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HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE OF SHARP-

CRESTED RECTANGULAR PLANFORM
CONTRACTED WEIRS

ARTICLE · JANUARY 2015

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Sanjeev Kumar Nitin Mishra

Graphic Era University Graphic Era University
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Retrieved on: 25 February 2016
 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.33 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm

HYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE OF SHARP-

CRESTED RECTANGULAR PLANFORM
CONTRACTED WEIRS
S. Kumar K. K. Gupta N. Mishra
Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor
Deptt. of Civil Engg., Deptt. of Civil Engg., Deptt. of Civil Engg.,
Graphic Era University, Graphic Era University, Graphic Era University,
Dehradun, India Dehradun, India Dehradun, India
(er.sanjeevkr@gmail.com) (guptak.k@rediffmail.com) (nitinuag@gmail.com)

Abstract capacity, increasing events of floods etc. Labyrinth weirs

Labyrinth weir is an example to increase the discharging
capacity of an existing weir effectively and economically by
providing longer crest length of the weir without changing the
existing structure width. Hence they are well suited to the sites
where larger discharges are required on a stream having
restricted width and the maximum water surface elevation is
limited.
consists of a series of linear weirs which are folded in plan
view to provide a longer crest length compared with a normal
weir having the same lateral space to increase the discharge
for a given operating head. Since labyrinth weirs passes large
flood at a comparatively low head, they can therefore be
widely used to a particular advantage in situations where a
weir is required to pass a range of discharge with a limited
variation in upstream water levels and also where the width of
a channel is restricted.

The present research work mainly aims of the experimental
study carried out to explore the hydraulic performance of a
sharp-crested contracted rectangular planform weir under free
flow conditions in a rectangular flume. The efficiency of the
rectangular planform weirs is found better than the conventional
normal weir. A discharge equation has been proposed for the
given range of data and found that the proposed equation is
within 5% of the observed ones. Sensitivity of the weir is also
carried out which indicates that the weir is more sensitive at the
low head and higher L/B ratios.
Discharge (Q) over a sharp-crested suppressed normal weir
under free flow condition in a channel is expressed as
3
2 2
Q Cd 2 g LH
3 (1)
Where Cd = coefficient of discharge, L = crest length of the
weir, g = acceleration due to gravity, H = head over the crest.
The Cd depends on flow characteristics and geometry of the
channel and the weir (Bagheri S, Heidarpour M., 2010).
For a sharp crested weir with end contraction, if velocity of
approach is considered then equation (1) is modified as

3 3
Keywords rectangular planform weir, flow measurement,
discharge coefficient and open channel. 2 V2 V2 2 Va2 2
Q C d 2 g L 0.1n H a H a
3 2g 2g 2g
(2)
I. INTRODUCTION
Where n is the numbers of end contractions,
A weir is an obstruction built across a watercourse in order to Q
raise the water level on the upstream side and to allow the Va
Bc H P is velocity of approach, Bc is the clear width
excess water to flow over its entire length to the downstream
side. There is a need to enhance the discharging capacity of of the flume and P is weir height.
the existing weirs due to expanding demand of more storage

