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The Hydraulic Jump

Occurrence
 Occurs in situations when supercritical flow has its velocity reduced to subcritical, such
as flow under a sluice gate or a channel slope changing from steep to mild. When this happens,
the flow must slow down to the subcritical flow that can be maintained on the mild (subcritical)
slope.
 Best explained by looking at the M3 curve of Fig. 4. Downstream of sluice gate, flow
decelerates because the slope is not great enough to maintain supercritical flow. The specific
energy decreases as the depth increases (proceeding to the left on the specific energy diagram). If
this situation were to proceed until flow reached critical depth, an increase in specific energy
would be required as the depth increases form the critical to the uniform flow downstream, a
physical impossibility. Therefore, the jump occurs before the critical depth.
 Can also occur from an upstream condition of uniform supercritical flow to a non-
uniform S2 curve downstream when there is an obstruction downstream, or from a non-uniform
upstream condition to a non-uniform downstream condition as illustrated by the H3, H2 and the
A3, A2 combinations (Fig.4). It is also possible for an M3, M2 combination.
 It also occurs when a channel bed slope changes from steep to mild, as on the base of the
apron at the base of a spillway (Fig. 8).

Fig. 8: Hydraulic Jump on Horizontal Bed following a spillway

 This represents a useful application of the hydraulic jump to dissipate the destructive
energy of high-velocity water in reducing downstream damage. It is desirable that the
jump occurs at the apron of the spillway.
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We shall derive equation relating depths before and after the jump using the H3, H2
combination curves. Friction forces are neglected because of short length of channel
involved. The only significant forces are the hydrostatic.

Consider Fig. 8. Aplying Newton’s 2nd Law to the element of fluid contained between
sections 1 and 2:
γ
∑ F x = γ y 1 A 1−γ y 2 A2= Q(V ¿ ¿ 2−V 1)¿
g

γ γ
re-ordered as: QV 1+¿ γ y 1 A 1= QV 2 + γ y 2 A 2 I
g g
This states that: Momentum plus pressure force on the cross-sectional area is constant.
Dividing by γ , and knowing that V = Q/ A,

2
F m = Q + Ay = Constant II
Ag
(Equation applies to any shape of cross-section)

In the case of a rectangular channel, this reduces for a unit width to:

q2 y 12 q2 y 22
fm = + = y g+
y1 g 2 2 2
III

Fig. 9: Energy and Momentum Relations in Hydraulic Jump

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 For the condition of q1 (m3/s per m width), the curve of values of fm for different values
of y is plotted to the right of the specific energy diagram as shown in Fig. 9.
 As the loss in the jump does not affect the “force” quantity fm, the latter is the same after

and before the jump, and therefore any vertical line intersecting the fm curve serves to

locate two conjugate depths y1 and y2. These depths represent possible combinations of
depth that could occur before and after the jump.
 Thus, in Fig. 9, the line for the initial water level y1 intersects the fm curve at a as shown,

giving the value of fm, which must be the same after the jump. The vertical line ab then

fixes the value of y2. This depth is then transposed to the specific energy diagram to
2 2
determine the value cd of V 2 /2 g . The value of V 1 /2 g is the vertical distance ef, and
the head loss hlj caused by the jump is the drop in the energy line from 1 to 2. i.e.

hlj =¿ y1 + V 12 /2 g−¿ y2 + V 22 /2 g ¿ ¿ IV

 On Fig. 9, the head loss in the jump is given by either the horizontal distance cg or the

vertical distance fh.

