Reference Books

◼ Open Channel Hydraulics, Ven Te Chow, International Students Edition

McGraw Hill Book Company

◼ Irrigation and Water Power Engineering, Dr. B. C. Punmia and Pande

B. B. Lal, Standard Publishers, Delhi, Latest Edition

◼ Applied Fluid Mechanics, Robert L. Mott and Jaseph A. Untener,

Pearson Education Inc, Latest Edition

◼ A Text Book of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines, R.K. Rajput.

S. Chand & Company Ltd. Latest Edition

◼ A Text Book of Hydraulics, Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines,

R.S. Khurmi, S. Chand & Company Ltd. Latest Edition
 Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)
◼ GVF is one of the kinds of non-uniform flow.

◼ In GVF, the depth of flow changes gradually form section to

section along the length of the channel.

◼ Many cases of GVF are of practical interest to engineers, such as;

the flow upstream of a weir or dam, flow down stream of a
sluice gate, flow in channels with break in bottom slopes, etc.
(a) Change in flow from sub-critical to super-critical at a break in slope.
(b) Free outfall
◼ The problem of GVF is to predict the Water Surface (W.S.) profile for a given channel
with steady discharge.
◼ The solution of the problem is obtained by solving its governing equation, the dynamic
equation for GVF.

Dynamic Equation for GVF

While deriving Dynamic Equation for GVF following assumptions are made:
◼ Uniform flow formulae – Manning, Chezy, etc. may be used to evaluate energy slope Sf
for GVF.
2
 V 
2
V n
(Sf )GVF =  2/3  (Sf )GVF =  

R  C R 

◼ The bottom slope of the channel is small (i.e. θ = 0)

◼ The channel is prismatic.
◼ Energy coefficient α = 1.
◼ Pressure distribution in any vertical section is hydrostatic.
◼ Roughness coefficient n is independent of flow depth y in GVF.
◼ Dynamic Equation for GVF is derived from basic energy equation.
◼ Consider a short reach of channel having GVF as shown in Fig. The energy
equation at any section may be written as:

Energy line
αV 2
H = z + y + ----(1) Sf
2g V2/2g

Water surface

α Q2 (dy/dx)
H = z + y + ----(2) y
2 g A2

Channel bed

S0
Since V = Q/A
z

Datum
◼ Differentiating each term of the Eq. (2) w.r.t. x, where x- is measured along the
channel bottom.
dH dz dy α Q 2 dA −2 dA dy
= + +
dx dx dx 2 g dA dy dx

dH dz dy α Q 2 T dy Since dA = T dy
= + − and dA/dy = T
dx dx dx g A 3 dx

dH dz dy  α Q2 T 
= + 1 − 3 

dx dx dx  gA 

 dH dz 
 − 
=  
dy dx dx
-------(3)
dx  α Q 2T 
1 − 
3 
 gA 
◼
◼

Since dA = T dy
and dA/dy = T
 In the above Eq. (3):
◼ dH/dx- is the slope of the energy line and hence dH/dx = - Sf.
◼ dz/dx- is the slope of the channel bed and hence dz/dx = - S0.
◼ dy/dx- is the slope of the water surface w.r.t. channel bottom.

Substitution of these terms in Eq. (3) result in

dy
=
(S0 − Sf ) Eq. (4) is the dynamic equation for
-------(4)
dx  α Q 2T  governing the GVF in open channels.
1 − 
3 
 gA 
α Q 2
T α Q 2
α V 2
The expression = = = Fr
2
Assuming α = 1
g A3 gA 2 A g D
T
Making substitution for the above expression in terms of Froude number,
gives another format of the GVF equation.

dy (S - Sf )
= 0
dx (
1 − Fr2 ) -------(5)
◼ Eqs. (4) and (5) are the basic differential equations for governing the GVF in
open channels.
It may be observed from either of the equations; Eqs. (4) and (5) that:
◼ when dy/dx = 0; then S0 = Sf , which is the condition of uniform flow; flow is
normal,
◼ when dy/dx = + ve , implies that the water surface is rising; flow is retarded -
Back water curve is formed, and
◼ when dy/dx = - ve , implies that the water surface is falling; flow is accelerated -
Hydraulic drop is formed.
 Dynamic Equation for GVF in Wide Rectangular Channels
◼ For wide rectangular channels, the Dynamic Equation for GVF may be derived
from E. (4) as follows:
A by by
R = =  y
P b + 2y b

1
Q = A R 2/3S1/2
f
n
1 If uniform flow is supposed to occur in the
Q= b y n (yn ) 2/3 S1/2
f
----(6)
same channel with discharge Q
n
1 If GVF is supposed to occur in the
Q = b y (y)2/3 S1/2
0
----(7)
same channel with discharge Q
n

Combining Eqs. (6) and (7) gives:

Note. In Eq.6, replace yn with y.
10 / 3
Sf y 
=  n  ----(8) In Eq.7, replace y with yn, & so on
S0  y 
3
If Chezy’s formula is used instead of Sf y 
=  n  ----(9)
Manning’s, the we have: S0  y 
 For wide rectangular channels, the Dynamic Equation for GVF
may be derived from Eq. (4) as follows:
3
αQ T
2
Q b 2
Q q 2
y 3c  y c 
2

3
= 3 3
= 2 3
= 3
= 3 =   ----(10) Assuming α = 1
gA gb y gb y gy y  y
Rewriting Eq. (4):
 S 
1 - f 
dy
=
S0 - Sf
= S0  S0  ----(11) Assuming α = 1
dx αQ T2
Q2 T
1- 3
1-
gA g A3
Substitution of (8) and (10) in Eq. (11) gives
10/3
y 
1 -  n 
dy
= S0  y 
3 ----(12)
dx  yc 
1 -  
 y
Substitution of (9) and (10) in Eq. (11) gives
3
y 
1 -  n 
dy
= S0  y 
3 ---- (13)
dx  yc 
1 -  
 y 
Dynamic Equation of GVF in terms of
Conveyance Factor (K)
Dynamic Eq. of GVF in terms of Conveyance Factor (K)
Dynamic Equation of GVF in terms of
Section Factor (Z)
Dynamic Eq. of GVF in terms of Section Factor (Z)
Dynamic Eq. of GVF in terms of Section Factor (Z)