UNIVERSIDAD SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO

COLEGIO POLITÉCNICO
ICV-3003 INGENIERÍA CIVIL HIDRÁULICA

LABORATORIO #3: RIVERINE HYDRAULICS

OBJECTIVES:
 Determine the slope and profile of a natural channel.
 Determine the cross-sectional area, wetted perimeter, and hydraulic radius of a natural channel.
 Identify and compute the normal depth (YN) in a natural channel.
 Identify and compute the critical depth (Yc) in a natural channel.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
 River Flow Flume  Collecting tank
 Ruler and Measuring Tape  Weight Balance
 Stopwatch  Silica Sand

THEORY:
When water flows downhill in any conduit with the water surface exposed to the atmosphere (free
surface), it is said to undergo open channel flow. Open channel hydraulics is the study of the mechanics of
water flowing in open conduits, which generally include channels, streams, and even pipes (not flowing under
pressure).

Fig 3.1: Examples of open channel flow.

To analyze open channel flow, let us first consider a long, uniform channel such as the trapezoidal
channel shown in Figure 3.1(a). A uniform, or prismatic, channel is one that maintains a constant shape and
slope. The trapezoidal channel is depicted in more detail in Figure 3.2, including a profile and cross section.

y y

Fig 3.2: Channel with trapezoidal cross section.

The essential elements of the profile are the channel bottom, the water surface or Hydraulic Grade
Line (HGL), and the Energy Grade Line (EGL). Each of these lines has a slope, which may be the same as or
different than the others, depending on the type of flow.

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The slope of the channel bottom, is defined as the vertical fall divided by the horizontal run of the
channel. That is:
∆ ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑠𝑜 =
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙

The slope can also be expressed as a percentage by multiplying by 100 percent. Figure 3.2 reveals
two other slopes involved with open channel flow, namely, the slope of the water surface, sw, and the slope
of the energy grade line, sEGL. These slopes are defined as drop divided by length, just as with bottom slope.
The flow depth, Y, is the vertical distance from the bottom of the channel to the water surface. The cross-
sectional flow area, A, is the area of a cross section of the flowing water.

An important concept in open channel hydraulics is the wetted perimeter. The wetted perimeter,
PM, is the distance along the channel cross section that is in contact with the flowing water. In Figure 3.2,
the wetted perimeter is the sum of the distances AB, BC, and CD.

Another important concept is the hydraulic radius. The hydraulic radius, R, of a channel is defined as
the cross-sectional area divided by the wetted perimeter. Hydraulic radius is not truly a “radius” in a
geometric sense but merely a term defined to give an indication of the hydraulic efficiency of a channel.

Area
𝑅=
Wet Perimeter

Open channel flow may be classified as uniform flow or varied flow in any conduit. If a channel
changes shape, slope, or alignment, it becomes non-prismatic, and the flow characteristics are
correspondingly affected. Such changes disrupt uniform flow and cause varied flow conditions that require
special computational techniques.

NORMAL DEPTH

When water flows in a uniform channel, after an initial transition, it reaches and maintains a constant
velocity and constant depth called normal depth, Yn. Flowing water is propelled downstream by its weight,
specifically the component of its weight in the direction of the channel. But the friction force produced at the
channel lining is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, thus creating equilibrium that has constant
velocity. The Energy Grade Line is parallel to the surface of the water because the velocity, and therefore the
velocity head, is constant. That is, all three slopes in Figure 3.2 are equal, or so = sw = sEGL, and Y = Yn. Another
requirement for normal depth is a constant flow rate, Q. Normal depth depends on the slope of the channel,
the roughness of the channel lining, the dimensions of the channel cross section, and the rate of flow.

