SCHOOL OF BUILDING & CIVIL

ENGINEERING
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (HONORS) -
CIVIL
YEAR 2- SEMESTER 1
2021
CEB601– FLUID MECHANICS & HYDRAULICS
LAB No 6
Flow Measurement using Notches

Student Name : Aniket Singh

ID No : S2020003299

Date Lab Conducted:

Date Lab Submitted:

Lab Instructor: Mr. Akshy Kumar

Lab No 6: FLOW MEASUREMENT USING NOTCHES
Aim/Scope
To determine the coefficients of discharge of a rectangular and a vee notch weir.

Introduction
A weir is a barrier across the width of a river or stream that alters the characteristics of the flow
and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Several types of weirs are
designed for application in natural channels and laboratory flumes. Weirs can be broad-crested,
short-crested, or sharp-crested. Sharp-crested weirs, commonly referred to as notches, are
manufactured from sharp-edged thin plates. The relationship between the flow rate and water
depth above the weir can be derived by applying the Bernoulli’s equation and by making some
assumptions with regard to head loss and pressure distribution of the flow passing over the
weir. A coefficient of discharge needs to be determined experimentally for each weir to account
for errors in estimating the flow rate that is due to these assumptions.

Apparatus
 Armfield hydraulic bench.
 Hook gauge
 Stop watch
 Rectangular notch
 Vee-notch

Procedure
This experiment will be performed by taking the following steps:

 Ensure that the hydraulics bench is positioned so that its surface is horizontal. This is
necessary because the flow over the notch is driven by gravity.
 Mount the rectangular notch plate onto the flow channel, and position the stilling baffle
 Turn on the pump, and slightly adjust the flow control to fill the channel upstream of the
weir with water.
 Turn off the pump when the water starts to flow over the weir.
 Wait a few minutes to allow the water to settle.
 Level the point gauge with the water level in the channel. Record the reading as ho.
Note: To measure the datum height of the base of the notch (ho), position the instrument carrier.
Then carefully lower the gauge until the point is just above the notch base, and lock the coarse
adjustment screw. Then, using the fine adjustment, adjust the gauge until the point just touches
the water surface and take a reading, being careful not to damage the notch.

 Adjust the point gauge to read 10 mm greater than the datum.

 Record the reading as h.
 Turn on the pump, and slightly adjust the flow until the water level coincides with the
point gauge. Check that the level has stabilized before taking readings.
 Measure the flow rate using the volumetric tank.
 Observe the shape of the nappe and take pictures of it.

Note:  The surface of the water will fall as it approaches the weir. This is particularly noticeable
at high flow rates by high heads. To obtain an accurate measurement of the undisturbed water
level above the crest of the weir, it is necessary to place the measuring gauge at a distance of at
least three times the head above the weir.

 Increase the flow by opening the bench regulating valve to set the heads above the datum
level in 10 mm increments until the regulating valve is fully open. Take care not to allow
spillage to occur over the plate top that is adjacent to the notch. At each condition,
measure the flow rate and observe the shape of the nappe.

Note: To obtain a sufficiently accurate result, collect around 10 litres of water each time

 Close the regulating valve, stop the pump, and then replace the weir with the V-notch.
 Repeat the experiment with the V-notch weir plate, but with 10 mm increments in water
surface elevation.
 Collect six head and discharge readings for each weir.
Reading and observations
RECTANGULAR NOTCH VEE -NOTCH

VOL TIME (S) H (m) VOL TIME (S) H (m)

10 9.46 0.079 5 14.76 0.034
10 9.44 0.071 5 21.16 0.030
10 9.40 0.067 3 28.73 0.022
10 13.87 0.057 1 18.86 0.015
10 21.83 0.043 1 44.07 0.011
5 29.62 0.023

Calculation
Sample calculation for rectangular notch

Base = 0.03m

VOL 10 x 10−3
Q exp= = = 1.057 x 10-3 m3/s
TIME 9.46
2 2
Q exp= B √ 2 g H 3 /2 = ( 0.03 ) √ 2 ( 9.81 ) ( 0.079)3 /2 = 1.967 x 10-3 m3/s
3 3
Q exp 1.057
Cd = = =¿ 0.54
Q THE 1.967

Sample calculation for vee notch

VOL 1 x 10−3
Q exp= = = 2.269 x 10-5 m3/s
TIME 44.07
8 8
Q exp= tanθ √ 2 g H 5 /2 = tan 45 √ 2 ( 9.81 ) (0.011)5 /2 = 2.998 x 10-5 m3/s
15 15
Qexp 2.269
Cd = = =¿ 0.76
QTHE 2.998

Results
 RECTANGULAR NOTCH
3
VOL TIME QEXP (m3/s) H (m) QTHE (m3/s) Cd
H 2 (m)
(S)
10 9.46 1.057 x 10-3 0.079 0.0222 1.967 x 10-3 0.54
10 9.44 1.059 x 10-3 0.071 0.0189 1.676 x 10-3 0.63
10 9.40 1.064 x 10-3 0.067 0.0173 1.536 x 10-3 0.69
10 13.87 7.209 x 10-4 0.057 0.0136 1.205 x 10-3 0.59
10 21.83 4.581 x 10-4 0.043 0.0089 7.899 x 10-4 0.58
5 29.62 1.688 x 10-4 0.023 0.0035 3.090 x 10-4 0.55

VEE -NOTCH
5
VOL TIME QEXP (m3/s) H (m) QTHE (m3/s) Cd
H 2 (m)
(S)
5 14.76 3.388 x 10-4 0.034 0.000213 5.036 x 10-4 0.67
5 21.16 2.363 x 10-4 0.030 0.000155 3.683 x 10-4 0.64
3 28.73 1.044 x 10-4 0.022 0.0000717 1.696 x 10-4 0.62
1 18.86 5.302 x 10-5 0.015 0.0000275 6.509 x 10-5 0.81
1 44.07 2.269 x 10-5 0.011 0.0000127 2.998 x 10-5 0.76

Graphs-
3
Graph for rectangular notch Q vs H 2 (m)
 QEXP vs H^(3/2)
0

0
0 0 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02

5
Graph for Vee notch Q vs H 2 (m)

QEXP vs H^(5/2)
0

0
0 0 0 0 0 0

Discussion-
Conclusion

Sources of Errors
Random Errors

Observational. For example, errors in judgment of an observer when reading the scale of a measuring
device to the smallest division

Parallax error

This could have occurred while reading the values

Reference
1. Fluid Mechanics Douglas/Gasiorek/Swaffield

2. Fluid Mechanics Streeter and Wylie

3. Handbook of Hydraulics King.