Chapter: 3

SPECIFIC ENERGY
AND
CRITICAL FLOW

Course Teacher:
Subrata Chowdhury
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Specific Energy
Specific energy E at a channel section is the energy measured with respect to
the channel bottom. For a channel of large slope

2 U2
Total Energy, H  zb  h cos   
2g
2
2 U
 Specific Energy, E  h cos    ; zb  0
2g

and for a channel of small slope and α = 1

U2
E  h
2g
which indicates that the specific energy is the sum of the depth of flow and
the velocity head. Since U = Q/A, the above equation may also be written as
2
Q
E  h 2
2 gA
which shows that the specific energy depends on the channel section, the
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
depth of flow h and the discharge Q.
 The Specific Energy Curve
The variation of specific energy with depth for a given section and a constant discharge the
above equation is shown in the following Figure. The resulting curve, which is known as the
specific energy curve or E-h curve, has two limbs CA and CB. As h → 0, U2/2g →α, E →α
and the limb CA approaches the E axis asymptotically toward the right. As h →α U2/2g → 0, E
→ h and the limb CB approaches the line OP whose equation is E = h.

B
h

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Except point C, all points on the specific energy curve there are two values
of h for a given value of E, for instance, the lower depth h1 and the higher
depth h2 .These are known as the alternate depths. At point C, the
specific energy has a minimum value below which the given Q cannot
occur. The state of flow represented by point C is obtained by taking the first
derivative of E with respect to h from the Specific Energy Equation holding
Q constant,
Q2 dA A U
E h Since  B, D  and Fr 
2gA2 dh B gD
dE
dh
 1
Q2 d  2
2g dh
A   dE
dh
 1
U2B
gA
2
Q2 dA U
 1 ( 2 )A3  1
2g dh gA / B
Q2 dA U
2
2
 1 3  1  1  Fr
gA dh gD
UA2 dA U2 dA For minimumspecificenergy dE dh  0.
 1 1 
gA3 dh gA dh Hence, 1  Fr2  0, i.e. Fr  1
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Obviously, when the depth of flow is greater than the critical depth,
the velocity of flow is less than the critical velocity for the given
discharge and the flow is sub-critical.

 When the depth of flow is less than the critical depth, the velocity
of flow is greater than the critical velocity and the flow is
supercritical.

 Hence, h1 is the depth of supercritical flow and h2 is the depth of

sub-critical flow and the limbs CB and CA represent sub-critical
and supercritical flows, respectively.

CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury

 Critical flow
The critical flow has been defined as the flow for which the numerical
value of the Froude number is equal to unity.
Fr  1
Uc For a channel of large slope and α  1, the
or , 1
gD c condition for the critical state of flow is given by,
or , Uc 2  gD c Uc 2 Dc cos 
 
Uc 2 Dc 2g 2
or ,  For a rectangular channel, Dc  h c . Hence
2g 2
and when   1 Uc 2 Dc h c
  
2g 2 2
Uc 2 Dc
 
2g 2 Uc 2 h
 Ec  h c    h c  c  1.5h c
i.e., the velocity head is equal to 2g 2
one - half of the hydraulic depth.
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Section Factor for Critical Flow Computation
The product of the water area and the square root of the hydraulic
depth is known as the section factor in connection with critical flow,
denoted by Z, i.e.
Z  A D

It can be computed when the channel section and the depth of flow h are
given.
When the flow is critical, the product of the water area and the square
root of the hydraulic depth is known as the section factor for critical flow
condition, denoted by Zc, i.e.

Z c  Ac Dc

2 Again,
Uc D 2
Now ,   c Q U2 Q2
2g 2 or , A c2D c  Fr
2
 
2 g  gD gA2 D
 Q 
  Q Q2 g Zc
2
A D or , Zc   2  2
or ,  c  c g  A D Z
2g 2
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 Hydraulic Exponent for Critical Flow
Computation
The section factor Z is a function of the depth of flow for a given
channel section. It is convenient to express Z in the form
2 M
Z  C 1h
where C1 is a coefficient and M is an exponent which is known
as the hydraulic exponent for critical flow computation.
Now ,
2 M
Z  C 1h
2
ln Z  ln C 1 h  M

2 ln Z  M  ln h
d ln Z  M

dh 2h
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Now ,
3 2 1 2
Z  A D  A A B  A B
3 2
A 3 1
ln Z  ln 1 2
ln A  ln B
B 2 2
d ln Z  d 3 1 
  ln A  ln B 
dh dh  2 2 
d ln Z  3 1 dA 1 1 dB
 
dh 2 A dh 2 B dh
d ln Z  3B 1 dB 1  dB 
    3 B  D 
dh 2 A 2 B dh 2A  dh 

Equating both the above equations ,

h  dB 
 M   3B  D 
A  dh 
which is the general equation for the hydraulic exponent for critical flow
computation M and indicates that M is a function of the channel section
and the depth of flow.
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 The values of M for different, channel sections:

Channel Section M

1. Rectangular
3

2. Triangular
5

3. Parabolic
4

4. Trapezoidal
31  2s h b 2  2s h b 1  s h b 
M
1  2sh b 1  s h b 
5. Circular 12 sin  2 cos  2
1  cos  2   2
  sin  sin  2

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 Example 3.1
Determine the numerical value of the hydraulic exponent
for critical flow computation M for a rectangular channel.

