Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010

Hydraulic Jump

Practical applications of hydraulic jump are:

1. To dissipate energy in water flowing over hydraulic structures as dams, weirs, and others and
prevent scouring downstream structures.
2. To raise water level on the downstream side for irrigation or other water distribution
purposes.
3. To increase weight on an apron and reduce uplift pressure under a structure by raising the
water depth on the apron.
4. To indicate special flow conditions such as the existence of supercritical flow or the presence
of a control section so that a gaging station maybe located.
5. To mix chemicals used for water purification.
6. To aerate water for city water supplies.
7. To remove air pockets from water supply lines and prevent air locking.

Momentum Formula
Consider the occurrence of a hydraulic jump in prismatic channel with a horizontal bed. The depth
before jump D1 is called the initial depth and the depth after the jump D2 is called the sequent depth.
The corresponding total pressures per unit width and velocities are P1, P2 and V1, V2 respectively.

In the short length of the jump the energy loss due to friction is neglected.

The continuity equation is:

q V 1D1 V 2 D 2 (3.1)

Page 1 of 7
Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010


Change of momentum per second/unit width  V 1 V 2  q
g

Difference of forces/ unit width    D 22  D12 

1
2

Due to Newton’s second law of motion the change of momentum per unit time in a flowing channel
is equal to the result of all external force acting on the body of the flow.


  D 22  D12   V 1 V 2  q
1
2 g

q
Substituting for V , we obtain
D

2q  q q 
D 22  D12    
g  D1 D 2 
2q 2  D 2  D1 
  
g  D 1D 2 

Or
2q 2
D 2  D1 
gD1D 2

2q 2
D1D 2  D 2  D1   (3.2)
g

By substituting VD for q, Eq. (3.2) can be written as:

2
D1D 2  D1  D 2   V 12 D12
g
2
D 22  D1D 2  V 12 D1
g
1 2 1
D 22  D1D 2  D12  V 12 D1  D12
4 g 4

1 2 2 1
D 2  D1  V 1 D1  D12
2 g 4
1 1 8 V 12
D 2   D1  D 1 1
2 2 g D1

Page 2 of 7
Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010

D2 1

D1 2
 1  8F12  1  (3.3)

Alternatively

D1 1

D2 2
 1  8F22  1  (3.4)

Where, F1 and F2 are incoming and outcoming flow Forude numbers respectively.

Energy Loss
Energy loss  E  E 1  E 2

where,

E1= Energy of flow before the jump.

E2= Energy of flow after the jump.

H L  E  E 1  E 2
 V 2  V 2
H L   D1  1    D 2  2   D1  D 2 
1
V 12 V 22 
 2g   2g  2g

q2  1 1 
H L  D1  D 2   2 2 (3.5)
2 g  D1 D 2 

From Eq. (3.2) we have

2q 2
D1D 2  D 2  D1  
g

Substituting Eq. (3.2) into Eq. (3.5) we obtain

D1D 2  D 2  D1  2
H L  D1  D 2  2
4D1 D 2 2  D 2  D12 

 D  D1 
3

HL  2
4D1D 2 (3.6)

Page 3 of 7
Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010

Types of Jumps on Horizontal Floor

For F1=1, the flow is critical and no jump can form.

1. For F1=1-1.7, water surface shows undulation and the jump is called “undular jump”.

2. For F1=1.7-2.5, a series of small rollers on the surface of the jump develop, but the
downstream water surface remain smooth. The energy loss is low. The jump is called “weak
jump”.

3. For F1=2.5-4.5, there is an oscillating jet entering the jump bottom to surface and back again
with no periodicity. Each oscillation produces a large wave of irregular period which can
travel for large distances doing unlimited damage to earth banks and ripraps. This jump is
called “oscillating jump”

4. For F1=4.5-9, the downstream extremity of the surface roller and the point at which the high
velocity jet tends to leave the flow occur at practically at the same vertical section. This jump
is least sensitive to variation in tailwater depth. The energy dissipation ranges from 45% to
70%, this jump is called “steady jump”.

Page 4 of 7
Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010

5. For F1=9 and greater, the high velocity jet grabs large slugs of water rolling down the front
face of the jump generating waves downstream and a rough surface can prevail. The energy
dissipation may reach 85%. The jump is called a “strong jump”.

Jump as Energy Dissipator

a. Jump Position

Case 1: Represents the pattern in which tailwater depth (Tw) equals sequent depth (D2). In this case
values of F1, D1 and D2 will satisfy the general equation of hydraulic jump (Eq. 3.3) and the jump
will occur on a solid apron. For scour protection, this is an ideal case.

Case 2: Represents the pattern in which the tailwater depth is less than sequent depth D2, this means
that the tailwater in Case 1 is deceased. As a result, the jump will move downstream to a point
where Eq. (3.3) is again satisfied. This case must be avoided because the jump is taken place on a
loose rubble bed or unprotected channel resulting severe erosion. The purpose of design is to
increase Tw to insure a jump within the protected apron.

Case 3: Represents the pattern in which the tailwater depth Tw > sequent depth D2 as a result the
jump will be forced upstream and may finally be drowned out at the source (structure), becoming a

Page 5 of 7
Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010

submerged jump this is the safest case in the design because the position of the submerged jump can
be fixed but the design is not efficient because only little energy will be dissipated.

b. Tailwater conditions

Class 1: Jump height rating curve is always above tailwater rating curve. In this class, the depth of
in the river is insufficient for all discharges for the formation of a jump at the toe of the structure.
The jump will form at certain place for downstream (Case 2). The energy dissipation can be
achieved in any of the following ways:

1. Lowering the floor level downstream of the dam in order to make the tailwater depth in the
stilling basin equal to the jump height for all discharges.
2. Stilling basin with baffles or sills at bed level.
3. Stilling basin with a low secondary dam downstream.
4. Bucket type energy dissipators (ski-jump).

Class 2: The jump height curve is always below tailwater rating curve. This means that Case 3
occurs at all times and the jump will move upstream consequently, little energy will be dissipated. A
method of energy dissipation can be achieved by:

1. Sloping apron.
2. Roller bucket type energy dissipator.

Class 3: Jump height curve is above tailwater rating curve at low discharges and below at higher
discharges. An effective method of dissipating energy is by:

1. Stilling basin for forming a jump at low discharges and to combine with the basin a sloping
apron for developing a satisfactory jump at high discharge.
2. Stilling basin with baffle piers or dentated sill.

Class 4: Jump height curve is below tailwater curve at low discharges and above at high discharges.
An effective method to insure a jump is to increase the tailwater depth sufficiently high by providing
stilling pool (basin), this forming a jump at high discharges.

Page 6 of 7
Hydraulic Structures – Hydraulic Jump November 21, 2010

Page 7 of 7