Chapter 15

Varied Flow in Open

Channels

Problem 15.1
Water ßows in a circular concrete pipe (Manning’s ! = 0"012) with a depth that is
half of the pipe diameter (0.8 m). If the slope is 0.004, Þnd the ßow rate.

Solution

The ßow rate is obtained from the Chezy equation.

1"0 2!3
#= $%" &#1!2
!
The ßow area is
1 '
$= × × 0"82 = 0"251 m2
2 4
The wetted perimeter is
'
( = × 0"8 = 1"26 m
2

131
132 CHAPTER 15. VARIED FLOW IN OPEN CHANNELS

The hydraulic radius is

$ 0"251
%" = = = 0"2 m
( 1"26

The ßow rate is

1
#= × 0"251 × 0"22!3 × 0"0041!2
0"012
= 0"45 m3 )s
 133

Problem 15.2
A troweled concrete (! = 0"012) open channel has a cross-section as shown. The
discharge is 400 cfs. The drop of the channel is 10 ft in each horizontal mile (5280
ft). Find the depth of the ßow, *"

Solution

The ßow rate in traditional units is

1"49 2!3
#= $%" &#1!2
!
The slope is
10
&# = = 0"00189
5280
Thus
2!3 !# 0"012 × 400
$%" = 1!2
= = 74"1 ft8!3
1"49&# 1"49 × 0"001891!2
The ßow area in terms of depth is

$ = (10 + *)*

The wetted perimeter is !

( = 10 + 2 2*
so the hydraulic radius is
$ (10 + *)*
%" = = !
( 10 + 2 2*
Thus
2!3 (10 + *)5!3 *5!3
$%" = ! = 74"1
(10 + 2 2*)2!3
or
(10 + *)*
! = 13"24
(10 + 2 2*)2!5
Solving this equation by iteration gives

* = 3"26 ft
134 CHAPTER 15. VARIED FLOW IN OPEN CHANNELS

Problem 15.3
Find the ßow rate in the channel and overbank area that is shown in the following
Þgure. The slope of the channel is 0.001, and the depth in the overbank area is 2
m. The Manning’s ! is 0.04 in the overbank area and 0.03 in the main channel.
All the channel sides have a 1:1 slope.

Solution

The discharge is given by the Chezy equation.

1"0 2!3
#= $%" &#1!2
!
For the overbank area

$ = 2 × (50 + *# )2) × *#
= (100 + *# )*#

where *# is the depth in the overbank area. So when *# = 2 m, the area is $ = 204
m2 "

The wetted perimeter is

!
( = 2 × (50 + 2*# )
!
= 100 + 2 2*#

So when *# = 2 m, the wetted perimeter is ( = 105"6 m.

The hydraulic radius for the overbank area is

$ 204
%" = = = 1"93 m
( 105"7
For the main channel

$ = 10*$ + 2 × 5(*$ " 5) + 2 × 5 × 5)2

= 20*$ " 25
 135

With the main channel depth being 7 m, the ßow area is 115 m2 " The wetted
perimeter is
!
( = 10 + 2 × 2 × 5
= 24"1 m
so the hydraulic radius of the main channel is
$ 115
%" = = = 4"77 m
( 24"1
The ßow rate is the sum in each area.
1 1
#= × 204 × 1"932!3 × 0"0011!2 + × 115 × 4"772!3 × 0"0011!2
0"04 0"03
= 250"0 + 343"5
= 593"5 m3 )s

Problem 15.4
Water with a depth of 15 cm and a speed of 6 m/s ßows through a rectangular
channel. Determine if the ßow is critical, subcritical, or supercritical. If appropri-
ate, determine the alternative depth.

