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Flow Profile

The document discusses water surface profiles, which measure how flow depth changes longitudinally, classified by the relationship between actual, normal, and critical depths. Flow profiles are categorized based on channel slope and the relative position of flow depth, including classifications such as mild, steep, critical, adverse, and horizontal. It also explains the characteristics of subcritical, supercritical, and critical flows based on their Froude numbers and behavior.

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84 views2 pages

Flow Profile

The document discusses water surface profiles, which measure how flow depth changes longitudinally, classified by the relationship between actual, normal, and critical depths. Flow profiles are categorized based on channel slope and the relative position of flow depth, including classifications such as mild, steep, critical, adverse, and horizontal. It also explains the characteristics of subcritical, supercritical, and critical flows based on their Froude numbers and behavior.

Uploaded by

Eng Minu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Flow Profiles

Govindo, CE-33rd (DUET)


The water surface profile is a measure of how the flow depth changes longitudinally. The profiles
are classified based on the relationship between the actual water depth (y), the normal depth (yn)
and the critical depth (yc). Normal depth is the depth of flow that would occur if the flow was
uniform and steady, and is usually predicted using the Manning's Equation. Critical depth is
defined as the depth of flow where energy is at a minimum for a particular discharge.

Flow profiles are classified by the slope of the channel (So), yn, and yc. There are five slope
classifications designated by the letters C, M , S, A, and H (critical, mild, steep, adverse, and
horizontal) respectively.

• Mild (M) if yn > yc


• Steep (S) if yn < yc
• Critical (C) if yn= yc
• Adverse (A) if So < 0 (if slope is positive in the downstream direction)
• Horizontal (H) if So = 0

The profile is further classified according to the relative position of the actual flow depth to normal
and critical depth as designated by the numbers 1, 2, and 3.

• Type 1 curve: Actual depth is greater than yc and yn, flow is subcritical
• Type 2 curve: actual depth is between yc and yn, flow can be either subcritical or
supercritical
• Type 3 curve: actual depth is less than both yc and yn, flow is supercritical.

Note: While water surface profiles are influenced by the channel slope, flow profiles are also
classified by the water surface slope. When the flow is uniform and steady these slopes are the
same. Since critical and normal depths vary with flow, the slope classification is a function of
change slopes classifications between mild, steep and critical slopes as streamflows change.

Subcritical occurs when the actual water depth is greater than critical depth. Subcritical flow is
dominated by gravitational forces and behaves in a slow or stable way. It is defined as having a
Froude number less than one.

Supercritical flow is dominated by inertial forces and behaves as rapid or unstable flow.
Supercritical flow transitions to subcritical through a hydraulic jump which represents a high
energy loss with erosive potential. When the actual depth is less than critical depth it is classified
as supercritical. Supercritical flow has a Froude number greater than one.

Critical flow is the transition or control flow that possesses the minimum possible energy for that
flowrate. Critical flow has a Froude number equal to one.

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