ICV-0385

HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY

LAB REPORT GUIDELINES

UNIVERSIDAD SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO

COLEGIO POLITÉCNICO
INGENIERÍA CIVIL
 ICV-0385 REPORT GUIDELINES HIDRÁULICA

HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY

REPORT GUIDELINES

1. Objective
The purpose of this manual is to serve as an instruction book to the students, lab assistants and
instructors to assist in performing and understanding the lab practices and experiments. Currently, only the
experiments as per the syllabus of the course ICV-0385 HYDRAULICS, are considered.

2. Instructions
Introduction

This instruction manual is intended to guide students through several experiments in the hydraulic
engineering laboratory. This requires an effort on the student’s part to read the relevant sections of the course’s
textbook, as well as the lab manual for each experiment, before the student comes to the lab practice. Being
prepared will assist you in understanding the experimental work and allow you to finish in the allotted time.

The lab report is considered to be an engineering technical report. As such, you will be evaluated on
your ability to correctly complete the experiment and analysis, as well as your ability to clearly communicate
your methodology, results, and ideas in a written way. All charts, plots and drawings should be original (e.g.
created by you, based on your experimental data).

Safety

Safety is our prime concern at all times and you will be asked to leave the lab if your conduct is deemed
to compromise safety regulations. Do not perform unauthorized experiments by yourself. Never leave
unattended an experiment that is in progress. Because of the nature of hydraulics, there is always a danger
dealing with high pressures. Students are strictly advised to wear closed shoes as a measure of safety and wear
clothes that do not mind getting wet in the laboratory.

Precautions

Carelessness in personal conduct or in handling equipment may result in serious injury to the individual
or the equipment. Confine long hair and loose clothing when in the laboratory. No piece of equipment should
be started or stopped except under the direct supervision of the instructors or upon specific instructions from
the equipment. Do not open or close any valve, switch, etc. without first learning its function and trying to
determine what will happen when the operation is completed.

Groups

The Lab practice is set in groups of 7 Students max. The Lab practice is to be performed as a team work.
Team work is an important aspect of the Lab practice and it will enhance your performance in measuring the
experimental data. The Lab Report, however, should be done individually by each student.

Attendance

Attendance to all Lab practices is mandatory. Students must participate in all laboratory experiments
as scheduled and on-time. Late attendance will result in losing points for the given practice. Absolutely no
flexibility in the lab schedule. No repetition class will be given for forgone sessions.

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 ICV-0385 REPORT GUIDELINES HIDRÁULICA

After the Lab session

1. Make sure you have measured all the experimental data needed for writing the report.
2. Make sure you understand what is required for the report analysis and when it is due.
3. Leave instruments and equipment in a clean and orderly condition when finished.
4. Clean up the work area (mop and dry if necessary).

Laboratory Reports

Each student individually must write and submit a Lab Report for each Lab practice performed. All
reports will be graded on the technical and analytical content, as well as, the writing and presentation. The
deadline for submitting will be informed by the instructor.

All students are expected to produce their own work. Copying is not allowed and reference must be
clearly stated at the end of report. If you use the Lab Manual as reference, convert the sentences into your own
words, in third person, past tense, passive voice sentences.

3. List of Experiments:
Experiment #1: FLOW THROUGH ORIFICE
Experiment #2: FLOW THROUGH WEIRS
Experiment #3: RIVERINE HYDRAULICS
Experiment #4: FLOW THROUGH CULVERTS
Experiment #5: HYDRAULIC JUMP
Experiment #6: STORM HYDROGRAPHS

Before coming to the laboratory, students must have read carefully and understand the procedure of
the experiment in the Lab Manual. Students must come prepared for each lab session. This means that the
students must read the Lab Manual for each Lab practice and the corresponding textbook chapters covered in
class.

4. Report Guidelines
The Lab Report does not need to be a long tedious writing. Instead, the Lab Report is a brief engineering
technical report, which summarizes your experimental data, technical analysis and results. As such, it must be
written professionally, organized, and clear. The Report must be written in MS Word and submitted in PDF
format. The Report must be written in in English. Data analysis and interpretation must be done in MS Excel.
Plots are an integral part of technical reports and must be presented professionally (with labels, titles, units,
grids, and proper scales).

Grading

The Lab Report will consist of several sections. The Lab Report will be graded based on the point scale
assigned to each part detailed below.

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 ICV-0385 REPORT GUIDELINES HIDRÁULICA

REPORT REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING SCALE

Each student will submit a Lab Report with the following components:
TOTAL POINTS = 100
a) TITLE PAGE The following information only: (3)
USFQ Logo, Course number and title
Lab number and name of experiment
Date of Lab practice, Your name, Date of submittal

b) INTRODUCTION A brief introduction to the topic of the lab practice. (3)

What is this lab about?
1 paragraph (2-3 sentences).

c) OBJECTIVES Clear and brief statement of the lab practice purpose or goals. (3)
Use bullets.

d) EQUIPMENT List and describe the various tools and materials required. (3)
Provide a drawing of the experiment setup with all important
dimensions and units of measurements if necessary.
Use bullets.

e) ANTICIPATED RESULTS (5)

Hypothesis or qualitative expectation of each objective and
expected values or tendencies of each parameter that you
will measure and compare to your results. Each parameter
in your results section should have an anticipated result.
1~3 Sentences. Address each parameter or objective.

f) PROCEDURE Orderly concise list of the steps your group performed. (5)
Do not copy from the manual as this can differ!
Use numbered bullets.

g) RESULTS (30)
• Briefly explain the principles behind the experiment,
including assumptions made. (5)
• Explain the equations used and the calculations performed
in order to obtain the results. (for 1 trial is enough). (5)
• Analyze and analyze the results obtained from your calculations. (5)
Explain any variations and how each parameter affects your results.
Explain the reasons for max. and min. values in your results.
Do not simply show tables or charts.
• Plot the graphs as directed in the Lab Manual. (5)
• Every table and chart must have labels and units. (5)
• Explain the tendency of the data and interpret the overall outcome. (5)
Every item must have some explanation, interpretation, analysis.

