Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

Chapter -one
Introduction to Open Channel Hydraulics
1.1 Definitions

Simply stated, Open channel flow is a flow of liquid in a conduit with free space. Open channel flow is particularly
applied to understand the flow of a liquid in artificial (flumes, spillways, canals, weirs, drainage ditch, culverts)
and natural (streams, rivers, flood plains). The two kinds of flow are similar in many ways but differ in one important
respect. Open-channel flow must have a free surface, whereas pipe flow has none.

Velocity Head

Y1
Pressure Head
Y2

Potential Head

Figure 1: Schematic Presentation of Open Channel Flow

A free surface is subject to atmospheric pressure. In Pipe flow there exists no direct atmospheric flow but
hydraulic pressure only.
1.2 Kinds and Types of Open Channels

Kinds
Artificial channels
These are channels made by man. They include irrigation canals, navigation canals, spillways, sewers,
culverts and drainage ditches. They are usually constructed in a regular cross-section
shape throughout - and are thus prismatic channels (they dont widen or get narrower along the
channel. In the field they are commonly constructed of concrete, steel or earth and have the
surface roughnesss reasonably well defined (although this may change with age - particularly
grass lined channels.) Analysis of flow in such well defined channels will give reasonably
accurate results.
 Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

Natural channels
Natural channels can be very different. They are neither regular nor prismatic and their materials of
construction can vary widely (although they are mainly of earth this can possess many different properties.)
The surface roughness will often change with time distance and even elevation. Consequently it becomes
more difficult to accurately analyse and obtain satisfactory results for natural channels than is does for
manmade ones. The situation may be further complicated if the boundary is not fixed i.e. erosion and deposition
of sediments.

Types

The following classifications are made according to change in flow depth with respect to time and
space.

Figure 2: Schematic representation of different types of open channel flow

Steady and Unsteady: Time is the criterion.

Flow is said to be steady if the depth of flow at a particular point does not change or can be considered
constant for the time interval under consideration. The flow is unsteady if depth changes with time.

Uniform Flow: Space as the criterion.

Open Channel flow is said to be uniform if the depth and velocity of flow are the same at every section of the
channel. Hence it follows that uniform flow can only occur in prismatic channels. For steady uniform flow, depth
and velocity is constant with both time and distance. This constitutes the fundamental type of flow in an open
channel. It occurs when gravity forces are in equilibrium with resistance forces.
 Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

Steady non-uniform flow.

Depth varies with distance but not with time. This type of flow may be either (a) gradually varied or (b) rapidly
varied. Type (a) requires the application of the energy and frictional resistance equations while type (b) requires
the energy and momentum equations.

Unsteady flow
The depth varies with both time and space. This is the most common type of flow and requires the
solution of the energy momentum and friction equations with time. In many practical cases the
flow is sufficiently close to steady flow therefore it can be analyzed as gradually varied steady
flow.

By Belete B. AAiT Department of Civil Engineering October 2010

1.3 Difference between open channel and pipe flow

Despite the similarity between the two kinds of flow, it is much more difficult to solve problems
of flow in open channels than in pipes. Flow conditions in open channels are complicated by the
position of the free surface which will change with time and space. And also by the fact that depth
of flow, the discharge, and the slopes of the channel bottom and of the free surface are all inter
dependent.

Physical conditions in open-channels vary much more than in pipes - the cross-section of pipes is
usually round - but for open channel it can be any shape. Treatment of roughness also poses a
greater problem in open channels than in pipes. Although there may be a great range of roughness in a pipe
from polished metal to highly corroded iron, open channels may be of polished metal to natural channels with
long grass and roughness that may also depend on depth of flow. And also Open channel flows are found in
large and small scale. Open channel flow is driven by gravity rather than by pressure work as in pipes.

