Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

GRADUALLY VARIED FLOW

INTRODUCTION

What is a gradually varied flow (GVF)?

A steady non-uniform flow in a prismatic channel with gradual changes in

water-surface elevation is a gradually varied flow (GVF).

Typical examples of GVF:

(i) the backwater produced by a dam or weir across a river

(ii) the drawdown produced at a sudden drop in a channel

In a GVF, the bed slope of channel, water surface slope and energy slope
will all differ from each other. Why?

As there is a gradual change in water-surface elevation, there is a

change in velocity of flow from section to section along the length of the
channel. As a consequence, the bed slope, water surface slope and
energy slope differ from each other.

Basic assumptions involved in the analysis of GVF:

1. The pressure distribution at any section is assumed to be hydrostatic.

This assumption is based on the definition of the flow to have a
gradually varied water surface. As gradual changes in water
surface curvature give rise to negligible normal accelerations, the
departure from the hydrostatic pressure distribution is negligible.

2. the resistance to flow at any depth is assumed to be given by the

corresponding uniform flow equation, such as the Manning’s
equation, with the condition that the slope term to be used in the
equation is the energy slope and not the bed slope. Thus, if the
depth of flow at any section in a GVF is y, the energy slope S f is
given by

n 2V 2
Sf 
R4/3

where n is the Manning’s roughness coefficient, V is the mean

velocity of flow in the channel, R is the hydraulic radius of the
channel section where the depth of flow is y.

Course Instructor: Prof. Dr. A. MURUGAPPAN Page No.: 1 of 8

Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION OF GVF:

Figure shows a schematic sketch of a gradually varied flow.

Slope Sf
Energy line
V2/2g

Water surface
E y

z x
Datum
So

Schematic sketch of GVF

Let the bed slope So of the channel be small. When the channel is straight,
prismatic and uniform flow or gradually varied flow take place, the kinetic
energy correction factor  can be assumed to be unity (that is,  = 1.0).
The total energy H can be expressed as:

 V2 
H  z  E  Z   y   (2)
 2 g 

where z = elevation of the channel section above the horizontal datum

surface
E = specific energy
y = depth of flow in the section
V = mean velocity of flow at the section

The longitudinal direction (x – direction) is considered along the channel

length. As the water surface profile varies along the x – direction, the
depth of flow y and total energy H are functions of x.

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

Differentiating (2) with respect to x,

dH dz dE dz  dy d  V 2 
       (3)
dx dx dx dx  dx dx  2 g 

dH dz dy d V 2 
In equation (3), what are represented by , , and  
dx dx dx dx  2 g 

dH
represents the variation in total energy H along the longitudinal
dx
direction (x – direction). It represents the slope of the energy line (S f). it
should be noted that the total energy of the flow always decreases in the
direction of flow. Hence,

dH
 S f (4)
dx

dz
represents the variation in elevation Z of the channel bed along the
dx
longitudinal direction (x – direction). It represents the bottom slope of the
channel (So). It should be noted that the elevation of the channel bed
decreases in the direction of flow. Hence,

dz
 S o (5)
dx

dy
represents the variation in depth of flow y along the longitudinal
dx
direction (x – direction). It represents the slope of the water – surface with
respect to the bottom of the channel.

d V 2 
  represents the variation in kinetic energy of flow in the
dx  2 g 
longitudinal direction.

d V 2  d  Q2  Q
  =   (since, V = )
dx  2 g  dx  2gA 2  A
d  Q 2  dy
=  
dy  2 gA2  dx

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

As the wetted area A of flow at any channel section is a function of depth

of flow y, the above differential becomes
d  Q 2  dy 3  Q  dA  dy
2
 Q 2  dA  dy
  =  2 A   
 2 g  dy  dx   3  
dy  2 gA2  dx     gA  dy  dx
dA
Since,  T , where T is the width of flow at the water surface at the
dy
channel section,

d V 2   Q 2  dy  Q 2T  dy
  =   3 T   3  (6)
dx  2 g   gA  dx  gA  dx

dH dz d V 2 
Now, substituting the expressions for , and   from equations
dx dx dx  2 g 
(4), (5) and (6) respectively in equation (3),

dy  Q 2T  dy
 S f  S o    
dx  gA3  dx
dy  Q 2T 
  S f   S o  1  
dx  gA3 

dy  S f  S o
 
dx  Q 2T 
1  
3 
 gA 
dy S  S
  (7)
o f

dx  Q T  2
1  
 gA 3 

Equation (7) forms the basic differential equation of gradually varied flow.
It is also known as the dynamic equation of GVF. When the kinetic energy
correction factor  is greater than 1.0, equation (7) will be expressed as;

dy So  S f So  S f
 = (8)
dx  Q 2T   Q 2 T 
1   1  
 gA 3   gA 3 

What are the other forms in which equation (8) can be expressed?

