Scale model testing and calibration of City of Ottawa sewer weirs

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a laboratory study of the effects of (i) manhole proximity to installation site, (ii) pipe slope (i.e., approach velocity), (iii) upstream head measurement location, and (iv) submergence on the "hydraulics" of two types of sewer weirs used by the City of Ottawa. The City's streamlined form of broad-crested weir and its compound-shaped sharp-crested weir were initially calibrated for a "pipe straight"-arrangement (no upstream manhole is present) for a wide range of flow conditions at 0.2%, 0.4%, and 1.0% pipe slopes. The calibration tests were then repeated with the weirs positioned immediately downstream of a model manhole structure ("manhole"-arrangement). Corresponding data sets were compared to determine the effects of (i) approach velocity and (ii) manhole proximity (for two different shapes of manhole "benching") on the respective weir discharge coefficients.Key words: sewer weirs, broad-crested weir, compound sharp-crested weir, calibration, sewer benching, discharge coefficients.