KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3

Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
TITLE

H2 – Flow in Rectangular Channel with an Obstacle

INTRODUCTION

The specific energy in an open channel can be define as the sum of the depth of
water and the velocity head. It is the total energy where z is zero. The specific
energy, Es, of a liquid in an open channel is the total mechanical energy (expressed
as a head) relative to the bottom of the channel. This specific energy is originally
derived from the Bernoulli’s equation in which the pressure head is assumed zero
as the channel is exposed to the atmospheric pressure. The derivation of the
Bernoulli’s equation is shown as below:
𝑝 𝑣2
Specific energy, E=𝜌𝑔 + 2𝑔 + 𝑧
𝑣2
E=2𝑔 + 𝐷

The graph below shows the depth of water against the specific energy for each
depth.

From the graph, the specific energy reaches a minimum value Emin, min at some
intermediate point, called the critical point, characterized by the critical depth yc

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
and critical velocity Vc. The minimum specific energy is also called the critical
energy.

THEORY
The concept of specific energy as it applies to open channels with small slopes is
given below.

The total energy equation is,

𝑃 𝑉2
+ + 𝑧 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝛾 2𝑔

In other words it can be rewritten as,

𝑉2
𝑦+ + 𝑧 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
2𝑔

if z = 0, then
𝑉2
𝐸 =𝑦+
2𝑔
Which indicates that the specific energy is the sum of the depth of water and
velocity head.

Consider a specific energy equation for the case of a rectangular channel.

𝑉2
𝐸 =𝑦+
2𝑔
Discharge, 𝑄 = 𝐴𝑉

Therefore,
𝑄
𝑉=
𝐴

𝑄 2 𝑄2
 b is the width of the
𝑉 2 = (𝐴 ) = 2𝑔𝑦 2 𝑏2 channel and y is the
depth of water.

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
Substituting in the specific energy equation it can be written as,
𝑄2
(𝐸 − 𝑦) =
2𝑔𝑦 2 𝑏 2

𝑄 𝑄2 𝑞2
When = , then (𝐸 − 𝑦)𝑦 2 = 2𝑔𝑏2 = 2𝑔 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑏

(𝐸 − 𝑦)𝑦 2 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 or

𝑄2 𝑞2
When substituting (𝐸 − 𝑦)𝑦 2 = 2𝑔𝑏2 = 2𝑔

𝑞2
We will get 𝐸 = 𝑦 + 2𝑔𝑦 2

The value of critical depth,𝑦c , can be determined by the equation

3 𝑞2
𝑦c = √
𝑔

3
And the minimum specific energy, 𝐸𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2 𝑦𝑐

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE

To determine the specific energy before and after a submerged obstacle in an open
channel flow.

APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE

APPARATUS: Water, open channel model with an obstacle, a water tank, water
pump with a nozzle and a control valve, hook gauge, and 2 manometer.

Obstacle with
Open Channel Hook gauge 2 slope face

Nozzle

Water
Tank Control
Valve

Water Pump

Figure 1: Experiment set-up

y
d1= 0.104m d2 = 0.0832m

b = 0.03m A1 = 8.4949 × 10-3 m2 A2 = 5.437 × 10-3 m2

Figure 2 : Rectangular A12 = 7.21633 × 10-5 m4 A22 = 2.9558 × 10-5 m4

channel bisection
Cd = 0.98 g = 9.81 ms-2

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________

The experiment was set-up as the Figure 1. The control was fully open to
allow maximum water flowing through the open channel.

Using the Hook Gauge, placed before the obstacle, the staff was lowered to
0.203m of the height of water, this will marked as y1. After that, the staff was placed
on top of the highest point of the obstacle, and then reading of the water level above
that point was taken and recorded. This point will be marked as y0. After that, the
staff was moved to a position after the obstacle, position where the water level was
stable, the height of the water at that point was also recorded. This point was
labelled y2. The manometer reading was also taken and recorded.

The steps was repeated for 4 times with water level of 0.19m, 0.60m, 0.13m,
and 0.08m.

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
RESULT AND CALCULATION

i) Flow rate on channel

Trial H1 H2 H1-H2 (m) Q (m3/s)

1 0.97 0.788 0.182 0.01310
2 1.2 0.918 0.282 0.01631
3 1.328 1.208 0.12 0.01064
4 1.349 1.327 0.022 0.00456
5 1.37 1.363 0.007 0.00257
Table 1 : Flow rate

ii) Specific Energy before, E1 , over obstacle, Eo, and after obstacle, E2
trial Q q Y1 Yo Y2 E1 E2 E2

