Hydraulics Prof. B.S.

Thandaveswara

(f) Based on spatial variation

(a) If the gross characteristics or mean parameters of flow remain constant with respect

to space, then the flow is known as Uniform flow.

Steady uniform flow

(b) In uniform flow, depth and velocity remain constant along the flow direction for the

given discharge in the given channel.

If the gross characteristics or mean parameters of flow change from point to point, then

the flow is known as non-uniform flow.

If the variation with respect to space is small and occurs over a long distance, then it is

called gradually varying flow.

Dam

NDL - Normal Depth Line

CDL - Critical Depth Line
Gradually varied flow
Example: Water surface profiles in a river, and water surface of the reservoir behind a

dam.

(c) If the rate of variation with respect to space is high and is with in short distance, then

it is called rapidly varying flow.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

Sluice
Gate
Hydraulic
jump
1
3

Rapidly varied flow with Hydraulic jump (1 and 3 subcritical flows,

2 Super critical flow)
Hydraulic jump

Example: Hydraulic jump, dam break flow, hydraulic drop.

R.L. 887.39
critical
1

R.L. 859.78

2 850.026
R.L. 845.82

Rapidly varied flow with Hydraulic drop

(d) If there is continuous variation of flow rate along the distance, then it is called

spatially varying flow.

Example:

Overland flow: the discharge could be either increasing or decreasing.

The spatially varying flow could be at a point or distributed over the space.

Example: Tributaries joining the river system, river branching in deltaic regions. The

return flow from irrigation system joining the river is an example of distributed spatially

varied flow.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Hydraulics Prof. B.S. Thandaveswara

Free surface flows

Uniform Non-uniform

GVF RVF SVF

LUMPED DISTRIBUTED
INCREASING DISCHARGE
DECREASING
Spatially Varied Flow (SVF)

dQ/dx

Spatially Varied Flow with Lateral discharge

increasing discharge from overland flow
(Eg: Side Spillway)

Distributed Spatial
Variation (River and
Tributaries)

Flow over a side weir

(decreasing discharge)

Steady Spatially Varied Flow

Indian Institute of Technology Madras