Boundary shear distribution in open channel compound

Abstract

The importance of the determination of boundary shear distribution and the applicability of measurement by surface pitot tube technique after Preston1in open channel flow are discussed. The results of the investigation made to explore boundary shear distribution in a smooth and an artificially roughened compound channel are presented. The distribution of shear is found to be non-uniform in character and the location of maximum bed and side shear stress to be some distance from the centreline and free surface. The sharing of total drag force by the different segments of the channel section is found to be related to the depth of flow and roughness concentration.