Standard Step Method
The Standard Step Method (STM) is a computational
technique utilized to estimate one-dimensional surface
water proles in open channels with gradually varied ow
under steady state conditions. It uses a combination of the
energy, momentum, and continuity equations to deter-
mine water depth with a given a friction slope (Sf ) , chan-
nel slope (S0 ) , channel geometry, and also a given ow
rate. In practice, this technique is widely used through
the computer program HEC-RAS, developed by the US
Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Cen-
ter (HEC).[1]
1 Open Channel Flow Fundamen-
tals
Figure 1. Conceptual gure used to dene terms in the energy
equation.[2]
Figure 2. A diagram showing the relationship for ow depth (y)
and total Energy (E) for a given ow (Q). Note the location of
cricital ow, subcritical ow, and supercritical ow.
The energy equation used for open channel ow com-
putations is a simplication of the Bernoulli Equation
(See Bernoulli Principle), which takes into account pres-
sure head, elevation head, and velocity head. (Note, en-
ergy and head are synonymous in Fluid Dynamics. See
1
Pressure head for more details.) In open channels, it is
assumed that changes in atmospheric pressure are negligi-
ble, therefore the pressure head term used in Bernoullis
Equation is eliminated. The resulting energy equation is
shown below:
H =z+y+ v2
Equation 1
2g
For a given ow rate and channel geometry, there is a
relationship between ow depth and total energy. This
is illustrated below in the plot of energy vs. ow depth,
widely known as an E-y diagram. In this plot, the depth
where the minimum energy occurs is known as the critical
depth. Consequently, this depth corresponds to a Froude
Number (Fn ) of 1. Depths greater than critical depth
are considered subcritical and have a Froude Number
less than 1, while depths less than critical depth are con-
sidered supercritical and have Froude Numbers greater
than 1. (For more information, see Dimensionless Spe-
cic Energy Diagrams for Open Channel Flow.)
v
Fn = A 0.5
(g B )
Equation 2
Under steady state ow conditions (e.g. no ood wave),
open channel ow can be subdivided into three types of
ow: uniform ow, gradually varying ow, and rapidly
varying ow. Uniform ow describes a situation where
ow depth does not change with distance along the chan-
nel. This can only occur in a smooth channel that does
not experience any changes in ow, channel geometry,
roughness or channel slope. During uniform ow, the
ow depth is known as normal depth (yn). This depth
is analogous to the terminal velocity of an object in free
fall, where gravity and frictional forces are in balance
(Moglen, 2013).[3] Typically, this depth is calculated us-
ing the Manning formula. Gradually varied ow occurs
when the change in ow depth per change in ow dis-
tance is very small. In this case, hydrostatic relationships
developed for uniform ow still apply. Examples of this
include the backwater behind an in-stream structure (e.g.
dam, sluice gate, weir, etc.), when there is a constric-
tion in the channel, and when there is a minor change
in channel slope. Rapidly varied ow occurs when the
change in ow depth per change in ow distance is sig-
nicant. In this case, hydrostatics relationships are not
appropriate for analytical solutions, and continuity of mo-
mentum must be employed. Examples of this include
large changes in slope like a spillway, abrupt constric-
tion/expansion of ow, or a hydraulic jump.
2 3 STANDARD STEP METHOD CALCULATION

S0 Sf
2 Water Surface Proles (Gradu- dy
dx = 1Fn2 Equation 3
ally Varied Flow)

This equation (and associated surface water proles) is

Typically, the STM is used to develop surface water pro- based on the following assumptions:
les, or longitudinal representations of channel depth,
for channels experiencing gradually varied ow. These
transitions can be classied based on reach condition
(mild or steep), and also the type of transition being
The slope is relatively small
made. Mild reaches occur where normal depth is sub-
critical (yn > yc) while steep reaches occur where normal
depth is supercritical (yn<yc). The transitions are classi- Channel cross-section is known at sta-
ed by zone. (See gure 3.) tions of interest

There is a hydrostatic pressure distribu-

tion

3 Standard Step Method Calcula-

tion

The STM numerically solves equation 3 through an iter-

ative process. This can be done using the bisection or
Newton-Raphson Method, and is essentially solving for
total head at a specied location using equations 4 and 5
by varying depth at the specied location.[5]

H2 = H1 hf Equation 4

H2 = hvel + hele Equation 5

In order to use this technique, it is important to note

you must have some understanding of the system you are
modeling. For each gradually varied ow transition, you
must know both boundary conditions and you must also
calculate length of that transition. (e.g. For an M1 Pro-
le, you must nd the rise at the downstream boundary
condition, the normal depth at the upstream boundary
condition, and also the length of the transition.) To nd
the length of the gradually varied ow transitions, iterate
Figure 3. This gure illustrates the dierent classes the step length, instead of height, at the boundary con-
of surface water proles experienced in steep and mild dition height until equations 4 and 5 agree. (e.g. For an
reaches during gradually varied ow conditions.[4] M1 Prole, position 1 would be the downstream condi-
The above surface water proles are based on the govern- tion and you would solve for position two where the height
ing equation for gradually varied ow (seen below) is equal to normal depth.)
 3