Solution
For a rectangular channel,
A = bh,
B = b, D = A/B = h,
dB/dh = 0.

h dB  h
M   3B  D   3b  h  0   3
A dh  bh
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Example 3.2
Compute the hydraulic exponent for critical flow
computation M for a trapezoidal channel with b = 6.1 m,
s= 2 and h = 2 m.

Solution
h/b=2/6.1=0.328

31  2sh b 2  2sh b 1  sh b 

M
1  2sh b1  sh b
31  2  2  0.3282  2  2  0.3281  2  0.328 
M
1  2  2  0.328 1  2  0.328 
 M  3.62
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
Computation of Critical Depth
2
 q
Wide Channel : hc  3
g
2
Q
Rectangular Channel : hc  3 2
gb
2
2 Q
Triangular Channel : hc  5
2
gs

 
2
2 27cQ
Parabolic Channel z  cx : hc  4
32 g
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Example 3.3
Compute the critical depth and velocity in a (i) wide rectangular
channel with q = 3 m2/s, (ii) rectangular channel with b = 6 m and Q = 20
m3/s, (iii) triangular channel with s = 2 and Q = 20 m3/s, and (iv)
parabolic channel whose profile is given by x2 = 4z with Q = 20 m3/s. In
all cases assume α = 1.12.
  1 . 12
Solution: ( i ) Wide Channel , q  3 m
2
s
2 2
q 1 . 12  3
h c  3  3  1 . 01 m
g 9 . 81
q 3
U c    2 . 97 m s
hc 1 . 01
3
( ii ) Rectangula r Channel , b  6 m , Q  20 m s
2 2
Q 1 . 12  20
h c  3
2
 3  1 . 08 m
gb 9 . 81  6 2
2
A c  bh c  6  1 . 08  6 . 50 m
Q 20
U c    3 . 08 m s
A c 6 . 50
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( i ) Triangular Channel, s  2, Q  10 m 3 s
2 Q 2 2  1.12  10 2
hc  5 2
5 2
 1.42m
gs 9.81 2
A c  shc 2  2  1.422  4.01m 2
Q 10
Uc    2.49 m s
A c 4.01
( ii ) Parabolic Channel, x 2  4 z or z  0.25x 2 , c  0.25, Q  20 m 3 s
2 2
27cQ 27  1.12  0.25  20
hc  4 4  1.76m
32 g 32  9.81
32
4 h c 3 2 4  1.76
Ac    6.24 m 2
3 c 3  0.25
Q 20
Uc    3.21m s
A c 6.24
CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Example 3.4 (Trial-and-Error Approach)
For a trapezoidal channel with b = 6 m and s = 2, compute the
critical depth and velocity if Q = 14 m3/s. Take α = 1.
Q 14
Zc    4.47
g  9.81 1
Now, assume several values of h and compute the section factor Z
until the computed value of Z is very close to 4.47. The trial-and-
error computation is more conveniently carried out as shown below:

H (m) A (m2) B (m) D (m) Remarks

ZA D
1.00 8.000 10.00 0.800 7.155 h large

0.50 3.500 8.00 0.430 2.315 h small

0.70 5.180 8.80 0.589 3.974 h close

0.75 5.625 9.00 0.625 4.447 h closest

Hence, the critical depth, hc = 0.75 m and the critical velocity

CEN 361 CT: Subrata Chowdhury
 Example 3.5 (Trial-and-Error Approach)
For a circular channel with d0 = 2 m, compute the critical depth
and velocity if Q = 4 m3/s. Take α = 1.
3
For Circular section, d0  2m , Q  4 m s ,   1 . 10
Q 4
Zc    1 . 339
g  9 . 81 1 . 10
w (rad) A (m2) B (m) D (m)
ZA D
1 0.079 0.959 0.082 0.022
2 0.545 1.683 0.324 0.310
3 1.429 1.995 0.716 1.210
3.10 1.529 2.000 0.765 1.337
Hence, the critical depth , and the critical velocity ,
d0   2 3.10 
hc   1  cos   1  cos   0.98 m Q 4
2  2 2 2  Uc    2.62 m / s
A c 1.529
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