Andrew Wickert

Andrew Wickert

McKnight Land-Grant Assistant Professor
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
Faculty, Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory
Associate, Institute on the Environment

Flow Velocity: The Chézy Formulation

Open-channel flow velocity is proportional to shear velocity.

Learning GoalsPermalink

Relate flow velocity to shear velocity via the Chézy Formula.
Understand its relationship to flow depth and the eventual reframing of the Chézy coefficient by Manning to take flow depth into account.

The formulaPermalink

For quick reference; see course notes and video for derivation:

$\bar{u} = C_z u_\tau$

For steady, uniform flow:

$\bar{u} = C_z \sqrt{g h S}$

Course notesPermalink

Flow mechanics PDF

Chézy’s formula explainedPermalink

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