OPEN-CHANNEL FLOW

Open-channel flow, a branch of hydraulics and fluid mechanics, is a type of

liquid flow within a conduit with a free surface, known as a channel. The other
type of flow within a conduit is pipe flow. These two types of flow are similar in
many ways, but differ in one important respect: the free surface. Open-channel
flow has a free surface, whereas pipe flow does not.

Classifications of flow
Open-channel flow can be classified and described in various ways based on the change in
flow depth with respect to time and space. The fundamental types of flow dealt with in openchannel hydraulics are:
Time as the criterion
Steady flow The depth of flow does not change over time, or if it can be assumed to
be constant during the time interval under consideration.
Unsteady flow - The depth of flow does change with time.
Space as the criterion
Uniform flow The depth of flow is the same at every section of the channel.
Uniform flow can be steady or unsteady, depending on whether or not the depth
changes with time, (although unsteady uniform flow is rare).
Varied flow - The depth of flow changes along the length of the channel. Varied flow
technically may be either steady or unsteady.
Varied flow can be further classified as either rapidly or gradually varied.
Rapidly varied flow - The depth changes abruptly over a comparatively short distance.
Rapidly varied flow is known as local phenomenon. Examples are the hydraulic jump
and the hydraulic drop.
Gradually varied flow The depth changes over a long distance.
Continuous flow - The discharge is constant throughout the reach of the channel under
consideration. This is often the case with steady flow. This flow is considered
continuous and therefore can be described using the continuity equation for
continuous steady flow.
Spatially varied or discontinuous flow - The discharge of a steady flow is nonuniform
along a channel. This happens when water enters and/or leaves the channel along the
course of flow. An example of flow entering a channel would be a road side gutter. An
example of flow leaving a channel would be an irrigation channel. This flow can be
described using the continuity equation for continuous unsteady flow requires the
consideration of the time effect and includes a time element as a variable.