Pipe flow Open Channel flow

Flow driven by Pressure work Gravity (potential energy)
Flow cross section Known, fixed Unknown in advance because the flow depth is
unknown
Characteristics flow velocity deduced Flow depth deduced simultaneously from solving
parameters from continuity both continuity and momentum equations
Specific boundary Atmospheric pressure at conditions the free
surface

1.4 Geometric Properties Necessary for Analysis

For analysis various geometric properties of the channel cross-sections are required. For artificial
channels these can usually be defined using simple algebraic equations given y the depth of flow.
 Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

The commonly needed geometric properties are shown in the figure below and defined as:
Depth (y) the vertical distance from the lowest point of the channel section to the free surface.
Stage ( z ) - the vertical distance from the free surface to an arbitrary datum
Area ( A ) - the cross-sectional area of flow, normal to the direction of flow
Wetted perimeter ( P ) - the length of the wetted surface measured normal to the direction of flow.
Surface width ( B ) - width of the channel section at the free surface
Hydraulic radius ( R ) - the ratio of area to wetted perimeter ( A/P )
Hydraulic mean depth ( D ) - the ratio of area to surface width ( A/B )
 Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

1.5 Velocity distribution in open channels

Naturally three types of velocity are occurred in open channel flow, namely longitudinal the one along the flow
direction, lateral at the bedside of the channel and normal perpendicular to the flow direction. However, the
two velocities (the lateral and normal) are insignificance as compared to the longitudinal velocity. So we
consider the longitudinal velocity in the analysis of velocity distribution. The longitudinal velocity commonly
represent with v and its value is minimum at the bedside and gradually increase with the distance from the
boundary and its maximum occur at a certain distance below the free surface around the center of the channel.

0.82

0.8

0.6

0.4

Vs

0.2Yo
V0.2

0.6Yo

0.8Yo V0.6 v 0 .2 + v 0 .8
v av = v 0 .6 =
Yo V0.8
2
 Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

Energy and Momentum coefficients

In deriving the above momentum and energy (Bernoulli) equations it was noted that the velocity must be
constant (equal to V) over the whole cross-section or constant along a stream-line. Clearly this will not occur in
practice. Fortunately both these equation may still be used even for situations of quite non-uniform velocity
distribution over a section. This is possible by the introduction of coefficients of energy and momentum, a and
respectively. These coefficients defined as

The values of and must be derived from the velocity distributions across a cross-section. They will always
be greater than 1, but only by a small amount consequently they can often be confidently omitted but not
always and their existence should always be remembered.

1.6 Fundamental equations

The equations which describe the flow of fluid are derived from three fundamental laws of
physics:
1. Conservation of matter (or mass)
2. Conservation of energy
3. Conservation of momentum

Although first developed for solid bodies they are equally applicable to fluids. Brief descriptions of the
concepts are given below.

Conservation of matter
This says that matter cannot be created nor destroyed, but it may be converted (e.g. by a chemical process.)
In fluid mechanics we do not consider chemical activity so the law reduces to one of conservation of mass.

Conservation of energy
This says that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but may be converted form one type to another (e.g.
potential may be converted to kinetic energy). When engineers talk about energy "losses" they are
 Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics

referring to energy converted from mechanical (potential or kinetic) to some other form such as heat. A
friction loss, for example, is a conversion of mechanical energy to heat. The basic equations can be obtained
from the First Law of Thermodynamics but a simplified derivation will be given below.

Conservation of momentum
The law of conservation of momentum says that a moving body cannot gain or lose momentum unless acted
upon by an external force. This is a statement of Newton's Second Law of Motion: Force = rate of change of
momentum
In solid mechanics these laws may be applied to an object which is has a fixed shape and is
clearly defined. In fluid mechanics the object is not clearly defined and as it may change shape
constantly. To get over this we use the idea of control volume. These are imaginary volumes of
fluid within the body of the fluid. To derive the basic equation the above conservation laws are
applied by considering the forces applied to the edges of a control volume within the fluid.

The Continuity Equation (conservation of mass)

For any control volume during the small time interval dt the principle of conservation of mass implies that
the mass of flow entering the control volume minus the mass of flow leaving the control volume equals the
change of mass within the control volume. If the flow is steady and the fluid incompressible the mass entering
is equal to the mass leaving, so there is no change of mass within the control volume.

Energy equation (conservation of energy)

Consider the forms of energy available for the above control volume. If the fluid moves from the upstream
face 1, to the downstream face 2 in time d t over the length L.

Similarly the total energy per unit weight of section two also computed and considers no energy is supplied
between the inlet and outlet of the control volume, energy leaving equal to energy entering. Therefore the
energy equation defined as
Lecture Note for Open Channel Hydraulics