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© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm
Initially Taylor (1968) did an extensive investigation dealing
with the behavior of the labyrinth weirs and presented his
results in the term of a magnification ratio i.e., ratio of
discharge over labyrinth weir and normal weir for the same
head over the crest. Following the Taylor‟s work, Hay and
Taylor (1969, 1970) tested various plan shapes in the form of
labyrinth weirs and presented the results in the form of curves
between the ratio of discharge over labyrinth weir (Q) to
corresponding normal weir (Qn) and H/P. They found that the
triangular planform weir is more efficient than the trapezoidal
plan form.
Tullis et al. (1995) conducted extensive experimental work on
labyrinth weirs having trapezoidal plan form. They found the
capacity of a labyrinth weir is a function of the total head, the
effective crest length and the coefficient of discharge. The
coefficient of discharge depends on weir height, total head,
weir wall thickness, crest shape, vertex configuration and the
angle of the side legs. Tullis et al. (2007) conducted
experiments on three submerged labyrinth weirs of different
geometries with half-round crest shapes. They described the
submerged labyrinth weir head–discharge relationship using
the dimensionless submerged head parameters and found that
the relationship is independent of labyrinth weir sidewall
angles.
Ghare et al. (2008) proposed a methodology for the optimal
hydraulic design of trapezoidal labyrinth weirs. Ghodsian
(2009) conducted experiments on sharp, quarter round, half
round and flat top crest shape weirs and using dimensional
analysis, he proposed an equation for calculating discharge
over labyrinth weir. Khode et al. (2012) did experimental
studies on flow over seven trapezoidal labyrinth weir models.
Based on regression analysis they developed an equation for
discharge over the labyrinth weir. Anderson and Tullis (2012)
compared the hydraulics of piano key and rectangular
labyrinth weir and found that PK weir was efficient than the
rectangular labyrinth weir. Recently, Crookston and Tullis
(2013) did experimental studies on labyrinth weirs and based
on the results of physical modeling they presented a method
for the hydraulic design and analysis of labyrinth weirs.
X
H
B/3 B/3 B/3
B
P
Bc
(a) Plan (b) Section X-X
Fig. 1 Definition sketch of sharp crested rectangular planform contracted weir
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Kumar et al. (2011, 2013) conducted an experimental study to
investigate the discharging capacity of a sharp-crested
suppressed triangular and curved plan form weir under free
flow conditions in a rectangular channel. They found that the
efficiency of the triangular and curved plan form weirs was
better than the normal weir.
Presented in this paper are results of the experimental study
carried out to investigate the discharge characteristics of a
sharp crested rectangular planform weir with end contraction
under free flow condition in a rectangular channel. It is
anticipated that the rectangular planform weir will discharge
more compared to normal weir for the same head of water.
II. EXPERIMENTAL WORK
The experimental runs were carried out using a horizontal
rectangular tilting flume of length 5.360 m; width 0.262 m and
depth 0.450 m located at the hydraulics lab. of Graphic Era
University, Dehradun, India. Sharp-crested rectangular
planform weirs were fabricated of mild steel plates and were
located at 5.150 m downstream from the head of the flume.
Head over the crest was measured using the point gauge of
accuracy ± 0.1 mm. Pre calibrated orifice meter was used to
measure discharge provided in the inlet pipe and connected to
the pressure gauges. To ensure free flow condition, water was
guided to a sump was provided at the end of the flume in the
downstream of the weir. Regulating gate and wave
suppressors were provided at the upstream of the flume to
control the discharge and to dissipate the surface disturbances,
respectively.
The experiments were performed for weirs of L/B ratio =
1.000, 1.023, 1.069, 1.140, 1.245, 1.397, 1.623 and 1.976 and
for each L/B ratio for varying discharges. Fig. 1 shows the
definition sketch of the weir with end contraction and Fig. 2
shows the layout of the experimental set-up. For each run, the
head over the crest of the weir was measured at about 4–5
times upstream of the weir using pointer gage to avoid the
curvature effect. The ranges of the data collected in the
present investigation are given in Table 1.
P
0.262 m
(c) 3D View of the weir and the flume
 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, ISSN 0973-4562 Vol. 10 No.33 (2015)
© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm
Sump
0.065 m pipe inlet Regulating Gate Rectangular Plan form weir 1.50m

Flow suppresser

X X
0.262 m 0.245 m

Operating Valve
0.70 m 5.15 m 0.21m 0.40m

PLAN

0.45 m

P2 P1

0.65m

SECTION X-X
Fig. 2 Layout of the experimental set-up

Table 1 Range of parameters for rectangular functional relationship coefficient of discharge for all tested
planform contracted weirs weirs in the form of Rehbock‟s (1929) equation. i.e.
No.
S.
L/B P (m) H (m) Qo (m3/s) of
H
no. Cd a b
Runs P
1 1.000 0.1043 0.0314 – 0.0777 0.0022 – 0.0091 10
(3)
2 1.023 0.1071 0.0412 – 0.0825 0.0038 – 0.0099 12
Where a and b are the coefficients to be found using
3 1.069 0.1060 0.0398 – 0.0864 0.0038 – 0.0108 12
experimental data. The most general values for these
4 1.140 0.1051 0.0426 – 0.0856 0.0044 – 0.0106 12 coefficients are proposed by Rehbock as a = 0.611 and b =
5 1.245 0.1043 0.0378 – 0.0855 0.0038 – 0.0108 12 0.075.
6 1.397 0.1044 0.0324 – 0.0809 0.0031 -0.0103 12
Variation of observed discharge with head over the crest for
7 1.623 0.1001 0.0342 – 0.0773 0.0038 – 0.0101 11 the rectangular planform contracted weirs of different L/B
8 1.976 0.1018 0.0291 – 0.0682 0.0038 – 0.0101 11
ratio is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 clearly indicates that for the
same value of H, discharge increases with the increase of L/B
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA ratio due to increases of the crest length of the weir. For each
3.1 Data Presentation and Analysis: Data data set, the Cd was computed using Eq. (2) for known value
collected in the present study is analyzed to obtain the of discharge, head over the crest and the crest length for weirs

