OPEN CHANNELS I

CHAPTER 4 (1) - ROBERSON ET AL., WITH ADDITIONS



  • OPEN CHANNEL FLOW: FLOW OF A LIQUID IN A CONDUIT IN WHICH THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE LIQUID (THE FREE SURFACE) IS IN CONTACT WITH THE ATMOSPHERE.

  • EXAMPLE: WATER FLOW IN RIVERS, IRRIGATION CANALS, SEWER LINES FLOWING PARTIALLY FULL, STORM DRAINS, STREET GUTTERS.


Cabana irrigation canal, Peru.

  • IN A NATURAL CHANNEL, THE PROBLEM IS OF PREDICTING THE WATER SURFACE PROFILE, OR TO ESTIMATE VELOCITY AND DEPTH.

  • STEADY UNIFORM FLOW: WHEN DISCHARGE, VELOCITY AND DEPTH ARE CONSTANT.

  • STEADY GRADUALLY VARIED FLOW: WHEN VELOCITY AND DEPTH ARE A FUNCTION OF DISTANCE.

  • UNSTEADY FLOW: WHEN DISCHARGE, VELOCITY, AND DEPTH ARE A FUNCTION OF TIME AND DISTANCE.

  • ALL ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN PROBLEM MUST BE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING WATER AND SEDIMENT TRANSPORT.

  • UNUSUAL HAZARDS:

    -- LANDSLIDES

    -- SEDIMENTATION

    -- ACCIDENTAL GATE OPERATION

    -- BREACH OF EMBANKMENT

  • IN STEEP CHANNELS, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ROLL WAVES.


Roll waves in Cabana lateral canal, Peru.

  • ROLL WAVES CAN BE AVOIDED WITH SEQUENTIAL DROPS.


Drops in steep La Joya canal, Peru.

  • STEADY UNIFORM FLOW:

  • ARTIFICIAL CHANNELS: THERE IS NO CHANGE IN VELOCITY AND FLOW DEPTH.

  • VELOCITY HEAD IS CONSTANT.

  • EGL AND W.S. WILL HAVE SAME SLOPE AS CHANNEL BOTTOM.

  • PRISMATIC CHANNEL: CHANNEL OF CONSTANT CROSS SECTION.

  • NORMAL DEPTH: FLOW IN UNIFORM CHANNEL.

  • NET FORCE ACTING ON FLOW IS ZERO.

  • ALL FORCES ARE BALANCED.

  • GRAVITATIONAL FORCE EQUALS RESISTANCE FORCE.



  • THE FORCE BALANCE EQUATION IS:

  • W sin θ = τo P Δx

  • τo = SHEAR STRESS ALONG THE BOTTOM

  • θ = ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF CHANNEL BOTTOM

  • P = WETTED PERIMETER OF CHANNEL CROSS SECTION


Gravitational and resistance forces under uniform flow.

  • SINCE: W = γ A Δx

  • γ A Δx sin θ = τo P Δx

  • τo = γ (A/P) sin θ

  • BECAUSE θ IS SMALL: sin θ ≅ tan θ = So

  • τo = γ (A/P) So

  • τo = γ R So

  • R = HYDRAULIC RADIUS


  • THE SHEAR STRESS CAN ALSO BE EXPRESSED AS THE QUADRATIC LAW:

  • τo = Cd ρ V2 = Cd (γ/g) V2

  • Cd IS A DRAG OR FRICTION COEFFICIENT, WHICH IS DIMENSIONLESS

    N/M2 = Cd [(N/M3)/(M/S2) ] (M2/S2)

  • Cd ρ V2 = γ R So

  • V = (g/Cd) 0.5 (R So) 0.5

  • V = C (R So) 0.5

  • C = CHEZY COEFFICIENT

  • Cd = f/8

  • IF f = 0.024, Cd = 0.003

  • V = (8g/f) 0.5 (R So) 0.5

  • THIS IS A FORM OF THE DARCY-WEISBACH EQUATION APPLIED TO OPEN CHANNELS

  • V2= (8g/f) R So

  • V2= (8g/f) R (hf/L)

  • V2= (2g/f) 4R (hf/L)

  • hf = f [L/(4R)] (V2/ 2g)

  • THIS IS THE SAME AS DARCY-WEISBACH, BUT WITH (4R) INSTEAD OF D.