CRITICAL DEPTH

Critical depth, Yc, is a theoretical concept that depends on only the channel shape and the flow
quantity Q. It does not depend on the roughness of the channel lining or the slope of the channel. Generally,
flow depths greater than critical depth represent more tranquil flow called subcritical, and depths below
critical depth represent more rapid flow called supercritical. The velocity of the water at critical depth is
called critical velocity. When a channel has a slope that causes normal depth to coincide with critical depth,
the slope is called critical slope. Critical depth is computed by use of the following relationship, which occurs
only at the minimum specific energy, E:

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𝐴3 𝑄 2
=
𝑇 𝑔

where A = cross-sectional area of channel, (m2)

T = top width of channel, (m)
Q = flow rate, (m3/s)
g = acceleration of gravity, (9.81 m/s2)

This equation applies to all channel shapes and must usually be solved by trial and error. However, it
is valid only if the flow is gradually varied or parallel to the channel bottom and the channel slope is small
(less than 8 percent). For rectangular channels, the equation reduces to:

3 𝑄2
𝑦𝑐 = √
𝑇2 𝑔

For any given channel and flow rate Q, there is a corresponding critical depth. Usually, normal depth
in a channel is not equal to critical depth. Only one particular slope results in a normal depth equal to critical
depth. The most common occurrence of critical depth is in gradually varied flow, in which the flow depth
varies over a certain distance due to a change in one or more of the channel attributes. The change could be
in channel slope or cross-sectional shape. As the depth varies, critical depth can be attained within the
transition region.

FORMULAS USED:

A) SLOPE VARIABLES AND SINUOSITY

 Maximum Possible Slope (smax)

∆ℎ𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝑋

 Channel Slope (so)

∆ℎ
𝑠𝑜 =
𝐿𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙

 Sinuosity (S)
1 𝐿𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 ∆ℎ 𝑳𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍
𝑆= ∙ 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 or 𝑆= ∙ or 𝑺=
𝑠𝑜 ∆ℎ 𝑋 𝒙

B) MANNING’S EQUATION & FLOW MEASUREMENT

 Uniform Flow Velocity (v)

1 2/3 1/2  Uniform Flow (Q)
𝑣= 𝑅 𝑠𝑜
𝑛 1 2/3 1/2
𝑄𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐 = 𝑅 𝑠𝑜 𝐴
𝑛
where n = 0.020 for silica sand in units of s/[m1/3]

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 UNIVERSIDAD SAN FRANCISCO DE QUITO
COLEGIO POLITÉCNICO
ICV-3003 INGENIERÍA CIVIL HIDRÁULICA

 Actual Flow (Qreal)  Mean Tractive Force (τ)

𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑄𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 = 𝜏 = 𝛾𝑤 𝑅 𝑠𝑤
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛

where,
w = specific weight of water, (9.81 kN/m3)
R = hydraulic radius, (m)
sw = water surface slope, (m/m)
PRECAUTIONS:

 Check that air is not trapped in the hose or pump before turning it on.
 Ensure no sand drops into the water tank and into the pump.
 Use 2 decimal digits for measurements values.

PROCEDURE (LAB INSTRUCTIONS):

1. Start by setting the table on a perfectly flat surface. Then measure the horizontal distance (x)
between the water inflow at the energy dissipater unit and the water outflow at the drain pipe.
2. Set the table to its maximum allowed inclined setting and measure the height difference (hmax)
between the water inflow at the energy dissipater unit and the water outflow at the drain pipe.
3. Create a straight, rectangular channel about 4 cm wide and 4 cm deep. Record the exact
measurement of the channel width and measure channel elevation every 15 cm intervals of x.
4. Start the water supply to the flume and reach a steady state. Perform the necessary measurements
to determine the normal depth, critical depth, flow rate, flow velocity and Froude’s number.
5. Then close the water supply and reset the sand conditions to a flat undisturbed surface.
6. Repeat the procedure for various channel morphologies, slopes, lengths, widths and flows.

After entering the readings in the Tabulation 3, compute the necessary values.

PROCEDURE (Write down your own procedure report format)

POST-EXPERIMENT ACTIVITIES:

 The apparatus should be drained and cleaned after use.

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ICV-3003 RIVERINE HYDRAULICS HIDRÁULICA

OBSERVATION AND COMPUTATIONS: Nombre: _____________________________

Tabulation 3.1: Slope variables and initial setup data. Fecha: _________________

Horizontal distance between the Energy Dissipater Unit (EDU) and the Drain Pipe (DP): X = __________________.
Vertical height of the model table supports (Initial Setup): Z1 = ________________, and Z2 = ___________.
Vertical distance between the EDU and top of the DP: h = ________________.

