NOTCHES & WEIRS

DEFINITIONS
A notch may defined as an opening provided in the side of a
tank (or vessel) such that the liquid surface in the tank is
below the top edge of the opening. Notches made of metallic
plates, and are provided in narrow channels (laboratory) to
measure the rate of flow.

A weir is the name given to a concrete or massonry structure

built across a river or stream in order to raise the level of the
water on the upstream side and to allow the excess water to
flow over its entire length to the downstream side. Weirs may
also be used for measuring the rate of flow water in rivers or
streams.

CLASSIFICATION OF NOTCHES
Based on the shape of the opening:
Rectangular notch
Triangular (V-notch)
Trapezoidal notch
Parabolic notch, and
Stepped notch.

According to the effect of the sides on

the nappe emerging from notch:
Notch with and contraction
Notch without end contraction or suppressed
notch.
3

CLASSIFICATION OF WEIRS (1/2)

Based on the shape of the opening of:
Rectangular notch,
Triangular notch, and
Trapezoidal notch

Based on the shape of the crest:

Sharp crested weirs,
Narrow crested weirs,
Broad crested weirs, and
Ogee shaped weirs
4

CLASSIFICATION OF WEIRS (2/2)

According to the effect of the sides on the
nappe emerging from notch:
Notch with and contraction
Notch without end contraction or suppressed
notch.

According to the discharge conditions:

Freely discharging weirs, and
Submerged (or downed) weirs
5

FLOW OVER A RECTANGULAR SHARP CRESTED

WEIR OR NOTCH

Consider a rectangular sharp crested weir as

shown below: L crest length, and H is the height
of the water surface above the crest.
Nappe
Head above the crest, H

Height of the weir or notch, p

CLASSIFICATION OF THE SHARP CRESTED

WEIR
Sharp crested weir can be classified as follows:
1. Based on the shape of the weir
1) Rectangular
2) Triangular
3) Trapezoidal
rectangular

triangular

trapezoidal

2. Based on the elevation of tail water (down stream water):

1) Free flow weir, when the downstream water surface is below the crest of
the weir.
2) Submerged weir, when the downstream water surface is above the crest
of the weir.

Free flow weir

submerged weir

RECTANGULAR SHARP CRESTED WEIR

Rectangular sharp crested weir: crest width b, overflow hight H,
discharge coefficient Cd, and velocity approach can be neglected.
Consider to water segment of dh at the depth h from water surface.
Bernoulli equation between point 1 and 2 is,

h
dh

p1 V12
p2 V22
z1

z2

g 2g
g 2g

2
v2

V1

V2 2g( z1 z 2 ) 2gh

As V1 0, and both points are at atmospheric pressure, then the equation

become:
V22 or

z1 0 0 z 2 0

2g
8

RECTANGULAR SHARP CRESTED WEIR

(continued)

Segment area :

dA = b.dh

The discharge through the segment is :

dq V2dA

dq V2.dA 2gh.b.dh

By considering the discharge coefficient Cd, then the discharge is :

H

Q dq Cd 2g.b h 2 dh Cdb 2g
1

2 12
h
3

H
0

3
2
Cdb 2g.H 2
3

dq Cd 2g.h 2 .b.dh

Integration of the equation produces:

RECTANGULAR SHARP CRESTED WEIR

(continued)

When the velocity approache is considered , Va, the energy head

at the upstream of the weir is:
v a2

dq V2dA

2g

v a2
dq Cd.b.dh 2g(h )
2g

Velocity through the segment of dh is then :

The discharge through the segment is:

v a2
V2 2g(h )
2g

Intergration of the equation produces:

Q dq C d
0

2 2

v
2
Q C d .b 2g . h a

3
2g

v a2 12
2 g .b (h ) dh
2g
0
3
2

v

2g

2
a

10

TRIANGULAR SHARP CRESTED WEIR

Discharge through the triangular sharp crested weir: water depth above
crest H, discharge coefficient Cd, and overflow angle .
B

V2/2g

h
dh

v2

V1

Consider to segment dh at the water depth h from the water surface. Segment
area is

da b.dh 2(H h)tg dh

2
Velocity through the segment is
v 2 gh
The discharge through the segment is :

dq Cdda 2gh Cd 2(H h)tg

dh. 2gh
2
11

TRIANGULAR SHARP CRESTED WEIR

(continued)