Solution
The nature of the ßow is determined by the Froude number.
-
+, = !
./
6 m/s
= r³ ´
9"8 m/s2 (0"15 m)

= 4"95
Since + , 0 1, the ßow is supercritical. To Þnd the alternative depth, note that the
speciÞc energy of subcritical and supercritical ßow are the same.
µ ¶ µ ¶
-2 -2
1+ = 1+ (1)
2. 1 2. 2
µ ¶
62
= 0"15 +
2 × 9"8
= 1"99 m
where subscripts 1 and 2 denote sub- and supercritical, respectively. To solve Eq.
(1) for subcritical depth (11 ), speed is needed. The continuity principle gives
(- $)1 = (- $)2
(- 12)1 = (- 12)2
136 CHAPTER 15. VARIED FLOW IN OPEN CHANNELS

so

12
-1 = -2 (2)
11
0"15
=6
11
0"9
=
11

Combining Eqs. (1) and (2) gives

µ ¶
-2
1+ = 1"99 m
2. 1
0"92 )112
11 + = 1"99
2 × 9"8

or

113 " 1"99112 + 0"04133 = 0

We solved for the roots of this cubic equation using a computer program (MathCad).
The solution has three roots: 11 = ("0"1393 0"153 1"979 m). Thus the alternate
depth is

11 = 1"979 m
 137

Problem 15.5
Water ßows at a uniform rate of 400 cfs through a rectangular channel that has
a slope of 0.007 and a width of 25 ft. The channel sides are concrete with a rough-
ness factor of ! = 0"015" Determine depth of ßow, and whether the ßow is critical,
subcritical, or supercritical.

Solution

The nature of the ßow is determined by the Froude number.

-
+, = !
.1

To Þnd the depth 1, we can use Manning’s equation.

1"49 3!2
#= $%" &#1!2
!
µ ¶3!2
1"49 251 1!2
400 = (25 × 1) (0"007)
0"015 25 + 21

To solve for 1 in Manning’s equation, we used a computer program (MathCad) to

Þnd a root for an equation of the form 4 (5) = 0" The result is

1 = 1"38 ft

Discharge is

# = - $ = - 12
¡ ¢
400 ft )s = - (1"38 × 25 ft2 )
3

so - = 11"59 ft/s.

The Froude number is

-
+, = !
.1
11"59 ft/s
=p
(32"2 ft)s2 ) (1"38 ft)
= 1"74

Thus
ßow is supercritical
138 CHAPTER 15. VARIED FLOW IN OPEN CHANNELS

Problem 15.6
Water ßows in a rectangular channel that ends in a free outfall. The channel
has a slope of 0.005, a width of 20 ft, and a depth at the brink of 2 ft. Find the
discharge in the channel.

Solution

A sketch of the situation is

At the brink, the depth is 71% of critical depth.

12
11 =
0"071
2 ft
=
0"71
= 2"82 ft

At section 1, the ßow is critical, so the Froude number is 1.0.

-
1"0 = ! (1)
.1

From continuity
-1 =6 (2)

Combining Eqs. (1) and (2) gives

p
6= .1 3
r³ ´¡ ¢
= 32"2 ft/s2 2"823 ft3

= 26"9 ft2 )s
 139

Thus

# = 62
¡ ¢
= 26"9 ft2 )s (20 ft)
= 538 cfs

Problem 15.7
Water ßows with an upstream velocity of 6 ft/s and a depth of 12 ft in a rec-
tangular open channel. The water passes over a gradual 18-in. upstep. Determine
the depth of the water and the change in surface level downstream of the upstep.

Solution
Assuming no energy losses, the speciÞc energy is constant across the upstep.

-12 -2
11 + = 12 + 2 + !7 (1)
2. 2.
The continuity principle is
11 -1 = 12 -2
So
11
-2 = -1 (2)
12
Combining Eqs. (1) and (2)
µ ¶2
-12 -12 11
11 + = 12 + + !7
2. 2. 12
µ ¶ µ ¶µ ¶2
62 ft2 )s2 62 ft2 )s2 12 ft
12 ft + = 1 2 + + 18)12 ft
2 × 32"2 ft)s2 2 × 32"2 ft)s2 12
So
80"50
11"06 = 12 +
122
or
123 " 11"06122 + 80"5 = 0
140 CHAPTER 15. VARIED FLOW IN OPEN CHANNELS

Solving this cubic equation using a computer program (MathCad) gives three roots
12 = (-2.442, 3.2, 10.30). The negative root is not possible, and the small root
(supercritial ßow) is unlikely. Thus, the depth of water at section 2 is

12 = 10.3 ft

The elevation of the water surface at section 2 is the sum of the depth of the water
and the height of the upstep.

72 = 12 + !7
= 10"3 ft + 1"5 ft
= 11.8 ft