CEHYDR1L: Hydraulics Laboratory

Experiment No. 5

Broad Crested Weir

Submitted by:

Alejandre, Roxane L.
Buenaobra. Charlene T.
Cadano, Vince Paulo
Curato, Marc Nathan C.
Guevarra, Irish Mae E.
Hong, Ivan
Lazaga, Janella
Nuñez, Jynzyz Ail E.

BSCE221B

Submitted to:
Engr. John Carlo R. Alibutod
Faculty-in-Charge
INTRODUCTION

History

The broad-crested weir has its roots in ancient hydraulic engineering, with early forms of
weirs used by civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley to manage water flow
for irrigation and flood control. Although broad-crested weirs as we know them today were not
documented in these times, similar structures were used by the Romans in their advanced water
management systems, including aqueducts. The formal study and development of weir design,
including broad-crested weirs, began in the 18th and 19th centuries as hydraulic engineering
became a more scientific discipline, focusing on the control and measurement of water flow.

Background of the Study

Broad crested weirs find extensive applications as control structures and flow measuring
devices. The common objective of these studies was to obtain coefficient of discharge and
investigate the flow pattern. Analysis of water surface profile and measurement of head over the
weir crest are the important aspects in discharge analysis through broad crested weirs.
Calibration of broad crested weir is mainly dependent upon the length of the weir crest (L), weir
height and upstream water head over weir crest (h). Hence measurement of discharge varies as
per change in the flow characteristics due to change in the geometry of weir for a given flume.
Based on experimental analysis, past researchers have shown that discharge coefficient (C d)
changes proportionally with h/L ratio, maintaining an average range of C d for various h/L values.
In the present study a novel approach towards design of compound broad crested weir is
proposed which can effectively measure wide range of discharges thereby maintaining a
constant discharge coefficient irrespective of the head over weir. (Kulkarni & Hinge 2017)
MATERIALS AND METHODS

Methodology Proper
Equipment Set Up:

1. Ensure the flume is level and that there is no stop logs set up at the channel’s
discharge end to determine and measure the crested weir’s exact breath,
b(m).
2. Place the weir at the upstream rounded corner of the flume. Make sure a
mounting hook is inserted inside the flume's bed to secure the weir . The
upstream side should use plasticine to scale the spaces between the weir and
the channel for accurate outcomes.
3. On the channel sides, next to the weir, place two hook and point level
readings. Every gauge should have a point fitted.
4. The crest weir will serve as the datum for all measurements. Record the
datum readings after carefully aligning the leveling gauges against the weir's
top. The height that rises the weir above the bed h, (m) should be measured
thoroughly with a single level gauge so as not to harm the surface of the weir.
5. Above the weir, close to the discharge end, place this level gauge. The
second level gauge should be positioned upstream of the weir.

Procedure:

1. Ensure the rounded edges of the flume face upstream. To prevent water from
leaking on the sides, fasten the weir with the flume and cover the sides.
Change the water flow through the flume in inclinations of around 0.010
meters to get heads Yo.
2. Make sure the level gauges line up with the flume's bed, then take note of the
datum readings. For accurate readings.
3. The level gauge has to be upstream sufficient distance to avoid the draw-
down over the weir.
 4. Modify the water flow via the flume to achieve heads that are rising one at a
time. Calculate the depth of flow over the weir Yc.
5. The entire depth of the water downstream of the flowrate Qactual should be
gradually increased, Yo's upstream depth of flow and Y1's downstream depth
of flow. Analyze and sketch the weir's flow pattern.

DOCUMENTATION
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Data Gathered

Width of weir (b): 0.084m

Height of weir (h): 0.125m

Trial No. y0+ hw (m) y1 (m) Qactual (m3/s) Ho (m) Qtheo (m3/s) Cd
1 0.175 0.035 0.001625 0.0525 0.001722830789 0.9432150913
2 0.185 0.038 0.001933333333 0.057 0.001949018462 0.9919522933

Table 1: Overall Obtained Data for Broad Crested Weir

Computations

Data obtained for

3
𝐻𝑜 = (𝑦1)
2

3
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 1: 𝐻𝑜 = (0.035) = 0.0525𝑚
2

3
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 2: 𝐻𝑜 = (0.038) = 0.057𝑚
2

Data obtained for Theoretical Flow Rate ( Qtheo )