 When the rate of flow and depth before or after the jump are given (refer Equation III), a
cubic function is observed when solving for the other depth. This reduces to a quadratic
function by observing that y 22− y 12=( y 2+ y 1)( y 2− y 1 ),

q2 y 1 + y2
= y1 y2 V
g 2
Solving the quadratic formula gives:
y1
y 2= ¿ VIa
2

y2
Or y 1= ¿ VIb
2
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 These equations relate the depths before and after the jump (i.e. conjugate depths) in a
rectangular channel.
 A good approximation for length of jump is about 5y2.
 For a given flow rate in a rectangular channel, the minimum value of f m occurs at the
same depth as the minimum value of E. Differentiating f m with respect to y and equating
to zero:

q2 y 2
Fm = +
yg 2
df m −q 2 2 y
= + =0
dy gy2 2
q2 1 /3
And y =( ) (Same as Specific Energy Notes Equation
g
8)

Thus, we have shown that, for a given q, the minimum value of f m occurs at the same
depth as does at the minimum value of E.

 Since the flow must be supercritical for a jump to occur, F1, the Froude number of the
flow just upstream of the jump must be greater than 1. Higher values of F1 show more
pronounced jumps, and the turbulence and head loss through them is correspondingly
greater.
Location of a Hydraulic Jump
The following are examples of location of a hydraulic jump. In case 1, the jump occurs
downstream of the break in slope, while that for 2 occurs upstream. The reasons for these
are illustrated in the example.
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Fig. 10: Examples of Location of Hydraulic Jumps [Note: y’2 is the conjugate depth of
(yo)1 and y’1 is the conjugate depth of (yo)2]
Example 2:
Analyze the water-surface profile in along rectangular channel with concrete lining (n = 0.013).
The channel is 3 m wide, flow rate is 10 m3/s, and there is an abrupt change in channel slope
from 0.0150 to 0.0016. Find the power loss in the jump.
Solution
1 3 y 01 2/ 3
Manning: 10 = ¿)( ¿¿ ¿
0.013 3+2 y 01
By iteration, y01 = 0.62 m (Normal depth on upper slope)
Similar approach gives y02 on the lower slope as 1.36 m.

q2 1 /3
yc = ( ) = ¿ = 1.04 m
g
Thus, flow is supercritical (y01< yc) before break in slope, and subcritical (y02 > yc) after break.
Therefore, a hydraulic jump must occur.

Applying equation VIa to determine depth conjugate to the 0.62 m (upper slope) normal depth,

0.62
y’2 = ¿ = 1.63 m
2
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Therefore, the depth conjugate to the upper-slope normal depth is 1.63 m. The jump cannot occur
because the normal depth on the lower slope y02 (=1.36 m) is less than this 1.63 m.

Applying equation VIb to determine the depth conjugate to the lower-slope normal depth, we
get,

1.36
y’1 = ¿ = 0.78 m
2
The lower conjugate depth of 0.78 m will occur downstream of the break in slope. The condition
here is like case 1 of Fig. 10. The location of the jump (i.e. its distance below the break in slope)
may be found by applying the Equation:
∆x = ¿ ¿ ¿
E1−E2
∆x =
S−S o
(10¿¿ (3 X 0.62))2
E1 = 0.62 + ¿ = 2.09 m
19.62
(10¿¿ (3 X 0.78))2
E2 = 0.78 + ¿ = 1.71 m
19.62
1 10 10
Vm = [ + ¿ = 4.82 m/s
2 3 X 0.62 3 X 0.78
1 3 X 0.62 3 X 0.78
Rm = [ + ] = 0.475 m
2 4.26 4.56

From the equation S = ¿, S = ¿ = 42 m

 Thus, depth on upper slope is 0.62 m, downstream of the break, the depth increases
gradually (M3 curve) to 0.78 m over a distance of approximately 42 m, then a hydraulic
jump occurs from a depth of 0.78 m to 1.36 m. Downstream of the jump, the depth
remains constant (normal depth) at 1.36 m.

γqhlj
Power loss = where hlj = ∆E
1000
(10¿¿ (3 X 0.78))2
Before jump E’1 = 0.78 + ¿ = 1.71 m
19.62
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2
After jump Eo2 = 1.36 + (10¿¿ (3 X 1.36)) ¿ = 1.67 m
19.62
9810(10)(1.71−1.67)
Hence power loss = = 3.92 Kw
1000