1 0.013103 0.043677 0.203 0.11 0.081 0.22 0.118 0.09582

2 0.01631 0.054368 0.19 0.095 0.055 0.19417 0.11169 0.1048

3 0.01064 0.035466 0.6 0.073 0.038 0.6 0.085 0.0824

4 0.004556 0.015186 0.13 0.047 0.022 0.13069 0.052321 0.046285

5 0.00257 0.008566 0.08 0.008 0.004 0.080584 0.066436 0.237742

Table 2 : Specific energy E,

iii) Theoritical value for critical depth, Yc and minimum energy

trial Q yc Emin
1 0.013103 0.05794 0.08691
2 0.01631 0.06704 0.10056
3 0.01064 0.0543 0.08145
4 0.004556 0.02865 0.042975
5 0.00257 0.01956 0.02934
Table 3 : Yc, Emin and Q

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
iv) a) Graph for trial 1

Graph of Depth,m against Specific Energy, E for

trial 1 where Q = 0.013103

0.25

0.2
Depth, m

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
Specific Energy, E

Graph 1 : Q = 0.013103 m3/s

b) Graph for trial 2

Graph of Depth,m against Specific Energy, E

0.2
0.18
0.16
0.14
Depth, m

0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
Specific Energy, E

Graph 1 : Q = 0.01631m3/s

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
c) Graph for trial 3

Graph of Depth,m against Specific Energy, E

0.7

0.6

0.5
Depth, m

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Specific Energy, E

Graph 1 : Q =0.01064m3/s

d) Graph for trial 4

Graph of Depth, m against Specific Energy, E

0.14

0.12

0.1
Depth, m

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14
Specific Energy, E

Graph 1 : Q = 0.004556m3/s

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
e) Graph for trial 5

Graph of Depth, m against Specific Energy, E

0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06
Depth, m

0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
Specific Energy, E

Graph 1 : Q = 0.00257m3/s

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
CALCULATION

i) For trial 1, calculation of Q and q

∆𝐻 = 0.97 − 0.788 = 0.182𝑚

2𝑔∆𝐻
Using equation Q = CdA1√𝐴 2
1
−1
𝐴2 2

2(9.810(0.182)
Q =0.98 × 8.4949 × 10−3
√ (7.21933×10−5 )
−1
2.9558×10−5

Q=0.013103 m3/s

q = Q/b = 0.013103/0.3 = 0.04377

q2 = 0.001956

ii) Calculation for specific energy, E and Froude number, Fr

𝑞2
Using equation, E = 𝑦 + 2𝑔𝑦 2

a) Flow of water before obstacle

y = y1 = 0.203m

y12 = 0.0412m2

0.001956
E= 0.203 + = 0.22
2×9.81×0,0412

𝑞
Froude number, Fr =
√𝑔𝑦 2

Fr = 0.153 = supercritical

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________

b) Flow of water over obstacle,

Calculation are the same, but using yo because yo means y obstacle

c) Flow of water after obstacle

Calculation are the same, but using y2 because y2 means y after
obstacle

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
DISCUSSION

According to the Chow (1995) a flow at the critical state are unstable and cause
the water surface to appeared wavy.It will also altered the shape and the slope if the
depth are determined to be near to the critical state.Based on the result there have a
slight change in energy that cause substantial variation from the trial2.trial3,trial4
and trial 5 that is 0.01631m3/s, 0.01064m3/s, 0.004556m3/s, 0.00257m3/s.It show
that the shape of the graph are curve.From the plotted graph,when the flow rate
increase ,the depth flow also increase at sub critical and decrease at super
critical.The result show that when the water flow downstream the specific energy
value will decrease.When the water flow passing the weir the specific energy will
increase after it reach critical depth.Specific energy are effected by the pressure and
the velocity of the water but since the experiment are exposed at atmosphere and
both pressure has the same value,the the depth of the flow can be
determined.Different value of flow rate (Q) will give different reading of critical
depth for the specific energy .From the data it show that the value from experiment
are slight different from the theoretical value that has been calculated.When the
flow at low depth and at high velocity it dedicated that it is super critical while when
the flow is above the critical depth it is sub critical.

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION

The specific energy obtained from the experiment are different based on the flow
rate.When the depth flow increase it will cause the specific energy to
increase.Before the weir the specific energy are at sub critical while after the weir
the specific energy are at super critical.From the data it show that when the flow are
increasing the flow depth will also increase but at sub critical flow and it will
decreasing at super critical flow.

Recommendation:

1.Take the reading after the gauge level are stable in order to avoid parallax error.

2.To get more accurate data ,take 2 or 3 reading and take the average reading.

3.Make sure that the one that take the reading his/her eyes must parallel to the water
level.

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 KNS 2591 Civil Engineering Laboratory 3
Faculty of Engineering
University Malaysia Sarawak
-
________________________________________________________________________
REFERENCE

1. Yunus, A., Cengel, John, M., Cimbala, M.. (2010). Fluid Mechanics:
Fundamentals and Applications.
2. Douglas, J. F., Gasiorek, J. M., Swaffield, J. A., Jack, L. B.. (2005). Fluid
Mechanics (Fifth Edition).
3. Thandaveswara,. (N. D. ). Specific Energy Equations for Rectangular
Channels. Retrieved from:
http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/105106114/pdfs/Unit8/8_1.pdf

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