DESIGN OF CHANNEL FOR

UNIFORM FLOW
Involves selection of channel alignment, shape, size,
and bed slope and whether the channel should be
lined to reduce seepage and/ or to prevent the erosion of
channel sides and bottom.
General requirements for channel design
Capable of transporting water (based on design
discharge between two points safely
Cost Effective
Design for
Lined Channel (non erodible)
Unlined Channel (erodible) 1
 .

.
.

.
Channel .
Design

. .
.

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 Channel capacity

Irrigation

Effective Discharge drainage

section shape
purpose floodway

transportation

Channel Alignment
Available
dimensions Channel
land Topography
width Design
Slope

Cost
Lined or Types of
effective
unlined ? soil Costt
Types of
lining Environmental
shape
friendly
velocity Roughness coefficient
HAVE YOU EVER
SEEN A ‘RIVER’
OVER A RIVER?
This is engineering !!

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This is a Magdeburg canal-bridge over the River Elbe and joins
the former East and West Germany .

Six years to complete, cost 500 million Euros, 918 meters

long, 36 m wide and 4 m high

Construction started as early as in the 1930s but due to the

World War 2 and subsequent division of Germany the work
remained suspended till 1997. The aqueduct was finally
completed and opened to the public in 2003.

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Magdeburg Canal Bridge

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LINED (NON ERODIBLE)
CHANNEL
Factors to be considered

Type of material which determines the roughness

coefficient
The minimum permissible velocity to avoid deposition
if the water carries silt or debris
Channel slope and sides slopes
The freeboard
Effective section
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DESIGN PROCEDURES FOR
LINED CHANNEL
1. Select lining material. Estimate n or C for selected
lining material
2. Select slope, S.
nQ
3. Compute value of section factor. AR 2 / 3 
S
4. Write expression of A and R in terms of depth, y and
substitute them in the equation in step 3.
(This may require assumptions regarding sides slopes,
bottom widths etc. Assume several values then a
number of section dimensions can be obtained.)
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DESIGN PROCEDURES FOR
LINED CHANNEL

5. Compute channel parameters that give effective

section and solve for depth.
6. Check minimum permissible velocity if water carries
silt or clay and for vegetation growth prevention
7. Check for Froude Number
8. Add suitable freeboard to the depth of channel
section

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LINING MATERIAL

Usually nonerodible channels are lined. The material

include concrete, stone masonry, steel, cast iron,
timber etc.
Unlined non erodible channel can also be achieved if it
is excavated in a firm soil such as rock bed.

The selection of material depends mainly on

The availability and cost of material

The method of construction
The purpose of the channel
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LINING MATERIAL

The purpose of lining a channel are

To prevent erosion
To reduce seepage
Reduce annual cost of maintenance and operation
Ensure stability of channel section

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BED AND SIDES SLOPES
The channel bed slope generally determined by
Topography
Head required to carry the design flow

MASMA – For major drainage system

Minimum channel slope is 0.5% for grassed and natural
channel and 0.2% for lined channel

The sides slopes depends on the engineering properties

of the material.
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WIDTH TO DEPTH RATIO
In practice, it is usual to adopt shallower section.
Recommended width to depth ratio, B/y, as a function
of discharge

Q 0.30 3.0 14.0 28.0 140 285

(m3/s)
B/y 2 4 6 7.5 14 18

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CHANNEL ALIGNMENT

The channel alignment is selected so that

the channel length is as short as possible
meets site restrictions and requirements for
accessibility
Balancing of cut and fill amounts

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FREEBOARD
It is a vertical distance between the water surface to the
top of the channel.

The purpose of the freeboard is to prevent overtopping

of the top of the channel by fluctuation of water surface.

MASMA (2012) – Minimum 50 mm for minor drainage and

300 mm for major drainage and at locations where
superelevation or hydraulic jumps are anticipated.

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FREEBOARD
Suggested Freeboard (After Ranga Raju [1983])

Discharge < 0.75 0.75 to 1.5 1.5 to 85 > 85

(m3/s)

Freeboard (m) 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90

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MINIMUM PERMISSIBLE
VELOCITY

This refers to the lowest velocity which will prevent both

sedimentation and vegetative growth

As a general guide
Average velocity from 0.61 to 0.91 m/s will
prevent sedimentation when the % of silt present
is small
Velocity of 0.76 m/s to prevent vegetation growth

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BEST EFFECTIVE SECTION

The effective section (or best hydraulic section) is the

channel proportions that yield a minimum wetted
perimeter for a given flow area.

For fixed values of A, n and So the discharge in a channel

is a maximum when the wetted perimeter P is a
minimum.

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BEST EFFECTIVE SECTION

For rectangular channel

A  By
A
P  B  2y   2y
y y
dP A
  2 0
dy 2
y
B
A  2y 2
By  2y 2
B  2y
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BEST EFFECTIVE SECTION
T
For trapezoidal section

A  B  zy  y y 1
P B
2y z
Sin 
B
P 
A
y
 
 zy  2 y z 2  1 1 / 2

dP A
  z  2( z 2  1)1 / 2  0
dy y2

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BEST EFFECTIVE SECTION

A 2 1/ 2
+ z = 2 ( z + 1)
y2
( B + zy ) y + zy 2 2 1/ 2
= 2 ( z + 1)
y2
By + 2zy 2
= y( z 2 + 1)1 / 2
2y
B + 2zy
= y( z 2 + 1)1 / 2
2
½ T = Length of one side slope
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MASMA (2000) GUIDELINES - BRIEF

Minor Drainage System* Major Drainage System#

Open Drain Open Channel
Grass Swale Lined Drain Grassed floodways Lined Channel
Design Discharge Open space: 1 yr Open space: 1 yr Up to 100 yr Up to 100 yr
(ARI) for quantity Residential: up to 10 yr Residential: up to 10 yr
Commercial: up to 10 yr Commercial: up to 10 yr
Maximum Flow 0.9 m Without covering: 0.5 m
depth > 0.6 m need to cover
With solid grate cover: 1.0 m
Width 0.5 -1.0 m
Minimum Freeboard 50 mm 50 mm 300 mm 300 mm
Maximum velocity 2 m/s 4m/s 2 m/s 4 m/s
> 2m/s provide 1.2 m height
handrail
Minimum velocity 0.6 m/s 0.8 m/s
Minimum Slope 0.5% 0.2%
Drainage Reserve 0.5 m one side 1.5 m and the other side Width  6 m one side 3.7 m and the other side 1.0 m
1.0 m Width  6 m both sides 3.7 m
Shape Vee
recommended

1 1
4 4

Recommended Vee - 1:4 Batter: no steeper that 1V:6 H No steeper than

sides slope Drain Lining Max side Base: not less 1V: 50H 1V:1.5H
slope
Concrete, brickwork, Vertical
blockwork
Stone pitching 1V: 1.5H
Grass/vegetated 1V: 2H

*Minor drainage system designed to convey minor flood flows from roads, properties and open space and convey them to major drainage system
# Major drainage system designed to collect flow from minor drainage system and to convey safely larger flow up to major design storm

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