OPEN CHANNEL

CRITICAL DEPTH
 The channel shown carries water at a depth of d and a mean velocity of V.
𝑣2
The total specific energy in the channel is 𝐻 = + d.
2𝑔 𝑑
𝑣2
2𝑔
EGL
Solving for v,
Upper stage, Fr < 1.0
v = 2𝑔 (𝐻 − 𝑑)

Fr < 1.0
𝑄𝑚𝑎𝑥
and the discharge is
SUBCRITICAL DEPTH

H d
Lower stage, Fr > 1.0
CRITICAL DEPTH Eq. 1
Q = A 2𝑔 (𝐻 − 𝑑)

SUPERCRITICAL DEPTH

Q
0
Variation of discharge with
depth with constant energy
FROUDE NUMBER
is the ratio of the inertia force to gravity force.
Eq. 2
𝑣
Fr =
𝑔𝐿

For rectangular channel, L = depth of flow d.

Eq. 3
𝑣
Fr =
𝑔𝑑
CRITICAL DEPTH, 𝑑𝑐 is the depth at which for a given total head, the discharge
is maximum, or conversely, the the depth at which for a given flow, the specific
energy is minimum.

Its Froude Number = 1.

Its value can be obtained by differentiating the following equation:

𝑄 = 𝐴 2𝑔(𝐻 − 𝑑)
CRITICAL DEPTH ON RECTANGULAR SECTION
For rectangular channel, the discharge per meter width can be expressed as:
𝑞 = 𝑑 2𝑔(𝐻 − 𝑑) q
where: q = unit flow in 𝑚3 /𝑠 per meter width of canal
𝑄
q = 𝑏 = vd
𝑚3
Q = total flow in
s
b = channel width in m

q = 2𝑔 𝑑 𝐻 − 𝑑)
𝑑𝑞 (−1)
𝑑𝑑
= 2𝑔 [ 𝐻 − 𝑑 1 + 𝑑 2 𝐻 −𝑑
]= 0
𝑑
= 𝐻 −𝑑
2 𝐻−𝑑 d
d = 2(H-d) 0

d = 2H – 2d Variation of energy with depth for constant discharge

3d =2H
Eq. 4
2 3
𝑑𝑐 = 𝐻 𝑜𝑟 𝐻 = 𝑑
3 2 𝑐
 3𝑑
q = 𝑑 2𝑔 ( − 𝑑)
2
q = 𝑑 𝑔𝑑

Square both sides:

𝑞 2 = 𝑑 2 𝑔𝑑
𝑑3 = 𝑞 2 /g
Eq. 5
3 𝑞2
𝑑𝑐 = , for rectangular channel
𝑔
Replacing q = vd
𝑞 3 = (𝑣𝑑)2 /g
𝑔𝑑 = 𝑣 2
𝑣 = 𝑔𝑑
𝑣
Or = 1 (Froude Number, Fr) This shows that the Froude Number
𝑔𝑑
for critical depth is equal to 1.
CRITICAL SLOPE, 𝑆𝑐 is the slope required to give uniform
flow at critical depth. The equation for critical slope
For a wide rectangular channel is,

Eq. 6
𝑔𝑛2
𝑆𝑐 =
𝑑𝑐 1/3
 CRITICAL DEPTH ON ANY SECTION
For any section, the critical depth can be computed by the following derived formula:

𝑣2 𝑄
From 𝐻 = + d where v = d
2𝑔 𝐴 dA

Then B
𝑄2
H= +d
2𝑔𝐴2 dd

Area = A
With Q as constant, d
𝑑𝐴
𝑑𝐻 𝑄2 2𝐴𝑑𝑑
= − +1=0
𝑑𝑑 2𝑔 𝐴2 2
𝑑𝐴
𝑄2 0
H
𝑑𝑑
=1
𝑔𝐴3 Variation of energy with depth for constant discharge

From the figure shown, dA = Bxdd and dA/dd = B, then;

𝑄2 𝐵 𝑄2 𝐴3
=1 Eq. 7 =𝐵
𝑔
𝑔𝐴3

where A and/or B, if variable, must be expressed in terms of d.

1) Water flows at 600 cfm in a isosceles right-triangular flume.
𝑄2 𝐴3
=
𝑔 𝐵
If d = depth, A = 𝑑2 , B = 2d.
d d

600
( 60 )2 (𝑑 2 )3
=
32.2 2𝑑 d

d = 𝑑𝑐 = 1.44 𝑓𝑡
 𝑚3
2) Calculate the critical depth of the parabolic channel in the figure if the flow is 4 .
𝑠

g𝐴3 = B𝑄2 y

dA = 2xdy

𝑑 𝑑
A = 2‫׬‬0 𝑐 𝑥𝑑𝑦 =2 ‫׬‬0 𝑐(𝑦𝑙2)1/2 𝑑𝑦 = 1.414[(2/3)(𝑦 3/2 )]𝑑0𝑐
= 1.414[(2/3)(𝑑𝑐 )3/2 = 0.9427𝑑𝑐 3/2
y = 2𝑥 2

B = 2x = 2 𝑑𝑐 /2 = 1.414𝑑𝑐 1/2

(9.81)(0.9427𝑑𝑐 3/2 )3 = (1.414𝑑𝑐 1/2 )(4)2

𝑑𝑐 =1.288 m 𝑑𝑐
dy