Course Details in 2026/27 Session


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Module Title LI Open Channel Flow Hydraulics
SchoolSchool of Engineering
Department Civil Engineering
Module Code 04 34279
Module Lead Bruño Fraga
Level Intermediate Level
Credits 10
Semester Semester 2
Pre-requisites Fluid Mechanics and Energy Transfer - (04 28606)
Co-requisites
Restrictions None
Contact Hours Lecture-22 hours
Tutorial-11 hours
Supervised time in studio/workshop-4 hours
Guided independent study-63 hours
Total: 100 hours
Exclusions
Description This module builds on the background provided in Fluid Mechanics to investigate practical Hydraulic Engineering problems. The module is focused on open-channel flow Hydraulics, i.e., how water is conveyed in contact with the Earth's atmosphere. This affects many different flows of environmental and engineering relevance, such as rivers, artificial canals and irrigation networks, sewers, and even many types of flows originated in floods.
Learning Outcomes By the end of the module students should be able to:
  • By the end of the module, the students should be able to classify the different types of open-channel flows, understanding the underlying differences (from a Physics perspective) between them, and the main modelling tools that engineers use to analyse them.
  • Students should be capable of applying the principles of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy to flows of engineering/environmental interest.
  • Students should have a basic understanding of the role of turbulence in open-channel flows (i.e., secondary currents, velocity dip).
  • Students should know how to apply Manning's equation for Uniform Flow and understand its limitations, including those linked to the Manning's coefficient.
  • Students should understand the specific energy vs depth relation and gain an intuition on free surface behaviour that they can critically justify based on this understanding.
  • Students should understand the concept of Froude number, critical, subcritical, and supercritical flow; and its practical importance in engineering.
  • Students should be familiar with the concept of hydraulic jump and be able to quantify when it occurs and the energy dissipation implied in it.
  • Students should understand the role of flow control hydraulic structures and be able to design them at a basic level.
  • Students should know when the principles of gradually varied flow are applicable and the main techniques to solve it.
  • Students should understand the underlying concepts of the shallow water equations and be able to assess when a problem requires a computational rather than analytical approach.
  • Students should be able to explain the differences between alluvial and artificial channels and the main implications in terms of conveyance capacity and environmental equilibrium.
  • Students should understand the environmental, economical, and societal risks involved in Hydraulic engineering works affecting open channels.
Assessment 34279-01 : Exam : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Written Unseen (70%)
34279-03 : Lab Report : Coursework (30%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions Assessment:

Centrally timetabled 2 h written unseen examination (70%)
Laboratory reports (30%)

Reassessment:

Centrally timetabled 2 h written unseen exam (100%)
Other
Reading List