Integration the equation produces the discharge through the

whole weir:
1

2
Q dq 2Cd tg
2g (H h)h dh
2
0
0

3
1

Q 2Cd tg
2g (Hh 2 h 2 )dh
2
0

3
5 H

2
2 2
2
Q C d .tg
2g 3 Hh 5 h 0
2
5
5

2
2
2
2
Q 3 Cd .tg
2g( 3 H 5 H 2 )
2

2
3

5
8

Q
Cd.tg
2gH 2
15
2

12

TRIANGULAR SHARP CRESTED WEIR

(continued)

When the velocity approache is considered, the the equation

become:

5/2
5/2
2
2

v
8

v


Q
Cd .tg
2g H
15
2
2g

2g

13

TRAPEZOIDAL SHARP CRESTED WEIR

As the trapezoidal is the combination of rectangular and triangular, so
the discharge through the trapezoidal weir is the summation of
discharge through the rectangular weir and triangular weir.
b

V2/2g

h
dh

v2

V1

3
5
2
8

Q Cd1b 2gH 2
Cd2 .tg
2gH 2
3
15
2

where:

Cd1 = discharge coefficient of rectangular weir

Cd2 = discharge coefficient of triangular weir
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BROAD CRESTED WEIR

Weir is called wide crested weir when the crest width is
wider than 0.66 of the overflow depth (t > 0,66H), and the
present of the straight flow-lines (horizontal) on the top of
the crest.
The pressure on the overflow above the wide crest is
hydrostatic pressure. Application of Bernoulli equation on the
points before and on the top of the weir crest can be used to
find out the flow velocity above the crest.
By measuring the water depth at the upstream, H, the
discharge over the weir can be determined.
When the water level at the downstream of the weir is above
the crest, the weir is called imperfect weir or submerged
weir.
15

BROAD CRESTED WEIR (continued)

Aplication of Bernoulli equation on wide crested weir results:
2

p1 V1
p 2 V22
z1

z2

g 2g
g 2g

V22
0H0 0h
2g

or

V22
Hh
2g

v 2g(H h)

Discharge of the weir is then:

Q Cd.A.V

Q Cdb.h 2g(H h) Cdb 2g(Hh h )

2

1
2

16

BROAD CRESTED WEIR (continued)

Maximum discharge is occurred when (Hh2-h3) is maxsimum. The value of
(Hh2-h3) is maximum when the value of dQ/dh = 0

dQ
d
2
3 12

Cdb 2g(Hh h )
dh dh

1
dQ
d
Cdb 2g
(Hh 2 h3 ) 2 0
dh
dh

2Hh 3h2
2(Hh 2 h3 )

1
2

2 Hh 3h2 = 0

atau

h 23 H
17

BROAD CRESTED WEIR (continued)

Substitute the value of h into the equation of Q, produces :

Q Cdb 2g H( H) ( H)
Q Cdb 2g
Q

2
3 3

2
3

4
9

H3

Cdb 2gH

2
3

8
27

1
2

H3 Cdb 2g

4
27

H3

3
2

The discharge over the weir can be calculated by measuring the water
lever at the upstream of the weir, H.
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EXAMPLE
1. Air mengalir melalui ambang lebar dengan bentang 20 m. Perbedaan
tinggi air akibat ambang adalah 0,4 m. Hitung besarnya aliran maksimum
melalui ambang dengan koefisien debit 0,8

Perbedaan tinggi muka air, H - h = 0,4 m

Jadi,

h = H 0,4m

Aliran maksimum bila

h 32 H

H H 0,4

Maka,

2
3

3H - 1,2 = 2H
H = 1,2 m

Debit maksimum melalui pelimpah,

2
3

Cdb 2gH 2 0. 384Cdb 2gH 2

3
3

Untuk percepatan gravitasi g=9,81 m/det

19

EXAMPLE
2. Hitung besarnya debit melalui peluap terendam dengan panjang ambang, b
dan koefisien debit Cd

Q 1,71 C d bH

3
2

Q 1,71.0,8.20.1,2 2 35,95m3 / det

H1

H2

Debit aliran melalui peluap terendam adalah jumlah aliran setinggi luapan
H1-H2 dengan aliran terendam setinggi H2
Q = Q1 + Q2

Cb
2
3

2g(H1 H2 ) 2 CdbH2 2g(H1 H2 )

3

20

RECTANGULAR CRESTED WEIR

21

CIPOLETTI WEIR

22

V-NOTCH WEIR

23

TIPE AMBANG

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SLUICE GATE

Figure 9. Free outflow followed

by a shooting tailwater flow

Figure 10. Free outflow followed by an

undulating hydraulic jump in the
tailwater

figure 11. free outflow followed by a

perfect hydraulic jump with surface
roller in the tailwater

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LABYRINTH WEIR

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SPILLWAY

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