PROBLEMS IN UNSTABLE CHANNEL &

DESIGN OF STABLE CHANNEL

Isha T (CIE17024)
Madhumitha S (CIE17034)
Prasitha Parthasarathy (CIE17043)
Rajan Babu Akshaya (CIE17044)
 CLASSIFICATION OF CHANNEL

Channels are classified into Threshold and Alluvial channels, based on the sediment
load and the stability of the channel boundary during normal flow.
 THRESHOLD CHANNEL
It is defined as a channel in which channel boundary
material has no significant movement during the
design flow. Here, the channel geometry is designed
such that applied forces from the flow are below the
threshold for movement of the boundary material.
A threshold channel includes cases where the bed is
composed of very coarse material or erosion resistant
bedrock. They do not have the ability to adjust their
geometry. The design goal of a threshold channel
design technique is to produce a channel that has
positional or engineering stability.
 ALLUVIAL CHANNEL
Alluvial channels and streams have bed and banks
formed of material transported by the stream under
present flow conditions. There is an exchange of
materials between the inflowing sediment load and
the bed and banks of streams.
The design goal of an alluvial channel design technique is often to
produce a channel that has dynamic equilibrium or geomorphic
stability.
 TRANSITION CHANNEL
A clear distinction between the alluvial channel and threshold channel may
not be very apparent. A stream may be alluvial at low discharges when
there is an adequate sediment supply, and then act like a threshold
channel at high discharges., and vice-versa may also be possible.
 INSTABILITIES ARE EVERYWHERE
• Water from a tap
• Smoke from cigar
• Flow between 2 concentric cylinders
• A layer of heated liquid
 FACTORS AFFECTING STABILITY OF THE
CHANNEL

Instability is interpreted as leading to meandering.

Taking an example of river-open channel

• Geomorphic erosion process

• Natural erosion
• Accelerated erosion
 PROBLEMS DUE TO UNSTABLE CHANNEL

• Alluvial channel will not be as static as a threshold channel.

• Specific energy and specific force will be minimum for the given discharge.

• It causes surface defects, non uniform reflectivity.

• Bed will be mobile.

• Sediment inflow will be significant.

• Water surface elevation will occur.

• Difficult for hydraulic design.

 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• The area needed to excavate might be larger than the required flow area.

• It may not be possible to construct a stable best hydraulic section in natural material.

• Cost of excavation .

• Slope of the channel must also be considered.

 TYPES OF CHANNEL

Lined channel Unlined channel

(Rigid boundary channel) (Mobile boundary channel)
 DESIGN OF CHANNELS

• Design concepts of Lined and Unlined channels are different.

• Lined channels – Minimizing lining material costs.
• Unlined channels – Control of erosion and deposition.
 DESIGN CONCEPT OF LINED CHANNEL

• Channel need to be designed to carry a required discharge.

• Slope of the channel depends on the topography.
• Roughness coefficient depends on the lining material or the roughness of the rigid
boundary.
• Shape of the channel depends on various constraints.
• Channel is designed to have the “Most economic section” or the “Besy hydraulic
section”.
 PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS

• Need of having minimum permissible velocity.

• Constraint of not exceeding maximum permissible velocity.
• Constraints regarding width of channel.
• Constraints regarding depth of the channel.
 DESIGN CONCEPT OF UNLINED CHANNEL

• There may be erosion or deposition, which is not desired.

• It is essential to design the channel to carry the required discharge safely, maintaining the
required dimensions of the channel.
• Flow velocity should not cause scouring of the bed and sediment deposition in the bed.
• Unlined channels are of two types namely,
1) Non-Alluvial channels
2) Alluvial channels
• Design concepts are different for both the types.
 DESIGN OF NON-ALLUVIAL CHANNEL
• Clay channels, hard-loam channels, channels formed in rocks etc. are classified as
Non-Alluvial channels.
• Silting problem is relatively less.
• Designed on the basis of maximum permissible velocity.
TYPE OF MATERIAL MAX PERMISSIBLE VELOCITY
(m/s)

Lean clay soil or loam 0.38 to 1.37

Clay 0.41 to 1.67
Heavy clay 0.45 to 1.70
Sandy clay 0.52 to 1.83
Ordinary moorum 0.60 to 0.90
Heavy moorum 1.2
Gravel 1.5
Boulder 1.5 to 1.8
Soft rock 1.8 to 2.4
Hard rock Greater than 3
SUITABLE SIDE SLOPES FOR CHANNELS
 NON-ALLUVIAL CHANNEL:
DESIGN PROCEDURE
• Bed slope, Side slope, Discharge and Manning’s constant will be generally known or
can be obtained.
• Permissible velocity is assumed, or a b/d ratio is adopted.
• Area is computed.
• Using Manning’s formula, Breadth (b) and Depth (d) are found.
 DESIGN OF ALLUVIAL CHANNEL
• Concept of Critical velocity is applied.
• There are several Silt theories.
• Most popular are,
1) Kennedy’s Silt theory (RG Kennedy, 1895)
2) Lacey’s Regime theory (Gerald Lacey, 1939)
DESIGN OF STABLE CHANNELS IN INDIA
• Almost all the north Indian rivers flow through alluvial soil and they carry certain
amount of sediments.

• If water of a given velocity and depth is not fully charged with silt it will scour the bed
and sides of channel, till it is fully charged with silt.

• If the speed of flow in channel is high, the bed and beds are likely to be eroded, and
similarly if the velocity is low, the silt which was formerly carried in suspension is
likely to be dropped.
 KENNEDY’S THEORY

• He concluded that the silt supporting power in a channel cross section was mainly
dependent upon the production of eddies, rising to the surface. Based upon this
concept he defined the critical velocity (V0) in a channel which will just keep the
channel free from silting or scouring. Formula for V0 is given below.
VO=0.55my0.64
Where: V0 = Critical velocity in the channel in meter/second
y = water depth in channel in meter
m = Critical velocity ratio (Which will depend upon type of silt)
 LACEY’S THEORY

• He stated that the slit carried by the flowing water is kept in suspension by the vertical
component of eddies. The eddies are generated at all the points on the wetted perimeter
of the channel section.
Thus he deduced the velocity as;
V=(2/5fR)0.5
Where:
V = Mean velocity in m/sec
f = Slit factor
R = Hydraulic mean radius in m
 DESIGN METHOD OF ALLUVIAL SOIL

• Regime
• Analogy
• Hydraulic geometry
• Extremal hypothesis
• Analytical
 REGIME METHOD

• Dependent channel dimensions of width, depth, and slope can be determined from
regression relationships with independent variables of channel-forming discharge,
bed gradation, and sediment-inflow concentration.
 ANALOGY METHOD

• Channel dimensions from a reference reach can be transferred to another location.

 HYDRAULIC GEOMETRY METHOD

• It is an extension of regime theory. Hydraulic geometry was developed for analysis of

natural streams and rivers.
 EXTREMAL HYPOTHESIS METHOD

• Alluvial channels will adjust channel dimensions so that energy expenditure is

minimized. Depth and sediment transport can be calculated from physically based
equations including continuity, hydraulic resistance and sediment transport.
 ANALYTICAL METHOD

• Depth and sediment transport can be calculated from physically based equations
including continuity, hydraulic resistance, and sediment transport.
THANK YOU!