Course Information

Course Name: Open channel Hydraulics

 Course code: HE-334

Prerequisite: Hydraulics II (HE-333)

 Academic year: 2007/8

 Semester: II
 Credit hours: 2-3-3

Section:

 Course Instructor: Yohannis B.

 Course Description
 The course covers application of the principles
of fluid mechanics to flow in open channels.
Topics include review of basic principles of
hydraulics of open channel flow, Critical flow,
uniform flow, transitions, gradually varied flow,
and unsteady flow. The course also addresses
flow in irregular and compound channels.
 Course Goal
 To provide students with a practical foundation
in the hydraulics of open channel flow, so that
they may apply their skills to design and
analysis of man-made structures and natural
rivers.
Course Objectives
After the completion of the course the student
should be able to
 Calculate properties of flow in open channels.

 Analyze uniform, critical, gradually-varied,

rapidly-varied, spatially varied and unsteady
flows in open channels.
 Design canals and spillways.
 CHAPTER 1. OPEN CHANNEL FLOW
AND ITS CLASSIFICATION
Introduction
Open channel: is a conduit for flow, which
has a free surface, i.e. a boundary,
exposed to the atmosphere.
Hence, open channel flow is a flow in which
the flowing fluid is subjected to
atmospheric pressure.
 Open Channel Flow Vs Pipe flow
Open channel flow
Has free surface subjected
to atmospheric pressure
the motion is usually
caused by gravity effects
HGL coincides with the free
surface
X-section of flow is not
fixed
The analysis is complicated
Pipe flow
Is confined in closed
conduit, exerts no direct
atmospheric pressure but
hydraulic pressure.
Flow is due to pressure d/ce
HGL is indicated by a
piezometer.
Fixed here
Relatively easier.
 It is much more difficult to solve problems of
flow in open channels than in pressure pipes.
 Reasons:
 In open channels the position of the free surface is
likely to change with respect to time and space,
 Depth of flow (y), discharge (Q), and bottom slope
(S) and slope of the free surface are
interdependent.
 Physical condition of open channels vary more
widely than that of pipes.
 Cross section of open channel is widely variable and
even might not be ridged,
 Selection of fiction coefficient is difficult and it
varied with the position of the free surface,
 Examples
Some examples of open channel flow
include
 storm sewer (partially field sewers),

 flow in rivers,

 flow in irrigation cannels,

 gutters along residential streets

 1.2 Classification of flows

 Open channels flow can be classified into many

types and described in various ways. The
following classification is made according to the
change in flow depth with respect to time and
space.
fig.
Uniform flow

Steady Flow
Gradually Varied
(non-uniform) Flow
Varied Flow
Flow Rapidly Varied
(non-uniform) Flow
Unsteady uniform flow
(Quasi uniform flow)
Gradually varied
Unsteady Flow unsteady Flow
Unsteady Flow (i.e.
unsteady varied flow)
Rapidly varied
unsteady flow
Eg.
 Channel types

 depending on geometry-prismatic and non-

prismatic
 depending on origin- natural and artificial
 Depending on rigidity- rigid and mobile bed
channels
 Dimensionless Numbers and state
of flow.
 Effect of viscosity: Depending on the effect
of viscosity relative to inertia, the flow may be
laminar, turbulent, or transitional. The
basis for this classification is a dimensionless
parameter known as the Reynold number
(Re), which is given by the ratio of these two
forces:
VL
Re 

 state of flow

Flow R taken as D taken as

characteristic characteristic
length length

Laminar R  500 500  R  12

Transitional 500  R  12, 2000  R 

500 50,000

Turbulent 12,500  R 50,000  R

 Effect of gravity: the effect of gravity
upon the state of flow is represented by a
ratio of inertial forces to gravity forces.
2 2 2
P L V V
Fr 2  I  3

PV gL gL
V
Fr 
gL

Fr Type of flow
Less than 1 Subcritical
Equal to 1 Critical
Greater than one supercritical
Velocity and Pressure Distributions in
Open Channel