DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Chapter 2

Diversion Head works

Surface flow Analysis

1
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

B . Surface flow Analysis: it involves

 Determination of flow conditions u/s and d/s of the weir at
different flow rates and to size the different parts of the
structure accordingly.

 Finding water profiles around the weir location

2
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Note: Conditions to be seen:

First condition:
 The maximum uplift pressure normally occurs when the pond
is full and there is no water flowing down the weir.
 The effects of subsurface flow on the stability of a hydraulic
structure was seen in the previous lecture.
Second condition:
 But when flood water passes over the weir, entirely new
conditions are superimposed.
 The formation of a hydraulic jump causes uplift or
unbalanced head in the jump trough, which may be larger
than that under steady seepage.
3
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 When a certain discharge is passing over the weir and

hydraulic jump is forming, the seepage head is the difference
of the water level of u/s and d/s which is generally much
smaller than that in case there is no flow.
 The ordinate of the uplift pressure is to be measured from
the HG line to the water surface, as the rest of the uplift is
exactly counterbalanced by the weight of the water standing
on the floor.
 The uplift pressure on the u/s side is more than
counterbalanced by the water standing on the floor, and
hence only a nominal floor thickness is to be provided on the
u/s side.

4
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 Since the point of jump formation is likely to shift with
variation in discharge passing over the weir, the entire glacis
may have to be designed for the second condition; while most
of the remaining floor may have to be designed for the first
condition. i.e. the thickness of the floor is obtained by taking
the larger of the two ordinates divided by (G-1).

 In fact the net ordinate in the second condition can be

determined if the water surface profile before and after the
jump can be known or plotted.

5
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 Data required for the design of a weir or a barrage:

 High flood levels for the river at the weir site
 High flood or maximum flood discharge for the river at the
weir site
 River cross section at the weir site.

 Further, parameters to be decided while designing a weir or a

barrage are:
 Crest levels
 Afflux
 Waterway and the discharge per meter.
 Pond level

6
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

1. Crest Levels (for weir portion and under sluice section)

 The under sluice section is normally kept at a lower level
to provide deep calm river pocket near the canal head
regulator. Its crest is, therefore, kept slightly lower than
the weir crest.

 The under sluice crest is generally kept as near the bed

level in the existing deepest channel, as is practically
possible.

 The crest level of weir is generally kept 1.0 to 1.5m

higher than the crest level of the under sluices.

7
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Points to consider in deciding crest elevation:

 water head required to deliver the main canals’ design
discharge.

 if the entire flow of river at low flows is diverted, the crest

elevation must be set at level so that the ponded water gives
the required head to supply the canal with design flow.

 if the minimum flow in the river exceeds the discharge of the

off take canal, the crest level of the weir can be set lower
than the river water level, to allow for d/s water rights.

 The minimum free board must not be less than 0.5m.

8
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 Crest elevation (height of crest) normally affects water

profile in two ways
a. height of crest affects Cd, water above weir and back
water curve
b. shape and location of jump

9
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

2. Afflux
 It is the rise in the maximum flood level of the river u/s of
the weir after construction.

 Afflux is confined only to a short reach (equal to the back

water curve).

 The amount of afflux will determine the top levels of guide

banks and marginal bunds.

 It will also govern the dynamic action (depth and location of

the hydraulic jump) d/s.

 It is therefore, always desirable to limit the afflux to a safe

value of 1 to 1.2m, more commonly 1.0m.
10
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

3. Water way (Length of the weir) and discharge per meter:
 depends on the physical features of the given site
 A weir with long crest gives small discharge per unit length
and hence required energy dissipation per meter of the crest
is smaller
 Constructing a weir longer than a river width causes
formation of islands at u/s of weir, reduces effective length
of the crest
 General rule – the crest length should be taken as the average
wetted width during the flood.
 The other likely figure for the water way is obtained by
Lacey’s wetted perimeter formula:
P = 4.75Q1/2
 A water way equal to 1.2 to 1.4P is generally assumed in
rivers in plains.
11
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

4. Pond level –
 It is the minimum water level required in the undersluice
pocket u/s of the canal head regulator so as to feed the
canal with its full supply.
 The pond level is generally obtained by adding 1 to 1.2m
to the canal FSL.
 Water in the under sluice pocket has to be maintained at
pond level, even during dry weather flow.