3
⬚𝑄 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = 1.705 (𝑏)(𝐻𝑜 )2

𝑄
3 𝑚3 𝑄
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 1 : 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = 1.705 (0.084)(0.0525)2 = 0.001722830789 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 2 : 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜
𝑠
3 𝑚3
= 1.705(0.084)(0.057)2 = 0.001949018462
𝑠
 Data obtained for Coefficient of Discharge ( Cd )
𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
⬚𝐶 𝑑 =
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜
0.001625
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 1 : 𝐶 𝑑 = = 0.9432150913
0.00122830789

0.001933333333
𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 2 : 𝐶 𝑑 = = 0.9919522933
0.001949018462

Relationship of Data

CONCLUSION

Summary

Provided the height of the water and its broad weir, as well as the data gathered
for the Broad Crest Weir experiment, the researchers were able to calculate the different
quantities needed to complete this experiment. Initially, using a ruler for measurement,
they were able to determine the height of the water adjacent to the uppermost middle of
the weir, designated as Y1. With this data, the researchers are able to figure out that the
height of the water moving through the flume and its actual flowrate, which is visible on
the apparatus itself, have a significant impact on the value of Y 1.

Along with determining the value of Y1 and the Actual rate of flow, the researchers
computed the following values, which are listed in the table below, along with the values
they correspond to. Where: Qtheo is the theoretical flow you calculated, Cd is the coefficient
of discharge, and Ho is the height between the topmost weir and the entire headline of
the testing flume.
Trial No. Ho (m) Qtheo (m3/s) Cd
1 0.0525 0.001722830789 0.9432150913
2 0.057 0.001949018462 0.9919522933
Table 2: Obtained Data Through Calculation using Specific Formulas
 The researcher can infer that the height of the water itself has a significant impact
on these values since the calculated height of the water from the topmost part of the weir
to the entire headline in the experiments has an ascending value. Thereby, the
researchers arrive at the theoretical flow values based on these data points, assuming
that the water flow over the weir is crucial as it goes through. Therefore, they can almost
see the substantial gap between the two values when comparing the actual flow provided
by the apparatus to the theoretical flow that the researcher solved. This indicates that the
theoretical flow is greater than the actual flow, which leads the researcher to proceed with
calculating the value of the coefficient of discharge.

In conclusion, the broad crest weir experiment demonstrated that water height over
the weir significantly influences flow rate, providing insights into the discharge behavior
in open-channel systems. By measuring the water height at the crest and comparing the
actual flow to the theoretical flow, researchers found that theoretical flow calculations
typically exceed the actual flow due to factors like frictional resistance and energy losses.
This discrepancy was quantified through the coefficient of discharge, which corrected
theoretical estimates to better match real observations. The experiment underscores the
critical role of discharge coefficients in accurately predicting flow in hydraulic engineering
applications, highlighting that both water height and flow characteristics are essential for
reliable weir flow analysis and design.

Recommendation

Based on the results of the broad crest weir experiment, a few recommendations
could help make flow measurements more accurate and useful in hydraulic engineering.
First, it’s important to regularly calibrate the measurement tools to make sure they’re
precise because even small errors in the recorded water height can lead to big differences
in the calculated flow rates. Since the height of the water (Y1) has a major impact on flow
estimates, accurate measurements are needed for both experimental and practical
evaluations of discharge. Also, having standardized methods for measuring water height
and flow rate would make the data more consistent across different weir studies, allowing
for better comparisons and insights.

Another important point is that correction factors, like the coefficient of discharge,
should be used more in engineering practices. The experiment showed that theoretical
flow rates are usually higher than the actual flow rates because of friction and energy
losses in the system. By fine-tuning the coefficient of discharge under different flow and
environmental conditions, engineers can better account for real-world influences, which
helps reduce errors in flow predictions. This is especially useful in areas like flood control,
irrigation, and water distribution, where mistakes in flow measurements could have big
consequences.

Future research on broad crest weirs could look at how factors like material type
and surface roughness affect flow, as these might impact the coefficient of discharge and
overall flow behavior. Using sensors and automated data collection could improve
measurement accuracy and lower the chances of human error. By testing more variables
and using advanced technology, researchers could create a more complete model of
broad crest weir performance, leading to better flow predictions in a range of
environmental and engineering situations.