REVIEW QUESTIONS IN

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION ENGINEERING

Arthur It. Tambong, FPSAE
Professor III, MSU - Main Campus

INSTRUCTIONS:
Select the best answer.
Shade the corresponding box of your answer in the answer sheet.
Give only one answer for each question.
Do not make any unnecessary marking in the answer sheet.
1. Which one is the flattest canal side slope?
A. 1:1

B. 1:4

C. 4:1

D. 2:1

Answer: C
2. Determine the side slope angle of an unlined canal with slope ratio z of 2:1 (run: rise)?
A. 16.6

B. 26.6

C. 45

D. None of the above

Answer: B
Solution:
Side angle with the horizontal is
(Note: Fuid Mech. & Hydraulics by Gillesania uses symbol for side angle w/ the vertical)
= arctan (rise /run)
= arctan (1/2)
= 26.6
Note: In specifying side slope, run is written first, ex. 4:1 means horizontal run is 4.
In computing angles whether bed slope or side slope, rise is numerator:
tan = rise /run

= arctan (rise /run)

3. What is the bottom width for the best hydraulic cross-section (best proportion) of
concrete open channel if design depth is 5 meters and side slope is 45?
A. 3 m

B. 4m

C. 5 m

D. None of the above

Answer: B
Solution:
b = 2 d tan (/2)
= 2 (5) tan (45/2)
= 2 (5) tan (22.5)
= 2 (5) (0.41)
= 4.1 m
3a. What is the top width at water surface level of the most efficient concrete open channel if
design depth is 5 meters? Design discharge is 100 m3/s and velocity is 2 m/s.
A. 1.29 m

B. 9.12 m

Answer: C
Solution:
Design Criteria: Most Efficient Canal (=60)
Q = AV
100 = A (2)
A = 50 m2
tan = 1 / z
tan 60 = 1 / z
1.732 = 1 / z
z = 0.577
A = bd + zd2
A-zd2 = bd
b = (A-zd2) / d
= [50 0.577(5) 2] / 5
= 7.12 m
t = b + (2d / tan )
= 7.12 m + [2(5) / 1.732]
= 12.89 m
Checking 1:
A = bd + zd2
50=(7.12)(5) + 0.577(5)2
50=35.6+14.4
50=50
Checking 2:
A = d [(t + b)/2]
50= 5 [(12.89+7.12)/2]
50 = 5[10]
50 = 50

C. 12.9 m

D. None of the above

3b. What is the total top width of the most efficient concrete open channel if design depth is
5 meters? Design discharge is 100 m3/s and velocity is 2 m/s. Use 15% freeboard.
A. 12.9 m

B. 13.8 m

Answer: B
Solution:
Design Criteria: Most Efficient Canal (=60)
Q = AV
100 = A (2)
A = 50 m2
tan = 1 / z
tan 60 = 1 / z
1.732 = 1 / z
z = 0.577
A = bd + zd2
A-zd2 = bd
b = (A-zd2) / d
= [50 0.577(5) 2] / 5
= 7.12 m
t = b + (2d / tan )
= 7.12 m + [2(5) / 1.732]
= 12.89 m
D = 1.15d
= 1.15(5)
= 5.75 m
T = b + (2D / tan )
= 7.12 + [2(5.75) / 1.732]
= 7.12 + 6.64
= 13.8 m
Checking 1:
A = bd + zd2
50=(7.12)(5) + 0.577(5)2
50=35.6+14.4
50=50
Checking 2:
A = d [(t + b)/2]
50= 5 [(12.89+7.12)/2]
50 = 5[10]
50 = 50

C. 18.3 m

D. None of the above

3c. What is the base of the most efficient trapezoidal concrete open channel if
discharge is 100 m3/s and velocity is 2 m/s.
B. 7.12 m

B. 12.8 m

C. 7.21 m

D. None of the above

Answer: A
Solution:
Q = AV
100 = A (2)
A = 50 m2
A = 1.732 d2
50/1.732 = d2
d = 5.4 m
A = bd + zd2
b = (A-zd2) / d
= [50 0.577(5.4) 2] / 5.4
= 6.14 m
Checking 1:
A = bd + zd2
50=(6.14)(5.4) + 0.577(5.4)2
50=33.2+16.8
50=50
4. What is the bottom width for best hydraulic cross-section of unlined open channel for
minimum seepage if design depth is 5 meters and side slope is 45?
A. 3 m

B. 4m

C. 8 m

D. None of the above

Answer: C
Solution:
b

= 4 d tan (/2)
= 4 (5) tan (22.5)
= 8.2 m

5. What is the bottom width for best hydraulic cross-section of unlined open channel with
minimum seepage if design depth is 5 meters and side slope is 2:1?
A. 4.72 m

