DESIGN OF

AQUEDUCT

AQUEDUCT
An aqueduct is a cross drainage structure.
Which is constructed to convey water over an
obstacle, such as natural streams, valleys etc.
Aqueduct word is derived from Latin which
means water to lead.

CROSS DRAINAGE WORKS

Acrossdrainage workis a structure carrying
the discharge from a canal across a natural
stream intercepting the canal.
Canal comes across obstructions like rivers,
natural drains and other canals.
The various types ofstructuresthat are built
to carry the canal water across the above
mentioned obstructions are
calledcrossdrainage works.

 Cross drainage works are unavoidable in any

canal system.
In order to reduce the cross drainage works,
the
artificial canals are generally aligned along ridge
line called watershed.
A cross drainage work is generally a costly
construction and must be avoided as far as
possible.

However, before the watershed is reached, the

canal which takes off from the river has to cross
number of drains, which move from the
watershed towards river.
The number of cross drainage works may also
be reduced by diverting one drain into another
and by changing alignment of canal, so that it
crosses below the junction of two drains.

WATERSHED LINE
It is an area of land that drains surface and
subsurface runoff to a common point usually a
stream, river, lake or the ocean.
Every piece of land on earth is a part of
watershed because water always moves off of
land to a lower point where it collects in a
water body.
To use a simpler analogy, a watershed is
shaped some what like a bowl that has been
cut in half, the rim around the bowl would be
like the watershed divide.

 Watershed divides are the boundaries that

define a watershed and separate adjacent
watersheds

Aqueducts have been used for thousands of years

to transfer
Water for long distances for public water supply.
Ancient structures were only open channels,
but now a days they Consist of tunnels, canals,
siphons or any combination of these.

Types of cross drainage works

Canal over
the
drainage
Canal
below the
drainage
Drain
through
the canal

aqueduct
Siphon
aqueduct
Super
passage
Canal siphon
Level
crossing
Inlets and
outlets

The canal water is taken across the drain in a

trough supported on piers.
The drain water flows under the canal such that
there is
sufficient headway available between the H.F.L of
the drain
and underside of the canal trough.
The drain therefore flows at atmospheric
pressure under the work.
An inspection road is provided along with

SELECTION OF A SUITABLE TYPE OF CROSS

DRAINAGE WORK
The relative bed levels, water levels, and discharge of
the canal and
the drainage are the primary factors which govern and
dictate the
type of cross drainage work that may prove to be most
suitable at a
particular place .
For example, if the bed level of the canal is sufficiently
above the H.F.L of the drain, an aqueduct is first and
obvious choice.

In actual field, ideal conditions may not be

available and the choice depends on other
factors, such as
1. Suitable canal alignment.
2. Nature of available foundation.
3. Position of watertable and availability of
dewatering Equipment.
4. Suitability of soil for embankment.
5. Permissible head loss in canal.
6. Availability of funds.

TYPES OF
AQUEDUCTS

Typ Typ Typ

e1 e2 e3

How does an aqueduct work?

The water was transported in concrete
tunnels. The tunnels were underground if
possible. Sometimes the tunnel had to go
above ground. Tunnels could be build
with a shaft. This shaft allowed them to
take out dirt and lower supplies to the
workers.
tunnel

PROPER SITE FOR DRAINGE CROSSING:

The site selected for the cross drainage works
should have the following main characteristics,
1. It should be such that it requires minimum
disturbance regarding the approach and tail
reaches of the drainage channel.
2. Suitable foundation soil should be available at
reasonable depth.
3. Sufficient headway is available for the super
structure of the aqueduct over the H.F.L of the
natural stream.
4. Suitable existing topography, geological and
hydraulic conditions for the cross drainage works
at reasonable costs

LICHFIELD CANAL AQUEDUCT

It was constructed at Birmingham,England.
It was necessary to construct an aqueduct to
carry the canal water over the road.
It was constructed over M6 toll motorway.
It is a navigable aqueduct

This aqueduct consist of the centre

support and the parts of the 2 abutments
located adjacent to the hard shoulders.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Determination of maximum flood

discharge.
Fixing of waterway requirements.
Afflux and head loss.
Fluming of the canal.
Design of pucca canal trough.

DETERMINATION OF MAXIMUM FLOOD

DISCHARGE
The high flood discharge for smaller drains is
worked out by using empirical formulas.
For larger drains ,hydrograph analysis,
rational formula etc.., are used.

FIXING OF WATERWAY
REQUIREMENTS

An approximate value of required waterway for

drain may be obtained by using laceys
equation
P=4.75sqrtQ
For wide drains, the wetted perimeter may be
approximately taken equal to the width of drain
and hence, equal to waterway required.
The maximum permissible reduction in
waterway from laceys perimeter is 20%

SOURCES
Textbooks:
Irrigation engineering and hydraulic structures
by santosh kumar garg
Irrigation water resources and water power
engineering by p.n.modi
Web:
http://www.academicjournals.org
http://www.newyorkcanals.org/
wikipedia

Thank you