Gradually-varied Flow Profiles in Open Channels

This book shows how to solve GVF profiles using direct integration and Gaussian hypergeometric function. Lays groundwork for computing at one sweep the GVF profiles in a series of sustaining and adverse channels, which may have horizontal slopes between them.

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Gradually-varied flow (GVF) is a steady non-uniform flow in an open channel with gradual changes in its water surface elevation. The evaluation of GVF profiles under a specific flow discharge is very important in hydraulic engineering. This book proposes a novel approach to analytically solve the GVF profiles by using the direct integration and Gaussian hypergeometric function. Both normal-depth- and critical-depth-based dimensionless GVF profiles are presented. The novel approach has laid the foundation to compute at one sweep the GVF profiles in a series of sustaining and adverse channels, which may have horizontal slopes sandwiched in between them.