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ICV-0385 REPORT GUIDELINES HIDRÁULICA

h) DISCUSSION (20)
• Discuss if any assumptions made caused a bias in the lab practice.
• Determine the percent error or deviation between the theoretical
values and the calculated values in your results. (5)
• Analyze probable sources of error. What is the cause of the error? (5)
Compare and explain why you got such an error % for each trial.
• Discuss the accuracy of each measured parameter, numerically.
Based on the measuring uncertainty, explain how much % error
generates one unit of each of the measured parameters? (5)
• Perform a calibration for your results, based on the measuring
uncertainties. What corrections need to be made. How to improve? (5)

• Discussion Questions. (10)

i) CONCLUSION • Were the initial objectives met? Why or why not? (2)
• How your results compare with the Anticipated Results and
your initial expectations. Conclude on the causes of (2)
any discrepancies.
• Give concrete suggestions of how to improve the results. (2)
• Briefly state what did you learn or discovered in the experiment.
Support your statement with evidence found in your results. (2)
1~2 Sentences answering each bullet point.

j) REFERENCES References and bibliography. (2)

k) APPENDIX Photos of the lab experiment (3)

Calculations on Excel file.

GENERAL FORMATTING (5)

• Single line spacing, Font Type: Calibri, Arial or Times New Roman, Font Size: 11.
• Writing should be in English, “third person, past-tense, and passive voice” sentences.
• Use page numbers and all pages should be numbered.
• Use all section headings as the Report requirements shown above.
• Use 2 decimal digits for measurements values, and 3 decimal digits for calculated values.
• Use titles and numbering for every table, figure and chart in your report.
• Always explain and interpret every table, figure or chart you present in the report.
• All Tables must show Units of variables in the header.
• Graphs and plots must be computer generated.
• Scales must be readable to the same accuracy as the data obtained during the experiment.
• All figures must be clearly labeled with figure number, titles and description.
• All graphs must be clearly labeled with titles, units and legible scale for each axis.
• Curves derived from data must show experimental data points.
• Graphs must be drawn as smooth curves that represent an average of the experimental data.
• Curves derived from an equation should contain no symbols, but show the equation of the curve.

If you do not understand these guidelines and formatting rules, please come talk to me.

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ICV-0385 REPORT GUIDELINES HIDRÁULICA

LAB ##: LAB NAME EXAMPLE

INTRODUCTION:
1~2 paragraphs: A brief introduction to the topic of the lab practice.

OBJECTIVES:
 Clearly state the lab practice purpose or goal.
 Clearly state objective 2.
 Clearly state objective 3.

EQUIPMENT:
 Tools  Other tools
 Equipment  Additional Equipment
 Setups

ANTICIPATED RESULTS:
1~2 paragraphs: Numerical or qualitative expected results. Include expected values that you will
compare your results to, expected shape of plots, tendencies, etc. Nearly everything in your results section
should have an anticipated result.

PROCEDURE:

1. Orderly concise list the steps your group performed.

2. Write down the procedure in your own words.
3. Do not simply copy the manual!
4. Use numbered bullets.

RESULTS:

Briefly explain of the principles behind the experiment, including assumptions made and their validity.
Clarification of the equations to be used.

A) HYDRAULIC JUMP
 Sequent Depth (Y2)
1 2
𝑦2 = 𝑦 [ √1 + 8 𝑁𝐹1 −1]
2 1

Review and analyze the results obtained from your calculations. Do not simply show tables or charts.
Every item must have some explanation, interpretation, analysis, labels and units. Explain the meaning or
reasons for max. and min. values in your results. Explain the tendency of the data and interpret the overall
outcome.

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 LABORATORIO ##
ICV-0385 LAB NAME HIDRÁULICA

Fig #.#: Figure name and descriptions as needed.

GRAPHS & TABLES:

 Use titles and numbering for every table, figure and chart.
 Always explain every table or figure you present in the report.
 All figures should have labels, unit and legible scale for each axis.
 Always refer in your paragraphs the information attached in the appendix.
 Use 2 decimal digits for measurements values, and 3 decimal digits for calculated values.

DISCUSSION:

Discuss the accuracy of each result, numerically. Why you got the results you obtained. What
corrections need to be made. Analyze probable sources of error. What is the cause of the error. What effect
did they have and how much? how to improve? Answer all discussion questions of the Lab Manual.

CONCLUSION:

1~2 paragraphs: Were the initial objectives met? Why or why not? How your results compare with
the anticipated results and your initial expectations. Conclude and explain the cause of any discrepancies.
Give concrete suggestions of how to improve the results. Briefly state what did you learn or discovered in the
experiment. Support your statement with evidence found in your results.

REFERENCES:

 References from the body of the report.

APPENDIX:

 Photos of the lab experiment

 Excel file

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