Module1: Open Channel Flow

Classification, types and regimes in Open channel flow.

Channel geometry.

Velocity distribution in open channel, Wide-open channel.

Specific energy and Critical flow.

Computation of critical flow.

Momentum in open channel flow, Specific force.

Lecture 1
Types of open channel flow and regimes

TYPES OF OPEN CHANNEL

Open channel are natural or manmade conveyance structure which has a free surface at
atmospheric pressure. For example, flow in rivers, streams, flow in sanitary and storm
sewers flowing partially full.
Freesurface

BedSlope

SideSlope

Figure1.1: - A trapezoidal shaped open channel

Flume is the channel made of wood, metal, concrete or masonry usually supported on
or above to carry out water across a depression.
A chute is a channel having steep slopes.
A drop is similar to chute but the change in the elevation is effected in a short distance.
A culvert when partially full is a covered channel installed to drain water through
highways or railways embankment.

PRISMATIC AND NON-PRISMATIC CHANNELS:

A channel in which the cross sectional shape, size and the bottom slope are constant is
termed as prismatic channel.
All natural channels generally have varying cross section and consequently are nonprismatic.
Most of the man made channel are prismatic channels over long stretches. The rectangle,
trapezoid, triangle and circle are commonly used shapes in manmade channels.

RIGID AND MOBILE BOUNDARY CHANNELS:

Rigid channels are those in which the boundary is not deformable. The shape and
roughness magnitudes are not functions of flow parameters. For example, lined canals
and non erodible unlined canals.
In Rigid channels the flow velocity and shear stress distribution will be such that no
major scouring, erosion or deposition will take place in the channel and the channel
geometry and roughness are essentially constant with respect to time.
When the boundary of the channel is mobile and flow carries considerable amounts of
sediment through suspension and is in contact with the bed. Such channels are classified
as mobile channels.
In the mobile channel, not only depth of flow but also bed width, longitudinal slope of

channel may undergo changes with space and time depending on type of flow.
The resistance to flow, quantity of sediment transported and channel geometry all
depends on interaction of flow with channel boundaries.
A general mobile boundary channel can be considered to have four degree of freedom. In
rigid channel we have one degrees of freedom.

FLOW
W REGIME
ES
STEADY
Y AND UNS
STEADY FLOWS
A steady flow
w occurs wheen the flow properties,
p
suuch as the depth or dischharge at a seection
do not changee with time.
Iff the depth or
o discharge changes
c
with
h time, the fflow is termeed unsteady.
Flood flows in
i rivers and
d rapidly vary
ying surges in canals aree some exam
mples of unstteady
fllow.
UNIFOR
RM AND NON-UNIFO
ORM FLOW
WS
Iff the flow prroperties, say
y the depth of
o flow, in ann open channnel remain cconstant alonng the
leength of the channel, thee flow is said
d to be uniforrm.
A flow in wh
hich the flow properties vary alongg the channnel is termedd as non-uniform
fllow.
A prismatic channel
c
carry
ying a certain
n discharge with a consttant velocityy is an exampple of
un
niform flow.
In
n uniform flow,
fl
the graavity force on the flow
wing liquid bbalances thee frictional force
between the flowing
f
fluid
d and insidee surface of tthe channel,, which is inn contact witth the
flluid. In case of non-unifo
orm flow, th
he friction annd gravity foorce are not iin balance.

Figure1.2
F
:- Un
niform flow thrrough open ch
hannel

GRADU
UALLY VAR
RIED AND RAPIDLY VARIED F
FLOW
The
T non-unifform flow can
c be classsified as graadually variied flow (G
GVF) and raapidly
varied flow (R
RVF).
Varied
V
flow assumes
a
thatt no flow is externally aadded to or ttaken out off channel syystem.
The
T volume of
o water in a known timee interval is cconserved inn the channeel system
Iff the changee of depth in
n a varied flo
ow is graduaal so that thhe curvature of streamlinnes is
not excessivee, such a flo
ow is said to
o be graduallly varied floow (GVF). F
Figure 1.3 sshows
water
w
surfacee profile of a GVF; here y1 and y2 aree the depth aat section 1annd 2 respecttively
In
n GVF, thee loss of en
nergy is esssentially duue to bounddary frictionn. Thereforee, the
distribution of
o pressure in
n the verticall direction m
may be takenn as hydrostaatic.
Iff the curvatu
ure in a variied flow is large and thhe depth chaanges apprecciably over short
leengths, such a phenomen
non is termed
d as rapidly varied flow..

Y1
Y2

Figurre1.3: Graduallly varried flow

w thourgh Opeen channel

SPATIA
ALLY VARIIED FLOW
W (SVF)
Iff some flow
w is added to
o or subtraccted from thhe system, thhe resulting varied flow
w is a
sp
patially varieed flow.
s
or un
nsteady. In steady
s
SVF, the dischargge while being steady vvaries
SVF can be steady
ver a side weeir is an exam
mple of steaady flow.
allong the chaannel length. The flow ov

Q1
Qs



Figure1.4:
F
Spattially varied flo
ow thourgh Op
pen channel