  • SINCE 4R = D IN A PIPE, THE HYDRAULIC RADIUS IS AN EQUIVALENT MEASURE OF CROSS SECTION IN AN OPEN CHANNEL

  • R = A/P = [πD2/4]/(πD) = D/4

  • V = (8g/f)0.5 (R So)0.5

  • Q = A V = (8g/f) 0.5 A (R So)0.5

  • IN ROCK-BEDDED STREAMS:

  • f = [1.2 + 2.3 log (R/d84) ]-2

  • d84 = diameter for which 84% by weight is smaller.


Rock Creek near Darby, Montana.

  • HYDRAULIC DEPTH IN A CHANNEL: D = A/T

  • HYDRAULIC RADIUS: R = A/P

  • IN A WIDE CHANNEL: T ≅ P

  • THEREFORE: R ≅ D

  • V = (8g/f)0.5 (D So)0.5

  • V2 = (8g/f) D So

  • So = (f/8) [V2/(gD)]

  • So = (f/8) F2

  • F IS THE FROUDE NUMBER = V /(gD)0.5

  • For F = 1:   So = Sc = f/8

  • So = Sc F2


  • EXAMPLE 4-1

  • DETERMINE THE DISCHARGE IN A LONG, RECTANGULAR CONCRETE CHANNEL THAT IS 5-FT WIDE, SLOPE = 0.002, AND WITH SECTION DEPTH = 2 FT.

  • ASSUME ROUGHNESS OF CONCRETE ks = 0.005 ft. (range for concrete 0.001-0.01)

  • A = (2) (5) = 10

  • R = A/P = 10 /( 2 + 2 + 5) = 1.11 FT.

  • ks / (4R) = (0.005) /(4 X 1.11) = 0.00113

  • ASSUME REYNOLDS NUMBER Re = 106

  • FROM MOODY DIAGRAM: f ≅ 0.02

  • FIRST TRIAL OF Q:

  • Q = (8g/f) 0.5 A (R So)0.5

  • Q = [(8)(32.2)/(0.02) ]0.5 10 [(1.11)(0.002)]0.5

  • Q = 53.5 CFS

  • V = Q/A = 5.35 FPS

  • ASSUME TEMPERATURE = 60 oF

  • KINEMATIC VISCOSITY ν = 1.22 X 10-5 FT2/SEC

  • Re = V (4R)/ν = 5.35 (4) (1.11) / 0.0000122 = 1.95 X 106

  • FROM MOODY DIAGRAM: f ≅ 0.02

  • THEN: Q = 53.5 CFS.



    THE MANNING EQUATION

  • WHEN THE CHEZY COEFFICIENT IS NOT A CONSTANT, BUT RATHER A FUNCTION OF THE HYDRAULIC RADIUS:

  • C = (1.49/n) R1/6

  • CHEZY EQUATION: V = C (R So)1/2

  • MANNING EQUATION: V = (1.49/n) R1/6 (R So)1/2

  • MANNING EQUATION: V = (1.49/n) R 2/3 So1/2

  • DISCHARGE: Q = (1.49/n) A R 2/3 So1/2

  • CALCULATION OF EXAMPLE b = 5 ft; y = 2 ft; z = 0; S = 0.002. ASSUME n = 0.013

  • RESULT: Q = 54.83 CFS (COMPARE WITH PREVIOUS RESULT).

  • THE RESISTANCE FACTOR IN OPEN CHANNELS IS A FUNCTION OF THE CHANNEL ROUGHNESS, AMONG OTHER FACTORS.

  • THE RESISTANCE FACTOR IN FLOOD PLAINS.


    FLOW IN CIRCULAR CONDUITS

  • HIGHWAY CULVERTS AND URBAN SEWERS ARE EXAMPLES OF CIRCULAR OPEN CHANNELS.

  • THE DISCHARGE IS PROPORTIONAL TO A R2/3

  • THE VELOCITY IS PROPORTIONAL TO R2/3


  • THE RATIO Q/Qo = (A R2/3)/(Ao Ro2/3) IS INDEPENDENT OF THE ROUGHNESS OR SLOPE, WHERE Q IS DISCHARGE FOR A GIVEN DEPTH AND Qo IS THE DISCHARGE WHEN THE CONDUIT FLOW FULL (CONSTANT n ASSUMED).

  • THE MAXIMUM DISCHARGE OCCURS AT A DEPTH LESS THAN FULL.

  • AS THE CONDUIT GETS FULL, THE WETTED PERIMETER INCREASES MUCH FASTER THAN THE AREA, THUS DECREASING THE HYDRAULIC RADIUS.


    EXAMPLE 4-2

    DETERMINE THE DISCHARGE IN A 3-FT DIAMETER SEWER PIPE IF THE DEPTH OF FLOW IS 1 FT, SLOPE = 0.0019, n = 0.012.

