DESIGN OF HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES

ALLUVIAL CHANNEL DESIGN

KENNEDYS THEORY
R. G. Kennedy 1895
Non-silting non-scouring reaches for 30 years in Upper Bari Doab
Canal (UBDC) system.

Vertical eddies generated from the bed are responsible for keeping
silt in suspension.
Critical velocity
Mean velocity which keeps the channel free from silting and
scouring.
Vo = 0.55 D0.64
which can be written in general form as,
Vo = C Dn
where, Vo = critical velocity, D = depth of water
C = constant and
n = index number

Later on realizing the channel material (sandy silt in UBDC),

he modified the equation as
Vo = 0.55 m D0.64
or
V o = C m Dn
where,
m = C.V.R = Critical Velocity Ratio = V/Vo ; V = actual velocity
m = 1.1 1.2
m = 0.7 0.9
m = 0.85

coarser sand
finer sand
Sindh canals

Values of C (the constant in Kennedys Eq.) and m (the

Critical Velocity Ratio, CVR) for various grades of silt
Type of silt grade
C
m
Coarser silt
0.7
1.3
Sandy loam silt
0.65
1.2
Coarse light sandy silt
0.59
1.1
Light sandy silt
0.53
1.0

Rugosity coefficient
Kennedy used Kutters equation for determining the mean velocity of flow in
the channel

1 0.00155
23
N
S
V
0.00155 N

1 23

RS

Where N depends upon the boundary material

Channel condition
Very good
Good
Indifferent
Poor

N
0.0225
0.025
0.0275
0.03

Discharge (cumec)
14 140
140 280
> 280

N (in ordinary soil)

0.025
0.0225
0.02

Water Surface Slope

No relationship by Kennedy.
Governed by available ground slope.
Different sections for different slopes.
Woods normal design table for B/D ratio.
Silt Carrying Capacity of Channel
Qt = K B Vo0.25
where
Qt = total quantity of silt transported
B = bed width
Vo = critical velocity
K = constant, whose value was not determined by Kennedy

Modification for Sindh Canals

In 1940, while designing Guddu Barrage project canals, K. K. Framji
proposed B/D ratio for Sindh canals as:

B
3.5Q1 6 1.5
D

Discharge
B/D ratio for
standard section
m3/sec

B/D ratio for

limiting section

100

6.0

4.0

1000

8.4

5.0

5000

13.0

8.0

Design Procedure
Case I : Given Q, N, m and S (from L-section)
1.
Assume D
2.
Calculate velocity from Kennedys equation, VK = 0.55 m D0.64
3.
Calculate area, A = Q / VK
4.
Calculate B from A = B D + z D2 ; assume side slope 1(V) : (H),
if not given.
5.
Calculate wetted perimeter and hydraulic mean depth from;
P B 5D

A BD 0.5D 2
R
P
B 5D
6.

Determine mean velocity from Chezys equation, Vc =C (RS)

if Vc = Vk then O.K.
otherwise repeat the above procedure with another value of D
until Vc = Vk.
Note: increse D if Vk < Vc
decrease D if Vk > Vc

Problem:
Design an irrigation channel for the following data using Kennedys
theory:
Full Supply Discharge (F.S.Q) = 14.16 cumec
Slope, S = 1/5000
Kutters rugosity coefficient, N = 0.0225
Critical velocity ratio, m =1
Side slope, z =

Solution:
1. Assume D = 1.72 m
2. Vk = 0.55 m D0.64 =0.55(1)(1.72)0.64 = 0.778 m
3. A = Q/Vk = 14.16/0.778 = 18.2 m2
4. A = B D + 0.5 D2 for z =1/2 or 0.5
18.2 = 1.72 B + 0.5(1.72)2
B = 9.72 m

5. P B 5D 9.72 5 (1.72) 13.566 m

R = A / P = 18.2 / 13.566 = 1.342 m

6.