12
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

5. Shape of the weir:

 Two important factors need to be considered
 The practicality, and
 The economy of the structure
 Shape should be constructed easily
 Two common types of weirs
 concrete weir with vertical upstream and slopped d/s
 stepped weir

13
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Discharge over the weir:

Q = CLHe3/2
where,
He = Hd+V2/2g

 When piers are placed on the crest

Q = C(Lo-kNHe)He3/2
Where,
Lo = clear length of the weir
N = number of pier contractions=2* number of piers
k = pier contraction coefficient (k is assumed 0.05)
C is related to He/Hd and varies according to weir type
14
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Determination of coefficient C:
 There are two conditions for which value of C is determined
i. h/Hd > 1.33 ,
Where,
h= height of weir
Hd= design head, velocity head is neglected
 For this case for crested weir, C=2.225
 For braod crested weir, C = 1.7

ii. h/ Hd<1.33, the velocity head should not be neglected

 C is determined from the experimental curves

15
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Design Procedure:
 Determine He/Hd and h/Hd
 From relevant curve determine C/Cd
 the discharge coefficient for a vertical u/s face is
C= c/cd (from graph) x 2.25

 if the u/s face is not vertical, correct the value of C

calculated above, multiply it by the correction factor for
the given h/Hd value.

16
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
Graph to determine C

17
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Water profile u/s of the weir:

 The profile is needed for two reasons

1. to determine the height of the river banks u/s of the weir
2. to find out whether the water surface is high enough to
deliver the required discharge to the off taking canal

18
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Methods:
Approximate method
 This is good for preliminary design
Y=(XS-2Δo)2/4 Δo
Where,
Y=water rise, at distance X u/s of the weir, above normal
water depth
X=distance from the crest to the point where y is required
S=slope of the river bed
Δo =rise of water above the normal depth (at the weir site
X=0)
The depth does not take into account the geometry and
the hydraulic properties of the channel 19
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Example -1
Draw the back water curve for a broad crested weir where
Q=2.5m3/s, So=0.002, yo=2.20m and h = 2.5m
Solution:
Q=1.7 * L * He3/2 2.5=1.7* He3/2 He=1.293m
V = 2.5/(2.5+Hd)
And, He=1.293m=Hd + v2/2g

Assume,Hd Determine,v v2/2g He=Hd + v 2/2g

1.00 0.71 0.026 1.026

1.20 0.68 0.023 1.22

1.27 0.66 0.022 1.292
20
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Assume, X Determine ,Y
50 1.47
100 1.38
200 1.20
300 1.03
Hence, Hd=1.27,
400 0.87
Δo=(2.5+1.27)-2.20=1.57
500 0.73
600 0.60
Using Y=(XS-2Δo)/4 Δo, the
700 0.48
back water curve is
800 0.38
determined as is shown in
900 0.29
the table.
1000 0.21
1100 0.14
1200 0.09
1300 0.05
1400 0.02
21
1570 0.00
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Water Profile d/s of the weir:

 water profile is needed for Qmax, 2/3Qmax, 1/3 Qmax and for Qmin

 energy must be dissipated before it reaches natural river

course (through hydraulic jump)

22
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Analysis of the hydraulic jump:

 On horizontal surface:
D2/D1=1/2(√(8F12+1)-1)

 To determine the depths, apply Bernoulli’s equation

Zo+h+Hd+Vo2/2g=z1+D1+V12/2g

23
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Analysis of the hydraulic jump:

 Locations of jump:
 There are 3 alternative patterns that allow hydraulic jump to
form d/s of a weir.

case (1) or Case A

 Tail water depth, D3 = sequent depth, D2
 For this case, Jump occurs just at the
toe of the weir

24
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Case (2) or Case B

 When D3<D2
 Jump recedes d/s
 This case must be avoided in design

Case (3) (includes case C, D, E, F)

 When D3>D2
 Submerged jump
 Jump occurs on sloping surface.
 This is most stable

25
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Jump on sloping surfaces of weir or aprons:

 Types of jumps which may occur are:
 case A,
Jumps on horizontal surfaces
 case B,
 case C,
 case D,
Jumps on sloping weir surfaces
 case E,
 case F

