Experimental Evaluation of the Coriolis Coefficient in Open Channels with High Roughness

Abstract

Previous investigations of open channels shown that the velocity distribution in the cross section and longitudinal section is not homogeneous. The objective of this research is find with laboratory data, the velocity profile and evaluate the Coriolis coefficient, a parameter that affects the velocity load and therefore the total flow energy. The factors considered are: roughness, channel slope, flow rate, velocity distribution, type of flow, geometry, type of material at the bottom of the channel, and the water depth. The evaluation and experimental determination of the Coriolis coefficient obtained from the velocity profile averaged in time and space, indicates that the characteristic conditions of the developed experiments the Coriolis coefficient is equal to 1, 0919. This result denotes that the velocity load is 9% higher, with respect to the case of using the Coriolis coefficient equal to 1, the usual condition in the hydraulic design of open channels.