  • USE FIG. 4-6, WITH n = 0.012 and S= 0.0019. FROM THIS FIGURE: Qo = 30 CFS.


  • y/do = 0.3333

  • FROM FIG. 4-5: Q/Qo = 0.2

  • Q = 0.2 Qo = 0.2 (30) = 6 CFS.

  • COMPARE WITH ONLINE CALCULATION.

  • RESULT: Q = 7.55 CFS (THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE).


    FLOW IN CONDUITS OF TRAPEZOIDAL CROSS SECTION

  • TO ASSIST IN SOLVING PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE FLOW IN TRAPEZOIDAL CHANNELS:

  • THE DIMENSIONLESS FACTOR AR2/3/b8/3 IS PLOTTED VS y/b (Fig. 4-7).

    EXAMPLE 4-3

    DETERMINE THE NORMAL DEPTH FOR A TRAPEZOIDAL CHANNEL WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS:

  • SIDE SLOPES OF 1 VERTICAL TO 2 HORIZONTAL (z = 2);

  • b = 8 ft, Q = 200 cfs, So= 0.001, n = 0.012.


  • THE MANNING EQUATION (EQ. 4-7) CAN BE WRITTEN AS:

  • A R2/3 = Q n / (1.49 So1/2 )

  • A R 2/3/b8/3 = Q n / (1.49 So1/2b8/3)

  • SINCE: Q = 200 CFS, n= 0.012; So= 0.001; b= 8 ft

  • EVALUATE THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE:

  • A R2/3/b8/3 = 200 (0.012) / [1.49 (0.001)1/2(8)8/3]

  • A R 2/3/b8/3 = 0.199

  • FROM FIG. 4-7:   y/b = 0.33.

  • THEN: y = 0.33 (8) = 2.64 FT.

  • COMPARE WITH ONLINE CALCULATION.

  • RESULT: y = 2.63 FT (SAME RESULT).


    DESIGN OF ERODIBLE CHANNELS

  • THE CHANNEL WILL ERODE IF THE VELOCITY IS TOO LARGE.

  • TWO METHODS:

    -- PERMISSIBLE VELOCITY METHOD

    -- PERMISSIBLE TRACTIVE FORCE METHOD.

  • DESIGN PROCEDURE:

    -- CHOOSE SIDE SLOPE z THAT WOULD BE STABLE (TABLE 4.2).



    -- CHOOSE MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE VELOCITY V (TABLE 4.3).



    -- WITH Q, V, n, S, and z, CALCULATE b AND y.



All-American Canal, near Yuma, California.

    EXAMPLE 4-4

    AN UNLINED IRRIGATION CANAL IS TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN A FIRM LOAM SOIL. THE SLOPE IS 0.0006, AND Q = 100 CFS. DETERMINE THE CHANNEL DIMENSIONS z, b AND y.

  • CHOOSE SIDE SLOPE z = 1.5 H : 1 V (TABLE 4-2)

  • CHOOSE V= 2.5 FPS (TABLE 4-3)

  • CHOOSE n= 0.020.

  • CALCULATE HYDRAULIC RADIUS FROM MANNING EQUATION:

  • V = (1.49/n) R2/3S 1/2

  • R = [nV/(1.49S1/2)]3/2 =

  • R = [(0.02)(2.50) /(1.49 X 0.00061/2)] 3/2 = 1.6

  • A = Q/V = 100/2.5 = 40 sq ft.

  • P = A/R = 40/1.6 = 25.

  • A = y ( b + 1.5 y) = by + 1.5 y2 = 40

  • P = b + 2 (y2 + 1.52y2 ) 1/2 = b + 3.61y = 25

  • b = 18.1; y = 1.91; say b = 18.0 and y = 2.0

  • COMPARE WITH ONLINE CALCULATION, ASSUMING B = 18 FT.

  • RESULT: V = 2.5 FPS; y = 1.92 FT (SAME RESULT).


    PROJECT SCOPE

  • WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS INCLUDES OTHER STRUCTURES IN ADDITION TO CHANNELS

  • INTAKE WORKS, FLUMES, CHECKS, DROPS, AND TRANSITIONS.


Crossing of Tinajones Feeder Canal with Chiriquipe Creek, Peru.


Creek crossing with Wellton-Mohawk Feeder Canal, Arizona.


Drops in Cabana lateral canal, Peru.


  • DIVERSION DAM IS CONSTRUCTED SO AS TO MAINTAIN A WATER LEVEL HIGH ENOUGH IN THE RIVER TO BE ABLE TO ALWAYS DIVERT THE REQUIRED FLOW INTO THE MAIN IRRIGATION CANAL.