26
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Graph to determine C

Jump on sloping surfaces of

weir or aprons:
 case C (D2s > D3),
 case D (D2s = D3),
 case E (D2s < D3),
 case F (l > L)
l = length from toe to jump start
and L = length of the jump

27
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Fig 1. Solution for

case C jumps

Note: Anlytical solution for type C is

not yet developed, but graphically 28
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Hydraulics of the jumps

 Equation for types D and E
D2s= (D1s/2cos )(√(8G2+1)-1)

Where,
D2s = conjugate depth when the jump occurs on sloping
surface
D1s = pre jump water depth
 = angle of surface
G2 = F12T12
T1 = 100.027 * 
F1 = Froud number before the jump
29
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 Equation for case F

D2s=(D1s/2)(√(8G2+1)-1)

Where,
D2s =0.5(√(8G2+1)-1)
G=F/√( cos -(kLsin)/(d2-d1))
d1= D1s cos
d2= D2s cos
k = correction factor (=1)
L = length of the jump

30
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Fig 2. Hydraulic
jump
Length in sloping
channels for jump
types C, D, E and F

31
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Example 2:
A weir is 10m wide, inclined at an angle 1:4(v:h). Determine the
jump type if Q=20m3/s. Water depth on the sloping surface is
0.25m and the tail water is 1.8m.

Solution:
Area of water on the sloping surface =10*0.25
V1=20/2.5=8m/s
Fr1=v1/√g*D1=8/√9.81*0.25=5.1
First Assume that the jump occurs on the horizontal surface
D2= D1/2*√(1+8F2)-1=0.25/2*((1+8*5.12)-1)
D2=1.68m
D3 =1.801.68m,the jump can not be classified as type A or
B. Therefore, D2s has to be determined. 32
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Solution:
 = tan-1 ¼=140
T= 100.027*14 =2.39

G2 =T2*F2 = 2.392*5.1 2 =148.6

D2s = 0.25/cos14(√(8G2+1)-1) = 4.3m

D2s= 4.3D3 , therefore, the jump is classified as type C

i.e. Start of the jump is from the toe of the weir.

33
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Solution:
For D3/D2 = 1.8/1.68 = 1.07 and tan  = 0.25, L/D2 =1.2
(see figure 1)

Therefore, length of the jump= l = 1.2*1.68 = 2.0m (start of the

jump from the toe of the weir).

For F1= 5.1 and tan  = 0.25,

L/D3 = 2.8, L= 2.8*1.8 = 5.04m (length of the jump)

34
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Solution:
The energy loss:
Height of u/s energy line:
2tan14 + 0.25/cos14 + 82/(2*9.81) = 4.02m
Height of d/s energy line:
V = 20/(10*1.8) =1.11m/s
1.8+ 1.112/(2*9.81) = 1.86m
U/s energy line = D/s Energy line + HL
HL = 4.02 – 1.86 = 2.16m

35
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Length of Pucca concrete Floor:
 The total length is governed by the exit gradient considerations.
 For a safe exit gradient and a depth of d/s cutoff suitable from scour
considerations, the length of the horizontal floor b can be worked out
as b = d
 The main turbulence of a hydraulic jump is generally confined to a
length equal to five times the jump height.
 Hence, a pucca floor equal to or more than 5(D2-D1) in length is
provided after the lowest point of jump formation.
 In the glacis type of weir,
 the glacis should be sloped down at a slope of 3:1 to 5:1 for
maximum dissipation of energy coupled with economy and
stability of the jump.
 The top width of the crest generally kept as 2 to 3m
 The u/s slope to the crest is kept as 1:1 to 3:1
 The length of u/s floor adjusted so as to provide the necessary total
36
floor length b.
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Design of protection works:
 Protection works are required on the u/s as well as on the d/s of
the concrete apron in order to prevent the possibility of scour
hole travelling close to the concrete floor of the weir and to
relieve any residual uplift pressure through the filter.