Maximum possible channel slope with a DP height of zero: so = h/X = _________________.

For most setups, the slope of the table is determined by the relative height of its supports.
The channel slope in the model is controlled by the slope of the table and the elevation of the drain pipe.

Z1
Z2

Fig 3.3: Schematic longitudinal (top) and aerial (bottom) layout of the model.

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ICV-3003 RIVERINE HYDRAULICS HIDRÁULICA

Tabulation 3.2: Channel attributes and flow characteristics data.

Measured Data
Run Z1 Z2 h Lchannel Sinuosity Volume Time Qreal Widthchannel Yn
so
# (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) S (mL) (sec) (mL/s) T (cm) (cm)

Calculated Data: Determine Qcalc with Yn* = Yn Calculated Data: Iteration of Yn*-iterated until Qcalc* = Qreal
Run Yn* Area R Qcalc v Yc
NF τ Error Run Yn*-itd Area R Qcalc* v Yc
NF τ Error
# (cm) (cm2) (cm) (mL/s) (cm/s) (cm) (N/m ) 2 (%)
# (cm) (cm2) (cm) (mL/s) (cm/s) (cm) (N/m2) (%)

Qcalc: Calculated flow using Manning’s equation with Yn measured. Yn*: Iterated value to match Qcalc* to Qreal.

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ICV-3003 RIVERINE HYDRAULICS HIDRÁULICA

Tabulation 3.3: Channel length and elevation data.

For a straight channel, the length of the channel 𝑳𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍 = ∆𝒙 , since its sinuosity S = 1. But for
meandering channels, the actual length of the channel can be determined by 𝑳𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍 = 𝑺 ∙ ∆𝒙.

Straight Channel Mild Meandering Strong Meandering

h = h = h =
Lcanal = Lcanal = Lcanal =
S= S= S=

x Lcanal Elev. x Lcanal Elev. x Lcanal Elev.

(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm)

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ICV-3003 RIVERINE HYDRAULICS HIDRÁULICA

RESULTS AND COMMENTS:

1. For constant flow rates, compute the critical depth, (Yc) using equation for critical flow conditions.
2. Compute the normal depth, (Yn*) and compare this value with the measured flow depth (Yn).
3. Compute the flow discharge Qcalc using Manning’s equation and compare this value with Qreal.
4. Compute the mean flow velocity.
5. For each depth measured, compute the corresponding Froude number and determine the flow type.
6. Compute the Mean Tractive Force for each morphology model trial.
7. Review and analyze the results obtained from your calculations.
8. Explain the tendency of the data and interpret the overall outcome.

GRAPH:
Every graph must have an interpretation, explanation, labels, legend and units.
1. Plot the river length profile: Elevation (y-axis) vs River Length (x-axis), and determine the relationship
equation for y in terms of x. (1 graph with all 3 river profiles, line with points, no tendency line).
2. Plot Qcalc, Qreal vs. Y-measured are drawn by taking Qcalc , Qreal on x-axis and Y on y-axis. (1 graph)
3. Plot Tractive Force (x-axis) vs Y-measured, Yn (y-axis), and explain the meaning of the tractive force. (1
graph)

 Discuss the meaning of each graph and the tendency of each relationship.

DISCUSSION:

 Discuss assumptions of the theory applied and if any assumptions made caused a bias in this lab practice.
 Discuss the accuracy of each result, numerically. Identify and calculate the experimental errors.
 Analyze probable sources of errors. Explain causes of the error and how much on consequence.
 Determine the error percent between the normal depth, (Yn-iterated*) and the measured flow depth (Yn).
 Determine the error percent between the flow discharge Qcalc using Manning’s equation and the Qreal.

 QUESTIONS:
1) Why do we need to understand and analyze the behavior of riverine hydraulics? Where do you apply the
concepts of riverine hydraulics in practical life and for what purpose?

2) Explain changes in channel attributes that will disrupt uniform flow and result in a non-prismatic channel
flow. How these changes affect the flow characteristics? and Why?

3) Why does the critical depth do not depend on the channel slope, and normal depth does?

4) Explain the meaning and interpretation of the Hydraulic Radius in open channel flow.

5) Explain how you can estimate the bed load (sediment transport by erosion) using the tractive force.

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