  • THE INTAKE TO THE MAIN CANAL CONSISTS OF A CANAL ENTRANCE STRUCTURE, INCLUDING GATES FOR CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE INTO THE CANAL.

  • WASTEWAYS ARE OFTEN PROVIDED AT INTERVALS ALONG THE MAIN CANAL IF AN EMERGENCY DEVELOPS WHERE DOWNSTREAM WATER USE IS STOPPED.

  • A FLUME IS USED TO CONVEY WATER ACROSS A DEPRESSION.


Dulzura flume (conduit), downstream of Barrett Dam, San Diego County
(Note that the flume was overflowing on March 8, 2005).

  • AN INVERTED SIPHON COULD BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.


Inverted siphon, Cabana irrigation canal, Peru.

  • TRANSITIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR SMOOTH PASSAGE OF WATER FROM CANAL TO FLUME.

  • CHECK STRUCTURE CONTROLS WATER SURFACE LEVEL ON A CANAL TO MAINTAIN HIGH WATER SO THAT WATER CAN BE DIVERTED INTO SECONDARY CANAL.

  • DROP STRUCTURE IS A VERY STEEP CHANNEL.


Tinajones Feeder canal drop, Peru.

  • BAFFLED DROP STRUCTURE IS SHOWN IN FIG. 4-10.

  • SECONDARY CANAL DRAWS WATER FROM THE CANAL THROUGH THEIR OWN INTAKE STRUCTURES.

  • FARM LATERALS TAKE WATER FROM THE SECONDARY CANALS.



    STEADY-NONUNIFORM FLOW IN OPEN CHANNELS

  • THE ENERGY EQUATION IS:

  • p1/γ + α1V12/(2g) + z1 = p2/γ + α2V22/(2g) + z2 + hL

  • p1/γ = pressure head at point 1

  • α1V12/(2g) = velocity head at point 1

  • z1 = elevation (head) at point 1

  • hL = head loss between points 1 and 2


  • p1/γ + z1 = y1 + So Δx

  • p2/γ + z2 = y2

  • ASSUMING α1 = α2 = 1:

  • y1 + V12/(2g) + So Δx = y2 + V22/(2g) + hL

  • FOR THE SPECIAL CASE WHEN CHANNEL IS HORIZONTAL (So = 0), AND THE HEAD LOSS IS ZERO (hL = 0):

  • y1 + V12/(2g) = y2 + V22/(2g)

  • THIS MAY BE THE CASE OF A HORIZONTAL AND SHORT CHANNEL.

  • SPECIFIC ENERGY:

    E = y + V2/(2g)

  • THE CONTINUITY EQUATION IS:

  • Q = A1V1 = A2V2

  • y1 + Q2/(2gA12) = y2 + Q2/(2g A22)

  • BECAUSE A = f (y), FOR A GIVEN DISCHARGE, THE SPECIFIC ENERGY IS SOLELY A FUNCTION OF FLOW DEPTH.

  • FUNCTION y vs E IS SHOWN BELOW.



  • FOR A GIVEN SPECIFIC ENERGY, THE DEPTH CAN BE LARGE OR SMALL.

  • FOR LOW DEPTH, VELOCITY IS HIGH;

  • FOR HIGH DEPTH, VELOCITY IS LOW.

  • POTENTIAL ENERGY (DEPTH) AND KINETIC ENERGY (VELOCITY).

  • FLOW UNDER A SLUICE GATE IS AN EXAMPLE OF FLOW WITH TWO DEPTHS.

  • THE LARGE DEPTH AND LOW KINETIC ENERGY OCCURS UPSTREAM OF THE GATE.

  • THE LOW DEPTH AND HIGH KINETIC ENERGY OCCURS DOWNSTREAM OF THE SLUICE GATE.

  • THE TWO DEPTHS AT WHICH SAME FLOW CAN OCCUR ARE CALLED ALTERNATE DEPTHS.

  • IF WE MAINTAIN SAME RATE OF FLOW, BUT SET THE GATE WITH A LARGER OPENING, THE U/S DEPTH WILL DROP AND THE D/S DEPTH WILL RISE.

  • THUS, WE HAVE DIFFERENT ALTERNATE DEPTHS AND A SMALLER VALUE OF SPECIFIC ENERGY.

  • A POINT IS REACHED WHEN THE SPECIFIC ENERGY IS A MINIMUM, AND ONLY A SINGLE DEPTH OCCURS.

  • AT THIS POINT, THE FLOW IS TERMED CRITICAL.


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