 The arrangement consists of:

i. Inverted filter, and
ii. Launching apron

37
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

A. Down stream loose protections
i) Inverted filters:
 After the end of concrete block, an inverted filter of 1.5 to
2D long is provided. D is the depth of scour below the
original river bed given by.
D = xR-y
Where,
R = Lacey’s normal scour depth
y = water depth above bed
x = coefficient of scour
 Total scour below HFL is taken as xR
 Value of x is usually 1.5 for design of d/s protection work
and 1.25 for the design of u/s protection work
38
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 R is given by:
R=1.35(q2/f)1/3 ,
Where, q is discharge density,
f is Lacey’s silt factor which is given by
f =1.75√d, d is mean diameter of bed material(mm)
 The depth of inverted filter is kept equal to the depth of d/s
launching apron.
 It generally consists of 1 to 1.2m deep concrete blocks with
open joints laid over 0.6m thick graded filter material.
 The purpose of inverted filter is to reduce piping and allows
free flow seepage water without allowing the foundation soils
to be lifted upward.
 The filter is therefore, layers of materials of increasing
permeability from bottom to top. 39
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

40
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Launching Apron:
 After the inverted filter, launching apron for a length of 1.5D is
provided.
 The apron generally launches to a slope of 2:1.
 If t is the thickness of the apron in the launched position,
length being 5 D, the volume of stone per meter width is
given by
= 5 D*t = 2.25 *D*t. t is the thickness of apron.
 The value of t is recommended to be different by different
researchers but the one commonly adopted is the Blench’s,
which is equal to 1.5 to 2 times the size of the stone required
which is calculated as:
Vav = 4.915ds1/2
Where, Vav = average velocity of flow in m/s
41
Ds = mean diameter of stone in m
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

B. Upstream loose protection
 Just upstream of the concrete floor of the weir, block
protection is provided.
 It generally consists of concrete blocks laid over packed
stone, for a length equal to D.
D = xR-y,
Where,
x = 1.0 to 1.5, generally taken as 1.25.

 Launching apron is provided in the same way as D/s apron

except that proper value of x should be chosen.
 Toe walls are generally constructed in b/n the filter and the
apron.
42
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

B. Structural Analysis of Diversion Weir

 Acting forces on weir

1. Static water pressure of the surface water
 U/S water pressure
 D/S water pressure
2. Uplift water pressure
3. Weight of the weir
4. Weight of the water wedges
5. Soil reaction at this weir base
6. Friction forces at the base which
develop to balance the horizontal forces

43
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

44
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

B. Structural Analysis of Diversion Weir

 General stability condition:
For a structure to remain stable the following conditions must be
fulfilled.
 The summation of all moments about a point must be equal
to zero
 The summation of all horizontal forces must be equal to
zero
 The summation of all vertical forces must be equal to zero

45
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

B. Structural Analysis of Diversion Weir
i. Safety against overturning:
 The summation of all moments about a point must be equal
to zero. i.e. the moments which tends to topple must be
equal to the moments which balances it.
 But unpredictable situation likely to occur and cause the
toppling moment to exceed the balancing one and hence
the structure fails. Thus, usually a safety factor of about
1.5 to 2 is applied.
[Mbalance/ (Mtopple)] > 1.5 to 2

ii. Safety against tension:

 In order to avoid lifting up the structure’s heel and tension
occurrence at the base, the forces acting on the structure
must pass through the middle third of the structures base.
46
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

 i.e. eccentricity, e<B/6 or e=/(B/2)-X/ < B/6

Where, X = M/ Vf

M = summation of all moments about the structure toe
Vf = summation of all vertical forces excluding the base
reaction
X = distance of the resultant of the forces from the toe
B = width of the weir base

47
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

iii. Safety against Sliding:

 The structure may slide in the flow direction if there is not
enough friction between the base and the foundation. To
prevent this, the following condition should be fulfilled.

[(Horizontal external forces)/(vertical external forces)]< f

Where,
f is the friction factor between the base and the
foundation and is a function of the materials used in the
construction and nature of the foundation.

 The USBR suggests 0.35 for concrete structures on common

soils.
48
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Design of Weir and Barrage

Critical cases to be considered

 Stability analysis becomes important where the structure and
the apron are of two different materials and act as two
independent units. That is, non- monolithically built or when
the structure is built-on rock foundation without apron.

49
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

THANK YOU
Reading Assignment: See a complete barrage design example
on Garg book on page 588. and surface flow analysis from Baban
book chapter 5

50