Open Channel Hydraulics
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Chapters
1. Open channel flows and its classification
2. Energy and Momentum principles in open channel flows
3. Uniform Flow and its Computations
4. Gradually Varied Flow and its Computation
5. Rapidly Varied Flow
6. Introduction to unsteady flow
5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Introduction:
The complex nature of unsteady flows together with their diversity
in form makes the subject matter too difficult and extensive to be
treated in a single chapter.
As such, only a brief introduction to unsteady open-channel flow
problems and the descriptions of a few simple cases are included
here.
5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Unsteady flows, also called transients, occur in an open channel
when the discharge or depth or both vary with time at a section.
These changes can be due to natural causes, planned action or
accidental happenings.
Depending upon the curvature of the water surface, the
transients can be broadly classified as:
(i) gradually-varied unsteady flows (GVUF), and
(ii) rapidly varied unsteady flows (RVUF).
By Getenet N.
4 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Characteristics of the Flow
1. Time Dependence
Unsteady flow means flow properties such as depth, velocity, and discharge vary
with time at a fixed location.
Mathematically:
where Q is discharge and y is flow depth.
2. May be gradually or rapidly varied
Can be combined with spatial variation:
– Gradually Varied Unsteady Flow (GVUF) – slow changes in depth and
velocity (e.g., slow rise of river due to upstream rainfall).
– Rapidly Varied Unsteady Flow (RVUF) – abrupt changes like surges or
hydraulic jumps during unsteady conditions.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
3. Dynamic and Kinematic Waves
Flow may be described by kinematic wave or dynamic wave models depending on which
forces dominate:
o Kinematic wave – neglects inertia (for gentle slopes, uniform rainfall).
o Dynamic wave – includes full momentum equations (used for floods, dam breaks).
4. Governed by Saint-Venant Equations
These are the fundamental equations for 1D unsteady open channel flow:
Continuity equation: mass conservation.
Momentum equation: force balance (includes pressure, gravity, friction, and
inertia).
By Getenet N.
6 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
5. Requires Initial and Boundary Conditions
Unlike steady flow, modeling unsteady flow needs both:
Initial conditions: state of the flow at the start time.
Boundary conditions: flow inputs/outputs over time at the channel ends.
6. Affected by External Inputs
Rainfall, reservoir releases, gate operations, or dam breaches can introduce
unsteadiness.
7. Typically Requires Numerical Solutions
Analytical solutions are rare; numerical methods (e.g., finite difference,
finite volume) are commonly used for simulation.
By Getenet N.
7 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Summary of the Saint-Venant equations
The Saint-Venant equations are a set of mathematical equations
that describe the flow of fluids, particularly in open channels and
rivers.
They are derived from the Navier-Stokes equations under certain
simplifying assumptions, including shallow water approximations
and one-dimensional flow.
The equations consist of a continuity equation and a momentum
equation.
By Getenet N.
8 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
By Getenet N.
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Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
By Getenet N.
10 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Application of St. Ven ant to solve unsteady flow
The Saint-Venant equations, are a set of partial differential
equations that describe the flow of water in open channels. They
are typically used to model unsteady flow (or dynamic flow) in
rivers, streams, and other open channels. These equations are an
extension of the continuity equation and the momentum equation
in fluid dynamics, applied specifically to situations where the flow
is unsteady.
15/11/2025
By Getenet N.
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Key Applications of Saint-Venant’s Equations to Unsteady Flow:
1.Flood Routing:
Saint-Venant's equations are often used to model the propagation of flood
waves downstream. By solving these equations, engineers can predict the
arrival time and height of flood waves and help in flood management and
mitigation.
2. River and Stream Flow Simulation:
The equations are applied to simulate unsteady flow conditions in rivers
and streams where flow is not constant (e.g., due to rainfall events, dam
releases, or changes in water flow). This helps in understanding how water
moves and how it interacts with the environment.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
3. Dam Break Analysis:
In the event of a dam failure, Saint-Venant's equations are used to
model the rapid changes in water levels and flow velocities
downstream of the dam. This helps in predicting the extent of damage,
the timing of flood arrival, and the required emergency measures.
4. Hydraulic Modeling of Channels:
These equations are used in hydraulic engineering to design and
analyze open channel systems (such as irrigation channels, drainage
systems, and river courses). Unsteady flow conditions in these
channels, such as surges or varying water demands, can be simulated.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
5. Sediment Transport and Erosion Analysis:
In cases where sediment transport and channel erosion are important
factors, the Saint-Venant equations can help simulate how changes in
flow affect sediment movement and deposition, which is essential for
floodplain management and river ecology.
6. Storm water Management:
In urban planning and storm water management, the Saint-Venant
equations are used to model how rainfall or storm water runoff
propagates through drainage networks. They help in designing storm
water control systems, detention basins, and floodplain management.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
7. Hydrological modeling:
Simulating river flow, flood prediction, and river network
dynamics.
8. Urban drainage:
Modeling the flow of water in urban areas, including sewer
systems and storm drains.
9. Coastal engineering:
Simulating water flow in coastal areas, such as estuaries and tidal
channels.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Limitations of Saint-Venant equations
The Saint-Venant equations are based on several assumptions,
which can limit their accuracy in certain situations. Some of these
limitations include:
One-dimensional flow:
The equations assume the flow is primarily in one direction,
neglecting variations in the other two dimensions.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
Shallow water approximation:
The equations are more accurate for shallow water flows
where the depth is much smaller than the wavelength.
Neglecting certain forces:
The equations may not account for all relevant forces,
such as Coriolis forces in large-scale flows.
By Getenet N. 5/11/2025
Faculty Name (Civil and Water Resource Engineering)
End of Chapter-6
Thank you
By Getenet N.
5/11/2025