B. 7. 42 m

Answer: A
Solution:
= arctan (rise /run)
= arctan (1/2)
= 26.6
b

= 4 d tan (/2)

C. 2.47 m

D. None of the above

= 4 (5) tan (26.6/2)

= 4 (5) tan (13.3)
= 4 (5) (0.236)
= 4.72 m
6. The estimated width and depth of concrete-lined rectangular open channel for water
velocity of 2 m/s and discharge of 10 m3/s.
A. 6.1 m, 2.3m

B. 3.2 m, 1.6m

C. 2.5m, 5.0m D. None of the above

Answer: B
Solution:
Expressing b in terms of d:
b =2d
Determining A:
A = Q/V
= 10/2
= 5 m2
Solving for b and d:
A = bd
5 = (2d)d
d2 = 5/2
d = 1.58 m
b = 2 (1.58)
= 3.16 m
7. What should be the base and depth of concrete-lined rectangular open channel for a
cross-sectional area of 50 m2. Design for efficiency over proportion.
A = 2 d2
50 =2 d2
d=5m
b = 2d
b = 2(5)
b = 10 m
Checking:
A = bd
50 = (10)(5)
50 = 50
8. What should be the depth and side angle with the horizontal of concrete-lined triangular
open channel for a cross-sectional area of 50 m2.
A = d2
50 = d2
d = 7.1m
= 45

9. If the most efficient of all trapezoidal cross-sections can be used, what design depth of
open channel would you recommend to carry 100 cumecs with a velocity of 5 mps?
(No. 31, MSU-GSC Preboard on Hydrology and SWCE, page 64, Part II)
A. 1.4 m

B. 2.4 m

C. 3.4 m

D. 1.3 m

Answer: C
Solution:
A = Q/V
= 100/5
= 20 m2
A = 1.732 d2
20 = 1.732 d2
d = 3.4 m
10. If the most efficient of all trapezoidal cross-sections can be used, what actual depth of
open channel would you recommend to carry 100 cumecs with a velocity of 5 mps? Use
15% freeboard.
A. 3.9 m

B. 3.4 m

C. 3.5 m

D. 1.3 m

Answer: A
Solution:
A = Q/V
= 100/5
= 20 m2
A = 1.732 d2
20 = 1.732 d2
d = 3.4 m
D = 1.15 d
= 1.15 (3.4)
= 3.91 m
11. If a unlined trapezoidal canal with best hydraulic cross-section can be used, what actual
depth of open channel would you recommend to carry 10 cumecs with a velocity of 1
mps? Use 2:1 side slope and 15% freeboard.
A. 1.12 m

B. 2.12 m

Answer: B
Solution:
A
= Q/V
= 10/1
= 10 m2

= arctan (rise /run)

= arctan (1/2)
= 26.565

C. 21.2 m

D. 2.21 m

b = 4 d tan (/2)
b = 0.944 d
A = bd + zd2,
10 = 0.944d + zd2 but z = 2
10 = 0.944d + 2d2 but z = 2
10 = 2.944d2
d = 1.84 m
D = 1.15 d
= 1.15 (1.84 m)
= 2.12m
Checking:
tan (26.565) = 0.5
b = 0.944 d
= 0.944 (1.84m)
= 1.74 m
t = b + (2d / tan )
t = 1.74 + [2(1.8 4) / 0.5]
t = 9.11 m
A = d [(t + b)/2]
10 = 1.84 [(9.11+1.74)/2]
10 = 10

OPEN CHANNEL DESIGN CRITERIA

DESIGN CRITERIA: EFFICIENT CANAL (For Concrete Only)
Efficient means maximum discharge for a given volume of reinforced concrete
a) Trapezoidal Canal, =60 (MOST EFFICIENT among trapezoidal & rectangular)
is the side angle with the horizontal
(Note: Fuid Mech. & Hydraulics by Gillesania uses symbol for side angle w/ vertical)
A = 1.732 d2
R = d/2
b) Rectangular Canal, =90
A = 2 d2
b = 2d
R = d/2
c) Triangular Canal, = 45 (best angle w/ the horizontal for triangular canals)
A = d2

DESIGN CRITERIA: BEST HYDRAULIC CROSS-SECTION (or best b-d proportion)

a) Concrete Canals
Base b relative to depth d at side angle with the horizontal :
b = 2 d tan (/2)
b) Unlined Canals (No Concrete)
Base b:
b = 4 d tan (/2)
Top Width t at water surface level:
t = b + (2d / tan )
Total Top Width T at total depth D level:
T = b + (2D / tan )