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

Case (a):

Let K be the conveyance of the channel section at depth of flow y. Let Ko

be the conveyance of the channel section at normal depth of flow y o.
From Manning’s formula,
1
Q  AR 2 / 3 S f = KS f
1/ 2 1/ 2

n
1
where K  AR 2 / 3
n

Hence, by assumption (2) of GVF,

Q Q
K 1/ 2
= (9)
Sf Sf
When the flow is uniform,

Q
Ko  (10)
So

Dividing (10) by (9),

 Q 
 

K o  o 
S Sf
 =
K  Q  So
 
 S 
 f 

K2 Sf
 o2  (11)
K So

Let Z be the section factor at depth of flow y.

A
ZA
T
A3
 Z2  (12)
T
Let Zc be the section factor at critical depth of flow yc. Then

Ac3 Q2
 = (13)
2
Zc
Tc g

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

Dividing (13) by (12),

 Q2 
 
Zc
2
 g  Q 2T
  (14)
Z2  A 3  gA 3
 
T 

Expressing (7) as

 Sf 
S o 1  
dy  S o 

dx  Q 2T 
1  
 gA 3 
Sf  K2 Q 2T Z c
2

Putting   = o2 from (11) and  2 from (14) in the above

 So  K gA 3 Z
expression,

 K o2  K 
2
S o 1  2  1  o 
 
dy K   K 
= S0 (15)
dx  Z c2   Zc 
2
1  2  1  
 Z   Z 

Equation (15) is useful in developing direct integration techniques.

Case (b):

Let Qn and Qc represent the normal discharge and critical discharge at a

depth of flow y. Then,

Qn  K S o (16)
Q
 K (16 a)
So

Qc  Z g (17)
Q
 Z c (17 a)
g

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

Substituting (10), (13), (16 a) and (17 a) in (15),

2
2  Q S 0 
 Ko    
1   1
dy  K   Qn S 0 
 S0 2
= S0 2
dx  Zc   Q g 
1   1  
Z   Qc g 
  Q 2 
1    
dy   Qn  
  S0  2 
(18)
dx  Q 
1   Q  
  c 

Case (c):

dH dZ
Putting   S f from (4) and putting   S 0 from (5) in (3),
dx dx

dE
 S f  S 0 
dx
dE
  S0  S f (19)
dx

Equation (19) is called the differential-energy equation of GVF to

distinguish it from the GVF differential equations (7), (15) and (18).
Equation (19) is very helpful in developing numerical techniques for the
GVF profile computation.

CLASSIFICATION OF GVF PROFILES

In a given channel, for a fixed discharge Q, Manning’s roughness

coefficient n and bed slope S0, the normal depth of flow yn and critical
depth of flow yc are also fixed.

There are three possible relations between the normal depth of flow yn
and critical depth of flow yc. They are:

(i) y 0  y c
(ii) y 0  y c
(iii) y 0  y c

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University
Topic: Differential Equation of Gradually Varied Flow (GVF)

Further there are two cases where y0 does not exist. They are:

(i) when the channel bed is horizontal, that is when the bed slope
S0 is zero
(ii) when the channel has an adverse slope, that is when the bed
slope S0 is negative.

Based on the above five cases, the channels are classified into 5
categories as indicated in Table below.

Table 1. Classification of Channels

S. Category of Symbol Characteristic Remark

No. Channel Condition
1. Mild slope M y0  yc Sub-critical flow at normal depth
2. Steep slope S yc  y0 Super-critical flow at normal
depth
3. Critical slope C yc  y0 Critical flow at normal depth
4. Horizontal bed H S0  0 Cannot sustain uniform flow
5. Adverse slope A S0  0 Cannot sustain uniform flow

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Professor, Dept. of Civil Engg., Annamalai University