SPECIAL COMPUTER MODELING PROBLEM
CIVE 612 OPEN-CHANNEL FLOW
Spring 2009
Due 5PM, 8 May 2009
Develop a computer implementation of a model to calculate steady flow rate, cross-section-
averaged velocity, flow depth, Froude number, water surface elevation, and offtake flow rates for
a canal with the following minimum characteristics:
(1) Spatially-varying bed slope, S0 = S0(x);
(2) Spatially-varying cross-section geometry, Γ
Γ = Γ
Γ(x), of a general form (model must be
able to handle both regular and irregular geometries);
(3) Spatially-varying hydraulic resistance, n = n(x);
(4) Spatially-varying lateral inflow/outflow, ql = ql(x);
(5) Spatially-varying kinetic energy correction factor, α = α(x);
(6) Spatially-varying contraction/expansion loss coefficient, Ce/c(x), and bend loss
coefficient, Cb(x);
(7) At least three channel bends located along the channel at positions of your choice;
(8) At least two abrupt expansions and two abrupt contractions along the channel at positions
of your choice;
(9) Regulating structure (weir, vertical sluice gate, radial sluice gate) of your choice located
mid-length along the canal;
(10) At least two free-flowing vertical sluice off-take structures located in the reach upstream
of the regulator and at least two other free-flowing vertical sluice off-take structures
located in the reach downstream of the regulator;
(11) Boundary conditions:
(a) Upstream: water supply defined by a prescribed water level delivering flow to
the canal through a radial sluice gate with prescribed hydraulic characteristics,
and
(b) Dowstream: broad-crested weir with specified hydraulic characteristics.
Any computing software may be used to write your program; however, Excel (with Visual Basic
for Applications) is preferred and highly recommended. An electronic copy of the program,
along with all input data, must be submitted along with the formal report.
Model calculations must be validated and the model must be applied to an example problem of
your choosing. The problem may be based upon an actual field condition or may represent a
realistic hypothetical case. The development and application of the model must be presented in a
formal engineering report.
This assignment shall be done by a team of two persons. You may consult standard reference
texts or journals (provide citations to all references) and the instructor but the work must be
entirely your own.
Your grade will be based upon the technical rigor and accuracy of your model, as demonstrated
in your validation and in your example application, and upon the description of your work and the
presentation of the results in your report. Make sure that you include a section at the end of your
report that discusses what you learned about open-channel hydraulics through this exercise.
