6-10 Summary

189

multaneous solution algorithm based on the Newton-Raphson method was

presented.

Problems
6.1. Derive Eq. 6-3 by using the principle of conservation of momentum. (Hint:
Apply Newtons second law of motion to a short channel length, x).
6.2. A 10-m wide, rectangular, concrete-lined canal has a bottom slope of 0.01
and a constant-level lake at the upstream end. The water level in the lake is
6.0 m above the bottom of the canal at the entrance. If the entrance losses
are negligible, determine
i. The ow depth 800 m downstream of the canal entrance; and
ii. The distance from the lake where the ow depth is 2.5 m.
6.3. A trapezoidal channel having a bottom slope of 0.001 is carrying a ow
of 75 m3 /s. The channel bottom is 50 m wide, n = 0.025, and the channel
side slopes are 1 vertical to 1.5 horizontal. If a control structure is built at the
downstream end that raises the water depth at the downstream end to 12 m,
determine the amount by which the channel banks must be raised along its
length. Assume the channel had uniform ow prior to the construction of the
control structure.
6.4. A 5 km long lined canal has a free overfall at the lower end and a constantlevel reservoir at the upper end. If the critical depth at the fall is 4 m, determine the minimum water level in the lake assuming n = 0.013 and the head
losses at the entrance = 0.2V 2 /(2g). The canal bottom width is 8.0 m, side
slopes are 1V : 1.5V, and the channel bottom slope is 0.0001.
6.5. Figure 6-14 shows the cross section of a natural stream. The channel
bottom slope is 0.0002, n = 0.035, and the discharge is 80 m3 /s. If the ow
depth at a bridge crossing is 8.0 m, determine the ow depth 3.0 km upstream
of the bridge.
6.6. Develop computer programs to compute the water-surface prole in a
trapezoidal channel having a free overfall at the downstream end. To compute
the prole, use the following methods:
i. Direct step method
ii. Standard Step method
iii. Euler method
iv. Modied Euler method and
v. Fourth-order Runge-Kutta method

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6 COMPUTATION OF GRADUALLY VARIED FLOW

Fig. 6-14.

Channel cross section for Prob. 6-5

6.7. By using the computer programs of Prob. 6-6, compute, plot, and compare the water-surface prole in a trapezoidal channel having the following
data:
Bottom width = 20.0 m
Side slopes = 2 horizontal to 1 vertical
Manning n = 0.013
Discharge = 30 m3 /s
Channel bottom slope = 0.00015
A free-overfall at the downstream end
Select appropriate values for the ow depths in method (i) and appropriate
distance locations in methods (ii) to (v) of Prob. 6-6.
6.8. Investigate the sensitivity of the computed water level at a distance of 5
km upstream from the outfall by using dierent increments for the ow depth
and dierent distance locations in Prob. 6-4.
6.9. Write a computer program to compute the water-surface prole in a
trapezoidal channel having steep bottom slope. The water-level in a constantlevel lake located at the upper end is 1.0 m above the normal depth in the
channel. Neglect the entrance losses.
6.10. Use the computer program of Prob. 6-9 to determine the ow depth 0.5
km downstream from the lake outlet.
6.11. Verify the validity of the computer programs developed in Prob. 6-6
by comparing the computed results with those obtained from the following
equation for a very wide channel derived by Bresse [Bresse, 1860; Rouse, 1950]:


y
C2
1
x=

yn

So
So
g
In this equation, the Bresse function is
 
 2

1
1
3
w +w+1
+ C1
= ln
tan1
6
(w 1)2
2w
+
1
3

6-10 Summary

191

w = y/yn ; C1 = a constant of integration; y = ow depth at distance x; yn =

normal depth; So = bottom slope; and C = Chezy constant.
[Hint: Solve and compare the results for ow in a 500-m wide, rectangular
channel with So = 0.0008 and C = 100 for a ow of Q = 500 m3 /s. Assume
the critical depth occurs 10 m upstream of the free overfall].
6.12. By using the Euler, modied Euler, and fourth-order Runge-Kutta
methods, compute the ow depth 1 km upstream of the fall of Prob. 6-11
by using x = 25, 50, 100, and 200 m. By assuming the results of the Bresse
equation to be exact, compute and plot the error versus x.
6.13. A meandering river (Fig. 6-15) has a bottom slope of 0.1 m/ km. The
stations as marked are distances, in km, along the river from point A. To
reduce ooding, it is planned to provide cutos as shown. The river bottom
at point F is at El. 500 and the water level at F for a ow of 500 m3 /s is at
El. 505. The Manning n for the river channel and for the cuto are 0.050 and
0.020 respectively. The river channel is 500 m wide and the cutos are 150 m
wide.
Compute the water level at point A if
i. There are no cutos
ii. Only cuto BD is provided
iii. Both cutos BD and CE are provided.

Fig. 6-15.

