acting on the two
ends of the body; these forces balance each other
since the depth of channel remains constant.
(ii) The component of weight of the water in
the direction of flow, which is = W sin θ = wAL sin
θ
wher
e,

(iii) Frictional resistance offered by the sides of the channel which is = τ0 PL, where P is
the wetted perimeter of the channel and τ0 is the average shear stress at the channel
 OPEN CHANNEL FORMULAE FOR UNIFORM FLOW 17

As the flow is steady and uniform, it is neither

accelerating nor decelerating; the liquid mass is in
equilibrium and the frictional resistance to flow equals
the weight of liquid mass acting along the line of fluid
motion. Thus wAL sin θ =
τ0 PL
 OPEN CHANNEL FORMULAE FOR UNIFORM FLOW 18

Eqn. (16.8) is known as Chezy’s formula (named after the

French engineer Antoine Chezy who developed this formula in
1775). The term C is known as Chezy’s constant.
 OPEN CHANNEL FORMULAE FOR UNIFORM FLOW 19

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:

A French hydraulician H. Bazin’s (1897) proposed the following empirical

formula for Chezy’s constant:

where, R is the
hydraulic radius
and K is the
Bazin’s constant
whose value
depends on
surface
roughness. Some
typical values of K
are:
 OPEN CHANNEL FORMULAE FOR UNIFORM FLOW 20

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:

Two Swiss engineers Ganguillet and Kutter proposed the

following empirical formula (1869) for the determination
of Chezy’s constant C.

where N is the Kutter’s constant whose

value depends upon the type of the
channel surface. Some typical values of
N are given as:
 OPEN CHANNEL FORMULAE FOR UNIFORM FLOW 21

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:

Rober Manning (an Irish engineer) gave the following empirical relation for
determination of Chezy’s constant C (1889), which is simplest of all used for uniform
open channel flow:
Solved Examples 22
Solved Examples 23
Solved Examples 24
Solved Examples 25
Solved Examples 26
Solved Examples 27
Solved Examples 28
Solved Examples 29
 MOST ECONOMICAL SECTION OF A CHANNEL 30

The most economical section (also called the best section or

most efficient section) is one which gives the maximum discharge
for a given amount of excavation.
 MOST ECONOMICAL SECTION OF A CHANNEL 31

Fig. 16.8 shows the cross-section of a rectangular channel. Let b

and y be the base width and depth of flow respectively
MOST ECONOMICAL SECTION OF A CHANNEL 32
 Most Economical Section 0f A Channel (Solved Example) 33

The geometric relations for optimum discharge through a

rectangular channel are:
Most Economical Section 0f A Channel (Solved Example) 34
17