OPEN CHANNEL FLOW
UNIFORM AND NON-UNIFORM FLOW
Open channel flow, for example flow in rivers, canals and sewers not flowing
full, is characterized by the presence of the interface between the liquid surface
and the atmosphere.
Unlike full pipe flow, where the pressure is normally above or sometimes below atmospheric
pressure, the pressure on the surface of the liquid in open channel flow is always that of the ambient
atmosphere.
UNIFORM FLOW RESISTANCE
The nature of the boundary resistance is identical to that of full pipe flow, and the Darcy–
Weisbach equation for non-circular sections may be applied.
𝒉𝑳
𝑺=
𝑳
𝒇𝒗𝟐
𝑺=
𝟖𝒈𝑹𝒉
𝑨 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘
𝑹𝒉 = =
𝑷 𝑾𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓
In addition to the Darcy–Weisbach equation, the Manning equation is widely used in open
channel water flow computations. This was derived from the Chezy equation:
𝒗 = 𝑪√𝑹𝒉 𝑺 *any shape
*metric
where:
𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔′ 𝑠 𝐶:
𝟏 *pipes and channels
𝑪= (𝑹 )𝟏/𝟔 *any shape
𝒏 𝒉 *metric
𝟏
𝒗= (𝑹 )𝟏/𝟔 (𝑹𝒉 𝑺)𝟏/𝟐
𝒏 𝒉
𝟏 𝟐/𝟑 𝟏/𝟐 *any shape
𝒗= 𝑹 𝑺 *metric
𝒏 𝒉
𝑲𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓′ 𝒔 𝑪:
𝟏 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟓𝟓
+ 𝟐𝟑 +
𝑪= 𝒏 𝑺 *any shape
𝒏 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟓𝟓 *metric
𝟏+ (𝟐𝟑 + )
𝑹𝒉 𝑺
𝑩𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏′𝒔 𝑪:
𝟖𝟕 *any shape
𝑪= 𝒎
𝟏+ *metric
√𝑹𝒉
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚:
𝒗𝟐 *any shape
𝑬=𝒅+ *English & metric
𝟐𝒈
𝑩𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔:
*pipes & channels
𝝉 = 𝜸𝑹𝒉 𝑺 *any shape
*English & metric
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
Problem 37:
A fluid is flowing through a circular pipe 600 mm in diameter. The depth of flow is 450 mm. The
velocity of flow is 0.21 m/s.
a. What is the hydraulic radius?
b. What is the cross-sectional area of flow in m2?
c. What is the flow rate in L/s?
Problem 38:
A rectangular channel has a base width of 3m and depth of flow is 1.20m. If n=0.012 and
S=0.005
a. Hydraulic Radius
b. Manning’s C
c. Determine the discharge at the channel
Problem 39:
A trapezoidal canal with a base of 3m has sides sloped at 1 horizontal to 2 vertical. If water flows
at a depth of 1.2m and n=0.012 while the stream slope is 0.005;
a. Hydraulic Radius
b. Velocity of the flow
c. Flow rate
Problem 40:
A trapezoidal canal with a base of 2m has its sides sloping at 45deg with the horizontal. If water
flows at a depth of 1m and Manning’s coefficient is n=0.014 and the length of the canal is 500m;
a. Hydraulic Radius
b. Manning’s C
c. Head loss if Q=30m3/sec
Problem 41:
Water flows in a rectangular channel 10m wide and 1.2m deep at a rate of 18.40m 3/sec. Use
n=0.012
a. Slope of the channel
b. Specific Energy
c. Boundary Shear Stress
Problem 42:
Water flows through an almost level channel 3m wide at a rate of 12m3/sec. The depth
gradually increases from 1m to 1.10m over a length of flow of 5m
a. Head loss
b. Slope of the energy grade line
c. Roughness coefficient
Problem 43:
A rectangular flume of planed timber (n=0.012) is 5ft wide and carries 60ft3/sec of water. The
bed slope is 0.0006. At a certain section the depth is 3ft and it decreased to 2.5ft to another section.
Use:
𝟏. 𝟒𝟗 𝟐 𝟏
𝒗= (𝑹𝒉 )𝟑 (𝑺)𝟐 *English system
𝒏 *Any shape
a. Slope of the energy grade line
b. Distance between the two sections
c. Headloss
Problem 44
A rectangular channel 12m wide is laid on a slope of 0.0028. The depth of flow at one section is
1.50m while the depth of flow at another section 500m downstream is 1.80m. Use n=0.026
a. Head loss
b. Slope of energy grade line
c. Rate of flow