1 0.00155

N
S
Vc
0.00155 N

1 23

R
23

RS

1
0.00155

0.0225 1 5000
Vc
1.3421 5000

0.00155 0.0225

1 23
1 5000 1.342

23

Vc = 0.771 m
0.778 m

Result:
B = 9.72 m
D = 1.72 m

EXAMPLE PROBLEM
Q = 80 m3/sec
S = 1:5500 = 0.00018 m/m
m=1
DATA
Assume D = 2.5 m
Vk = 0.55 D0.64 = 0.989 m/sec
A = 80.918 m2
Side Slope = 1V:1.5H
n = 0.0225
A = B D+ 1.5D2
B = 28.617 m
P = 32.223 m
R = A/ P = 2.511 m
Using Kutters Formula in S.I. Units
C = 52.479
Vc = CRS = 1.121 m/sec
Keep on trailing till Vc = Vk

D
1.5
1.803

PROBLEM
Design an irrigation channel using Kennedys theory that irrigates
a cultral commanded area of 50,000 hectares. Given that delta of
the crops is 0.12 m/month, slope of country is 1 in 4000 and
Kutters rugosity coefficient is 0.023. Assume the missing data.

A BD 0.5D 2 yD 2 0.5D 2

A D 2 ( y 0.5) (1)

Q D 2 ( y 0.5).(0.55mD0.64 )

Q
D

0.55m y 0.5

1 2.64

BD 0.5D 2
R
B 5D

Problem:
Using Kennedys theory design an irrigation channel to carry a
discharge of 56.63 cumec. Assume N = 0.0225, m = 1.03 and B/D =
11.3.

Solution:
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

B/D = 11.3, therefore B = 11.3 D

A = B D + 0.5 D2 =11.3 D2 + 0.5 D2 = 11.8 D2
V = 0.55 m D0.64 = 0.55 (1.03) D0.64 = 0.5665 D0.64
Q=AV
56.63 = (11.8 D2 ) (0.5665 D0.64 )
D = 2.25 m
B = 11.3 (2.25) = 25.43 m
R=A/P
A = B D + 0.5 D2 = (25.43)(2.25) + 0.5 (2.25)2 = 59.75 m2
P = B + 5 D = 25.43 + 5 (2.25) = 30.46 m
R = 59.75 / 30.46 = 1.96 m

6.
7.

V = 0.55 m D0.64 = 0.55 (1.03) (2.25)0.64 = 0.95 m/sec

1 0.00155

N
S
V
0.00155 N

1 23

R
23

RS

1
0.00155

0.0225
S
0.95
(1.96) S
0
.
00155
0
.
0225

1 23

1.96
Simplifying, we get;
67.44 S3/2 0.93 S + 1.55x10-3 S1/2 = 1.68x105
Solving by trial and error, we get
S = 1 in 5720
23

Results:
B = 25.43 m
D = 2.25 m
S = 1 / 5720

Case III : Given S, N, m and B/D

1. From the B/D ratio, determine B in terms of D.

2. Determine A, P and R in terms of D.

3. From Kennedys equation, determine velocity (Vk) in terms of D.

4. Putting values of N, S and R in the Chezys equation and Kutters

formula, determine velocity (Vc). Simplify the expression, and solve it

by trail and error for D.

5. Knowing D, calculate B, A and Vk.

6. Using continuity equation, determine the discharge (Q).

Problem:
Design a section by Kennedys theory, given B/D = 5.7, S = 1/(5000+X)
and N = 0.0225. Also determine the discharge carried by the channel.

Solution:
B/D = 5.7, B = 5.7 D
Assuming z =
BD 0.5D 2 5.7 D 2 0.5D 2 6.2 D 2
R

0.78D
7
.
94
D
B 5D
5.7 D 5D

Since V = 0.55 m D0.64

Assuming m =1
V = 0.55 D0.64 ---------- (1)
1 0.00155

N
S
V
0.00155 N

1 23

R
23

Also

RS

1
0.00155

0.0225 1 5000
V

0.00155 0.0225

1 23
1
5000

0.78D
23

0.78D1 5000

0.939 D
2
0.783 D

Equating equation (1) and (2)

0.939 D
0.55D 0.64
0.783 D
0.55 D1.14 0.939 D + 0.43 D0.64 = 0
By trial and error
D = 2.1 m
B = 5.7 x 2.1 = 11.97 m
A = B D + z D2 = (11.97 x 2.1) + 0.5 (2.1)2 = 14.175 m2
V = 0.55 (2.1)0.64 = 0.884 m/sec
Q = A V = (14,175)(0.884) = 12.53 m3/sec.

Results:
B = 11.97 m
D = 2.1 m
Q = 12.53 cumec

Shortcomings of Kennedys theory

1.

The method involves trial and error.

2.

Shape of section i.e. B/D is not known in

advance.

3.

Kutters equation is used instead of Mannings

equation. Therefore limitations of Kutters
formula are also incorporated in Kennedys
theory.
Moreover
it
involves
more
computations.