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of different L/B ratio. Variation of Cd with H/P is shown in 3.1 Discharge equation for rectangular planform
Fig. 4 for the weirs of different L/B ratio. It can be noted that contracted weir: As per the Rehbock equation, the variation
Cd decreases with an increase of L/B ratio due to interference of Cd with H/P is fitted to linear equations for weirs of
of the falling jets for high value of H/P. However, for the low different L/B ratio as follows:
value of H/P, the interference of jets is not so severe, resulting
Cd = 0.537 + 0.081 (H/P) For L/B=1.000 R2 = 0.89 (4a)
in high Cd. The value of Cd decreases with increase in H/P for Cd = 0.677 - 0.126 (H/P) For L/B=1.023 2
R = 0.92 (4b)
different L/B ratio and for the normal weir, the Cd increases Cd = 0.707 - 0.141 (H/P) For L/B=1.069 2
R = 0.96 (4c)
with H/P, which satisfies the Rehbock (1929) equation for Cd. Cd = 0.764 - 0.211 (H/P) For L/B=1.140 R2 = 0.95 (4d)
Cd = 0.778 - 0.213 (H/P) For L/B=1.245 R2 = 0.95 (4e)
2
Cd = 0.814 - 0.235 (H/P) For L/B=1.397 R = 0.96 (4f)
2
0.012
Cd = 0.825 - 0.334 (H/P) For L/B=1.623 R = 0.92 (4g)

Cd = 0.870 - 0.484 (H/P) For L/B=1.976 R2 = 0.96 (4h)

0.010
A high correlation between Cd and H/P may be noted for all
the weirs. Variations of constants „a‟ and „b‟ with L/B ratio
Qobserved (m3/s)

0.008
are shown in Fig. 5. A third order polynomial has been fitted
0.006
L/B = 1.000 to the data for „a‟ and „b‟ as follows:
L/B = 1.023
L/B = 1.069 3 2
L L L
0.004
L/B = 1.140 a 1.56 7.345 11 .39 5.01, R2 0.89 (5a)
L/B = 1.245 B B B
L/B = 1.397 3 2
L/B = 1.623 L L L
0.002 b 1.74 7.9 12 .05 5.87 , R2 0.88 (5b)
L/B = 1.976 B B B

0.000
0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 1.0
H (m)
0.8
Fig. 3 Variation of Qobserved with H for weirs of different L/B
ratio. 0.6

0.4
a,b

0.8 0.2

0.0

0.7 -0.2
a
Cdo

-0.4 b

0.6 L/B = 1.000 -0.6

L/B = 1.023 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
L/B = 1.069
L/B
L/B = 1.140
0.5 L/B = 1.245
L/B = 1.397
L/B = 1.623 Fig. 5 Variation of „a‟ and „b‟ with L/B
L/B = 1.976
0.4 Out of 92 data sets, 68 data sets were used to develop the
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 relationship for coefficient of discharge. The generalized
H/P
equation of Cd for the rectangular planform contracted weir to
be used in Eq. (2) for the computation of discharge can be
Fig. 4 Variation of Cd with H/P for weirs of different L/B written as:
ratio.

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3 2 3.4 Efficiency of the weir
L L L
Cd 1.56 7.345 11 .39 5.01
B B B An efficient weir passes more discharge for constant head and
3 2
(6) length of weir compared to the other. To examine the
L L L H efficiency of the rectangular planform contracted weir for
1.74 7.9 12 .05 5.87
B B B P different L/B ratio, ratio of discharges over the rectangular
planform contracted weir and normal weir, i.e., Q/Qn is plotted
This equation is valid in the range 0 < H/P < 0.82 and 1.000 ≤ with H/P in Fig. 7.
L/B ≤ 1.976.
The efficiency of rectangular planform contracted weir is high
3.3 Validation of the proposed discharge equation for higher L/B ratio and decreases with increase of H/P due to
The remaining 24 data sets, not used in the derivation of Eq. interference of the jets downstream. For H/P = 0.05, the weirs
(6), were used to validate the proposed relationship for Cd i.e., of L/B ratio 1.023, 1.069, 1.140, 1.245, 1.397, 1.623 and 1.976
Eq. (6). The computed discharge is compared with the are respectively 1.73, 1.87, 2.17, 2.16, 2.18,2.78 and 3.90
corresponding observed ones in Fig. 6, which shows that the times more efficient than the normal weir. However, for H/P =
computed discharge is within ±05% of the observed ones for 1.0, the efficiency of rectangular planform contracted weir is
the weirs of all L/B ratio studied herein. For a numerical low.
measure for error between the observed and computed values,
an average percentage error term e is defined as (Ghodsian
4
M., 2003): L/B = 1.000
L/B = 1.023
100 N Qcom puted Qobserved L/B = 1.069
e 3
L/B = 1.140
N i 1 Qobserved L/B = 1.245
(7) L/B = 1.397
L/B = 1.623
The average percentage error in the computation of discharge L/B = 1.976

