FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

EECQ 3131 Hydraulics 1A

Open Channel Flow

Open channel flow is a flow where the top of the flowing liquid is open to free surface
where a free surface is a surface having constant pressure such as atmospheric pressure.
Open channel flow takes place in artificial channels, rivers and freely flowing sewers.
Classification of Flow in Channels
Flows in open channels are classified into
a) Steady flow and unsteady flow
b) Uniform flow and non-uniform flow
c) Laminar and turbulent flow
d) Subcritical ,critical and supper critical flow

a) Steady flow is channel flow when the depth of flow, velocity of flow ,rate of
flow at any point in the channel do not change with respect to time
v Q y
i.e.  0,  0,  0
t t t
Where
v= velocity of flow
Q= rate of flow
y=depth of flow

b) Unsteady flow is when at any point in the channel ,the velocity of flow, depth
of flow, or rate of flow changes with respect to time

v Q y
i.e.  0,  0,  0
t t t
c) Uniform flow is a flow that for a give n length of channel, the velocity of flow,
depth of flow, slope of channel and cross section remains same
d) Non –Uniform flow in open channel is either
i) Rapidly varied flow
ii) Gradually varied flow
e) Rapidly varied flow (RVF) is an open channel flow that in which depth of flow
changes abruptly over a small length of channel
f) Gradually varied flow(GVF) the flow occurs when there a gradual change over
long length of channel
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 g) Lamina flow in open channel is when the Reynold number (Re) is less than 500
VR
Re is defined as Re  where

 =viscosity of water
 =density of water
V=mean velocity of flow of water
R=hydraulic radius or hydraulic mean depth
cross sec tionareaofflownormaltothedirectionofflow
R
wettedperimeter

h) Turbulent flow is open channel flow when Reynold number is  2000

i) When Reynold number is 500   2000 the flow is transition state
j) Sub-critical flow ,critical flow, super critical flow
These flow are defined by their Froude number (Fr)
When
a) Subcritical flow Fr  1.0
b) Critical flow Fr = 1.0
c) Super critical flow Fr  1.0 (also called shooting or rapid or torrential)

V
Fr 
gD
Where Fr = Froude number
V =Mean velocity of flow
g= gravitational force

A
D=Hydraulic depth of channel = ,
T
Where T= top width of channel
A = cross-sectional area of flow
The rate of flow or discharge in an open channel for a uniform flow can be computed using
either Chezy’s or Manning’s formula

By chezy the discharge is computed as Q = A  V = A  C mi

Where A= cross sectional area in m2

V= velocity of flow in m/second (m/s)

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 A
m= , i = bed slope of channel, C= Chezy’s constant
P
Q = discharge m3/s , A = m2 , V = m/s , P = wetted perimeter of the channel

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By Manning’s open channel flow rate is computed as Q= R S S I units
n
Where n = Manning’s number
R= channel hydraulic radius
S= channel bed slope

Steady Flows in open channel

Question 1
A rectangular channel runs full of water its dimensions are 6 m wide and 3 m deep ,the
channel bed slope is 1 in 2000 given that Chezy’s constant C =55
Compute
i) Chezy’s velocity
ii) The channel discharge

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Solution
Width of channel b=6m
Depth of channel d=3m

= 6  3  18m
2
Area A

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Bed slope i = 1 in 2000 =
2000
Chezy’s constant C=55
Wetted perimeter p = b+2d= 6+2×3 =12m

A 18
Hydraulic mean depth m =   1 .5m
P 12
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Velocity of flow is computed as V  C mi = 55 1.5   1.506m / s
2000
Flow rate or discharge Q= area × velocity =A×V 1.506×18=27.108m3/s

Question 2
Determine the bed slope for a rectangular channel of bed width 5m and depth of flow 2m for
a flow rate of 20m3/s take Chezy’s constant C=50
Width of channel b = 5m
Depth of flow d = 2m
Rate of flow Q = 20m3/s
Chezy’s C=50
Channel bed slope = i

A =area =b× d = 5  2  10m

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From the discharge equation Q=AC mi

Wetted perimeter P= b+2d =5+2×2 =9m

A 10
m= 
P 9
10 20 2
⸫ Q = 20m3/s = area×C =10 × 50 × i 
9 500 50
4 9 36 1
⸫ i=    or 1 in 694 or 1 : 694
2500 10 25000 694.44

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Question 3
Determine the discharge through a trapezoidal channel having side slope of 1:3 Horizontal:
vertical, and a bed slope i of 1:4000, when the channel width is 8m wide and depth of flow is
2m Take Chezy’s constant C=50

Question 4
Determine the bed slope for a rectangular channel of bottom width 4 depth of water 3m and
side slopes 2:3 horizontal : vertical for a discharge of 20m3/s

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Question 5
Determine the dimensions of a trapezoildal cross sectional channel to be dug in a stiff clay to
convey 14m3/s of flow on a bed slope of 1:2500 Take Manning n=0.020

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