3.1 Newton Raphson Numerical Method

Figure 4. Illustration of surface water proles associated with a

sluice gate in a mild reach (top) and a steep reach (bottom).

standard step method) cannot accurately model the dy-

namics of a hydraulic jump.[6] See the Hydraulic jumps
in rectangular channels page for more information. Be-
low, an example problem will use conceptual models to
build a surface water prole using the STM.

4 Example Problem

Computer programs like excel contain iteration or goal

seek functions that can automatically calculate the actual
depth instead of manual iteration.

3.2 Conceptual Surface Water Proles

(Sluice Gate)

Figure 4 illustrates the dierent surface water proles as-

sociated with a sluice gate on a mild reach (top) and a
steep reach (bottom). Note, the sluice gate induces a
choke in the system, causing a backwater prole just
upstream of the gate. In the mild reach, the hydraulic
jump occurs downstream of the gate, but in the steep
reach, the hydraulic jump occurs upstream of the gate. It
is important to note that the gradually varied ow equa-
tions and associated numerical methods (including the Solution
4 4 EXAMPLE PROBLEM

Using Figure 3 and knowledge of the upstream and down-

 5

stream conditions and the depth values on either side of

the gate, a general estimate of the proles upstream and
downstream of the gate can be generated. Upstream, the
water surface must rise from a normal depth of 0.97 m to
9.21 m at the gate. The only way to do this on a mild reach
is to follow an M1 prole. The same logic applies down-
stream to determine that the water surface follows an M3
prole from the gate until the depth reaches the conju-
gate depth of the normal depth at which point a hydraulic
jump forms to raise the water surface to the normal depth.
Step 4: Use the Newton Raphson Method to solve the
M1 and M3 surface water proles. The upstream and
downstream portions must be modeled separately with
an initial depth of 9.21 m for the upstream portion, and
0.15 m for the downstream portion. The downstream
depth should only be modeled until it reaches the conju- Table 1: Spreadsheet of Newton Raphson Method of
gate depth of the normal depth, at which point a hydraulic downstream water surface elevation calculations
jump will form. The solution presented explains how to Step 5: Combine the results from the dierent proles
solve the problem in a spreadsheet, showing the calcu- and display.
lations column by column. Within Excel, the goal seek
function can be used to set column 15 to 0 by changing
the depth estimate in column 2 instead of iterating man-
ually.
6 4 EXAMPLE PROBLEM

Normal depth was achieved at approximately 2,200 me-

ters upstream of the gate.
Step 6: Solve the problem in the HEC-RAS Modeling
Environment:
It is beyond the scope of this Wikipedia Page to explain
the intricacies of operating HEC-RAS. For those inter-
ested in learning more, the HEC-RAS users manual is
an excellent learning tool and the program is free to the
public.
The rst two gures below are the upstream and down-
stream water surface proles modeled by HEC-RAS. The HEC-RAS model calculated that the water backs
There is also a table provided comparing the dierences up to a height of 9.21 meters at the upstream side of
between the proles estimated by the two dierent meth- the sluice gate, which is the same as the manually calcu-
ods at dierent stations to show consistency between the lated value. Normal depth was achieved at approximately
two methods. While the two dierent methods modeled 1,700 meters upstream of the gate.
similar water surface shapes, the standard step method HEC-RAS modeled the hydraulic jump to occur 18 me-
predicted that the ow would take a greater distance to ters downstream of the sluice gate.
reach normal depth upstream and downstream of the gate.
This stretching is caused by the errors associated with as-
suming average gradients between two stations of interest
during our calculations. Smaller dx values would reduce
this error and produce more accurate surface proles.
 7

5 References
[1] USACE. HEC-RAS Version 4.1 Users Manual. Hy-
drologic Engineering Center, Davis, CA.

[2] Chaudhry, M.H. (2008). Open-Channel Flow. New York:

Springer.

[3] Moglen, G. Lecture Notes from CEE 4324/5894: Open

Channel Flow, Virginia Tech. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[4] Chow, V.T. (1959). Open-Channel Hydraulics. New

York: McGraw-Hill.

[5] Chaudhry, M.H. (2008). Open-Channel Flow. New York:

Springer.

[6] Chaudhry, M.H. (2008). Open-Channel Flow. New York:

Springer.
8 6 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

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