Meandering river and cutos

6.14. Figure 6-16 shows the tailrace system of a hydroelectric power plant.
If the water level at the downstream weir is at El. 504.00 for a ow of 1688
m3 /s, determine the water levels in each manifold.

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6 COMPUTATION OF GRADUALLY VARIED FLOW

Fig. 6-16.

Tailrace system of a hydropower plant

6.15. Prove that all three formulations for the approximation of the friction
slope (Eq. 6-13) give identical results if the terms of the order (Sf /Sf 1 )2
and higher are neglected. In this expression, Sf = Sf 2 Sf 1 .
6.16. In order to reduce the height of the Pont du Gard for the Roman Aqueduct of Nimes (Fig. 4-9), the bottom slope of the upstream part was increased
[Hauck and Novak, 1987]. This resulted in reducing the available bottom slope
downstream of the crossing. There has been heavy incrustation of the aqueduct due to low velocities and due to some other factors. If you were the
designer rehabilitating the aqueduct, list the modications you would propose to maximize the ow capacity with minimum structural modication

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193

to the channel cross sections (you may raise or lower the channel). Analyze
and compare the eect of these modications on the ow capacity, costs, and
available freeboard along the length. Which modication you prefer and why?
By assuming that the incrustation progressed as shown in Fig. 6-17, compute and plot the water levels in the aqueduct for ows of 210 and 450 l/s.

Fig. 6-17.

Possible scenarios for progressive incrustation (After Hauck

and Novak, 1987)

6.17. Plot the water surface prole in the outlet of Problem 3-18.
6.18. Debris accumulation at a bridge raised the water level to 12 ft. The
trapezoidal ood channel is 20 ft wide at the bottom, has side slopes of 2H :
1V, and the channel bottom slope is 0.0003. How far will the eect of clogging
extend for a ow of 800 ft3 /sec.
6.19. A 10-ft square box culvert is 150 ft long and is laid at a slope of 0.01.
The ow depth upstream of the entrance is 15 ft. The accumulation of debris
at a channel crossing 0.5 miles downstream of the culvert raises the water
level by 5 ft at the crossing. The channel is trapezoidal in shape, 10 ft wide
at the bottom and has side slopes of 1V : 1.5H. If the channel bottom level
drops 1.2 ft from the culvert exit to the crossing, compute and plot the water
surface proles in the channel and inside the culvert. Assume the channel had
uniform ow prior to the accumulation of debris.

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6 COMPUTATION OF GRADUALLY VARIED FLOW

6.20. A 10-m wide, rectangular, concrete-lined channel (n = 0.013) has a

bottom slope of 0.01. There is a constant-level lake at the upstream end with
the lake water surface 5 m above the channel bottom. If the ow depth at the
channel entrance is critical, determine the locations where the ow depth is
3.9, 3.7, 3.5, 3.3, and 3.0 m.
6.21. A rectangular canal is 10 m wide and carries a ow of 50 m3 /s. The
bottom and sides of the canal are concrete-lined, the longitudinal bottom slope
is 0.0006 and the canal ends in a free outfall. What is the depth of ow 2 km
upstream of the fall? Assume the concrete lining has deteriorated somewhat
due to weathering.
If the ow depth is critical at a distance of 4yc upstream of the fall, compute
the water surface prole in the canal.
6.22. A trapezoidal channel with bottom width of 10 m and side slopes of
1V:1.5H is carrying a ow of 80 m3 /s. The channel bottom slope is 0.002 and
n = 0.015. A dam is planned that will raise the ow depth to 10 m. Compute
the ow depth in the channel 250, 500, and 750 m upstream of the dam.
6.23. The normal depth in a 10-m wide rectangular channel having a bottom
slope of 0.001 is 2 m. The Manning n for the ow surfaces may be assumed to
be 0.020. The construction of a bridge raises the water level upstream of the
bridge by 1 m. Determine the distance from the bridge where the ow depth
in 2.5 m.
6.24. Compute the discharge in a rock channel (n = 0.035) having a bottom
slope of 0.001 and ow depth of 3 ft. What is the critical depth at this ow?
Is the ow critical, subcritical, or supercritical?
6.25. The normal depth in a 10 m wide rectangular channel with a bottom
slope of 0.001 is 2 m. The Manning n for the ow surfaces is 0.020. The channel
is constricted to build a bridge which raises the water level on the upstream
side of the bridge by 2 m. Determine the distance from the bridge where the
ow depth is 3.5 m.

References
Bakhmete, B. A., 1932, Hydraulics of Open Channels, McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
New York, NY.
Berztiss, A.T., 1971, Data StructuresTheory and Practice, Academic Press,
Inc., New York, NY.
Boudine, E.J., 1861, De laxe hydraulique des cours deau contenus dans un
lit prismatique et des dispositifs realisant, en pratique, ses formes diverses
(The ow proles of water in a prismatic channel and actual dispositions in
various forms), Annales des travaux publiques de Belgique, Brussels, vol. 20,
397-555.