Q/Qn
2
over the weir using Eqs. (2) and (6) is found in the range 0%–
05% for weirs of different L/B ratio.
1
0.012
Line of perfect agreement
0
0.010 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
e
in

H/P
rl
ro
er

e
in
%

rl
+5

ro
er

0.008 Fig. 7 Variation of Q/Qn with H/P for the weirs of

%
Q calculated

-5

different L/B ratios.

0.006
3.5 Sensitivity analysis of the rectangular planform
contracted weir
Sensitivity analysis, i.e., change in discharge due to unit
0.004 change in the head of water is carried out for the proposed
discharge equation of the rectangular planform contracted
weir, which can be written as:
0.002 3 3
0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.010 0.012 2 H Va2 Va2 2 Va2 2 (8)
Q observed Q a b 2 g L 0.1n H H
3 P 2g 2g 2g

Fig. 6 Comparison of computed discharge using Eqs. (2) and The values of „a‟ and „b‟ can be obtained from the Eqs. (5a)
(6) with the observed ones. and (5b) respectively. Differentiating Q with respect to H and
arranging the terms, one can get

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© Research India Publications; httpwww.ripublication.comijaer.htm
1
than the normal weir. However, for H/P = 1.0, the efficiency
Va2 2
(9)
H of rectangular planform contracted weir is low for all L/B
dQ 3 2g n 2b
Q 3 3
- ratios. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the discharge through
dH 2 Va2 H
Va
2 2 V a
2 2
L-0.1n H 3P a b rectangular planform contracted weir is more sensitive to the
H 2g P
2g 2g low head and low L/B ratios. As the head increases, the
sensitivity decreases due to interference of the water jet
The larger value of dQ/dH implies higher sensitivity. Data downstream of the weir crest.
collected in the present study was used to compute dQ/dH for NOTATIONS
different values of the L/B ratio. The variation of dQ/dH with
H is shown in the Fig. 8. A perusal of Fig. 8 reveals that the Bc = clear flume width
discharge through rectangular planform contracted weir is B =contracted flume width
more sensitive to the low head. As the head increases, the Cd = coefficient of discharge for rectangular planform
sensitivity decreases due to interference of the water jet contracted weir
downstream of the weir crest. Further, sensitivity is higher for g = acceleration due to gravity
the higher L/B ratio of the rectangular planform contracted H = head over the weir
weir due to large weir crest length. L = crest length
n =numbers of end contractions.
P = weir height above the bed of flume
0.14 Q = discharge over rectangular planform contracted
L/B = 1.000
L/B = 1.023
Weir
0.12 L/B = 1.069 Q0 = observed Discharge
L/B = 1.140 Qc = computed Discharge
0.10 L/B = 1.245
Qn = discharge over corresponding normal weir
dQ/dH (m3/s/m)

L/B = 1.397
0.08 L/B = 1.623 Va =velocity of approach
L/B = 1.976 a, b = coefficients
0.06

0.04
0.02
0.00
0.02 0.04 0.06
H (m)
Fig. 8 Sensitivity of the rectangular weirs as function of head
IV. CONCLUSION
An experimental study was carried out to investigate the
discharging capacity of a sharp-crested rectangular planform
contracted weir under free flow conditions in a rectangular
channel. The coefficient of discharge of the rectangular
planform contracted weir decreases with decrease of L/B ratio
due to interference of falling jets for high value of H/P.
However, for low values of H/P and higher values of L/B
ratio, the Cd is high. The computed discharge using the
proposed equation is within 05% of the observed ones. The
efficiency of the rectangular weir is high for low L/B ratio and
decreases with increase of H/P due to interference of the jets
downstream. For H/P = 0.05, the weirs of L/B ratio 1.023,
1.069, 1.140, 1.245, 1.397, 1.623 and 1.976are respectively
1.73, 1.87, 2.17, 2.16, 2.18,2.78 and 3.90 times more efficient
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